International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882

691
Volume 4, Issue 6, June 2015

Efficiency Analysis and Enhancement of Heat Recovery Steam Generator of

a Combined Cycle Power Plant through Incorporation of Additional Bank
of Tube in the Economizer
Sreesankar.J1, Vijayakumar.S2, Rajesh S.P3, T.Venkatajalapathi4
1,2,3
PG Scholars, Mechanical Engg. Dept., SNS College of Technology, Coimbatore,
4
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engg. Dept., SNS College of Technology, Coimbatore

Abstract HRSG. Earlier the economizer was introduced to

The major efficiency loss of a HRSG is caused by
the hot stack gases outlet to the atmosphere which is
contaminating the atmosphere and on other side
Pollution Control Board is forcing the norms of
Pollution levels in atmosphere. One of the most cost-
effective ways of improving the efficiency of a duel
pressure horizontal HRSG is to install an economizer
on the HRSG. An economizer is a heat exchanger,
which transfers heat from the stack gases to the
incoming feedwater. The economizers are placed in
the HRSG close to the stack gas outlet of the HRSG.
An investigation is carried out on the effect of
performance of the HRSG by incorporating the
additional bank of tubes in the space below the lower
bank of tubes. The main idea is to extract maximum
amount of heat from the flue gases and increase the
heat pick-up rate of the feed water outlet into the
HRSG. By assuming the additional bank of tubes,
various heat transfer calculations are done and the
reduction in the flue gas outlet temperature and
increase in the feed water outlet temperature are found
out. Finally a comparison of efficiencies of the HRSG
is made between the existing unit and the unit when
additional bank of tubes are assumed are plotted.
Various advantages and disadvantages are also
discussed.
Keywords: combined cycle power plant, efficiency,
waste heat recovery, power production.
I. INTRODUCTION
Economizer or Feed water preheater is a steam
generators penultimate fire side heating surface and at
the same time its first heating surface on steam side.
Economizers are gas-to-liquid heat exchangers that
recover heat from flue gas streams and transfer it to
water or another fluid. These units are typically used
for HRSG feedwater heating and process water
heating. Thermal transfer's economizers offer compact
designs with finned tubes. Different types of fins can
be utilized to coordinate with specific application
requirements, primarily relating to fuel type and flue
gas characteristics. The function of the economizer in a
steam generating unit is to absorb heat from the flue
gases and add this as sensible heat to the feed water
before the water enters into evaporative circuit of the
recover the heat available in flue gases that leaves the
HRSG and provision of this additional heating surface
increases the efficiency of steam generation, saving in
fuel consumption, thus the name economizer
christened. In the modern HRSGs used for power
generation feed water heaters were used to increase the
efficiency of the turbine unit and feed water
temperature and hence the relative size of the
economizer is less than the earlier units.
II. MAJOR HRSG LOSSES
The major efficiency loss of a HRSG is caused
by the hot stack gases discharging to the atmosphere.
One of the most cost-effective ways of improving the
efficiency of a high pressure steam HRSG is to install
an economizer on the HRSG. Therefore, an
economizer is a heat exchanger, which transfers heat
from the stack gases to the incoming feedwater.
Typically, on a high pressure HRSG, the efficiency
improvement with an economizer is 2 to 4%,
depending on G.T exhaust temperature.
As the temperature difference between two
working media is small, economizer needs a very large
heat transfer area. The risk of corrosion from flue
gases cooling below their dew point must be avoided.
Cold feed water must therefore not be fed to the
economizer. The regenerative feed water preheating,
this heats the feed water up to the temperature of 200-
300 0C before it enters the economizer and which lets
the flue gas cools down to the temperatures of, at most
,above the level determines the fireside outlet
temperature of depending on the Terminal
Temperature Difference (TTD) of the economizer. If
Nitrogen Oxide control is necessary, further
requirement for the flue gas temperatures between the
economizer and the air preheater may arise (Reuter
and Honig 1988). The Present work is to carry out by
providing baffles in the economizer for checking its
performance levels and pollution level controls.
A. Abbreviations and Acronyms
HRSG - Heat Recovery Steam
Generator
HP - High Pressure
LP - Low Pressure
CPH - Condensate Preheater

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 International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
692
Volume 4, Issue 6, June 2015

