Effect of Coal Quality on Boiler Tube Failures and

Coal Washing
 Steam Generator
• A steam generator generates steam at the desired
rate at the desired pressure and temperature by
burning fuel in its furnace.
• Steam generator is a complex integration of furnace,
super heater, re heater , boiler or evaporator ,
economiser and Air pre heater etc.
• The boiler (or evaporator) is that part of the steam
generator where phase change (or boiling) occurs
from the liquid(water) to vapour (steam). However
the term “ Boiler” is traditionally used to mean the
whole steam generator
Steam Generator Works according Rankine Cycle
 Boiling process in Tubular Geometries
Steam

Partial Steam Generation

Complete or Once-through
Steam Generation

Heat Input
Water

Heat Input

Water Water
 Coal
Coal currently provides 60 % of the total Electric generation in India
Statistics of world electricity Generation
by source
• What is Happening to Coal in a

STEAM GENERATOR

Coal is undergoing combustion

 What is combustion?
• Rapid oxidation reaction resulting in release of
heat and often, also light.
• Complicated phenomenon, involves fluid
mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer and
chemical kinetics.
• Very important in power generation,
transportation, industrial heating
• Also, fire safety issues.
 Three Basic Ingredients

• Fuel (C, H)
• Oxygen (Air = 21% O2)
• Ignition (spark = temperature)
 Three Basic Conditions
• Mixing the air with fuel
• Raising the temperature of the mixture
• Allowing room for the reaction
Various Combustion Conditions

• Perfect combustion (stoichiometric)

• Excess air (lean mixture - oxidizing
atmosphere)
• Excess gas (rich mixture - reducing
atmosphere)
 Combustion

Combustion refers to the rapid oxidation of the fuel

Accompanied by production of heat, or heat and light
 3 Ts of Combustion

TIME
All combustion requires sufficient Time which depends upon type of
Reaction

TEMPERATURE
Temperature must be more than ignition temperature

TURBULENCE
Proper turbulence helps in bringing the fuel and air in intimate contact
and gives them enough time to complete reaction.
 Main Processes in Coal Combustion

homogeneous
combustion CO2, H2O, …
volatiles
coal particle
p-coal, d=30-70m
heterogeneous
combustion CO2, H2O, …
char

devolatilization

tdevolatile=1-5ms tvolatiles=50-100ms tchar=1-2sec

t
video
 Thermal Structure of A SG

drum R screen

Platen SHTR
H tubes

DPNL SH T
R

LTSH

Economiser stack
BCW Flame
pump

APH ESP ID Fan

Bottom ash
 Super heater &
Reheater (Steam ) Zone

Evaporator Economiser
Zone (water (water )
& Steam Zone
Mixture)
Zone
Air Pre
heater
(air) Zone
 Boiler Slag
• Boiler slag is formed when the ash melts
under the intense heat
• It is collected at the bottom of the boiler and
at the exhaust stack filters
Typical Location of Fouling and Slagging in Coal
Fired Boiler
FURNACE SLAG DEPOSITS
Economizer Failed Tube
Arrangement of water wall tubes
Failed Water wall Tubes
Failed Water wall Tubes
Failed Tubes
Failed Tubes
 MW Loss due to Boiler Tube Failures

On an average , there is a loss 15 % of installed capacity

annually due to Forced outages . Boiler tube failures are

one of main causes of Forced outages and Coal Quality

is the main reason for Boiler tube Failures

Definition of Cleaner Production (CP) by United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

The continuous application of an

integrated preventive environmental
strategy to processes, products and
services to increase overall efficiency
Environmental management plays a vital
role in sustainable development of a
country. Recognizing its importance, the
Ministry of Environment and Forest,
Government of India had formulated
policies and procedures governing the
industrial and other developmental
activities to prevent indiscriminate
exploitation of natural resources and to
promote integration of environmental
concern in developmental projects.
 VISION
PROGRAM

In-combustion Clean-up
Gasification using +
Fluidized bed
fluidized bed, moving bed
combustion (CFBC,
or Entrained bed Gasifiers
PFBC, AFBC)

Post combustion Clean-up-

Pre combustion Clean- Desulfurization
up beneficiation/washing (FGC systems) Supercritical

