Refinery & Petrochemical Boilers
Increase efficiency, improve availability and reduce emissions on gas and oil-fired boilers.
Online Boiler Cleaning Specialists
Therma-Chem have been providing online boiler cleaning services to the refining industry since 1984.
Our unique product, FS12, is a post-combustion treatment of ash deposits which eliminates slagging and fouling throughout the boiler resulting in increased efficiency, reduced emissions and the prevention of corrosion. FS12 is particularly effective at eliminating vanadium and sulphur corrosion on oil-fired units and recovering small losses experienced on gas-fired units.
Therma-Chem FS12 has been recognised by the United Nations as an approved methodology for reducing carbon emissions and we are extremely pasionate about helping our clients reduce their impact upon the environment.
Fouling has been almost completely removed from the superheater tubes by Therma-Chem FS12 online cleaning on a 120 t/hr HFO-fired boiler. Vanadium pentoxide corrosion was neutralised eliminating pinhole corrosion.
How FS12 Benefits Boiler Performance
How Does FS12 Work
Therma-Chem’s FS12 is an mildly alkaline solution containing nitrates that is designed specifically to clean boilers online. Using Therma-Chem’s proprietary injection system, the liquid is injected directly into the combustion chamber, vaporises and is carried by the flue gas through the unit, encountering all heat transfer surfaces including the waterwalls, superheaters, economiser, and air pre-heater.
FS12 reacts with existing hard deposits and fouling on tubes by increasing their melting point and reduces them to soft powdery ash.
This allows units to maintain high thermal efficiencies or recover capacity (if this was limited by fouling). FS12 also neutralises sulphur deposits on the cold end of the flue gas path preventing cold end corrosion and eases man entry during a maintenance or inspection shutdown.
In addition, FS12 will reduce NOx, SOx and Carbon emissions via efficiency improvements.
Using FS12 ultimately results in improved heat transfer, prevention of both high temperature and low temperature corrosion, improved operating efficiency and reduced emissions.
These images show deposits removed at shutdowns before and after Therma-Chem treatment. As a result of the Therma-Chem treatment, the ash has been modified and the slag has become brittle and powdery.
The deposit previously had to be removed by machinery but could now be removed by hand.
Application Methods
FS12 is traditionally applied to process heaters in one of three ways:
Maintenance Dosing
Applied daily, FS12 keeps units clean and prevents costly drop offs in performance and avoids the possible need for shutdowns during the operating campaign. This is the most common method of application with some customers having used Therma-Chem every day for 15 years across multiple units.
Online Recovery Cleaning
When a unit is load and/or temperature restricted mid-run and there is no window to shut down for maintenance, FS12 is introduced to recover performance. Injected 3-4 times per day over a period of 30-90 days, depending on the severity of the fouling, FS12 can target any part of the unit loosening deposits and restoring performance. We would then recommend switching to Maintenance Dosing to prevent a drop-off in performance recurring.
Pre Shutdown Cleaning
Utilised in the run up to a shutdown to facilitate a more effective and easier clean of a unit, FS12 can be applied 3-4 times per day for a period between 30 – 90 days.This ensures that during the shutdown, cleaning is more effective, easier, quicker and any sulphuric deposits are neutralised, dry, and entry into all areas of the unit is safe and comfortable.
