Western Regional

Boiler Association
Design and Operation
Spreader Grate Systems
Bob Morrow – Detroit Stoker

Red Lion Hotel

Port Angeles, WA
March 11-13, 2014
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 Detroit Stoker Company
• Administration, Sales, Engineering &
Manufacturing in Monroe, Michigan
• 85 Employees
• 19 North American Manufacturer Sale Reps
• 12 International Manufacturer Sales Reps
• Privately Owned

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 Products & Services

• Solid Fuel Combustion Systems

• Solid Fuel Feeding/Metering Systems
• Rotary Seal Feeders/Double Flap Airlocks
• Low NOx Gas/Oil Burners
• Aftermarket Parts & Services
• Engineering Studies
– CFD Analysis for Air Systems and Furnace Design
– Pilot Scale Testing

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 Solid Fuel Combustion Systems

• Spreader Fired Combustion Systems

• Mass Fired Combustion Systems

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 Detroit’s Supply for Nippon
Secondary Air

Fuel Distributors

Grate System

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 Nippon – Grate System Design
• MCR Steam Output = 225K lbs/hr
– 945 psig, 900°F, 250°F
• Thermal Input = 383 MBtu/hr
– Fuel = 95K lbs/hr
– HHV = 4050 Btu/lb @ 51% H2O
• 2 module Roto-Stoker type VCG
– Air-cooled, Vibrating grate
– 19’-4” wide X 24’-0” long
– Grate thermal load = 830 Kbtu/ft2/hr
• Primary Air & Secondary Air Temp. = 500°F
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 Basic Principal of Grate Operation
• Eccentric design drive arrangement
• Operation initially lifts fuel and ash ahead & forward. As
the grate surface moves back, fuel/ash particles deposited
farther ahead.
• Low speed operation (385 rpm nominal)
• Small amplitude (1/4” total)
• Intermittent operation
• Run cycle 3-5 seconds, Dwell for 10-20 minutes
• Grate surface supported on specifically designed spring (flex)
strap arrangement

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VCG Grate System

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Stationary Frame

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Vibrating Frame

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 Grate Assembly

Grate Elements

Flex Straps

Vibrating Frame

Stationary Frame

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Grate Drive

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 Grate Drive
7 ½ HP motor
Eccentric Bearing

Eccentric shaft

Speed reduction
sheaves

Pilot Bearings

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 Grate Ash Discharge Capacity
Feed Rate Factor Vs Eccentric rpm

0.25

0.2

0.15
Feed rate factor

Structural Design
Point

0.1
Nominal Operating
Range

0.05

0
360 365 370 375 380 385 390 395 400 405 410 415
Eccentric Speed (rpm)

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 Grate Speed

Too Slow Too Fast

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 Spreader Type Combustion Systems

Smaller Fuel Larger Fuel

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 Initial
Combustion
Thoughts

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Combustion

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 Biomass Fuels
0.1 - 0.3 Seconds
Combustion Products:
CO2, CO, H2O, PICs

Thermal Decomposition Air Air

Products:
Light Gases, Liquid HC’s, Tars Glowing Particles
“Sparklers”
1 - 2 Seconds
CO
Distribution
between these
is fuel
dependent, but
typically more
volatile material
with biomass

Biomass particle Flyash or bottom ash

Charcoal with unburned C

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Spreader Stoker Combustion -101

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 Spreader Combustion
Theory ‘Fine Fuel”
– Suspension Firing
• Smaller particles with low terminal velocities dry/volatilize in
suspension over the bed flame.
• Smaller particles are less dense with lower mass of moisture.
• Smaller particles have higher surface area
• Distribution across entire grate area is constant with small particles
in front zone and larger particles in the rear.
• Immediate reduction of particle mass (H2O & VM), lesser fuel height
on grate surface. Grate designed for higher P for primary air
distribution.
– Enhanced volitazation by pre-heated primary air

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 Spreader Combustion
Theory ‘Larger Fuel”
– Grate Firing
• Large particles with high terminal velocity deposit on the grate.
• Larger particles include higher mass of moisture, therefore need
more time to dry and volatilize.
• Larger particle trajectories travel through the hottest zone above the
bed therefore radiant heat transfer increases dry / volatilize rates.
• Under grate air is pre-heated to assist and increase drying rates in
bed zone.
• As larger particles dry / volatilize, size and density decrease and
terminal velocity is reduced which re-introduces particles into the
suspension fired combustion zone.

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Fuel Particle Entrainment

Maximum Entrained
Particle Size for Dry and
Devolitilized, Dry, 30% and
50% Moisture Particles

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 Mass Distribution of Particles
100% Douglas Fir
15 fps (4.5m/s)
1830ºF (1000ºC)
80% 2% O2
20% MC
Mass Distribution, %

60%
Fraction Solid
Carryover

40% Fraction Entrained

and Burned

20% Fraction to Grade

0%
0.0 - 2.8 2.8 - 4.0 4.0 - 6.4
Particle Width (mm)

Mass Distribution of Douglas Fir Particles Which are Caught Overhead, Burned, or
Falling to the Grate as a Function of Particle Size

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 Anticipated Thermal Release Locations

• Design fuel (<25% • Design fuel (>45%

H2O & fine size) H2O & course size)
• 60-70% • 40-50%
Suspension Suspension
• 10-20% grate • 30-50% grate
• Remaining output • Remaining output
fractioned from fractioned from
grate area grate area

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 CFD Illustration of
Fractioning Rate from Grate

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 Fuel Particle Size

Fine Size

Course Size

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Emission Comments

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 NOx & CO Emissions Influences

• NOx
– Fuel sizing (direct effect)
– OFA (direct effect)
– Excess air (direct effect)
– Fuel Distribution (direct
effect)
• CO
– Fuel sizing (direct effect)
– OFA (direct effect)
– Excess air (direct effect)
– Fuel Distribution (direct
effect)

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 Inverse Relationships with Excess Air
1.2

1
BIOMASS

0.8
Emissions (lbs/MMBtu)

NOx
CO
0.6
Linear (NOx)
Linear (CO)

0.4

0.2

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Oxygen (blr wet)

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Secondary Air Design

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 OFA Theory of Operation

• Utilize lower nozzle elevations at all steam loads

– Used to assist grate level fuel combustion
• Evaporate fuel moisture
• Volatize fuel
• Begin free burning of fuel carbon
• Utilize middle nozzle elevations based on flame height
– Decrease nozzle flow for lower steam loads
– Increase nozzle flow for higher steam loads
• Utilize upper nozzle elevations at higher steam loads.
– Control of thermal NOx
– Provide additional O2 for burning volatile gases (CO)

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Thank You !!!

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