Performance Monitoring

for Optimization
T K Ray
Senior Faculty Member
Power Management Institute
NTPC Limited
rayt3@asme.org

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 1

 Presentation Outline

• Boiler Efficiency

• Air Heater Performance

• Performance Assessment using Field Instruments

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 •Loss due to moisture in air.
Heat gained by boiling water 38%
•Loss due to moisture in fuel.
•Loss due to comb. gen. moisture.
Fuel Energy •Dry Exhaust Gas Losses~ 4.6%
100%
Hot gas

Flue gas

•Heat loss from furnace surface. Heat gained by

•Unburned carbon losses. SH & RH 38%
•Incomplete combustion losses.
Heat gained by economizer & air pre-
•Loss due to hot ash. heater 11%

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 Boiler Efficiency…
For utility boilers efficiency is generally calculated by heat
loss method wherein the component losses are calculated
and subtracted from 100.
(Boiler Efficiency = 100 - Losses in %)
Commonly used standards are
• ASME PTC 4 -1998: Fired Steam Generators
• ASME PTC 4.2: Coal Pulverizers
• ASME PTC 4.3: Air Heaters
• BS – 2885 (1974)
• IS: 8753: 1977
• DIN standards
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 Boiler Efficiency determination
The % of heat input to the boiler absorbed by the working fluid

i. Input /output method

η= ∑ (m& e he − m& i hi )
*100
Hf +B

ii. Heat Loss method

L
η = 100 − *100
Hf +B

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 Parameters required for computing Boiler Efficiency
• AH inlet and exit FG O2 / CO2 /CO
• AH inlet and exit FG temp
• Primary / Secondary air temp at AH inlet
• Dry/Wet bulb temperatures
• Ambient pressure, bar (abs)
• Proximate Analysis & GCV of Coal
• Combustibles in Bottom Ash and Fly ash

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Boiler Losses Typical values
Dry Gas Loss 4.56
Unburnt C Loss 1.50
Hydrogen Loss 3.29
Moisture in Fuel Loss 2.53
Moisture in Air Loss 0.12
CO Loss 0.04
Radiation/Unaccounted Loss 0.89
Total Heat Loss 12.93
Heat credit 0.44
Boiler Efficiency 87.51

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 7

 DFG Loss (kJ/kg of fuel) =
100 C S
[ ( + − C in _ A )] * 30 . 6 (T fg − T air )
12 ( CO 2 + CO ) 100 267

K (T fg − Tair )
Seigert formula: DFG Loss (%) =
%CO2
AL * C pa * (T fgt − Tair ) 90 * CO2 _ in
T fg = + T fgt CO2 _ out =
C pg *100 AL + 90

CO 2 _ in − CO 2 _ out
AL = * 0 . 9 * 100
CO 2 _ out

O 2 _ out − O 2 _ in
= * 0 . 9 * 100
21 − O 2 _ out
O2 in / CO2 in measured, AL known
K ~0.63 for bituminous coal
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• Typically 20 0C increase in exit FG temp ~ 1%
reduction in boiler efficiency.

• DFG loss computation should be based on FG

temp in AH outlet common ducts leading to ESP.

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 Wet Flue Gas Loss (kJ/kg of fuel) =

M + 9H
[1.88(T fg − 25) + 2442+ 4.2(25 − Tair )]
100

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 Moisture in combustion air loss (kJ/kg fuel)=

M a * h *1.88* (T fg − Tair )
h =kg moisture per kg dry air

M a =Dry air for combustion kg/kg of fuel

3.034N2 C S
Ma = [ + − Cin _ A )
CO2 + CO 100 267

N2, CO2, CO=% volume in dry gas

C, S=% in fuel

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 11

 Incomplete gas (CO) loss (kJ/kg fuel)=

12 7 CO C S
*[ *( + − C in _ A )] * 23717
28 3(CO 2 + CO ) 100 267

23717 kJ/kg = CV of burning 1 kg of carbon in CO to CO2

CO2, CO=% volume in dry gas

C, S=% in fuel

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 12

 Combustible in Ash Loss
• Measure of effectiveness of Combustion process
and Mill performance
cA
• Loss in kJ/kg of fuel: * 33820
100
• c= % of carbon in ash

• A= Mass of ash kg/kg of fuel

• Carbon burnt to CO2 =33820 kJ/kg (8077 kcal/kg)

• Compute Boiler efficiency loss % due to c in Ash

23717 kJ/kg = CV of burning 1 kg of carbon in CO to CO2

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HEAT CREDIT

Heat Credit due to Coal Mill Power

= [MP * 859.86 * 100] / [Coal FLOW * GCV * 1000]

Coal Flow Rate Coal FLOW Tons/Hr

Total Coal Mill Power MP kWh
GCV of Coal Kcal/Kg
 Probable measurement errors and resulting
errors in efficiency calculations
Measurement Error in calculated SG
Parameter error, % Efficiency, %
Heat value (coal) ±0.50 ±0.03
Orsat analysis ±3.00 ±0.30
Exit FG temp ±0.50 ±0.02
Inlet air temp ±0.50 ±0.00
Ult. anal. of coal (C) ±1.00 ±0.10
Ult. anal. of coal (H) ±1.00 ±0.10
Fuel moisture ±1.00 ±0.00

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 15

Unburnt Carbon Loss (Controllable)

