Flue Gas

system Air pr e
Heater

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 1

 Pr esentation Plan
• Air heaters
• Types of air heaters
• Materials Used
• Sealing arrangement for air heaters
• Air heater Performance
• Performance tests

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 2

 AIR PRE HEATER
APH is the last heat
exchanger in the
boiler flue gas
circuit. To achieve BYPASS SEAL RADIAL SEAL
maximum boiler
efficiency
maximum HOT END AXIAL
possible useful SEAL

heat must be
removed from the
gas before it
leaves the APH.
However certain
minimum
temperature has COLD END HOT INTERMEDIATE
to be maintained
in the flue gas to
prevent cold end
corrosion
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 3
 Air Pre-Heater-functions
• An air pre-heater heats the combustion air where it is
economically feasible.
• The pre-heating helps the following:
• Igniting the fuel.
• Improving combustion.
• Drying the pulverized coal in pulverizer.
• Reducing the stack gas temperature and increasing the
boiler efficiency.
• There are three types of air heaters:
Recuperative
Rotary regenerative
Heat pipe
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 4
 Advanta ges by use of
• Stability of Combustion isAPH
improved by use of hot air.
• Intensified and improved combustion.
• Permitting to burn poor quality coal.
• High heat transfer rate in the furnace and hence lesser heat
transfer area requirement.
• Less un-burnt fuel particle in flue gas thus combustion and
efficiency is improved.
• Intensified combustion permits faster load variation and
fluctuation.
• In the case of pulverized coal combustion, hot air can be
used for heating the coal as well as for transporting the
pulverized coal to burners.
• This being a non-pressure part will not warrant shut-down of
unit due to corrosion of heat transfer surface which is inherent
with lowering of flue gas temperature.
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 5
 Types Of Air Preheater

 Recuperative
 Regenerative
 Plate type Airheater
 Steam Air Preheater
 Langsdorm type
 Rothemuhle type
 Tri sector Air Heater

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 6

 Tubular Air Heater s
(Recuper ative)

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 7

 Tubular Air Pre-Heater

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 8

 Design Par ameter s
• Tubes are generally arranged in staggered pattern.
• Steel tubes of Dia: 37 – 63 mm.
• Transverse pitch: S1/d = 1.5 – 1.9
• Longitudinal pitch: S2/d = 1.0 – 1.2
• The height of air chamber:1.4 – 4.5 m.
• Gas and Air flow velocity : 10 – 16 m/s.
• Plate Recuperators:
• Instead of tube, parallel plates are used.
• The gas passage is 12 – 16 mm wide.
• The air passage is 12 mm wide.
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 9
 Re gener ative air pre
heater
BYPASS SEAL RADIAL SEAL

HOT END AXIAL

SEAL

COLD END HOT INTERMEDIATE

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 10

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 11
 Rotar y Plate
(Re gener ative) type Pr e-
Heater
• Rotates with a low speed : 0.75 rpm.
• Weight : 500 tons.
• This consists of : rotor, sealing apparatus, shell etc.
• Rotor is divided into 12 or 24 sections and 12 or 24
radial divisions.
• Each sector is divided into several trapezoidal
sections with transverse division plates.
• Heat storage pales are placed in these sections.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 12

 T he Material used in APH
for heat stor a ge
• Material used Cold end in the basket is a special type of steel
(corten steel (trade name)) which has high resistance to the
low temperature sulphur corrosion, thus prolonging
operational life.
• In the hot end mild steels are used

• The optimal geometric shape is usually corrugated and

sizes are determined based on design modelling and
experimental data. The turbulence of air and gas flow through
the package increases the heat transfer rate.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 13

 Stationar y-Plate Type Air Pre-Heater

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 14

 Stationar y-Plate Type Air Pre-Heater
• The heat storage elements are static but the air/gas flow
section rotates.
• The storage plates are placed in the stator.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 15

 Trisector air Heater

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 16

 Heating Elements

• Hot End Baskets

• Hot Intermediate Baskets

• Cold End Baskets

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 17

 TYPES OF SEALS

• RADIAL SEAL (HE & CE)

• AXIAL SEAL
• CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL
• ROTOR POST SEAL
• SECTOR PLATE STATIC SEAL

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 18

 PERCENTAGE AIR LEAKAGE
OF TOATAL LEAKAGES

1. HE Radial seal leakage - 62.21%

2. CE Radial seal leakage - 11.98%
3. Axial seal leakage - 08.78%
4. By pass or circumferential seal leakage - 0.87%
5. Center post seal leakage - 3.17%
_______________________________________________
Total percentage = 87.01%

