Аннотация:At oil refineries, furnaces account for much of the energy expenditure. Energy efficiency may beimproved by means of an integrated system that contains a furnace and a unit for heating the incoming gas with energy recovered from the smokestack gases. By exergetic analysis and efficiency assessment of the energy distribution in the system (on the basis of the zeroth law of thermodynamics), a multifunctional approach to effective integration of the furnace subsystem and the energy subsystem is proposed. That results in greater stability of the integrated system; provides the energy required for all the technological operations, as well as additional inexpensive electrical power; and helps curb thermal pollution of the environment. This approach may be adopted in modernizing existing systems or creating new systems.