Leading-edge software for rating and simulating fired heaters

Xfh Ultra, HTRI’s general-purpose fired heater modeling software, provides calculations for refinery operations. Users can easily explore operating scenarios to increase capacity and performance, helping to minimize energy loss and shutdown time.

Xfh Ultra is flexible enough to handle most fired heater configurations. In each firebox, heat transfer is simulated using a single-zone model. This reliable and practical approach is combined with an integrated convection section calculation with allowance for shock radiation from the firebox.

The graphical interface makes it easy for users to quickly set up and run fired heater cases. During testing, users rated it easiest to operate when compared to other fired heater software. It features an interactive fired heater diagram, which simplifies the setup of complex stream and coil connections.

Xfh Ultra tubeside calculations are based on HTRI’s methods for calculating heat transfer and pressure drop in process fluids, as used by Xchanger Suite^®. These methods are backed by HTRI’s extensive research on single-phase and two-phase boiling. In addition, the program uses well-established single-zone methods for simulating the firebox and a 3D incremental approach to modeling flue gas temperatures in the convection section.

Version 3.0 offers new capabilities, including

• CAPE-OPEN interface to process simulators: Through CAPE-OPEN, the functionality of Xfh Ultra (including its user interface) can be accessed directly from a flowsheet in most process simulators, including Honeywell UniSim^® Design Suite, AVEVA™ PRO/II™ Simulation, and Petro-SIM^®. 
• 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Xfh Ultra: A 64-bit version offers improved, in-process interactivity with 64-bit process simulators using CAPE-OPEN. 
• Treatment of steam injection for user-defined and imported fluids: Accuracy and ease of use are improved for steam injection when the process fluid is defined using a property table and all the fluid properties (before and after steam injection) are taken from a consistent source such as a process simulator. 
• IAPWS-IF97 steam property package: A new water property package, compliant with the latest IAPWS industrial formulation, is now available. 
• Improved ability to calculate fuel flow for multiple streams: The fuel flow calculation now handles multiple streams with specified temperature or heat absorption targets. 

Contact us at [email protected] for more information about Xfh Ultra.