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Energy conservation in steam

systems

Som Derashri
CEO
Academy for conservation of energy
Steam system components
Mainly consists of
• Steam Generation
• Distribution
• Utilization
Steam generation side aspects
• Selection of the • Fuel handling
boilers & capacity • Fuel substitution &
utilization flexibility
• Burner (or) firing • Blow down
system & controls • Flash steam recovery
• Combustion aspects • Water treatment
• Waste heat recovery • Scales & deposits
• Steam pressure
generation
• Insulation
Steam distribution & utilization -
aspects
• Steam distribution • Steam utilization
- Piping - Elimination
- Pressure drop possibilities
- Steam traps - Optimization
- Insulation - Low temperature
- Leakage processing
- Condensate recovery - Application of
alternatives
- Flash steam recovery
- Control systems
What to do in a steam audit
• It starts with preliminary visit & initial data collection (specification,
energy consumption, operating data, etc)
• Review of present energy consumption and operating parameters
• Measurements and conducting tests, trials & surveys
- Boiler efficiency and heat losses evaluation
- Surveys for steam pressure drop, insulation aspects, trapping,
leakage, etc.
- Steam and condensate balance
- Trials & demonstration
• Detailed analysis of observations and various parameters
• Identification of energy saving measures
• Evaluation of techno economic viability of the measures
Instruments required
- Flue gas analyzers
- Temperature probe and indicators
- Infrared pyrometer
- Draft gauges
- Pressure gauges
- Flow meters
- Electrical power analyzer
- TDS meters
Typical boiler efficiency of coal fired FBC
Based on heat loss method: figures are
Kcal/kg and in bracket (%)
Unburnt
Surface
Moisture in flue losses
Losss 42(1%)
gas 86 (2%) 255(6%)

Energy in fuel
4283(100%) Efficiency
3315 (77%)
Boiler 18TPH
(per kg of fuel)

H2 :160 (4%) Dry flue gas


423(10%)
Typical boiler efficiency of FO fired boiler

• Based on heat loss method (BS 8753)


Surface Losses
Moisture in flue 0.44%
& air (0.3%)

Energy in Fuel
99.58%
Efficiency
Boiler 18TPH
83.69%
(per kg of fuel)

Sensible heat
H2 : (6.93%) Dry Flue gas (8.65%)
in fuel
(0.42%)
Factors affecting the boiler
efficiency
• Loading on the boiler
• Inefficient combustion – excess air or incomplete combustion
• Heat loss in dry flue gas losses vary from 8 to 35% depending upon
- The fuel
- Type of furnace
- Flue gas (temperature. Quantity
- Loading
- Burner, etc.
• Heat loss due to combustible in ash could be 2%–5%. Possible
causes for high losses are
- Poor air distribution
- To thick fire bed
- Uneven bed thickness
- Less residence time given to coal particle over the combustor, etc.
• Blow down heat losses
Blow down
- Blow down is given either of
- Instantaneous
- Instantaneous & continuous
- This loss varies between 1% to 10% and
depends on number of factors. Such as
- TDS allowable in the boiler water (100-
3000TDS)
- The quality of makeup water
- The amount of contaminate condensate
- Boiler load variation
% Blow down requirement = (S1 X 100)/(S2-S1)
Where S1: TDS in the feed water in ppm
S2 : Desired TDS in the boiler in ppm
Energy conservation measures in the blow down
- Automatic blow down control
- either by timed blow down control
- or by TDS monitoring (Most effective)
- Heat recovery by pre heating the feed water, etc
- Flash steam recovery from blow down
Waste Heat Recovery
• Most commonly used and very economical
• The sensible heat in flue gases can be recovered by
- Preheating the feed water or generating hot water
- Preheating the combustion air
• Factors to be considered are
- Flue gas quantity & temperature
- Sulfur content in the fuel and sulfur dew point
- Application potential
• For every 1 0C raise in the feed water temperature there is an
approximately 4 0C drop in the flue gas temperature.
• In other way every 60C raise in feed water temperature there is
reduction in fuel consumption by 1%.
• Every 200C raise in combustion air temperature the fuel
consumption will reduce by 1%
When to replace the boiler

