18-08-2020

Diagnosis of Boiler Performance through

Process Parameters

Day 1

Ansuman Sen Sharma

India Boiler dot Com

What is our
objective?

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Understand analytically how to

diagnose performance problems
from system parameters

Compare performance parameters

with other units to identify best
practice

Explore the viability of adopting new

technologies for improved system
parameter monitoring

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature

and cause of a certain phenomenon

Most commonly it is associated with “the art

or act of identifying a disease from its signs
and symptoms by the Doctor”

Let us imagine one such act of identification

first and look at the simile with Boiler
system problem identification

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I get a low grade fever

Super heater spray has increased
a little

It‟s still there even after four-

five days
Spray is persistently high for four
five days

I go to my doctor and tell him

about my problem
O&M personnel should identify
this as abnormality

The first question he asks me – „since when?‟

We need to identify the time when this abnormality started

Then he asks me is there any other problem?

We need to look for other irregularities that started
occurring at the same time

I am also having cough and cold and tell him so

The Platen inlet gas temperature has also increased, and so
are the metal temperatures

He takes out a stethoscope

and checks my chest and
listens for congestion

Takes out a tongue

depressor and asks me to
open my mouth wide and
say Aah....

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He checks the throat and nose cavity for congestion

Visual inspection – check from the peephole near platen

super heater inlet as well as the bottom most peephole
above bottom ash hopper

He writes a prescription (giving me a broad spectrum

antibiotic perhaps), asks me to use vapour
inhalation....and

Asks me to get certain tests done and come back

again with the test reports
Operate water wall blowers. But check how long it takes
for the spray to increase back. Check the coal and ash
analysis

A Doctor with good diagnostic skills must have

a very good knowledge of Human Physiology.

A boiler O&M engineer also should know the

Boiler system thoroughly in order to develop
the diagnostic skills.

Every component in the system has a defined

objective to fulfil.

In order to meet the objective, the component/

system has to work on a specific engineering
principle.

In ideal conditions, the performance and

reliability would be reflected in some of the
parameters we measure.

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The engineer should know his system good

enough to understand the limitations

If you Can associate this deviation

with the prevailing field condition, you
can diagnose the problem with
reasonable accuracy and take
necessary corrective actions.

A Boiler performance depends on two

aspects

Conversion of Heat Energy from Chemical

energy of fuel

Transfer of Heat energy into water &

Steam

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Since the work is done in a very hot

environment, performance and
reliability of the boiler components
are often intertwined

It is therefore essential to have an

holistic approach towards boiler
performance

The issues we would discuss:

Inadequate Steam Flow

Exit Temperature high
High LOI in Fly Ash
High Attemperation spray
SH/ RH temperature low
Water Wall Tube leakage
Super heater Tube leakage
Economizer Tube leakage
Drum Silica high
Excessive blow-down due to high chloride

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Factors influencing Performance of

Boiler

Various Heat Losses

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1. Heat lost with dry flue gas through chimney

= mg x Cg x (Tg - Ta) kcal/ kg of fuel

2. Heat loss due to moisture formed by combustion

of Hydrogen in fuel
= 9H x {584 + 0.45 x (Tg - Ta)} kcal/ kg of fuel

3. Heat loss due to moisture present in fuel

= Mw x {584 + 0.45 x (Tg - Ta)} kcal/ kg of fuel

4. Heat loss due to moisture present in combustion

air = Ma x FH x 0.45 x (Tg - Ta)} kcal/ kg of fuel

5. Heat Lost due to incomplete combustion

= C x {CO% / (CO% + CO2%)} x 5654 kcal/ kg
of fuel

6. Heat lost due to un-burnt

= Mash x {0.8 x (UBFA%/ 100) + 0.2 x (UBBA%/ 100)} x
8084 kcal/ kg of fuel

7. Sensible Heat lost due to fly ash

= 0.8 x Mash x 0.2 x (Tg - Ta) kcal/ kg of fuel

8. Sensible Heat lost due to bottom ash

= 0.2 x Mash x 0.2 x (Tash - Ta) kcal/ kg of fuel

9. Heat Lost due to radiation and convection:

Based on ABMA curve, radiation losses is
assumed as 0.4% for power station boiler

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1. Heat lost with dry flue gas through chimney = mg x Cg x (Tg - Ta)
2. Heat loss due to moisture formed by combustion of Hydrogen in fuel
= 9H x {584 + 0.45 x (Tg - Ta)} kcal/ kg of fuel
3. Heat loss due to moisture present in fuel
= Mw x {584 + 0.45 x (Tg - Ta)} kcal/ kg of fuel
4. Heat loss due to moisture present in combustion air
= Ma x FH x 0.45 x (Tg - Ta)} kcal/ kg of fuel

