Heat exchanger for the deoxygenation head of the hydrogen production unit
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In hydrogen production plants, the steam from the deoxygenation unit is discharged directly into the atmosphere, resulting in some waste of steam. In winter, the fuel gas separator tank needs to be heated using steam tracing. Could a small heat exchanger be installed at the vent on top of the deaerator to recover the heat from the deaerator steam, thereby reducing steam consumption?
There’s no need for that. Thermal oxygen removal involves a large amount of oxygen, which can cause oxidative corrosion of the equipment; it also requires additional investment. Your fuel gas only needs heating when the temperature is low, and not much steam is needed for such heating. Moreover, refineries have an excess supply of steam at 1.0 MPa.
The operating temperature of the deaerator is generally 104°C, and the thermal energy associated with this temperature is low. Additionally, the steam coming out of the deaerator has low pressure and temperature, as well as a small volume; such conditions are not sufficient to offset the costs of the recovery facilities
Thermal deaeration requires discharge. Emissions can also be controlled.
The temperature is only 104°C, and the volume of gas is low, so the value of recovery is not high
Our design calls for steam to go to the air preheater, but currently it is released directly into the atmosphere
If the quantity is large, recycling can be considered; the steam can be condensed using an air preheater. The recovery period is estimated to be very long
We use it to preheat the air, and it is somewhat useful for controlling the exhaust gas temperature
Generally, the atmosphere is directly vented; there are energy-saving companies specialized in recovering the waste steam from deaerators for this purpose.