Entrapped leakage = 12.99%

TOTAL = 100%

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 19

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 20
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 21
 RADAIAL SEALS &
SECTOR PLATE
• RADIAL SEALS AND SECTOR PLATES ARE LOCATED
AT THE HOT AND COLD ENDS OF THE AIR
PREHEATER. THE RADIAL SEALS ARE ATTACHED
TO THE DIAPHRAGMS, WHICH SEPARATE THE
INDIVIDUAL ROTOR COMPARTMENT.
• PURPOSE: - THE PURPOSE OF RADIAL SEALS IS TO
REDUCE THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR LEAKAGE
FROM THE AIR TO THE GAS SIDE BETWEEN THE
DIAPHRAGM AND THE SECTOR PLATE

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 22

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 23
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 24
 AXIAL SEALS AND
SEALING PLATES

• AXIAL SEALS MINIMIZE LEAKAGE PASSING

RADIALLY AROUND THE ROTOR SHELL. THE AXIAL
SEALS ARE MOUNTED ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE
ROTOR SHELL AND SEAL AGAINST THE AXIAL SEAL
PLATES MOUNTED ON THE AIR PREHEATER
HOUSING.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 25

AXIAL SEAL DIAPHRAGM

COG RIM PIN

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 26

 AXIAL
SEAL
PLATE AXIAL SEAL INSPECTION DOOR
TURN-BUCKLE

ADJUSTABLE
BOLT

JACK BOLT
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 27
 Axial Seal Arrangement
• Curved axial sector plate adjustable from
outside
• Seal strips are attached to the rotor.
• The thickness of seal strips :
6 MM straight strips in Russian.
2.5 mm thick and bend backward in
BHEL.

BHEL APH has better accessibility of axial

seal adjustment as compared to Russian
design
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 28
 CIRCUMFERENTIAL
SEALS
• THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALS PREVENT
AIR AND GAS FROM BYPASSING THE
HEATING SURFACE THROUGH THE SPACE
BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND THE HOUSING
SHELL. THEY ALSO PREVENT AIR AND GAS
FROM FLOWING AXIALLY AROUND THE
ROTOR.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 29

 CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL-
RUSSIAN
CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL

H.E. DIAPHRAGM
2.5MM RADIAL SEAL H.E. ROTOR FLANGE
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 30
 ROTOR FLANGE AXIAL SEAL

CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL ADJUSTABLE BOLT

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 31
 CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALS
ACTUATING MECHANISM-
RUSSIAN
Actuating Bolt

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 32

 ROTOR POST SEALS
• ROTOR POST SEALS PREVENT LEAKAGE BETWEEN
THE ENDS OF THE ROTOR POST AND THE AIR
PREHEATER HOUSING.
• THE STATIC SEALS PREVENT LEAKAGE BETWEEN
THE HOT & COLD END SECTOR PLATES AND THE
HOT AND COLD END CENTER SECTIONS.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 33

 SECTOR PLATE STATIC SEAL
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision
HE ROTOR 00
POST SEAL 34
 DIAPHRAGM

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 35

CE ROTOR POST SEAL
 AIR SEAL HOUSING
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 36
 ROTOR POST SEAL
May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 37
 THICKNESS OF RADIAL SEAL
STRIPS

• RUSSIAN MODEL : 6 MM

• BHEL DESIGN : 2.5 MM

• SOFT SEAL : 0.1 MM

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 38

 FLEXIBLE / SOFT
SEALS
• THE FLEXIBLE SEALS WAS DEVELOPED TO REDUCE
NORMAL LEAKAGE CAUSED BY THE THERMAL
EXPANSION OF THE ROTOR WHILE THE UNIT IS
OPERTAING. THE ROTOR EXPANSION OPENS UP
AREAS OF DIRECT AIR TO GAS LEAKAGE THAT CAN
BE GREATLY REDUCED BY INSTALLING FLEXIBLE
SEALS.
• MERIT : - SOFT SEAL IS SET TO A NEGATIVE
CLEARANCE IN COLD CONDITION, AND WHICH WILL
EXTEND IN THE HOT CONDITION TO OPERATE AS A
STANDARD PROXIMITY SEAL.
• DEMERIT : - SINCE THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE OR
CONTACT SEAL, THE WEAR
May 24, 2012 LIFE IS VERY LOW.
PMI Revision 00 39
 COST OF SOFT
SEALS

• RADIAL SOFT SEAL HE/ SET :- 1 LAC

• RADIAL SOFT SEAL CE/ SET :- 0.95 LAC
• AXIAL SOFT SEAL/ SET :- 0.4 LAC

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 40

 MODULAR APH - BHEL

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 41

 RADIAL SEAL

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 42

 BY PASS SEAL RUSSIAN

BY PASS SEAL RUSSIAN

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 43

 APH PERFORMANCE
• Boiler efficiency decreases generally on account of APH performance
degradation. This also affects ESP, ID & FD fan loadings & at times unit
capability

• Factors affecting APH performance

• Excess air level / No of Mills in service
• Primary Air to Secondary Air ratio
• Moisture in coal/ Air ingress level
• Performance of upstream ash evacuation system
• Procedure for cleaning, soot blowing & regular maintenance etc.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 44

 APH PERFORMANCE

• Higher than expected leakage would decrease the flue

gas exit temperature, resulting in false sense of improved
working.
• Higher inlet flue gas temperature is rather rare, but this
could be one reason for high exit temperature.
• Optimum flue gas temperature is required for effective
ESP performance
• Unequal temperature at air heater exit should be
investigated.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 45

 FLUE GAS EXIT TEMP AT
APH OUTLET
• FLUE GAS TEMP AT AH OUTLET IS INDICATIVE OF HEAT
LEAVING THE UNIT .THIS IS LOWERED ON ACCOUNT OF
AH LEAKAGES.

