Presentation on

Power Plant Boiler

 Boiler/ steam generator
 Steam generating device for a specific purpose.

 Capable to meet variation in load demand

 Capable of generating steam in a range of operating

pressure and temperature

 For utility purpose, it should generate steam

uninterruptedly at operating pressure and temperature
for running steam turbines.
 Boiler/ steam generator
 Raw materials for
design of boilers
1. Coal from mines
o Generating heat
energy
2. Ambient air o Air for combustion

3. Water from natural o Working fluid for

resources (river, steam generation,
ponds) possessing heat
energy
 Coal analysis
 Typical composition (Proximate analysis)
1. Fixed carbon
2. Fuel ash
3. Volatile material
4. Total Moisture
5. Sulfur
o High calorific value/ Lower calorific value (Kcal/kg)
o Hardgrove Index (HGI)
 Coal analysis
 Typical composition (Ultimate analysis)
1. Carbon
2. Hydrogen
3. Sulfur
4. Oxygen
5. Nitrogen
6. Fuel Ash
o Initial Deformation temperature (IDT)
o High calorific value/ Lower calorific value (Kcal/kg)
 Combustion of coal
 Carbon, hydrogen, sulfur are sources of heat on
combustion

 Surface moisture removed on heating during

pulverization.

 Inherent moisture and volatiles are released at

higher temperature, making coal porous and
leading to char/ coke formation. (Thermal
preparation stage)
 Fuel Oil
 Three liquid fuels used in power plants
– 1. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)
– 2. LSHS (Low Sulfur Heavy stock)
– 3. High speed Diesel (HSD)

 Oil firing is preceded by

 Lowering viscosity and increasing flowability on heating
for better combustion in given turn down ratio.(125oC)
 Droplet formation on atomization (by steam/
compressed air/ mechanical pressurization)
 Combustion initiation by High energy spark ignition
 Combustion of reactants
 Reaction rate depends on concentration of one of the
reactants

 Concentration varies on partial pressure of the reactants.

 Partial pressure is a function of gas temperature.

 Therefore, reaction rate depends on temperature and

substance that enter the reaction.
 Combustion of reactants
 Reaction rate [k] is expressed by Arrhenius law,

− E / RT
k = k0e
Where

k0 = pre-exponential factor
E =Activation energy (i.e. sufficient energy to destroy the
molecular bonds)
R= Gas constant
T= Absolute temperature of the process
Combustion Reactions (Carbon)
 Main reactions
2C + O2 = 2CO + 3950 BTU/lb (Deficit air)
C + O2 = CO2 +14093 BTU/lb
Secondary reactions
2CO + O2 = 2CO2 + 4347BTU/lb C
+ CO2 = 2CO -7.25MJ/kg
 Combustion Reactions (Carbon)
 Carbon reaction
2C + O2 =2CO [Eco =60kJ/mol]
C + O2 =CO2 [Eco2 =140kJ/mol]
reaction at 1200oC
4C + 3O2 =2CO + 2CO2 (Ratio 1:1)
Reaction at 1700oC
3C + 2O2 = 2CO +CO2 (Ratio 2:1)

It is desirable to supply combustion air at lower temperature regime in

furnace
 Combustion Reaction (H2, S)
 Hydrogen reaction
2H2 + O2 = 2H2O +61095 BTU/lb

 Sulfur reaction
S + O2 = SO2 + 3980 BTU/lb
(undesirable)
 Combustion Reaction (N2)
 Nitrogen reaction

[NO] = K1 e(-K2/T) [N2][O2]1/2 t

Where
K1, K2 = constants
[] = mole fraction
t = time
T = Temperature
 Combustion air
 Theoretical air for complete combustion is known as
stoichiometric air.
 Excess air for completion of combustion (20% at NCR i.e.
3.6% O2)
O2 %
ExcessAir =
21 − O2 %
 Total combustion is divided as
 Primary air For drying & pulverised coal transportation
 Secondary air Additional air for combustion
 Ratio of SA/ PA = 2:1 (Approx)
 Coal for combustion