5. Heat Lost due to incomplete combustion

= [{CO% / (CO% + CO2%)} x C] x 5654 kcal/ kg of fuel

6. Heat lost due to un-burnt = [Mash x {0.8 x UBFA% + 0.2 x UBBA%}/

100] x 8084 kcal/ kg of fuel

7. Sensible Heat lost due to fly ash = 0.8 x Mash x 0.2 x (Tg - Ta)

8. Sensible Heat lost due to bottom ash = 0.2 x Mash x 0.2 x (Tash - Ta)

9. Heat Lost due to radiation and convection =

Based on ABMA curve, radiation losses is assumed as 0.4% for power
station boiler

Exit gas temperature is the most

important performance parameter to
monitor

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Air Heater Leakage – Calculation

Empirical relationship using the change in

concentration of O2 in the flue gas

AL % = O2out - O2in x 0.9 x 100

(21 - O2Out)

Tgas out (no leakage)

= Tgas out + AL x Cpa x (Tgas out - Tair in)/ Cpg

Cpa = 0.23 kcal/ kgoC

Cpg = 0.24 kcal/ kgoC

Controllable Losses

1. Heat lost with dry flue gas through chimney

= mg x Cg x (Tg - Ta)

5. Heat Lost due to incomplete combustion

= C x {CO% / (CO% + CO2%)} x 5654 kcal/ kg
of fuel

6. Heat lost due to un-burnt

= Mash x {0.8 x (UBFA%/ 100) + 0.2 x (UBBA%/ 100)} x
8084 kcal/ kg of fuel

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Controllable Losses

Mg = (Aa + 1) – (A + 9H + Mw)

Aa = (FD flow + PA flow)/ Fuel flow

H = 0.036FC + 0.086 (VM - 0.1xA) -

0.0035Mw2 (1- 0.02Mw)

A, Mw and VM are ash, moisture and volatile

matter from the proximate analysis
respectively in kg per kg of fuel

Parameters to be recorded for

monitoring for Tg:

Date Load Tg O2in O2out Tair in Tgcorrect Tgdesign Fuel Fuel Air
CV flow flow

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Parameters to be recorded for total

controllable losses:

Load Coal Air Tgcorrect Ta UB% UB% CO% CO2%

flow Flow FA BA (Ppm
x 10-4)

VM, FC, A and Mw from proximate analysis

The steam generator performance depends

on two aspects

Conversion of Heat Energy from

Chemical energy of fuel

Transfer of Heat energy into water &

Steam

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Conversion of chemical energy to heat energy

in the furnace is achieved by oxidation of
carbon, hydrogen and sulfur in the fuel

C + O2 = CO2 + 8084 kcal/ kg

2H2 + O2 = 2H2O + 34500 kcal/ kg

S + O2 = SO2 + 2224 kcal/ kg

CxHy + O2 = CO2 + H2O + heat

Oxidation of Carbon:

2430 kcal 5654 kcal

2C + O2 = 2CO + O2 = 2CO2

Incomplete Combustion Complete Combustion

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Coal Combustion mechanism inside

furnace:

Fuel + Air Flue Gas + Heat

C N2 N2
H2 O2 CO2
S CO
N2 SO2
O2 H2O
H2O O2
Ash

Inadequate/ improper Combustion performance

may lead to:
Un-burnt in fly ash/ bottom ash

Incomplete combustion (CO in flue gas)

Increased dry gas loss (high excess air)

Secondary combustion

High attemperation spray (delayed combustion, or

soot/ slag deposition on water wall)
Low SH/ RH temperature (soot / slag deposition on
SH/ RH surface)
Increased stack temperature (high excess air)

High Nox emission

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Assessing Air Requirement

Minimum Theoretical Air required for

complete combustion

= [2.67C + 8H - O + S] x 100/23

C = [0.97FC+ 0.7(VM+0.1A) - Mw(0.6 -

0.01M)]/ 100
H = [0.036C + 0.086 (VM - 0.1xA) –
0.0035Mw2 (1-0.02M)]/ 100
N = [2.10 - 0.020 VM]/ 100

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Minimum Theoretical Air required for

complete combustion

= [2.67C + 8H - O + S] x 100/23
New Technologies to be explored for
elemental coal analysis:
Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis
(PGNAA) and pulsed fast thermal neutron
activation (PFTNA)

To ensure complete combustion in the

furnace, we have to provide some excess air,
which we monitor by measuring O2 in flue gas
at ECO outlet

Excess Air from measured O2%

EA% = 100 x O/ (21 - O) Ideal

Excess Air from measured Air to Fuel Ratio

EA% = 100 x [(Air Flow/ Fuel Flow) –

Theoretical Air]/ Theoretical air Actual

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Diagnostic checks:

If EAideal > EAactual

Either improper combustion (unused

oxygen), or leakage from penthouse and
doghouse area
Furnace Exit O2 could be less than desired
increasing the chance of slagging

If EAideal < EAactual

Either faulty O2 measurement, or faulty air

flow measurement

THANK YOU

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ANY QUESTIONS?

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