ECO. - Economizer 26. L.P Sh Steam Enthalpy(Kcal/Kg) 680.84

EVAP. - Evaporator 27. L.P Drum Sat Steam/Water(C) 166.70
G.T - Gas Turbine 28. L.P Sat Steam Enthalpy (Kcal/Kg) 658.62
S.T - Steam Turbine 29. Heat Pick-Up In L.P Sh In Million 0.88
W.H.R.B - Waste Heat Recovery Boiler (Kcal/Kg)
B. Units 30. Flue Gas Temp. L.P Eva Outlet(C) 174.60
TPH - Tonnes Per Hour 31. L.P Eva Inlet Water Temperature 150.20
o -
C Degree Celsius (C)
MW - Mega Watt 32. L.P Evap Inlet Water Temp. 150.20
KCAL/KG - Kilocalories per kilogram (Kcal/Kg)
KCAL/HR - Kilocalories/hour 33. Heat Pick-Up In L.P Eva Inlet 20.08
CUB M - Cubic Meter (Kcal/Kg)
Mm - Millimeter 34. Flue Gas Tempr. At H.P-1 Eco Inlet 174.60
BAR - Pressure (C)
35. Flue Gas Tempr. At H.P-1 Eco 166.40
III. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION Outlet (C
TABLE 1. HRSG Description 36. Flue Gas Temp. At CPH Inlet (C) 166.40
S.NO DISCRIPTION RATED 37. Flue Gas Temp. At CPH Outlet 120.30
1. G.T. Output (Mw) 115.20 (C)
2. S.T. Output (Mw) 129.18 38. Flow Through Condansate 544.70
3. H.P Steam Flow (Tph) 188.40 Preheater (C)
4. L.P Steam Flow (Tph) 39.50 39. Feed Water Temp. At Inlet To CPH 109.00
5. H.P Steam Pressure (Bar) 80.00 (C)
6. L.P Steam Pressure (Bar) 6.00 40. Feed Water Temp. At Outlet To 139.00
7. H.P Sh Steam Tempr. (C) 520.00 CPH (C)
8. H.P Sh Steam Enthalpy (Kcal/Kg) 823.69 41. Heat Pick Up In CPH In Million 16.34
9. H.P Sat Steam Enthalpy (Kcal/Kg) 658.86 (Kcal/Hr)
10. Flue Gas Tempr.To H.P Sh 553.00 42. Total Heat Pick-Up In W.H.R.B By 163.98
Inlet(C) Water & Steam
11. Flue Gas Tempr.To H.P Sh 471.10 43. Ambient Air Temperature Feed 28.00
Outlet(C) Water Temp. At Inlet To CPH (C)
12. Heat Pick Up In H.P.S.H In Million 31.05
(Kcal/Kg) IV. EQUATIONS FOR HRSG
13. Flue Gas Tempr.To H.P Eva 471.10 EFFICIENCY CALCULATION
Inlet(C) A. DIRECT METHOD
14. Flue Gas Tempr.To H.P Eva 303.80 This is also known as input-output method due to
Outlet(C) the fact that it needs only the useful output (steam) and
15. Hp Drum Sat Steam/Water Temp 299.60 the heat input (i.e. fuel) for evaluating the efficiency.
(C) This efficiency can be evaluated using the formula
16. Eco-2 Out Water Temperature(C) 295.30 Heat Output
HRSG Efficiency = Heat Input 100 (1)
17. Eco-2 Output Water Enthalpy 295.30
(Kcal/Kg) Parameters to be monitored for the calculation of
19. Flue Gas Tempr.To H.P Eco-2 303.80 HRSG efficiency by direct method are :
Inlet(C) Quantity of steam generated per hour (Q) in
20. Flue Gas Tempr.To H.P Eco-2 229.60 kg/hr.
Outlet(C) Quantity of fuel used per hour (q) in kg/hr.
21. Eco-1 Inlet Water Temp.( C) 151.30 The working pressure (in kg/cm2(g)) and
22. Eco-1 Inlet Water Temp. Enthalpy 151.30 superheat temperature (C), if any
(Kcal/Kg) The temperature of feed water (C)
23. Heat Pickup In Eco-1&Eco2 In 27.13 Type of fuel and gross calorific value of the
Mill(Kcal/Kg) fuel (GCV) in kCal/kg of fuel
Qx (h g h f )
24. Flue Gas Temp. At L.P Sh Inlet 229.60 HRSG Efficiency = 100 (2)
qGVC
(C)
Where, hg Enthalpy of saturated steam in kCal/kg of
25. L.P Sh Steam Temp. (C) 200.00
steam