• FGET TO BE MEASURED AT A LOCATION SLIGHTLY AWAY

FROM AIR HEATERS.

• NO OF TEMPERATURE SENSOR PROVIDED SHOULD

COVER THE DUCT ADEQUATELY.

• CORRECTED TEMP SHOULD BE USED FOR

COMPARISION.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 46

 Typical Oxygen Levels at
APH Inlet / Outlet
O x y g e n i n F l u e G a s a t A H A I n l e t / O u tl e t O x yg e n in F lu e G a s a t A H B In le t / O u

00 00 00 00

0 00 0 0
0
0 0 0

Outlet O0
Outlet O0%
Inlet O0%

Inlet O0
0 0 0
0
0 0 0 0
0 0
0 0
A B C D E F
A B C D E F
Probe
In le t 0
O O u tle t0O In le t 0
OP r o b e O u tle t0O

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 47

 CO2 measurement is preferred due to high absolute
values; In case of any measurement errors, the
resultant influence on leakage calculation is small.

Air Leakage Weight of air passing from air side to gas side; This
leakage is assumed to occur entirely between air inlet and
gas outlet

Hot End / Cold End / Entrained Leakage

Calculation Empirical relationship using the change in

concentration of O2 or CO2 in the flue gas

= CO2in - CO2out * 0.9 * 100

CO2out

= O2out - O2in * 0.9 * 100 = 5.7 – 2.8 * 90

(21- O2out) (21-5.7)
= 17.1 %

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 48

 PERFORMANCE
DEGRADATION OF APH

• Seal Leakage
• Erosion
• Corrosion
• High Press Drop Across APH
• APH Fire

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 49

 APH Perfor mance Test
• APH Leakage

• Gas Side Efficiency

• X-Ratio

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 50

 • GAS SIDE EFFICIENCY
= (Temp drop / Temperature head) * 100

• X- RATIO = T (gas in) – T (gas out) (no lkg)/ T(air out) –

T (air in)

• Air Leakage = CO2in - CO2out * 0.9 * 100

CO2out

= O2out - O2in * 0.9 * 100

May 24, 2012
(21- O2out)
PMI Revision 00 51
 F G T E M P (C o rr.) V s B L R E F F & G A S S ID E E F F

000
. 00

00
00
00

GAS SIDE EFFICIENCY (%)

BOILER EFFICIENCY (%)

000
.
88
B o ile r E ffic in e c y

888
. 00
G a s S id e E ffic ie n cy
00
888
.
00
888
.
88

00 00
000 000 000 000 888 000 000
C O R R E C T E D F L U E G A S T E M P (D e g C )

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 52

 X – Ratio
Ratio of heat capacity of air passing through the air heater to
the heat capacity of flue gas passing through the air heater.
= Wair out * Cpa
Wgas in * Cpg

= Tgas in - Tgas out (no leakage)

Tair out - Tair in

Say AH leakage – 17.1%, Gas In Temp – 333.5 C, Gas Out

Temp – 133.8 C , Air In Temp – 36.1 C, Air Out Temp – 288 C

X ratio = (333.5 – 150.5) / (288 –36.1) = 0.73

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 53

 X-Ratio depends on
• moisture in coal, air infiltration, air & gas mass flow rates
• leakage from the setting
• specific heats of air & flue gas
X-ratio does not provide a measure of thermal performance of
the air heater, but is a measure of the operating conditions.
A low X-ratio indicates either excessive gas weight
through the air heater or that air flow is bypassing the air
heater.
A lower than design X-ratio leads to a higher than design
gas outlet temperature & can be used as an indication of
excessive tempering air to the mills or excessive boiler setting
infiltration.

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 54

 Flue Gas Exit Temperature

Flue Gas Exit Temperature is corrected for inlet air temperature

X1 = Reference Air Temp * (Gas Temp In – Gas Temp Out) +

Gas Temp In * (Gas Temp Out - Air Temp In)
X2 = Gas Temp In - Air Temp In

EGTcor. = X1/ X2
= 35 * (345-143.9) + 345 (143.9 – 41.6) / (345 – 41.6)
= 139.5 C

EGT Corrected for inlet air temp and for AH leakage

= AL * Cpa * (EGTcor - Tair in) + EGTcor
Cpg * 100
= [13.7* (139.5 – 41.6)] / 100 + 139.5 = 152.9

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 55

 THANK YOU

May 24, 2012 PMI Revision 00 56