Case Study · Hydrocarbon & Chemical
Terrace-Wall Reformer High Emissivity Coating: Coated Fiber Modules Replace IFB at Terra Industries
| Industry | Hydrocarbon & Chemical |
|---|---|
| Asset | Terrace-wall ammonia reformer (twin cell, 190 tubes per cell) |
| Customer or location | Terra Industries, Oklahoma, USA |
| Products used | Emisshield ST-17 |
| Headline metric | Uniform, more intense radiation |
| Secondary metric | No shrinkage or ablation after 8 months |
| Also measured | ~980°C |
During a scheduled outage, Terra Industries found the 1,430°C insulating firebrick in both cells of its Foster-Wheeler terrace-wall reformer needed replacement, with insufficient IFB in stock. High-temperature ceramic fiber modules coated with Emisshield ST-17 were installed in the upper terrace instead. The coated modules radiated heat more uniformly than the original IFB and showed no shrinkage or ablation after eight months in service.
01
What was the challenge?
The plant planned to replace a 5-inch section of IFB but found both cells needed it. With IFB unavailable, the alternative had to survive the upper terrace at about 980°C, radiate effectively to 190 tubes per cell, and last.
02
What was applied?
Ceramic fiber modules installed in the upper terrace, with ST-17 sprayed onto the modules and no rigidizer.
03
What were the results?
| Metric | Original IFB | Coated fiber modules |
|---|---|---|
| Heating of tubes | Uneven | Uniform, more intense radiation |
| Surface appearance | Baseline | Darker, evenly colored, cooler surface |
| Shrinkage or ablation after 8 months | None | |
| Service temperature and life of fiber | Increased |
Photographs showed the coated modules radiating more uniformly, with cooler coating temperature from increased radiation to the tubes, maintaining radiance uniformity and durability while reducing energy loss and maintenance frequency.
04
Why did it work?
The coating raises the module emissivity to 0.85 to 0.95 and seals the fiber surface, so the modules both out-radiate IFB and resist the shrinkage that limits uncoated fiber. See Ceramic fiber testing.
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