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IntelligentControlofFBCBoilers

IntelligentControlofFBCBoilers
04/01/2012|RogerLeimbach,MetsoAutomation

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Optimizing combustion control is critical to reducing emissions and increasing plant operating efficiency, particularly for fluidized bed combustion (FBC) boiler plants burning
biomass fuel that has unpredictable moisture content. The secret: measuring actual energy flow.

Plantdesignersmustdifferentiatesolidfuelcombustionapplicationssuchasfluidizedbedcombustion(FBC),gratefiring,andpulverizedcoalbecauseeachrequires
uniquecontrolstrategies.Itisalsoimportanttodevelopcontrolstrategiesforeachapplicationthataresimpletoimplementandsupportinthefield.Thesestrategies
shouldalsobeeasytounderstandbyplantstaff,andequipmentmaintenanceshouldnotrequireahighlevelofinstrumentationandcontrolexpertise.

Thecontrolsystemstrategyemployedmustalsobecompatiblewiththeoverallboilercontrolsystemstrategy,notbeplatformrestricted,andnotbesolelydependent
uponmassfuelflowtofunctionproperly.Itisourexperiencethatthebestperformingcontrolssystemsarebasedonthemeasurementofactualenergyflow,whichis
describedinmoredetaillaterinthisarticle.

Theboilercontrolstrategymustalsobecapableofdynamicoperationsothatchangingloadatmaximumratewillnotcauseboilerupsetsorinstability.Thiswell-
knownstrategyusestheboileroutputplusthederivativeofboilerdrumpressuretopredicttheenergyrequiredtochangetothenewloadsetpoint(seeDrum
PressuretheKeytoManagingBoilerStoredEnergyintheJune2007issueofPOWER).Furthermore,anonregenerativefeedforwardsignalshouldbeusedto
determinetheoverallfiringratedemand.Thecontrolsystemshouldbeabletoruninautomaticgenerationcontrol(AGC)orcontinuouslyatdesignload.AGCis
importanttoallutilitiesthathaveremotelydispatchedplants,anditisnowexpectedtobeanintegralpartofboilerandturbinecontrolsystems.Asoneutility
engineerrecentlytoldme,Wewontbuilditifwecantdispatchit.

Thesidebardescribestwo100-MWnetbiomassplantsnowunderconstructionforwhichMetsosuppliedtheboilerislandandintegratedcontrolsystemwithfeatures
describedinthisarticle.FormoreinformationonFBCstrategieswhenburningbiomass,seetheOctober2010article,FBCControlStrategiesforBurningBiomassin
thePOWERarchivesatwww.powermag.com.

ConventionalBoiler-TurbineCoordination

Inmanyindustrialinstallationstherearemultipleboilerssupplyingsteamtoaprocessand/orsteamturbinesdrivingelectricgenerators.Theturbinescanbe
connectedtoasteamnetworkandoperateinbackpressuremodeorcondensingmode.Thereareasmanydifferentcombinationsasthereareplants.However,what
istypicallymissingisthecoordinationoftheturbinesandsteamhostswiththeboilers.Theneedtobalanceoperationofthenumerousboiler-turbineconfigurations
mustalsobeaddressedinanyrobustindustrialcontrolsystemstrategy.

Thenormalapproachforaplantwithmultiplesteamturbinesfedfromacommonsteamheaderthatsfedbyoneormoreboilersistocontroltheheaderpressure.In
toomanycases,theturbinesandpressure-reducingstationsareoperatedinpressuremode(sometimescalledturbinefollowmode).Inthiscase,eachboilersfuel
flowrateiscontrolledtoproducethenecessarysteamflowandthesteamheaderpressureismaintainedbythegovernorvalvesofeachturbine.

Thecontrolstrategyforthisindustrialsystemisstraightforward.Theboilerdemandshouldbebaseduponsteamheaderpressureandafeedforwardsignal,whichis
dividedamongthevariousboilersaccordingtotheirrelativesizeandefficiency.Thecontrolsystemshouldallowformanualbiasbytheoperationofindividualboiler
demands.

