Table 1. Typical fired-burner problems and rooT causes root cause problem category problem subcategory Unsteady flame pattern Erratic flame Pulsating flame Loose or hazy flame Cloudy flame Undesirable flame height Fame lift off Flame flashback Undesirable fuel gas flame color Non-definitive shape Long flame Short flame -- -- Luminous blue Yellow Undesirable fuel oil flame color Flame impingement Mechanical damages or problems Dark orange or brown Luminous yellow -- Burner tip damages Burner tile damages Pilot ignition problem Improper air entrance Burner goes out -- improper performances for a given cause is to be corrected, and continues in this vein until all possible causes for improper burner performance are corrected. Typical problems & root causes Based on our field experience and the valuable information found in References 1-3, typical fired-heater-burner ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Dark orange or light brown ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ problems can be classified into the following eight main categories: 1. Unsteady flame pattern 2. Undesirable flame height 3. Undesirable flame color 4. Flame liftoff or blowoff 5. Flame flashback 6. Flame impingement 7. Mechanical problems & damages 8. Burner extinguished 40 ChemiCal engineering www.Che.Com may 2013 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Each of these categorized problems can be divided into many subcategories. In order to analyze each category and its subcategories in the most concise and efficient way, a root-cause-analysis table has been proposed (Table 1). Troubleshooting actions Understanding the root causes of burner operating problems is the ✓ Improper amount of combustion air Improper draft Improper primary or secondary air adjustment Burner tip damaged Burner tip plugged Burner-tip improper drilling diameter Burner-tip improper drilling angle Burner-tip poor installation or assembly practice Burner tile damage Improper fuel pressure Improper amount of atomizing steam Frequent changing of fuel composition High content of impurities in fuel Improper fuel temperature Rapid temperature changes in firebox Excessive firing Improper dry-out practice or wrong material selection Electrical problem Fuel oil spoilage Choked fuel ringhttp://www.Che.Com