Comm/ JB No 0993/C11

Rev 00 01/ 06.07.13

Isgec Heavy Engineering Ltd

SECTION 11 – BOILER CONTROL PHILOSOPHY

Instrumentation & Control 3 Transmitter

System
Instrumentation and control system is
designed for minimum local manning
and operator attention with the
facility for local start up and shut
down, if required. The basic need of
the instrumentation is for safe
operation and efficient functioning of
the plant. This can be achieved by
installing optimum number
measurement, indicating,
transmitting and controlling
instruments for all required
parameters of the plants (e.g.
pressure, level, temperature, flow etc.)
Operator supervision shall normally
be from DCS. Alarm annunciation for
process and equipment malfunction
has been envisaged in DCS.
Secondary Element.
It has the responsibility of passing the
information acquired by the sensor to
controller and sending the controller
decision to the final control element.
Measurement and control signals may
be transmitted or as electrical signals.
Typical examples: Electrical
transmitters.
4 Final control element
Have the task of actually implementing
the control command issued by the
controller on the process.
Typical examples: Control valve, VFD
motors, electric motors etc.

BASIC COMPONENTS OF A The importance of these components is

CONTROL SYSTEM/ CONTROL that they perform the three basic
SYSTEM HARDWARE operations that must be present in
every control system. These operations
are:
There are four basic components of all
control systems: 1. Measurement (M): Measuring the
variable to be controlled is usually
1. Sensor done by the combination of sensor
and transmitter.
Also often called as Primary Element.
Acquires information about the status 2. Decision (D): Based on the
of the process variables. measurements and the set point,
the controller must then decide,
Typical examples: what to do to maintain the variable
RTD/Thermocouples (for temperature at its desired value.
measurements), Capacitance type
cells (for liquid level /draft /pressure 3. Action (A): As the result of the
measurements), etc. controller's decision, the system
must then take an action. This is
2. Controller usually accomplished by the final
control element.
The Brain or Heart Of the control
system (the decision maker).
Operator Interface:
It is the hardware element with Built-
in capacity for performing the only For smooth operation of boiler, the
task requiring some forms of following minimum features are
Intelligence. required at DCS:
Typical examples: Electronic - Real/ Historical trends
controllers, digital computers used as - Data overview display
controller.