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 International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
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Volume 4, Issue 6, June 2015

hf Enthalpy of feed water in kCal/kg of =Volume flow of the fluid= =

water (6)
Number of turnes of coil = 1 (7)
B. INDIRECT METHOD 2

There are reference standards for HRSG Where B=Width, C=Clearance is given on two
Testing at Site using indirect method namely British sides of the gas duct.
Standard, BS 845: 1987 and USA Standard is ASME Hight of duct occupied by the economizer
PTC-4-1 Power Test Code Steam Generating Units. (h)= *Pitch
Indirect method is also called as heat loss
method. The efficiency can be arrived at, by WITH BAFFLE PLATES

subtracting the heat loss fractions from 100. The Maximum velocity =
standards do not include blow down loss in the
efficiency determination process. A detailed procedure C =

for calculating HRSG efficiency by indi rect method is 18840
C = 2.6610.08
given below. However, it may be noted that the
=7.0028 Ton/hr
practicing energy mangers in industries prefer simpler
At 151.34C
calculation procedures.
= 2.669 Kg/m3
The principle losses that occur in a HRSG are:
Loss of heat due to dry fluegas As = = 10.08 m2

Loss of heat due to moisture in fuel and D- Diameter of Economizer tube = 3.6m
combustion air C- Tube Clearance= 1.05m
Loss of heat due to combustion of hydrogen LB- Baffle Pitch=0.6m
Loss of heat due to radiation Pt- Tube Pitch= 0.225m
Loss of heat due to unburnt BAFFLE ANGLE =
In the above, loss due to moisture in fuel and the loss LB=3.2Tan 5=0.98947
3.21.050.98947
due to combustion of hydrogen are dependent on the As= =10.21m2
0.225
fuel, and cannot be controlled by design.
The data required for calculation of HRSG efficiency 7002.8=2.6691021
using indirect method are: m=190829.73Kg/hr
Ultimate analysis of fuel (H2, O2, S, C, Economizer Efficiency After Baffle Plate is
moisture content, ash content) Placed With 5 Angle Of Inclination.
Percentage of Oxygen or CO2 in the flue gas 190829.73(656.213152.335)
Flue gas temperature in C (Tf) =96.154
96.154
Ambient temperature in C (Ta) & humidity of =
636.256
air in kg/kg of dry air =15.11%
GCV of fuel in kCal/kg Difference between existing and modified
Percentage combustible in ash (in case of solid Efficiencies is
fuels) 15.1114.92=0.19 0.20%
GCV of ash in kCal/kg (in case of solid fuels)

C. DESIGN PROCEDURE OF ECONOMISER V. RESULT AND CONCLUTION

Heat pick-up in economizer The overall efficiency of the HRSG has been increased
= . 1 2 = . by adding additional bank of tube in the economizer
(3) region. Improved heat pick-up percentages are given in
the TABLE 1. Incorporation of additional bank of
tube will increase the surface area in the economizer
Change in temperature, = (4) region hence heat transfer is increased. Thus efficiency


is increased.
Nusselt Number, = 0.023 0.8 0.4
TABLE 2. Heat pick-up in Various regions in HRSG
= 4 2
(5) Heat pick-ups in various Percentage
=Velocity of fluid at exit areas
=Specific volume of saturated water H.P Superheater 18.94%
n=number of coils needed in the Economizer H.P Evaporator 41.77%

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Volume 4, Issue 6, June 2015

H.P Economizer-1&2 16.54% Economiser, Int. Journal of Applied Sciences and

L.P Superheater 0.54% Engineering Research, Vol. 1, Issue 6, 2012, 2012
L.P Evaporator 12.25% by the authors Licensee IJASER- Under Creative
Condensate Preheater 9.97% Commons License 3.0, ISSN 2277 9442
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HEAT PICK-UP IN VARIOUS OF HRSG heat recovery steam generator operating
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L.P Sup
L.P Eva

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 International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
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Volume 4, Issue 6, June 2015

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