• Existing plant is old and inefficient


• Boiler is not capable of firing cheaper
substitution fuel
• Boiler is over/under sized for duty
• Boiler design is not ideal for present loading
conditions.
Fluidized Bed Combustors
Salient features :
• FBC technology has ability to burn inferior coal having ash as high
as 70% with over 75% efficiently
• Effectively burn low grade fuels such as paddy husk, agro-waste,
low grade coal, baggasse, lignite, etc.
• Improvement in efficiency by 30-40%
• Improvement in rating capacity by 30-50% and quick response to
changes in the load
• Ensured Complete combustion
• Less clinker formation
• FBC retrofit is really a conversion of conventional chain grate
stokers
• Application : Any solid fuel fired boiler (This measure has
successfully implemented in many paper mills, textile units, chemical
industries)
Steam Distribution
• The major sources of energy losses in the
distribution network are :
- Improper sizing and lengthy steam pipes
- Improper or lack of insulation
- Excessive pressure drop in the system
- Improper selection, incorrect location and malfunction
of steam traps
- Poor dryness fraction of steam
- Condensate recovery
- Steam leakages from valves, joints, etc
Steam Piping
• Over sizing of steam piping results in
- Greater initial cost
- Greater heat loss
- Greater volume of condensate formed
• Under sizing of steam piping results in-
- High pressure drop and there by lower pressure to
steam user
- Steam to be generated at high pressure
- Not enough volume of steam to the users due to low
carrying capacity
- Water hammer and erosion
Insulation
• Surface heat losses forms a large portion of heat loss in
the distribution network.
• S a thumb rule the surface temperature of steam line
insulation should not be more than 10-15 0C.
• The commonly employed insulating materials are
- Glass wool (With no binder up to 200 0C, long fibre up
to 5000C and short fibre up to 700 0C)
- Rock wool – up to 800 0C
• For recommended insulation thickness – please refer
handouts.
• Now a days it is very common that even flanges, valves
are also being insulated with pre fabricated insulation
materials- which is a good practice
• Periodic insulation surveys and rectification programs
are very effective.
Steam traps
• Steam traps play vital role in maintaining the quality of
steam & efficiency of heating by draining the condensate
formed in the steam lines and users.
• Most commonly used are (details are given in the
handout)
- TD traps- intermittent application
- Float traps-continuous/intermittent
- Inverted Bucket traps - intermittent
- Bimetallic traps – semi continuous
• This is one of the very highly neglected areas in many
plants
• Continuous steam trap management will result is
sustaining energy saving by avoiding the losses.
Condensate Recovery
• For every 6 0C raise in feed water temperature there
could be a saving of 1% in the boiler fuel consumption.
• Condensate is pure form of water, if it is not
contaminated, it can be used as feed water with out
further treatment. This will results in
- Energy savings due to sensible heat
- Saving in water and chemicals
• Methods of condensate recovery
- Pumping directly to the boiler if it is free from
contamination
- Direct injection in to feed water tank at the bottom by
perforated pipe
- If the condensate is contaminated and has sensible
heat use heat recovery systems
Steam Utilization
• Some of the steam saving techniques ate
- Exploit alternative modes
- Use of appropriate controls
- Reduction of processing temperature
- Reduction in process time and optimal loading
- Mechanical water removal
- Processing at lower water content
- Pre-heating the products
- Isolating the redundant pipes
Use of Back Pressure Turbine in place of PRDS

• Captive power plant of a leading petrochemical plant supplies


power, water to 17 process plant located in the same complex.

• Plant has 7 x 125 tph HRSG connected to 7 x 30 MW Gas turbine.


Normally all are operated at the load of 60-70 tph each to generate
steam at 115 kg/cm2.

• Total steam generation is in the range 450-500 tph.


• Steam requirement at the plants are
- 340 tph of steam at 115 kg/cm2 is supplied directly to the process
plants
- 62 tph to back pressure cum condensing steam turbine ( 14 tph is
tapped at 4 kg/cm2 and remaining is condensed)
- 66 tph of steam at 40 kg/cm2 is obtained from passing 115 kg/cm2
steam through PRDS.
Contd. ..
A CASE OF ENERGY AUDIT AND CONSERVATION IN A CAPTIVE
CO-GENERATION IN PLANT

FACILITY DESCRIPTION
1. Steam generation capacity : 200 tph 68 ATA & 485oC

2. Bi Drum, Economiser, rotary air heater, electrostatic precipitator

3. Auxiliaries of boilers, 2 Nos. of each of forced draft, primary air, induced


draft fans and ball mills.

