No.

031/2004

HOW TO REALIZE A THERMAL OIL PLANT WITH OPEN TANK

1)

APPLICATION FIELD:
The present precept is applied to thermal oil plants.

2)

SYMBOL:

DENOMINATION
Heating surface
Thermal efficiency
Volume
Fluid contents
Bulk capacity
Temperature
Sliding point
Distillation starting point
Pressure
Steam tension
Output
Kinematics viscosity
Specific heat
Total thermal capacity
Specific thermal load in combustion chamber
Heat conduction
Angular speed
Breaking unitary load

3.

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:

3.2

PRESSURE

3.2.1

WORKING PRESSURE

SYMBOL
S

V
Q
T,t
p
Pvs
P
v
c
C

SI UNIT
m
m
Kg
m/s
K
K
K
Pa
Pa
kW
m/s
KJ/(Kg-K)
kJ/K

OTHER UNIT
m
m
Kg
m/h
C
C
C
Kgf/cm
mmHg
Kcal/h
cST
Kcal/(Kg.C)
Kcal/C

kW/m
W/(m.K)
rad/s
N/m

Kcal/(h.m)
Kcal/(h.mC)
giri/min
Kgf/mm

Working pressure of single parts of the system is the addition of static pressure due to the head of oil circulation pump.
3.2.2

MAXIMUM PRESSURE ALLOWED

Is the maximum pressure on which the circuit is designed and tested.

3.3

TEMPERATURES
Are considered the different temperatures of thermal oil in different sections of the circuit.

3.3.1

FLUID TEMPERATURES
Is the thermal oil temperature checked in the middle of the piping.

3.3.2

OUTLET TEMPERATURE
Is the thermal oil temperature checked outside the heater.

3.3.3

INLET TEMPERATURE
Is the thermal oil temperature just before entering the heater.

3.3.4

WORKING TEMPERATURE
Is the outlet temperature of the oil that must be below the design temperature.
Working temperature is one of the points to value the fluids long life.

3.3.5

DESIGN TEMPERATURE
Maximum temperature allowed by design of plant.
This temperature must be higher than the working temperature.

3.3.6

EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE

Is the temperature of the flue gas at the heaters exit.

3.3.7

EXHAUST GAS OVERTEMPERATURE ALLOWED

Is the difference between the flue gas temperature and the thermal oil temperature.

ELEMENTS OF THE PLANT:

The principal components of the plant are:
-

Thermal oil heater

Combustion plant - burner
Expantion tank
Drain tank
Oil circulation pump
Oil barrel pump
Valves
Filters
Level indicators
Piping
Instruments

4.1

THERMAL OIL HEATERS CHARACTERISTICS

For each heater must be indicated the following data:
-

4.1.2

Capacity at maximum load

Capacity at economical load
Design pressure
Maximum working pressure
Maximum thermal oil temperature
Temperature fall between outlet and inlet
Nominal viscosity and type of oil to be used
Furnace volume
Specific thermal load
Heating surface
Efficiency at maximum and at economical load
Exhaust gas temperature
Gas head loss
Minimum capacity of thermal oil allowed according to the working temperature
Thermal oil content

EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE

Exhaust gas temperature must not be higher than the value deduced from the following formula: TF = TL + TS
TF
TL
TS

Ts
in
C

=
=
=

Exhaust gas temperature

Outlet temperature of the oil
Over temperature allowed according to the following diagram

130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
700

1400
Pc in kW

4.1.3

INSPECTION
The heater must be able to be easily inspected inside.

4.2

EXPANTION TANK
Thermic plants, using diathermic oil at high temperature, must be provided with a tank built dimensioned and installed in order to
grant its two main functions:
* To allow oil contained dilatation in whole plants
* To guarantee to the system the right hydrostatic constant head

4.2.1

HOW TO DIMENSION EXPANTION TANK

The expantion tank must have a minimum capacity equal to 30% of the oil volume contained in the whole plant.

4.3

OIL TANK
The main function is to receive the total amount of the oil contained in the plant.

4.3.1

HOW TO DIMENSION OIL TANK

The tank must be able to receive about 150% of the plants total volume.

4.4

OIL CIRCULATION PUMPS

For diathermic oil circulation at high temperature must be used special pumps designed and built for this duty in order to
guarantee a correct work.

4.5

BARREL PUMPS
Being a matter of fluid at room temperature are suggested gear pumps.

4.6

REGULATION, CHECK AND THREE WAY VALVES

Must be designed and built to work with fluid at high temperature.
It is forbidden to use and allow copper.

4.7

FILTERS
Filters are necessary to keep possible impurity or ageing products contained in the air in order to guarantee a normal
transmission of the heat.
Filters either help valves in their work.

4.7.1

Each filter must be equipped with a couple of manometers that indicate the obstruction condition.

4.8

OIL LEVEL INDICATORS

Oil level indicators must be suitable to work at the provided temperatures considering the special characteristics of the used fluid.
The taps must be legible in their "open" and "close" positions.

4.9

All pipes connecting parts in thermal oil plants must be in steel.

For temperatures below 300 C it is allowed to use pipes not in steel.

4.10

INSTRUMENTS
Safety and control devices:
*
*
*
*
*

Burner regulator thermostat

Maximum temperature thermostat
Differential pressure switch
Burner block in case the oil circulation pump stops to work
Block or alarm devices for minimum level in the expantion tank.