CLEAN COAL
TECHNOLOGIES

Technologies for utilization of Coal for Power Generation with minimal

pollutants discharged to the atmosphere (Reduced CO2, Sox, Nox,
SPM) at high conversion efficiency……….World Coal Institute.
 What is coal washing
Washing coal is actually the process of
separation of non coal materials or
undesired adherent materials of coal by
using a medium.
The washing technique was first
introduced in Europe in 1918.
Coal beneficiation largely depends on
gravity difference of coal and ash particles
 Need for washing
• Less quantity of high quality coal reserves in relation to
growing demand relation to growing demand
• High cost of transportation of dirt along with coal and its
subsequent disposal as ash or slag adding to the cost, thus,
more captive investment.
• Disposal of ash by consumers is a difficult problem
• Increased demand of lower ash coal i.e. high calorific value
fuel.
• Environmental awareness and requirement at users end.
• Greater concern and consciousness of consumers about
quality.
 What is Coal
Inhomogeneous organic fuel formed mainly from decomposed plant matter
which resembles the rock
 Formation of Coal Deposits
Unlike petroleum, coal is not formed from marine organisms, but from the
remains of land plants
A swampy setting, in which plant growth is lush and where there is water to
cover fallen trees, dead leaves and other plant debris, is ideal for the initial
stages to create coal
 Formation of Coal Deposits
The formation of coal from dead plant matter requires burial, pressure, heat
and time
The process works best under anaerobic conditions (no oxygen) since the
reaction with oxygen during decay destroys the organic matter
It is the carbon content of the coal that supplies most of its heating value
The greater the carbon to oxygen ratio the harder the coal, the more reduced
the state of the carbons and the more potential energy it contains
 TYPES OF COAL

Peat Coal Lignite Coal Sub-Bituminous Coal

Bituminous Coal Anthracite

 COAL WASHABILITY
• Amenability of a given coal to beneficiation by
washing.
• ROM coal must require some selective
qualitative and quantitative analysis for
finding out the most suitable operating
conditions for washing of coal to obtain the
desired quality.
 Washability characteristics
1. To find the relative ease for separation
2. To find the effectiveness of coal washing in a
particular process.
3. To characterise the type and amount of
impurities
4. To select optimum plant operation
5. To gather information for designing a
washery plant
 Float and Sink Method
• The washability of a coal is determined by
sink-float testing. The test is performed by
placing a sample of coal in progressively
heavier specific gravity baths and scooping off
the material that floats
• Test procedure ASTM – Float Sink Analyses:
ASTM D4371 – 06(2012) – “Standard Test
Method for Determining the Washability
Characteristics of Coal”.
 Washability Curve
The float and sink fractions of different specific
gravities are collected and weighed, taking care
that no coal particles are lost. Determination of
the ash content of coal of the float and sink
fractions are carried out and the results are
tabulated. The washability curves are plotted
taking total floats vs. ash, total sinks vs. ash and
the washability characteristic curves on
instantaneous ash curve.
 Washability Curve
• The representation of the washability curves
are as follows:
• Curve 1: Total Float – Ash curve
• Curve 2: Total Sink – Ash curve
• Curve 3: Instantaneous Ash curve or
Increment curve.
 Different washing Methods
• The various procedures are broadly classified as the
‘Wet’ ‘and Dry’ processes. The dry process doesn’t
involve the use of water, where as in the wet process,
the water is the main medium for washing and jigging.
1. Jigging
2. Heavy Medium baths
3. Heavy Media Cyclones
4. Forth Flotation
5. Water only cyclones
6. Washery Plates
 1. Jigging
• Jigs offer cost effective technology with a
clean coal yield of 75-85% at about 34% ash
content.
• The jigs are used more frequently than dense-
medium vessels because of their larger
capacities and cheaper costs.
• Jigs rely on stratification in a bed of coal when
the carrying water is pulsed.
Baum Jig and A Feldspar Jig
Jigging Plant
 Dense-Medium Separators
Dense-medium vessels also operate by specific
gravity difference; however rather than using
water as the separation medium, a suspension
of magnetite and water is used. This suspension
has a specific gravity between that of coal and
the refuse and a better separation can be
obtained.
Dense Medium Separators
Heavy Media Wash Bath
 Hydrocyclone
Hydro-cyclones are water-based
cyclones where the heavier particles
accumulate near the walls and are
removed via the base cone. Lighter
(cleaner) particles stay nearer the
center and are removed at the top via
the vortex finder
Hydrocyclone
 Concentration Tables
Concentration tables are titled and
ribbed and they move back and forth
in a horizontal direction. The lighter
coal particles to the bottom of the
table, while the heavier refuse
particles are collected in the ribs and
are carried to the end of the table
Concentration Tables
 Froth Flotation
• Froth flotation is the most widely used
method for cleaning fines. Froth flotation cells
utilize the difference in surface characteristics
of coal and refuse to clean ultra fine coal
• The coal-water mixture is conditioned with
chemical reagents so that air bubbles will
adhere only to the coal and float it to the top,
while the refuse particles sink
Froth Flotation
 Dry Cleaning
• The dry coal preparation technique uses an air
dense fluidized bed, which makes use of the
character of an air-solid fluidized bed-like
liquid.
• The feed is stratified and separated according
to its density. The separated materials are
transported in counter flow . The floated light
product such as clean coal is discharged to the
right, and the sunken heavy product to the left
Dry Cleaning
 Near Gravity Material (NGM)
• The ease of washing at this specific gravity
may be judged from the amount of near
gravity material (NGM) present in the coal.
• The amount of this material is defined as the
percentage of the coal that will float in a
range within plus or minus 0.10 specific
gravity of the separation value
 Amount of NGM %
Degree of
Greater Less Than Comments
Difficulty
Than
0 7 Simple Almost any process, high
tonnages
7 10 Moderately Efficient process , high
Difficult tonnages
10 15 Difficult Efficient process, good
operation, medium tonnages