4. Forced draft Fan supplies air for combustion and to primary air fans.

5. Output of primary air-fan is for carrying coal from mills to boilers.

6. 3 Nos .of 18.5 MW extraction and back pressure turbo-generators


Extraction steam - 11kg/cm2g and 264oC
Exhaust steam - 7 kg/cm2 and 217oC
Balance steam - Condensed in dump condenser
7.Enegy consumption profile

PARTICULARS 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98

Aux. Power consumption % 32.9 31.6 32.8

Coal consumption per ton of 0.216 0.218 0.217


steam
Sp. Steam consumption per MWh 9.76 9.4 8.78

Sp. Coal consumption (kg) per 2.11 2.05 1.91


kWh
Sp. Fuel oil consumption (kL) per 1.346 1.3 0.77
MWh

8. Power requirement of the complex – 34 to 36 MW. Turbo generator supply


power to an extent of 29 to 31 MW.
OBSERVATION ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

Boiler No. 1
The following are observed and measured parameters of boiler-1
Description Boiler – 1
Observed parameter Measured parameter
Steam flow 150 t/h -
Steam pressure 71 kg/cm2 -
Steam 490 oC -
Air temperature after air
Heater 310 oC -
Feed water temperature at
Economiser inlet 140 oC -
Flue gas temperature at
Economiser outlet 368 oC 344 oC
Description Boiler – 1
Observed parameter Measured parameter
Flue gas temperature at
air heater outlet 180oC 129oC
O2 in flue gas at air heater 3.8% 5.2%
O2 in flue gas at air heater
Outlet - 10.6%
CI in flue gas - Nil

 Oxygen percentage indicated at 3.8% in the control room is far less than
measured value of 5.2% - calibration of oxygen analyser.
 Measured flue gas temperature at air heater outlet at 129oC is much lower
the indicated temperature of 180 oC. Supported by higher oxygen of 10.6%
after air heater.
 Low value of loss of ignition in bottom ash (1.235%) and fly ash (3.12%)
indicate good combustion ( 97% fineness) low electrical loading of
electrostatic precipitator indicate poor performance.
 5.2% O2 load corresponds to 33% excess
 By reducing to 4%, excess air reducing to 25%
 Efficiency evaluation of boiler – 1
All the relevant parameters were used to determine efficiency by loss
method (indirect method) as per IS 8753, which is estimated to be 84.99%.
The various heat losses are :
Particulars Boiler – 1
Before After
Flue gas loss 11.03 10.103
Residue loss 2.79 2.79
Loss due to moisture 0.19 0.16
Radiation loss 1.00 1.0
Total loss 15.01 14.055
Boiler efficiency 84.99 85.94
Boiler No.3

Following are the observed and measured parameters of boiler - 3

Description Observed Measured


Parameter Parameter
Steam flow 175 T/h -
Steam pressure 68 kg/cm 2 -
Steam temperature 500 oC -
Air temperature after AH 235 oC -
Feed water temperature Eco inlet 132 oC -
Flue gas temp. at economiser outlet 340 oC 201 oC
Flue gas temp. at AH outlet 140 oC 114.8 oC
O2 in flue gas at AH outlet 2.2 2.4%
O2 in flue gas at AH outlet - 9.0%
CO in flue gas - 430 ppm
 Measured and indicated oxygen values are almost same

 Flue gas temperature at air heater inlet is 340oC as against the measured
value of 201oC.

 Flue gas temperature at air heater outlet of 114oC is far less than the
requirement at around 160oC (observed oxygen is also higher at 9%)

 Efficiency evaluation of boiler – 3

The boiler-3 efficiency was evaluated by loss method as per IS 8753. The
various heat losses and efficiency of boiler No. 3 is as given below :
Sr.No Particulars Boiler-III
Before After
1 Flue gas loss 10.29 9.38
2 Residue loss 2.73 2.73
3 Loss due to moisture in air 0.13 0.14
4 Radiation loss 0.99 0.99
5 Total loss 14.14 13.24
6 Thermal Efficiency 85.86 86.76

 Oxygen leel to be increased to 4% from 2.4%


 Improved boiler efficiency
 Increased efficiency of 0.9% would result in reduction in coal consumption
by 1.03%
ENERY SAVINGS FROM HEAT UTILISATION OF DUMP
CONDENSER STEAM

BASIC DATA

Total Steam to Dump Condenser/ - 251019 MT


Vent Steam During 1997-98

Average Hourly Dumping - 28 T/hr

Total Heat in Dump Condenser Steam - 19488 x 103 kCal/hr

Quantity of Feed Water - 325 T/hr

Inlet Feed Water temperature to - 132 – 140oC


Economiser
APPLICATION OF VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE/HYDRAULIC
COUPLING FOR BOILER FEED PUMP

BASIC DATA

No. of BFP per Boiler - 2 Nos.


Motor Capacity - 1130 kW
Power Drawn - 90% of rated capacity
Discharge Pressure - 120 kg/cm2 g
Actual Pressure (Throttled) - 74 kg/cm2 g
Derived data:
Load on Motor with direct coupling – 1096 kW
Thank You

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