 Anthracite  High CV, low VM

 Semi-anthracite  High CV, low VM
 Bituminous  Medium CV, medium VM
 Semi-Bituminous  Medium CV, medium VM
 Lignite  Low CV, high VM, high TM
 Peat  Very low CV, high VM & TM
 Heat Generation in furnace
 Heat input in the furnace

MW Elect
Q Furnace =
ηCycle
 Efficiency of thermal power plants is 37%-45% for
different types of cycle
 For typical conventional P.F. boilers, coal flow rate
is
290-350 T/hr For 500 MW units
120-145 T/hr For 200 MW units
 Arrangement of fuel input in
furnace
 Coal is pulverized in mills at a fineness of 70% thru
200 mesh. Dried powdered coal is conveyed to
furnace (at a temperature < 95-100oC)

 Total coal flow is distributed among running mills and

fed thru coal burners at 20-25 m/sec.

 Coal flow is arranged in tiers. Maximum heat release

rate must not exceed plain area heat loading. It
generates excessive NOx and making ash fused.
 Combustion air arrangement in
furnace
 Fuel air is supplied around coal nozzles (at velocity of
30-35 m/sec).

 Secondary air is supplied in adjacent tiers of sec. air

dampers from wind box (Hot air from Secondary APH)

 Overfire/ Tempering air is supplied at the top of the

burnaer zone for NOx control.

 Gas recirculation is adopted for steam temperature

control in oil/ gas fired units.
 Furnace draft is maintained at -5 mmwcl with Forced
and Induced draft fans (balanced draft)
 Method of firing
 Down shot firing
 For Anthracite (Low VM)
 Front fired
 Bituminous (Medium VM)
Single wall
Opposed wall
 Corner fired
 Bituminous (Medium VM)
 Tangential tilted
 -30o to +30o
 Fluidized bed combustion
 Lignite, peat, garbage (For
low CV, high ash, high
Sulfur)
Corner and Front fired furnaces are suitable for power plants
In India for Bituminous coals
 Tangential corner fired boilers
 Suitable for sub bituminous and bituminous coal
 More uniform heat absorption in furnace wallls
 Inherent feature of low NOx formation due air
deficit region at centre
 Air plenum near walls reduce slagging and prevent
fireside corrosion.
 Arrangement of steam temperature control by
tilting the coal burners (-30o to +30o)
 Furnace Design
 Heat generated in furnace is managed in
such a way that it fulfills
1. No dry out of waterwall tubes
2. Enough residence time for combustion
3. Gas temperature before convection
super heater < Ash fusion temperature
4. Selection of metallurgy (Carbon steel Grade-C)
 Furnace Design
 For criteria of keeping flue gas temperature below Ash
fusion temperature, following parameter are designed.
1. Furnace Height, Width, Depth
2. Furnace Volume
3. Furnace residence time (2.5 to 3.0 seconds)
4. Rate of steam generation in furnace, going to drum
5. Additional heat transfer surface as Platen SH, Wall
Reheater, Divisinal Panel SH
6. Furnace exit gas temperature (FEGT) is the criteria
for design of furnace.
 Waterwall construction
 Made of carbon steel (Grade-C) hollow circular tubes and
DM water flows inside
 Above burner zone, tubes are internally spiraled for better
drying thru spinning action
 Furnace walls are made as tangent wall whereas 2nd pass
walls are made as membrane walls.
 Waterwalls are stiffened by the vertical stays and buck
stays to safeguard from furnace pressure pulsation &
explosion/ implosion
 The boiler as a whole is hanging type, supported at the top
in large structural columns.
 Vertical expansion is allowed downwards and provision is
made at bottom trough seal near ring header.
 Dry/ Wet bottom furnaces
 Ash is characterized by
1. Initial deformation temperature
2. Ash fusion temperature (IDT-50oC Approx)
3. Hemispherical temperature
4. Flow temperature

Indian coals are suitable for dry bottom furnace design only,
because of
a. High fuel ash (35-50%)
b. High silica in ash (55-65% & vitrification temp. is 2000oK)
c. High flow temperature (1600oC approx)
Configuration of Dead
chamber Steam drum