15 20 Very difficult Efficient process, expert

operation, low tonnages

20 25 Extremely difficult Very efficient process ,expert

operation, low tonnages

25 - Formidable Limited to a few exceptionally

efficient processes ,expert
operation , low tonnages
 Equipment Selection Guide
Equipment Type Particle Size in Effective Error
mm Specific Probability
Gravity (Ep)*
Heavy-media 100-6 1.3 to 1.7 0.025
Vessels/Baths
Heavy-media cyclones 6- 0.6 1.4 to 1.8 0.033

Baum Jig 100-0.8

Jigs Batac Jig 15-0.15 1.55 -1.9 0.091

Slurry Jig 4-0.15

Concentration Table 6-0.1 1.55-2.0 0.086

Water only cyclones 9-0.15 1.55-2.0 0.14-0.20

Spirals 4-0.15 1.6 to 2.0 0.15

Floatation 0.6 and finer 1.6 0.17

 Comparison of Different methods commercially
Method Jigs Dense- Medium Hydro Cyclones
Separtors
State of Commercial Commercial Commercial
Technology
Advantages Large capacity Good separation A more compact
Inexpensive Second most common design and provides
Common type – method relatively low
worldwide usage separation densities

Disadvantage Lower Separation Small Capacities Water Consumption

than dense -medium Is high.

Costs Inexpensive Expensive Moderately

expensive
Suitability Intermediate For difficult or most Commonly used for
efficiency device for difficult to clean coal. Easy to separate coal
moderately difficult .For coarse to
to clean coal. intermediate
particles.
 Benefits of Using Washed Coal

• Increased generation efficiency, mainly due to the reduction in

energy loss as inert material
• passes through the combustion process
• Increased plant availability
• Reduced investment costs
• Reduced operation and maintenance (O&M) costs due to less wear
and reduced costs for
• fuel and ash handling
• Energy conservation in the transportation sector and lower
transportation costs
• Less impurities and improved coal quality
• Reduced load on the air pollution control system; and
• Reduction in the amount of solid waste that has to be disposed off
 Disadvantages of Coal Washing
• Discharge of Coal wahery
effluents gives rise to the serious
problem of visual and aesthetic
pollution
• Handling of Washery rejects as
rejects contain around 15-20%
carbon and 1600 to 3100 Gross
calorific value
Reject Heap
 Recent Advances in coal Washing
• MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF THE
ISTANTANEOUS ASH VS DENSITY RELATIONSHIP
• Developing a Computer Tomography based
on- line coal washability analyser
• Washability Monitor for Coal Utilizing Optical
and X-Ray Analysis Techniques
 Conclusions
• Power plant operation and efficiencies are highly
influenced by the ash and other impurities of the ROM
coal and these effects can be minimised by using
washed coal.
• Hence it is concluded that all the power stations
irrespective of the distance from the mine, the washed
coal may be used for firing. This also reduces the
exporting pollution gases into the atmosphere, which
the need of the day.
• To enhance the life of reserve, gainful utilization
of washery rejects must be thought which is
having 10-20% carbon.
THANK YOU SIRs.