Thenonregenerativefeedforwardshouldbetheprimarycontrolfortheboiler.Thepressurecontrolshouldprovideminimalintegralaction.Integralcontrolshouldbe
usedsparinglyintheboilerdemand.Thefeedforwardshouldnotbesteamflow,asthisisaregenerativefeedforwardbecauseregenerativefeedforwardsinthe
controlsystemofasolidfuelfiredboilertendtodrivethedemandinthewrongdirectionwhenanupsetoccursoriffuelqualitychanges.Inotherwords,aboiler
upsetconditionwillcausethepressurecontroltoopposethecorrectivechangeintheboilercontrolsandcausefurtherupsetsanddestabilization(Figure1).
1.Robustindustrialboilercontrolstrategy.Anadvancedboilercontrolinan
industrialconfigurationwiththeenergyflowcomputationandboilercontrolsystem
optimizerhastheabilitytoaccuratelycontroltheoutputbecauseitknowstheinput

energyflow.Notethateachboilerontheheaderhasaparticipationalgorithm,which
allowsforapportioningthedemandaccordingtoitsindividualsize,efficiency,and
response.Also,theoperatorhastheabilitytomanuallybiasthefiringrateofeach
boiler,ifrequired.Source: Metso Automation

FBCBoilersAreUnique

FBCboilersareusedforawidevarietyofmostlyindustrialapplications,withseveralboilersworkingtogetheronsophisticatedsteamnetworksthathaverapidly
changingdemand.Theboilersactinginparallelcanalsobeuncontrolled,wheretheboilersteamproductioniscompletelydependentupontherateofwastefuel
supply,whichmaynotbemeasurable.

FBCboilersalsoarelikelytouserelativelyhard-to-burnfuelssuchascombinationsofbiofuelsandwastecoal,allofwhichwillhaveawiderangeofpossiblefuel
constituentsandmoisturecontent.Biofuelsarenotnecessarilyhomogeneous;oftentheyareamixtureofdifferentfuelssuchasbark,forestcuttings,agriwaste,and
wastebuildingmaterials.AtypicalFBCwillfireawiderangeofsolidfuelstominimizeoverallplantfuelcost.

FBCboilersburningthesefuelsrequireamuchdifferentapproachtoboilercontroldesign.Forexample,thefluidizedbedofsandandashwithinthefurnacehasa
verylargeinertia,limitingthedynamicsoftheboiler.Ontheotherhand,thelargefluidizedbedofsandandashenablestheFBCboilertoburnupto60%high-
moisture-contentfuels.Whilethefuelpropertiesmaychangequickly,thefuelalsoburnsrelativelyfast,eventhoughthereisstillawiderangeinthefuels
combustibility(thetimetoevaporatethewater,pyrolyzethesolidfuel,andcompletecombustion).

HowquicklythecombinationoffuelsisfedintotheFBCistheresponsibilityofthefuelfeedsystemcontrols,acriticalfunctionoftheoverallcombustioncontrol
system.Thefuelfeedsystemmustbecapableofhandlingmultifuelcombustionbecausetheheatingvalueandbulkdensityoftheindividualfuelswillvarygreatly.
Evenso,thetotalenergyflowmustbemaintainedataconsistentratetomakesureheadersteampressureismaintainedatsetpointandenergyflowoutoftheboiler
isatrequireddemand.Changesinenergyflowtotheboilercancausefluctuationsincombustionandsteamproduction.Ifnotpreciselycontrolled,thesefluctuations
willreducepowergenerationandcanriskplantavailability.

FBCboilersdonotproducehighlevelsofemissions,suchasSOxandNOx.However,thosethatfirecoalrequirelimestoneasanadditivetocaptureSOx.Limestoneis
expensivetouseandisanexpensetooveralloperationsthatcanreachseveralmilliondollarseachyear,dependinguponthesizeoftheboiler.BecauseFBCboilers
operateatlowertemperatures,NOxproductionfromanFBCboilerisminimal,butifthebedtemperaturerisesabovetheNOxthreshold,moreammoniaisrequired
asamediatingadditive.Theseemissionsareallbedtemperaturesensitiveandrequireextremeoptimizationtomaintainlowlevelsofemissions.Thus,fuelcontrol
withoutanycompensationforchangesinmoisture,composition,orheatingvalueisproblematic.

HowtoManageEnergy

TheFBCiscapableofmultifueloperationbecausethecontrolstrategyincludesacomputationcalledtheFuelPowerCompensator(FPC).TheFPCwasdevelopedfor
theworldslargestbiomass-firedboiler,AlholmensKraftPowerStation,a240-MWunitoperatinginFinlandsince2002.Thisunitcanreliablyburnanycombinationof
biomassandcoal.Itsbiomassisacombinationofpeat,bark,andwoodresidue.Coalisthebackupfuel.

