Boiler Auto Controls, Mr. ES Salaikuberan

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Tiruchirappalli-14
Presentation on
Boiler Auto Controls
By
E. S.Salaikuberan, DGM C&I
CONTROLS & INSTRUMENTATION / FB
Automatic Control
Automatic control is the maintenance of a desired
value of a quantity or condition by measuring the
existing value, comparing it to the desired value(set
point) and employing the difference to initiate action
for reducing the difference.

Basic Diagram of a Boiler

STEAM
WATER
FUEL
STEAM/WATER SYSTEM
MIXING OF
FUEL & AIR
FURNACE
BLOWDOWN
HEAT
TRANSFER
SURFACE
AIR
FLUE GAS
ASH
Boiler Auto Controls

Main control loops are:
- Unit coordinated control
- Combustion control : Fuel oil control, Coal flow control, Air flow
control
- Feed water control
- Superheated & Reheated steam temperature control
- Furnace draught control
- Primary air pressure control
- Mill controls

SAMA Symbols
Scientific Apparatus Makers Association
ENCLOSURE SYMBOLS
Table 1
Symbol
Function
Measuring or
Readout
Manual Signal
Processing
Automatic Signal
Processing
Final Controlling
Within a circle use a letter symbol from Table II
Within other enclosures us a symbol from Table III
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Electricals Limited,
Limited, Tiruchirappalli-14
Tiruchirappalli-14
SAMA Symbols (contd)

MEASURING/READOUT LETTERS
Table II
Process Variable
Function
A = Analysis**
C = Conductivity
D = Density
F = Flow
L = Level
M = Moisture
P = Pressure
S = Speed
T = Temperature
V = Viscosity
W = Weight
Z = Position
R = Recording
I = Indicating
T = Transmitter
RT = Recording
Transmitter
IT = Indicating
Transmitter
FR
FRT
**Self-defining symbols such as O 2, pH, etc., can be used in place of A.

Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
SAMA Symbols (Table III)

SIGNAL
PROCESSING
SYMBOL
FUNCTION
or +
/n
or K or P
SUMMING
AVERAGING
DIFFERENCE
PROPORTIONAL
or I
INTEGRAL
DERIVATIVE
d/dt or D
FUNCTION
INTEGRATE OR TOTALIZE
LOW SELECTING
HIGH LIMITING
LOW LIMITING
REVERSE PROPORTIONAL
VELOCITY LIMITING
DIVIDING
n
X
BIAS
f(x)
TRANSFER
EXPONENTIAL
NON-LINEAR FUNCTION
TRI-STATE SIGNAL
(RAISE, HOLD, LOWER)
HIGH SELECTING
MULTIPLYING
ROOT EXTRACTION
SIGNAL
PROCESSING
SYMBOL
TIME FUNCTION
VARIABLE SIGNAL
GENERATION
SIGNAL MONITOR
-K or -P
V
f(t)
A
T
H/, H/L, /L
7
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
SAMA Legend
Measuring or Readout
1. CONTROLLER
Automatic Signal Processing

Manual Signal Processing
A
Final Controlling
SET POINT
GENERATOR
RESET
PROPORTIONAL
Summing
MANUAL SIGNAL
GENERATOR
AUTO./MAN.
TRANSFER
SWITCH
Signal Repeater
/h Summing
d/d1 Derivative
K, -K
Difference
Integral
Proportional, Reverse Proportional
X Multiplying
Dividing Root Extracting
f(x) Non Linear or Unspecified Function
2. AUTO MANUAL + BIAS STATION
f(t) Time Function

> High Selecting
BIAS
ADJUSTMENT
AUTO./MAN.
TRANSFER SWITCH
|>
MANUAL
SIGNAL
GENERATOR
High Limiting
>
< Low Selecting

Low Limiting
Velocity or Rate Limiter

+, -, Bias
T Transfer A Analog Signal Generator
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
Simple Feedback Control

PRIMARY VARIABLE
XT
PROCESS
SET POINT
f(x)
MANIPULATED VARIABLE
Bharat Heavy
BharatElectricals
Heavy Electricals
Limited,Limited,
Tiruchirappalli-14
Tiruchirappalli-14
Feedforward Plus Feedback Control