DIATERMIC OIL:
Diathermic oil are mineral oils coming from oil distillation and refining, provided with a good thermic stability and rust-proof at
high working temperature.

5.1

CHARACTERISTICS
The characteristics that the diathermic oil producer should provide are:
*
*
*
*
*

Viscosity at 50 C
Viscosity at 20 C
Sliding point
Bulk at 15 C
Maximum working temperature

On request can be provided the following characteristics:

*
*
*
*
*
6.3

Initial distillation point at normal atmospheric pressure

Specific heat at 15 C
Heat conduction
Tension of steam at outlet temperature
Viscosity at outlet temperature

EXPANTION TANK:
Expantion tank, in atmospheric plans, is the only part of the system where the thermal oil can join the oxygen in the atmosphere,
because the oxidation process is very reduced until the temperature does not go above 60 C.
The plan should be realized to guarantee these conditions. Further to this point is a role to prefer a vertical cylindrical shape and
to install the expantion tank outdoor. If the winter weather conditions and the characteristics of the thermal oil excludes the
possibility to freeze. The expantion tank should be installed on a high that will guarantee the necessary head on the circulation
pump.

6.3.1

The connection between the expantion tank and the circuit must be realized before the circulation pump.
Piping connection must have a diameter between 1" e 2", should not be insulated and the oil temperature inside the pump
should not go over 60 C.

6.4

STORAGE TANK FOR THERMAL OIL

Storage tank should be placed in a position that allows discharge of all the fluid by gravity.
Must be provided with a hand pump or motor pump, in order to transfer thermal oil in the circuit.
Must be provided with a ventilation system communicating with the atmosphere and with suitable connection to the plan.
If the tank is installed in a visible and accessible position, out from the ground, must be provided with a level indicator.

6.5

PIPING
Equipments and piping to use to realize the connections for plant with thermal oil must be according to the point 4.9.
Piping, in which is circulating the fluid at high temperature, must be insulated.
For piping disposition you must take care to correct slope in order to avoid air formation;
Anyway it is always better to provide right blow down valve and air hole.

6.5.1

PIPING DILATION
Designing and realizing the connections is indispensable to take care of the thermic dilation of pipings, which importance
increases with the rise of the working temperature, power and dimension of the plant.
It is necessary to avoid that dilations induce to much on the main equipments, like heat generators and valves; except in the case
of small diameter not always the piping elasticity allows to absorb dilations without inducing to much stress.
You must provide right exaution joints suitable for this use.
One of the most critical points, especially in case of big dimension and many equipments, is the one in connection to the
circulation pump and in connection to the automatic regulation three way valve.
Piping must be, of course, provided of adequate fixed points.

6.6

SAFETY AND CONTROL DEVICES FOR THE THERMAL OIL

The plant and all equipments must be designed and realized in order to avoid:
* Temperature rising, even if it is casual, over maximum working temperature.
* Contact between air-oil at temperature above 60 C.

6.7

AIR HOLES
The plant must be provided with air holes, to be placed in the highest point of the piping, in order to allow the separation and
elimination of gas and steam produced during starting or work.

6.8

BLOW DOWN
The plant must be provided with blow down, properly dimensioned and placed in a suitable position to eliminate all materials
deposited that must be removed.

6.9

BLOW DOWN
The plant must be provided with blow down properly dimensioned, placed in all lower points directed to the storage tank in order
to empty completely and quickly the whole fluid.

BOILER ROOMS:
Boiler rooms in which are installed hot oil heaters must satisfy the low according to certification issued by fire-men.

7.1

BOILER ROOMS
Buildings, in which are installed heat generators and all equipments, are preferably separated from the main building and should
be at ground level.

7.1.1

OPENING
The boiler house must be provided with easy accessible exits with fire proof doors; at least one exit must approach to open-air.

7.1.2

VENTILATION
It is very important to take care about ventilation, that besides to assure the primary air for combustion must also prevent that
temperature increases and becomes noxious for the staff, for automatic control and safety equipments.

START AND PLAN OPERATIONS:

8.1

HYDRAULIC TEST
Hydraulic test of the heater and of the whole plan must be done with oil or compressed air with pressure at least at 6 bar.
All air in the plan must be eliminated.

8.2

FILLING
Filling should be done from the lower point of the circuit through an auxiliary pump due to avoid air formation.
During the filling airvant valves must be opened until the oil starts to leak.
Filling must be stopped when the expantion tank reaches the minimum level.
After filling is advisable to let the oil circulate for 4 hours in order to eliminate all the air.

8.3

START UP
The oil heating must be done gradually increasing the temperature not more than 40 C/h.; between 90 and 120 C the
temperature increase must be not over 10 + 15 C/h.
Start up is finished after you have joint and maintained the temperature for 6 hours at the normal working temperature.
After heating you must leave the oil cool down and discharge, possibly filtering it.
Then you must control and clean all filters.

8.4

CHARGE

8.4.1

OIL TEST
Periodically you must check the oil in order to verify if is not necessary to change it for the following reasons:
* First check on the new charge
* A check at 1.000 working hours or after two months
* Two checks after 2.000 working hours or after six months.
* Further checks after 3.000 working hours or after one year.
Samples must be taken cool at a temperature not above 30 C and not less than 1 Kg.