NOTES

Specific Volume=Volume of Fluid/Weight of the fluid

Density( )=Mass/volume
So Specific volume = 1/

PV=RT
P=Absolute Pressure
V=Specific Volume
R=Gas Constant
T=Temperature

P/=RT
i.e =P/RT

=weight of the gas/ gravity

To find the Pressure of column

P=gh
P=Pressure of the column
= Density
g=Specific gravity
h=Column height

Boiler Efficiency
Thermal efficiency of boiler is defined as the percentage of heat input that is effectively
utilised to generate steam. There are two methods of assessing boiler efficiency.
1.

The Direct Method: Where the energy gain of the working fluid (water and steam) is
compared with the energy content of the boiler fuel.
2.
The Indirect Method: Where the efficiency is the difference between the losses and
the energy input.

a. Direct Method
This is also known as input-output method due to the fact that it needs only the useful
output (steam) and the heat input (i.e. fuel) for evaluating the efficiency. This efficiency can
be evaluated using the formula

Parameters to be monitored for the calculation of boiler efficiency by direct method are :

Quantity of steam generated per hour (Q) in kg/hr.

Quantity of fuel used per hour (q) in kg/hr.

The working pressure (in kg/cm2(g)) and superheat temperature (oC), if any
The temperature of feed water (oC)

Type of fuel and gross calorific value of the fuel (GCV) in kCal/kg of fuel

where,

hg - Enthalpy of saturated steam in kCal/kg of steam

hf - Enthalpy of feed water in kCal/kg of water

Example
Find out the efficiency of the boiler by direct method with the data given below:
- Type of boiler
: Coal fired
- Quantity of steam (dry) generated
: 8 TPH
- Steam pressure (gauge) / temp
: 10 kg/cm2(g)/ 180oC
- Quantity of coal consumed
: 1.8 TPH
- Feed water temperature
: 85oC
- GCV of coal
: 3200 kCal/kg
2
- Enthalpy of steam at 10 kg/cm pressure
: 665 kCal/kg (saturated)
- Enthalpy of feed water
: 85 kCal/kg

It should be noted that boiler may not generate 100% saturated dry steam, and there may
be some amount of wetness in the steam.

Time Requirement for Heating Purpose

t=mcpt/Q

For Understanding Between Absolute & Gauge pressure in Vacuum condition.

%
Vacuum

Torr
(mm
Mercury)

Micron

psia,
(lb/in2
abs)

Inches
Mercury
Absolute

Inches
Mercury
Gauge

kPa
abs

0.0

760.0

760,000

14.7

29.92

0.00

101.4

1.3

750.0

750,000

14.5

29.5

0.42

99.9

1.9

735.6

735,600

14.2

28.9

1.02

97.7

7.9

700.0

700,000

13.5

27.6

2.32

93.5

21.0

600.0

600,000

11.6

23.6

6.32

79.9

34.0

500.0

500,000

9.7

19.7

10.22

66.7

47.0

400.0

400,000

7.7

15.7

14.22

53.2

50.0

380.0

380,000

7.3

15.0

14.92

50.8

61.0

300.0

300,000

5.8

11.8

18.12

40

74.0

200.0

200,000

3.9

7.85

22.07

26.6

87.0

100.0

100,000

1.93

3.94

25.98

13.3

88.0

90.0

90,000

1.74

3.54

26.38

12

89.5

80.0

80,000

1.55

3.15

26.77

10.7

90.8

70.0

70,000

1.35

2.76

27.16

9.3

%
Vacuum

Torr
(mm
Mercury)

Micron

psia,
(lb/in2
abs)

Inches
Mercury
Absolute

Inches
Mercury
Gauge

kPa
abs

92.1

60.0

60,000

1.16

2.36

27.56

93.0

51.7

51,700

1.00

2.03

27.89

6.9

93.5

50.0

50,000

0.97

1.97

27.95

6.7

94.8

40.0

40,000

0.77

1.57

28.35

5.3

96.1

30.0

30,000

0.58

1.18

28.74

96.6

25.4

25,400

0.49

1.00

28.92

3.4

97.4

20.0

20,000

0.39

0.785

29.14

2.7

98.7

10.0

10,000

0.193

0.394

29.53

1.3

99.0

7.6

7,600

0.147

0.299

29.62

1.0

99.87

1.0

1,000

0.01934

0.03937

29.88

0.13

99.90

0.75

750

0.0145

0.0295

29.89

0.1

99.99

0.10

100

0.00193

0.00394

29.916

0.013

99.999

0.01

10

0.000193

0.000394

29.9196

0.0013

%
Vacuum

Torr
(mm
Mercury)

100

0.00

Micron

psia,
(lb/in2
abs)

Inches
Mercury
Absolute

Inches
Mercury
Gauge

kPa
abs

29.92