ThecontinuousmeasurementofoxygenconsumptionbytheactualfuelconsumedandtheboilerenergybalancecalculationsaretheessenceoftheFPC.Oxygen
consumptionisestimatedbytheexcessairratioandcombustionairflow.Bothcomputationsarerequiredbecausetheenergybalancecalculationisbasedupon
averagesandisrelativelyslow,butitisveryaccurate.Theoxygenconsumptioncalculationisrelativelyfast,oftentakingmilliseconds,butithaserrorsbecauseofthe
transportdelayfromcombustiontooxygenmeasurement.Combiningthetwomeasurementsprovidesanaccurateviewofwhatishappeninginthefurnaceinreal
time(Figure2).
2.Bestofbothworlds.Somecombustioncontroldesignsuseairflow
(asaproxyforoxygenflow)andanair/fuelratiotoestimatethe
energyenteringaboileraprocessthatisfastbuterror-prone.Others
measuretheactualfuelconsumedaslowbutaccurateapproach.In
combination,amuchmoreaccurateestimateoftheenergyentering

theFBCboilerispossible.TheFuelPowerCompensatorcomputesthe
energyinputbymeasuringoxygenconsumptionandmassbalance.
Theresultisusedbythefuelcontrol,airflowcontrol,andsteam
temperaturecontrolloops. Source: Metso Automation

TheFPChasbeenusedonmanymultifuelboilerswithexcellentresults.Forexample,Figure3isastripchartofseveralperformanceparametersoftheAlholmens
biomassplant,whichusestheFPCalgorithms.

3.Well-controlledNordicbiomassplant.The240-MWAlholmens
KraftPowerStationisthelargestbiomasspowerplantintheworld

andburnsacombinationofcoalandwastebiomassfuels.Theplant
usestheFuelPowerCompensator(FPC)tooptimizeFBCboiler

performance.Inthisrecording,theoperatorismanuallyaddingcoal
in10%to15%stepswhilethefuelcontrolisrespondingtotheFPC

anddrivingthebiomassflowdownwardtomaintainconstantenergy
output.Notehowthesteamflowremainsunchangedduringthefuel

splitchange.Source: Metso Automation

TwoFluidizedBedBoilersUnderConstructionintheU.S.

Metsohassoldacomplete100-MWnetbiomassboilerislandandplantautomationsystemtotwowoodbiomassplantsintheU.S.Bothprojectsareunder
constructionandwillsoonsharethetitleoflargestbiomassplantsintheU.S.
TexasWoodFiresFuture
Record-Holder
TheNacogdochesGeneratingFacilityisownedandoperatedbySouthernPower,asubsidiaryofSouthernCo.SouthernPowerisamongthelargestwholesaleenergy
providersintheSoutheast,meetingtheelectricityneedsofmunicipalities,electriccooperatives,andinvestor-ownedutilities.Powerfromthisnewplant,locatednear
SaculinNacogdochesCounty,Texas,willbesoldtoAustinEnergy,themunicipalutilityownedbytheCityofAustin,undera20-yearcontract(Figure4).
4.Newtitleholder.Whenstartupiscompleted

laterthisyear,the100-MWNacogdoches
GeneratingFacilitywillbecomethelargest

biomass-firedpowerplantintheU.S.Courtesy:
Southern Power

ThebubblingbedboilerisdesignedtoburnaboutonemilliontonsofcombustibleforestresiduefromthewoodedareasofEastTexas,woodprocessingresidues,and
cleanmunicipalwoodwasteannually.Thebiomassfuelwillbesourcedwithina75-mileradiusoftheplantandwillnormallybedeliveredbytruck.Thefuel-handling
systemconsistsofthreetrucktippers,twosetsofscreensandhogs,anautomaticstacker/reclaimersystem,andamanualstacker/reclaimersystemtomaintaintwo
15-dayfuelstoragepiles.
Bubblingfluidizedbedboilersarewell-suitedtoburnhigh-moisture-contentfuelssuchasbiomassandaregenerallysimplertooperatethanaconventionalsolid
fuelburningboiler,asthetemperatureofthe6-foot-deepsandbedcanbecontrolledthroughcombustionairstaging.Theboilerproducessuperheatedsteamthatis
usedinasinglesteamturbinewithfourstagesoffeedwaterheating.Thesteamturbineexhaustsaxiallyintothecondenser.Awetevaporativecoolingtowerprovides
condensercooling.Theboilergassideisequippedwithabaghouseforparticulatemattercontrolplusanaqueousammoniainjectionselectivenoncatalyticreduction
systemforNOxcontrol.
AmericanRenewableshandleddevelopmentandinitialplanningfortheNacogdochesprojectandsoldittoSouthernPowerin2009.Constructionoftheplantbegan
in2009;commercialserviceisscheduledtobeginlaterthissummer.
WasteWoodNotWastedbyFloridaPlant
TheGainesvilleRenewableEnergyCenter(GREC)willsupplyelectricitytoGainesville(Fla.)RegionalUtilities(thecity-ownedutility)undera30-yearpowerpurchase
agreement.AswiththeNacogdochesGeneratingFacility,theboilerwillusebubblingfluidizedbedtechnologyandannuallyburnaboutamilliontonsofwastewood
fromloggingandmillsaswellasurbanwoodwastefromclearing,treetrimming,andpalletsallsourcedfroma75-mileplantradius.
GainesvilleRenewableEnergyCenterLLCwasdevelopedbyAmericanRenewables.ZachryEngineeringCorp.isprovidingdesignengineeringandprocurement
servicesaspartoftheengineering,procurement,andconstructionteam.FagenInc.istheconstructioncontractorforbothprojects.Commercialoperationofthis
$500millionFloridaplantisscheduledforlate2013.

