Heat Exchanger Engineering Curriculum
Module from the Heat Exchanger Engineering Curriculum curriculum.
Module 9 - Fired Heater Overview (API 560) · Learning Objectives · 1. Identify box, cabin, vertical cylindrical, and arbor heater types · 2. Size radiant section duty vs convection section economizer · 3. Apply tube skin thermocouple limits and calculated TMT (tube metal T) · 4. Design convection section with extended surface tubes (studded, finned) · 5. Interpret draft profile, O2 trim, combustion efficiency (ASME PTC 4) · Fired Heater Type Selection
| Type | Service | Radiant Coil | Max Duty MMBTU/hr | Height | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Cylindrical (VC) | Process fluid heater | Helical or vertical | 5-60 | 40-60 ft | Crude, vis, reboiler |
| Box (cabin) | Process | Horizontal | 30-300 | 30-50 ft | Reformer feed heater |
| Arbor (vertical tube) | Heavy oil | Vertical | 20-100 | 50-80 ft | Vis, hot oil |
| Crude heater | Crude unit | Multi-pass | 50-500 | 40-60 ft | Atmospheric feed |
| Reformer | SMR | Vertical tubes | 100-700 | 30-50 ft | Hydrogen plants |
| Pyrolysis | Ethylene | Vertical twin-radiant | 100-300 | 30-50 ft | Olefins |
Source: Heat_Exchanger_Engineering_Curriculum_v1.xlsx · Sheet: Fired Heater
© 2026 Inflection Point Engineering, LLC. All rights reserved. The content of this page — including calculation methods, reference data, written analysis, interactive tools, and source code — is the intellectual property of Inflection Point Engineering, LLC and is protected under applicable copyright, trademark, and trade secret laws. Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, modification, or derivative use in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written consent.
Disclaimer. This material is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional engineering advice. Calculations, reference data, and methodologies are based on published standards and accepted engineering practice but are not a substitute for engineering judgment, site-specific analysis, or review by a licensed Professional Engineer. Inflection Point Engineering, LLC makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose of any content presented here, and shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from its use. Users assume all risk associated with applying this content to real-world design, operations, or decisions.
© 2026 Inflection Point Engineering, LLC. All rights reserved.