Fired reboiler distance

[AdamKaz]

Reboiler-Column Separation
This concerns actual experience within Operating Plants where there are direct fired reboilers eg. on refineries, crude terminals etc.. On our project HSE state that to minimize the risk the separation distance between the reboiler and the nearest source of liquid hydrocarbons, eg. the column, needs to be somewhere in the range; minimum 18m – 25m from the column. Our concerns relate to such a great distance for 2-phase reboiler return lines, ie. That slugging might occur and that maldistribution at the column itself could result.

It would be useful to know the distance between fired reboiler & the column for actual plants, and maybe even an indication of the piping arrangement and the flow regime.

 

[sshep]

AdamKaz,

In my experience the distance has often been in excess of your specification simply by the nature of the plant layout-i.e. all fired heaters in a row together, and the columns located some distance away. The piping layout and size (flow regime) are certainly much more important than the distance.

best wishes,
sshep