OptimizeFBCBoilerOperation

Therearemanydifferenttypesofoptimizationprogramsavailablethatarebaseduponmodelpredictivecontrol,fuzzylogic,andneuralnetworks.Wesuggestthat
youselectatechnologythatmeetsthecontrolstrategyobjectivesoftheplant,asdiscussedabove.Theselectionshouldmeshwiththeexistingcontrolsystemand
providebiasestosetpointsinthecontrolsystem.ItshouldalsobecapableofrunningonaPCoronthecontrolsystemcontroller.Thebestselectionwillusestandard
and/orexistingprocessinstrumentationintheplant,suchasoxygenanalyzers,flowandpressuretransmitters,andonlineemissionanalyzers.

Figure5providesanoverviewofthebasiccontrolsusedonatypicalFBCboiler.Theloadiscontrolledbythesteamdemandintheformofanon-regenerative
feedforwardbaseduponsteamflow,steamheaderpressure,andsteamheaderpressuresetpoint.Theseareincorporatedintheboilerdemandcalculationthat
includesdynamiccompensation,arequirementforAGC.Whiletheboilerintegratesthedifferencebetweentheenergyinputandenergyoutputoftheboiler,the
pressureerrorisprimarilyonlyaproportionalprocess.ThelongFBCboilertimeconstantdoesnotpermitpressurecontroltooperateasanintegralcontrol.The
changeinboilerdemandisdueprimarilytothechangeinthefeedforward.Otherchangestoboilerdemandresultfromfuelqualitychanges.
5.BasicFBCboilercontrols.ThisisatypicalcontrolstrategyforanFBCboilerwitha

gasrecirculationfan.Ifasteamturbineisconnectedtotheheader,amorecomplex

demandcomputationinvolvingthesteamturbinefirst-stagepressureandsteamflows
isemployed.Thebiggestdifferencebetweenthiscontrolsystemandthatusedina

conventionalsolidfuelburningplantisthebedtemperatureandfuelfeedcontrol
loops.Inthisdesign,thefueldemandsignalgoestothefuelfeedercontrol(11)andthe

airflowcontrol(3),whereexcessairisusedtotrimairflowdemandtothesecondaryair
control(6)andtheprimarycontrol(7).Theratioofsecondarytoprimaryairissetby

theoperatorortheoptimizercontrol(5).Theinduceddraftfancontrolsfurnace
pressureaccordingtoafeedforwardfromtheairflowdemand(8).Bedtemperature

controlismaintainedbyrecirculatingfluegasintothebed.Thefluegastendstoslow

combustionandreducethebedtemperature. Source: Metso Automation

6.Fuzzylogictheclearwinner.Theobjectiveofadvancedbed
temperaturecontrolisstablebedtemperature.InthisFBCboilertest,

theaveragebedtemperaturerecordedduringaone-weekreference
period(upperline)iscomparedwiththeperformanceofthesameFBC

duringanotherone-weektestperiod,butrunningwithadvancedbed
temperaturecontrolalgorithms(lowerline).Source: Metso Automation

ThemostuniquecontrolloopassociatedwithaFBCboileristhebedtemperature.Thebediscomposedofmanytonsofhotsandandashthatisfluidizedbyprimary
air.Thefluidizationprocessisveryimportanttothecontrolofemissionsandtominimizinglimestoneconsumptioninacoal-firedFBC.Furthermore,bedtemperature
isafunctionoffuelqualityandchangingboilerloadbecauseitisafunctionofthethermalbalanceofthebed.Thisisperfectfortheapplicationofafuzzylogic
controller,whichisoutsidethescopeofthisarticle.Nevertheless,itcanbesaidthattheseadvancedcontrolfunctionsworkextremelywellinabiomassplantwhere
thefuelconstituentsandmoisturecontentareunpredictable(Figure6).

Roger Leimbach(roger.leimbach@metso.com)is director of sales and marketing for Metso Automation USA Inc.

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