DESIGN OF AIR-PREHEATER

An air preheater (APH) is any device designed to heat air before another process
(for example, combustion in a boiler) with the primary objective of increasing the thermal
efficiency of the process. They may be used alone or to replace a recuperative heat
system or to replace a steam coil.
The purpose of the air preheater is to recover the heat from the boiler flue gas
which increases the thermal efficiency of the boiler by reducing the useful heat lost in the
flue gas. As a consequence, the flue gases are also conveyed to the flue gas stack (or
chimney) at a lower temperature, allowing simplified design of the conveyance system and
the flue gas stack. It also allows control over the temperature of gases leaving the stack
(to meet emissions regulations, for example) It is installed between the economizer and
chimney.
particular, this article describes the combustion air preheaters used in large
boilers found in thermal power stations producing electric power from e.g. fossil fuels,
biomass or waste.

Figure 5.19: Air Preheater

ILLUSTRATION:

Schematic Diagram of Air Preheater

Schematic Diagram of Air Preheater

Given:
Wa = 115.2647 kg/s
Wg = 125.4655 kg/s
∆p, assume: 3.5cmw
t db₁ = 30⁰C
t wb₁ = 20⁰C
t db₂ = 40⁰C
tgc = 739.7184 ⁰C
dₒ = 0.05m
Lt, assume: 3m
S₁ = 0.2m
S₂ = 0.4m
cg = 1.04645
A= 1.95
B= 0.00045

Saturation Pressures:
Ps at tdb₁ = 0.004246 MPa
Pw at twb₁ = 0.002339 MPa

Determining Partial Pressure of Water Vapor by Carrier's Equation:

(P−Pw )(tdb ₁−twb ₁)(1.8)

Pv = Pw -
2800−1.3(1.8(tdb ₁)+32)

(0.098986)(10)(1.8)
Pv = 0.002339 -
2800−1.3(86)

Pv = 0.001676197 MPa
Determining Specific Humidity of Air:

Pv
ω₁ = ω₂ = (0.622)
P−Pv
0.001676197 kgv
ω₁ = ω₂ = (0.622) = 0.010462688
0.101325−0.001676197 kgda

Determining Specific Enthalpies of Air:

h₁ ≈ cpa(tdb₁) + ω₁(2500+1.88(tdb₁))

h₁ ≈ 1.005 (30) + 0.010462688 ( 2500 + 1.88 (30) )

kJ
h₁ ≈ 56.89681481
kgda

h₂ ≈ cpa(tdb₂) + ω₂(2500+1.88(tdb₂))

h₂ ≈ 1.005 (40) + 0.010462688 ( 2500 + 1.88 (40) )

kJ
h₂ ≈ 67.14351334
kgda

Heat Increased in Air:

h₁ = 57.069 kJ/kg
h₂ = 67.324 kJ/kg
Qair = wa(h₂ - h₁) = (115.265) ( 67.324- 57.069 )
Qair = 1182.039 kJ/s

Heat Loss from Gas (Final Temperature):

 Qg = wg (cg)(tgc - tgd) = Qair = 1182.039241
1182.039241
tgd = 739.718 -
(125.466)(1.04645)
tgd = 730.7154 - ⁰C

Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference:

θmax = tgc - tdb₂= 739.7184 - 40

θmax = 699.7184 -⁰C
θmin = tgd - tdb₁= 730.7154 - 30
θmin = 700.7154 ⁰C
θmax −θmin
LMTD =
ln(θmax /θmin)

700.7154−699.718
LMTD = 700.7154 = 700.2168 ⁰C
ln
699.7185

Overall Coefficient of Heat Transfer:

∆p = 5.55 x 10¯⁸ (G²)

¿ ¿
G= √(∆ p ¿ 5.55 x 10 ¯ ⁸ ¿ =√(1.377952756 ¿ 5.55E-08

G= 4982.768064 kg/hr-m²

U = A + B(G)
U = 1.95 + 0.00045 (4982.768064)
U = 4.192245629 kCal/hr-m²-⁰C = 0.004875815 kW/m²-⁰C

Number of Tubes:
 Qa = U(At)(LMTD)
1182.03924 = (0.004875815)(At)(700.2168)
At = 346.22 m²

HS = π (dₒ) (Lt)
HS = π(0.05)(3)
HS = 0.471238898 m²
At
Nt =
HS
346.22
Nt = =734.70175 = 735 tubes
0.471238898

Desired Arrangement of Tubes:

Ntx 17 tubes (Factors of 882)
Nty 23 tubes
Check: 391

Dimensions of Air Preheater:

L = Ntx(dₒ) + (Ntx +1)(S₁)

L= (17) (0.05) + (18) (0.2)
L= 4.45 m
w = Nty(dₒ) + (Nty +1)(S₂)
w= (23) (0.05) + (24) (0.2)
w= 5.95 m