By, R.Nagarajaprasath, B.

E (Mechanical Engineering)
ARTICLE ON PANEL SUPER HEATER FAILURE IN CFBC
Mail: nagarajaprasath@gmail.com
About the Boiler,
The CFBC boiler was supplied by a Chinese company has been operated for 3 years before my visit.
Boiler was designed for 100% Imported/Indian coal. Boiler parameters are 130 TPH, 100 Kg/cm2,
540 Deg C & feed water temperature is 180 Deg C. The arrangement is shown in Photo-01. Boiler is
provided with hot cyclone. Panel super heater is provided inside the combustor. HT, LT, Economiser
is provided in second pass.
Problem Faced by Customer,
One and half year after commissioning they were faced frequent failure in panel super heater tubes.
Due to the frequent failure in panel super heater tubes they cant able to run the boiler more than a
month continuously. Especially failure was occurred in bottom of super heater. Arrangement of
panel super heater was shown in photo-02. At the time of visit boiler was in operating condition.
However failed tubes were available for inspection. In my presence boiler was stopped due to panel
super heater failure, boiler was inspected from inside.
Reason for Failure,
1. From the available failed tube i understood that the anchoring arrangement was not proper to
hold the refractory. They do not have the anchors at bottom and at front. See photo-03.
2. Tubes are provided with 6mm dia x 30mm long studs.
3. They were applied more refractory over the coil. Due to insufficient studs to hold the refractory,
it will fall with its self weight itself. See photo-05.
4. Due to that insufficient anchoring, refractory may falled from the first firing itself. After
refractory falling, tubes were start eroding from bottom.
Recommendation,
1. For the proper holding of refractory, more studs were added additionally with the existing stud
arrangement. See photo-04
2. New studs also with the same dimension.
3. Phosphate bonded high alumina castable was applied over a coil up to the tip only. Phoscast will
give better life in the high velocity & high erosive zone also. This was practically experienced in
AFBC boilers. See photo-06.
4. Refractory was built with some gap between 1
st
Pass & 2
nd
Pass tubes. Because tube inlet and
outlet steam temperatures were different and thermal expansion will also different. See photo-06.
Conclusion,
As experienced in the boiler refractory application, proper anchor is required to hold the refractory.

Photo 01: Arrangement of boiler pressure parts.

Photo 02: It shows the arrangement of panel super heater. Frequent failure was occurred in bottom of
panel super heater.
Frequent tube failure
due to erosion

Photo 03: The failed tubes available at plant. From this we can observe that anchors at bend to hold
the refractory.

Photo 04: New studs (6mm dia X 30mm long) were added in bend with modified arrangement.

Photo 05: There is excess refractory applied over the coil. It was fallen off with its self weight itself,
due to insufficient anchoring.

Photo 06: Phosphate bonded high alumina castable was applied over a coil up to the tip of stud only.
There is a gap provided between 1
st
Pass & 2
nd
Pass.

Photo 07: Thickness measured in the outer coil during the shutdown time. Tube thickness was
observed 2.83mm against the original thickness of 5mm.

Photo 08: Typical phoscast application in bedcoils in AFBC boiler to avoid the erosion above the
coal nozzle.