HORIZONTAL PASS
w/w hanger Screen
tubes tubes
ARCH TUBES

GOOSENECK DOGHOUSE BACKPASS

Downcomer

FURNACE
BCW p/p

To APH
 Reheater
S
Drum C

Platen SHTR
R
DPNL E
E
SHTR n

Gooseneck LTSH
Chimney
Downcomer

waterwall
Fireball Economiser

ID fan

ESP
APH

Bottom Ash
 Steam generation principle
 Steam power plants operate on
Rankine Cycle, DM water as
working fluid. SH RH
 Sensible heat is added in w/w HPT
HPH+Eco IPT
economiser +furnace
 Steam generation takes place BFP
LPT
in waterwall.
LPH
 Typical furnace efficiency is
45% approx. CEP
condenser
 Heat transfer in furnace and
enclosed superheater takes
place thru radiation.
 Superheater & Reheater
 Heat associated with the flue gas
is used in superheaters &
Reheater, LTSH, economiser.
 Maximum steam temperature is SH RH
decided by the operating drum w/w HPT
pressure and metallurgical HPH+Eco IPT
constraints of the turbine blade BFP
material. LPT
 Reheating is recommened at LPH
pressure above 100 ksc operating
pressure. Reheating is done at 20-
25% of the operating pressure. CEP
condenser
 Carbon steel, alloy steel & SS
used for tubing of SH & RH.
 Principle of circulation
 Density water and steam
changes with pressure as
shown.
185 ksc
 At higher pressure,
density difference Sp. gravity
reduces.
 Flow establishment in
down comer, waterwall
and drum is due to 225
density difference and ksc
height of water column 165 ksc
(i.e. waterwall) at lower
pressure. Pressure (KSC)
 Type of Circulation
 Natural circulation (upto
165 ksc)  Density difference &
height of water column
 Assisted by external
 Forced/ assisted
circulation (185-190 ksc) circulating pump (CC/
BCW pump)
 Once thru boiler
1. Sub critical
2. Supercritical
 Below 221.5 bar
 240-360 bar
 Circulation ratio
 It may be defined as
 ratio of feed water flow thru
down comers to the steam
generated in water wall.
 Ratio of the weight of 2-
phase mixture to the weight
of dry steam in waterwall.
 Ratio of the total fluid
contained to the weight of
the dry steam in waterwall.
 CR = 30-35 Industrial
boilers
 CR = 6-8 Natrual cir.
Boilers
 CR = 2-3 Forced cri.
Boilers
 CR = 1 Once thru boilers
 (Sub critical)
 CR = 1 Supercritical
boilers
Representation of steam/ water
parameters on T-S diagram
1. Sub critical parameter
3 2. Critical parameter,
Temperature
(225.65 ksc/ 374.16oC)
374.16oC 2 3. Supercritical parameter
1

Entropy
 Design concepts of once thru steam
generators
Controlled point
in circuitry Mix locations

C/R flow

{0 from

External downcomers

External downcomers
60% to
Full
Sulzer design
Load}

 
  C/R pump
Feed
Valved control of furnace ckt Combined C/R
Benson Design
design
Comparision of measures to improve
%
efficiency
46 0.03 bar
double
300bar 0.065bar
44 600/600
single
250bar
42 540/560 250bar
120 540/560
1.15 170bar
40
1.25 130 535/535
39 Excess exit gas steam conditions Reheat cond. Pressure
Air temp.
Effect of supercritical parameters
on efficiency (%)
Pressure/ Temp 175 bar 245 bar 295 bar
540oC/ 540oC Ref. 1.92 2.44
540oC/ 566oC 0.72 2.74 3.33
565oC/ 565oC 1.35 3.45 4.12
600oC/ 600oC 3.10 5.30 6.09
600oC/620oC 3.62 5.91 6.61
Advantage
1. Saving on coal consumption on higher efficiency
2. Reduction in fuel handling system & pollution control.