PR IM A RY VA R IAB LE
XT
SE C O N D ARY
VA R IAB LE
YT
K
PR O C ES S
S ET P O IN T
A
f(x)
M AN IP U LATE D VA R IAB LE
10
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
Cascade Control
PRIMARY VARIABLE
XT
SECONDARY
VARIABLE
ZT
K
PROCESS
K
SET POINT
A
f(x)
MANIPULATED VARIABLE
11
Block Diagram of Boiler Control

INPUT
BOILER
OUTPUT
FEEDWATER CONTROL
FUEL DEMAND
AIR DEMAND
FIRING
RATE
DEMAND
STEAM TEMPERATURE
CONTROL
12
Unit Coordinated Control

In unit Coordinated Control, target load dictated either by
AUTOMATIC LOAD DISPASTCH SYSTEM (ADS) or set manually
through UNIT MASTER.
In Auto position, the UNIT MASTER, accepts ADS signal while in
Manual position, target load set manually.
In case of Unit disturbance, Run down/Run back condition are
generated and unit load demand automatically reduced to low limit.
Unit load demand - fed to Boiler Master to generate Boiler
demand i.e. Air & Fuel requirement and Turbine Control to set
Turbine demand i.e. MW.
13

Envisages following modes of operation:
Coordinated mode:
In this mode both Boiler Master and Turbine Control are put in
Auto and unit load demand fed to both Boiler and Turbine to
compute their individual load demands. Boiler is given Throttle
Pressure error for adjustment of the demand.
Boiler Follow mode:
In this mode turbine takes load and boiler follows. Adopted when
turbine control is in Manual. Turbine sets MW load and boiler
controls throttle pressure as a follower.
14

Turbine follow mode:
Boiler takes lead & turbine follows. Adopted during Run down/Run
back situation.
MW controlled by boiler & throttle pressure
maintained by turbine.
Manual mode:
Both boiler master & turbine controller switched to manual & unit
controlled manually.
Run down/Run back:
Run down initiated automatically when Process error i.e. Feed
water, Air flow etc. becomes excessive & control element goes to
max. position making process uncontrollable. Unit load demand
reduced to a permitted value. Similarly, Run back initiated
automatically under Tripping of unit auxiliaries i.e. BFP, IDF etc. unit
demand reduced to match unit capability.
15

Turbine follow mode:
Boiler takes lead & turbine follows. Adopted during Run down/Run
back situation.
MW controlled by boiler & throttle pressure
maintained by turbine.
Manual mode:
Both boiler master & turbine controller switched to manual & unit
controlled manually.
Run down/Run back:
Run down initiated automatically when Process error i.e. Feed
water, Air flow etc. becomes excessive & control element goes to
max. position making process uncontrollable. Unit load demand
reduced to a permitted value. Tripping of unit auxiliaries i.e. BFP,
IDF etc. unit demand reduced to match unit capability.
16
Unit Coordinated control

Up/Down directional blockings introduced when process error i.e.
Feed water, Air flow etc. becomes high or associated control
element goes to max.position, to hold unit load demand till such
time the process recovers.
Under generator CB OPEN & turbine trip unit run under house load
operation.
Throttle pressure control:
Fixed or Variable Pressure mode of operation can be selected. With
FPO, set point be fixed manually while in VPO, steam flow signal
representing load index programmed to generate VP set point.
17
COMBUSTION CONTROL
18
Combustion Control
Objective:
1) Regulate fuel input to boiler to maintain a continuous supply
of steam at a constant pressure.
2) Regulate air input to boiler in correct proportion to the fuel
input.
Combustion control system results in
* A more constant steam pressure and temperature, resulting in
high efficiency.
* Fuel saving.
* Increase in life of equipments & pressure parts.
19

INPUT
+
BOILER
OUTPUT
FEEDWATER CONTROL
FUEL DEMAND
AIR DEMAND
FIRING
RATE
DEMAND
STEAM TEMPERATURE
CONTROL
20
Combustion Control
Divided into three sub loops:

Master demand.
Fuel flow control.
Air flow control.
21
Combustion Control
MASTER DEMAND
Main steam pressure measured by a pressure transmitter.
Output of transmitter compared with set point. The error applied
to a PI controller.
Main steam flow used as feed forward feature & added to the
output from the controller.
Output of A/M station establishes air flow demand and fuel flow
demand signal.
22
Master demand
23
Combustion Control
AIR FLOW CONTROL
Secondary air flow to the boiler measured by aerofoils(left side &
right side of boiler). Compensated for pressure and temperature.
Total primary air flow, obtained by summing the air flow through
each mill in service.
Both added to obtain total air flow to boiler.
Air flow demand signal from master demand and actual fuel flow
signal compared and the higher of the two (lead-lag system)
selected. This ensures an air-rich furnace.
This signal refined for maintaining correct amount of excess air.
Amount of excess air identified by the oxygen level in flue gas.
24
Combustion Control
AIR FLOW CONTROL
High/Low limiters - used to limit the value in case oxygen
analyser out of service.
Under any circumstance the air flow should not be less than 30%
MCR airflow. Hence the signal from high/low limiter checked for
min.30% MCR airflow.
Resultant signal - developed SP for air flow control.
Difference between SP and actual total airflow signal - applied to
a PI controller.
Controller output signal - connected to regulating device of the
corresponding FD fans in service through A/M station.
25
26
Combustion Control
FUEL FLOW CONTROL
Fuel flow demand signal from Master Demand and actual total
airflow signal corrected for air-fuel ratio compared. Lower of two
selected as set point of fuel flow controller(Lead-lag system).
This ensures that fuel flow is lower than airflow under all
circumstance.
Coal flow measured by adding speed of coal feeders in service.
Heavy oil flow in supply and return line measured and
difference between two corrected for calorific value.
Sum of coal flow and heavy oil flow gives actual total fuel flow.
27
28
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
Air/fuel Cross-limiting
Cross-limiting combustion control strategy - ensures that there can never
be a dangerous ratio of air and fuel within a combustion process.
Implemented by always raising air flow before allowing fuel flow to
increase or by lowering fuel flow before allowing the air flow to drop, as
shown.
Cross-limiting combustion mechanism

29
Firing Single Fuel/Cross Limiting

Fuel FLOW
STEAM
HEADER PRESSURE
FT
PT
AIR FLOW
FT
f(x)
P
A
I
T
SP
P
A
I
T
SP
LO SELECT
Fuel CONTROL
Fuel Feed
HI SELECT
A
I
T
f(x)
AIR CONTROL
Air Feed
AIR DAMPER
30
Cross Limit Control With O2 Trim

GAS FLOW
STEAM
HEADER PRESSURE
AIR FLOW
O2
FT
PT
FT
AT
A
P
A
I
T
STEAM
FLOW
SP
f(x)
SP
LO SELECT
HI SELECT
GAS CONTROL
AIR CONTROL
f(x)
GAS VALVE
AIR DAMPER
31
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
Excess Air Regulation

To ensure complete combustion and
reduce heat loss, excess air to be
kept within suitable range.
Regulation of excess air provides:
Better boiler heat transfer rate.
An advance warning of flue gas
problems (excess air coming out of
the zone of maximum efficiency).
Substantial savings on fuel.
Boiler Efficiency
32
FEED WATER CONTROL

(DRUM WATER LEVEL CONTROL)
33

INPUT
BOILER
OUTPUT
FEEDWATER CONTROL
FUEL DEMAND
AIR DEMAND
FIRING
RATE
DEMAND
STEAM TEMPERATURE
CONTROL
34
Feed Water Control

Feedwater - considered as life blood of boiler.
Erratic flow of feedwater - speaks on overall plant efficiency.
Many boilers today operate at steam temperature near the
maximum permissible metal temperature and temperature
fluctuations as a result of poor feedwater control will be
disastrous.
35
Feed Water Control

FEEDWATER CONTROL TYPES:
Single Element Control:
Control system where one process variable - drum
used as the input.
level -
Three Element Control:

Control system where three
variables (Steam flow,
feedwater flow and drum level) used as inputs.
36
Single Element Control

Should be used for start up control before steam flow is
delivered to the process.
The minimum feed water control system and applied
where steam flow is constant or at low loads when steam
flow measurement not available.
When single-element control is combined with three
element control - the mode selection may be automatic or
operator selected.
37
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
Single Element Control

DRUM LEVEL
LT
PT
DRUM PRESSURE
f(x)
PRESSURE
COMPENSATION
SET POINT
M/A CONTROL STATION
f(x)
FINAL CONTROL DEVICE
Typical single-drive control system. For simplicity, redundant transmitters have not been shown on this typical
control drawing. See Figure 2A for ANSI/ISA-S5.1-1984
format.
38
Single Element Control Action

SWELL
NWL
DRUM LEVEL
SHRINK
100
% STEAM FLOW
75
STEAM
FLOW
FEEDWATER FLOW
50
*
25
0
0
TIME
* INTERACTION WITH FIRING RATE CONTROL DUE TO IMBALANCE

BETWEEN STEAM FLOW AND FEEDWATER FLOW.
39
Three Element Control

Requires a pressure compensated drum level signal, a
desired set point signal for level, a feed forward signal from
a temperature compensated steam flow transmitter and a
signal from feedwater flow transmitter.
The feedwater flow transmitter should be temperature
compensated if the measurement is affected by feed water
temperature.
The control makes feedwater flow follow steam flow and use
the deviation in level as a resetting action to bring the
required water inventory back to balance.
Feedwater demand shall be derived from the error between
the feedwater / steam flow error and drum level.
40
Bharat
BharatHeavy
HeavyElectricals
ElectricalsLimited,
Limited,Tiruchirappalli-14
Tiruchirappalli-14
Three Element Control

DRUM
STEAM
PRESSURE
PT
FLOW
FT
f(x)
FEEDWATER
TEMPERATURE LEVEL PRESSURE

TE
LT
FT
PT
TE
f(x)
f(x)
f(x)
X
FLOW TEMPERATURE
PRESSURE AND
TEMPERATURE
COMPENSATION
PRESSURE
COMPENSATION
TEMPERATURE
CONDENSATION
SET POINT
A
M/A CONTROL
STATION
Typical single-drive
control system. For simplicity, redundant transmitters
Typical single-drive control system. For simplicity, redundant
havetransmitters
not been shown
onbeen
this typical
drawing.
have not
shown control
on this typical
control drawing.
f(x)
See Figure 4A for ANSI/ISA-S5.1-1984 format.
FINAL
CONTROL
DEVICE
41
Bharat
Bharat Heavy
Heavy Electricals
Tiruchirappalli-14
Performance of Three Element control
42
Feed Water Control

PHILOSOPHY OF REVERSAL OF DRUM LEVEL CHANGE
Increase in boiler load (steam flow) results in SWELLING.
Swelling - an increase in drum water level due to an increase
in steam bubble volume.
Condition due to an increase in load, with a resulting
decrease in drum pressure and an increase in heat input.
Swelling also occurs during a cold start up as the specific
volume of water increases.
43
Feed Water Control

PHILOSOPHY OF REVERSAL OF DRUM LEVEL CHANGE
A reverse phenomenon ie., SHRINKAGE takes place due to
boiler load reduction.
Shrinkage - decrease in drum level due to decrease in
steam bubble volume.
Condition due to a decrease in load (steam flow), with a
resulting increase in drum pressure and a decrease in heat
input.
44
STEAM TEMPERATURE CONTROL
45

INPUT
BOILER
OUTPUT
FEEDWATER CONTROL
FUEL DEMAND
AIR DEMAND
FIRING
RATE
DEMAND
STEAM TEMPERATURE
CONTROL
46
Steam Temperature Control

Need:
Important and critical factors that affect the operating efficiency of
a modern turbine is steam temperature.
Higher the temp. the better the efficiency.
However strength of steel decreases very rapidly at high
temperature hence maximum operating temperature limited.
Since temp. changes affect rate of thermal expansion of the close
tolerance turbine equipment, it is required to maintain a nearly
constant steam temperature despite large load swings
47
Basic Methods of Control