• Cunburnt is a measure of effectiveness of comb. process

• Cunburnt includes the unburned constituents in FA and BA

• Focus to be on FA due to uncertainty in repeatability and

representativeness

• +50 PF fineness fractions to be < 1%

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Influencing Factors - Unburnt Carbon Loss
• Type of mills and firing system
• Furnace size
• PF fineness (Pulveriser problems)
• Coal FC/VM ratio, coal reactivity
• Insufficient excess air in combustion zone
• Air damper / register settings
• Burners design / condition
• Burner balance / worn orifices
• Primary Air Flow / Pressure
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Dry Gas loss reduction requires
• Boiler operation at optimum excess air
• Cleanliness of boiler surfaces
• Reduction of tempering air to mill
• Reduction in air ingress
• Cleaning of air heater surfaces and proper
heating elements / surface area

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 18

Air Optimization
Air Heater in Fossil Fired Plant

The rotating cylinder packed with
thousands of sq m of specially formed
sheets of heat transfer surfaces.

As it revolves, heat of FG is absorbed
through one half.

The accumulated heat is released to the incoming

air as the same surfaces pass through other half.

The heat transfer cycle is continuous as the
surfaces are alternately exposed to the outgoing
gas and incoming air.

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 20

 Air Heater - Performance Indicators
• Air-in-Leakage (~13%)

• Gas Side Efficiency (~ 68 %)

• X – ratio (~ 0.76)

• Flue gas temperature drop (~2200C)

• Air side temperature rise (~2600C)

• Gas & Air side pressure drops

The indices are affected by changes in entering

air or gas temperatures, their flow quantities and
coal moisture.

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 AH Leakage
• The leakage of the high pressure air to
the low pressure flue gas due to
– Differential Pressure

– increased seal clearances in hot condition

– seal erosion

– improper seal settings.

• Direct – flow of air through gaps between

rotating and fixed structure
Rotor Turndown – HE grows
• Leakage ≈ gap area x (density x ∆P)1/2
radially more than the CE,
• Entrained –air in elements carried via
rotor goes outward and
rotation from air side to gas side
downward

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 Leakage paths

Increased AH leakage leads to

Reduced AH efficiency
Increased fan power consumption
Higher gas velocities that affect ESP performance
Loss of fan margins leading to inefficient operation and at times
restricting unit loading
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 AH Leakage

• Typically air heater starts with a baseline

leakage of 6 to 10% after an overhaul

• What we measure is mainly leakage

through radial seals at hot & cold end

• Leakage through circumferential seals is

substantial and has a major effect on heat
transfer but nominal effect on APC

• Leakage is expressed as a % of inlet gas

flow and not a % of fan input flow

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 Air Heater Leakage - Calculation
• This leakage is assumed to occur entirely between air inlet and gas outlet
• Empirical relationship using the change in concentration of O2 or CO2 in
the flue gas
CO 2 _ in − CO 2 _ out
AL = * 0 . 9 * 100
CO 2 _ out

O 2 _ out − O 2 _ in
= * 0 . 9 * 100
21 − O 2 _ out
5 .7 − 2 .8
= * 0 . 9 * 100
21 − 5 . 7
= 17 . 1 %
• Method of determination of O2 or CO2 should be the same at inlet
and outlet wet or dry (Orsat)

• O2 dry = O2 wet / (1- FG Moisture)

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC
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 Data Collected / Measured

O2 or CO2 in FG at AH Inlet
O2 or CO2 in FG at AH Outlet
Temperature of gas entering/leaving air heater
Temperature of air entering/leaving air heater
Diff. Pressure across APH on air & gas side

CO2 measurement is preferred due to high absolute values; In case of any

measurement errors, the resultant influence on lkg. calculation is small.

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Factors affecting APH performance
• Operating excess air levels
• PA/SA ratio
• Inlet air / gas temperature
• Coal moisture
• Air ingress levels
• Upstream ash evacuation
• Soot blowing
• No. of mills in service
• Maintenance practices

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC

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 Presentation Outline

• Boiler Efficiency

• Air Heater Performance

• Performance Assessment using Field Instruments

• Use of Performance Evaluation Software

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 28

 Factors affecting Boiler efficiency
• Design
• Coal Quality
• Operating parameters
– Mill Performance - PF Fineness
– Burner-to-burner PF balance
– Excess Air Level
– Water Chemistry
– Boiler loading
• Component condition
– AH Performance
– Boiler Air Ingress
– Furnace / Convective section Cleanliness
– Insulation
– Quality of Overhauls

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 29

 Boiler & Air Heater Performance Assessment
• Accurate determination of Boiler Efficiency & Air Heater
performance poses many challenges.

• ‘Acceptance Test’ accuracy is not cost justified, but there’s a

need to obtain representative & accurate performance
data & trend the same.

• Diagnostic tests are required for the following

– Root cause analysis of different problems

– Identifying reasons for boiler inefficiency

– To verify the feedback from online instruments

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 The Diagnostic Tests
• Clean Airflow Tests
• Dirty Airflow Tests
• Iso-kinetic Coal Sampling
• PA Flow Calibration
• Furnace Exit HVT Traverse
• Air In-Leakage survey
• Insulation survey
• Furnace temperature survey
• Boiler Efficiency Tests
• AH Performance Tests
• Boiler Tuning & Optimization

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 Thanks

rayt3@asme.org

1 March 2011 T K Ray NTPC 32