DESUPERHEATING (ATTEMPERATION)
BURNER TILT POSITIONING
48
Control with Desuperheater

Desuperheating - a method of reducing temp. by
introducing hot water into the steam flow just prior to the
steam entering the secondary superheater or reheater.
Addition of water to steam - the steam temp. gets reduced
and the water is turned into steam by absorbing heat from
the steam.
A two element system (cascade control) is more suitable
for high capacity boilers where the design involves heavy
mass of superheaters with associated high thermal inertia
time.
49
Control with Desuperheater

In two element control, a cascade control used to position the
spray CV.
The outer loop PI controller receives an error signal equal to the
difference between steam temp. SP.(e.g. 540C) and the main steam
temp.
The output of the controller establishes the set point for the SH
DESH outlet temp.
This SP compared to measured SH DESH outlet temp. and the
resulting error applied to inner loop controller.
The outer loop controller regulates the SP of the inner loop to
control the main steam temp.
50
Block diagram and control loop of two element

control
51
Two element control
52
Burner tilt Positioning

The second method of controlling the final steam temp.
burner tilts.
is with
Steam temp. maintained by allowing nozzle tilt to respond to the

lower of either SH or RH outlet temp. with spray responding to the
higher.
If the burners tilted up - fire ball is raised upward within the furnace.
The result - less heat absorbed by water wall tubes and more heat
absorbed by super heaters.
This results in increasing the final steam temp.
Pointing the burner downward has an opposite effect.
53
Tilting in a Tangential Corner Firing

Furnace
54
55
Other Interlocks
Spray water CVs - to be interlocked to remain closed
at loads less than 20% MCR.
Nozzle tilts - to be interlocked to remain in Horizontal
position at loads less than 25% MCR.
Spray water block valves - to be interlocked to open
only when either associated spray water CV demand is
greater than 0%.
Increase in nozzle tilt demand - to be blocked if any
spray water CV is fully open.
56
OTHER CONTROLS
57
Furnace Draft Control

Objective:
To maintain furnace pressure constant at set value.
Achieved by changing flue gas flow by modulating guide vane and speed of ID fan.
Excessive furnace pressure - monitored for directional block on ID and FD fans.
Fuel demand signal used as feed forward feature.
For equal loading of ID fans, each ID fan motor current measured, averaged &
compared. Difference used for taking corrective action. The corrected signal used to
position fan regulating units.
Guide vane position of each ID fan monitored & compared separately with
maximum and minimum position limit. Maximum position limit enables guide vane to
be kept with in its control range.
58
59
PA Header Pressure Control (Cold PA System)

Objective:
To maintain PA header pressure according to the feeder speed(the
feeder speed which is higher than others considered as set value).
Primary air header pressure measured and compared with the
selected feeder speed signal through a high signal selector to
maintain minimum header pressure.
Error applied to a PI controller and regulating device of each PA fan
modulated accordingly.
To have equal loading of two running PA fans, the PA fans motor
current measured,averaged & compared. Difference used to position
the PA fan regulating unit.
60
61
Mill Outlet Temp. and Air Flow Control

(Cold PA System)
Objective:
To adjust mill air flow according to feeder speed & to maintain mill
outlet temp.at set value.
Mill air flow maintained by adjusting hot air reg. damper while mill
outlet temp. maintained constant by adjusting cold air reg.damper.
Temp.compensated mill air flow signal compared with variable air
flow set point as a function of feeder speed.
Error applied to a PI controller.
Rate of change of fuel demand signal used as feed forward feature.
Mill outlet temp.measured & compared with set point. Error applied to
a PID controller.
62
63
64

Boiler Auto Controls, Mr. ES Salaikuberan

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Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Tiruchirappalli-14

CONTROLS & INSTRUMENTATION / FB

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Tiruchirappalli-14

CONTROLS & INSTRUMENTATION / FB

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Tiruchirappalli-14

Basic Diagram of a Boiler

CONTROLS & INSTRUMENTATION / FB

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Tiruchirappalli-14