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Isgec Heavy Engineering Ltd
- Graphical mimic with dynamic
animation
- Data storage and retrieval
- On demand/ shift/ daily /weekly
reports
- Extensive alarm management
- Event storage
- Engineering software function
-Tuning of control parameters
-Changing of alarm
Signal using for realising close loop
control and data acquisition:
-Transmitter signal: 4 to 20 mA
-Thermocouple signal: mV
-RTD signal : Resistance
Major Control Loops of the boiler
- Furnace Draft Control
- Steam Temp Control
- Drum Level Control
- Combustion Control
- Deaerator level control
- Deaerator Pressure Control
- CBD Tank level control
- Start Up Vent Control
- BFP Discharge Header Pressure
Control
- Soot Blower Pressure Control
1. FURNACE DRAFT CONTROL:
Typically the boiler flue gas system
comprises two Induced draft (ID) alias
flue gas fans with inlet vanes or inlet
damper, and the dampers after the
fan. Alternatively the control vanes
can be replaced with Variable
frequency Drives as speed controller
for Fans.
Furnace pressure transmitters are
located at the same elevation in upper
section of the furnace. The furnace
pressure (Draft) is one of the boiler
interlock signals.
In this control loop, Furnace pressure
is controlled by ID fan Inlet Guide
Vanes/ VFD. Furnace pressure signal
is fed to furnace draft controller which
controls the furnace pressure by ID
1 X 80 TPH CFBC Boiler
M/s. PT Tereos FKS, Indonesia
Comm/ JB No 0993/C11
Rev 00 01/ 06.07.13
FAN Inlet Guide Vanes (IGV) opening /
VFD speed as per the deviation from
set point.
Control action of this controller is Direct
i.e. if draft value increases the opening
of IGV/speed command to VFD also
increases and vice versa.
IGV and VFD is controlled by separate
controllers and at a time only one
controller will be in auto mode and the
other one, which will be in manual,
should be given 100% command. Ratio
factor is provided to balance the load on
parallel fans as per the site condition.
Initially the ratio is kept 1.
2. STEAM TEMPERATURE:
This loop maintains a constant
temperature of steam at final super
heater outlet. The outlet steam
temperature is sensed using
temperature sensors.
A cascade control strategy is followed to
take care of final super heater response
to the spray water control provided
between stages of the superheaters.
The master controller takes the input of
main steam temperature and generates
controller output used as set point to
slave controller. The slave controller
gets process value of steam temperature
after attemperator and regulates the
attemperator valve.
For better control, in addition to this, a
part of feed forward signal of furnace
temperature difference with respect to
time is added with the slave controller
output.
3. DRUM LEVEL CONTROL:
A. Drum level is measured using drum
level transmitters. The final output is
compensated for drum pressure. As the
characteristics of Drum pressure Vs
Drum level is non-linear, the
compensated signal is to be generated
in DCS.
B. Main Steam Flow
Main Steam flow is measured with the
help of steam flow transmitters. These
transmitters output is compensated for
main steam pressure and main steam
temperature.
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Isgec Heavy Engineering Ltd
This compensated flow is computed in
flow computing circuit where
averaging of compensated steam flow
signal is generated as per following
formula
QC=Q x √ (Pa+1.033) x (Td+273)
(Pd+1.033) x (Ta+273)
Where
QC=Compensated Steam Flow
Q=Un-compensated Steam Flow from FT
Pa=Process Value of Main Steam Pressure
Ta=Process Value of Main steam temp.
Pd=Design Pressure
Td=Design Temperature.
Note: Pd and Td are the values
which DP calculations are done
nozzle supplier. All pressures are
Kg/Cm2 and Temperatures are
DegC.
C. Feed Water Flow
Feed Water Flow is measured with the
help of flow transmitter. The output of
these transmitters is used in three
element control.
Note: If spray water tapping is taken
before feed water nozzle, Spray flow is
to be added with Feed water flow to
calculate total water consumption.
Control Loop
Drum Level Control for 30%
Control Valve:
The compensated drum level signal is
compared with the set point in the
primary level controller and the
output of the control controller is
used to regulate the 30% control
valve.
30% feed water flow control valve is
working only in Single element drum
level control loop and take care of
boiler feed water demand at start-up
duration and at lower load.
Drum Level Control for 100%
Control Valve:
100% feed water flow control valve is
having option to control water flow in
boiler in Single element drum level
control and Three element drum level
control.
Three element drum level control loop
take care of sufficient water flow by
considering the drum level with
1 X 80 TPH CFBC Boiler
M/s. PT Tereos FKS, Indonesia
Comm/ JB No 0993/C11
Rev 00 01/ 06.07.13
additional two parameters i.e. total feed
water flow and compensated main
steam flow.
In this control loop, 100% feed water
control valve is controlled. In this
control we first take the difference of
compensated main steam flow and total
feed water flow. Then this difference is
re-ranged from +100 to -100 with
respect to +feed water flow range to –
feed water flow range. This value is then
multiplied with a factor called Steam
Load Factor (initially kept 0.3, which is
finally adjusted during the
on commissioning of Boiler). This value is
by passed through a selector switch which
in passes 0 when single element is
in selected and passes the previously
calculated value when three element is
selected. Output of selector switch is
directly added to the output of PID
block which gives the output by
considering the drum level.
Now if the selector switch is in single
element position, selector switch passes
0 and then drum level control is
considering the drum level only and if
the selector switch is in three element
position, selector switch passes the
calculated value generated by the
difference of compensated main steam
flow and total feed water flow which is
added in the output of PID block
considering drum level. In three element
control, a feed forward signal of the
difference in steam and feed water flow
is utilized to compensate the water fed
to the drum in fluctuating conditions of
load to make the control more effective.
4. COMBUSTION CONTROL:
A. Combustion Air Control
This control loop controls the air supply
to the boiler thru various fans and
controls the fuel feeding depending on
the boiler load and maintains the boiler
pressure and excess air levels in the
boiler.
Required combustion air quantity of
solid fuel is determined based on air
requirement at various loads. This is
compensated based on excess oxygen
level to increase or decrease the air flow
to maintain the required conditions.
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The fuel supply to the boiler shall
depend on the boiler load and the
pressure of the boiler.
Control Loop:
This loop maintains required air flow
in boiler as per the load v/s air flow
curve. In this control loop, PA and SA
air flow is controlled by fan Inlet
Guide Vanes / VFD.
PA fan air flow signal with density
correction is fed to PA air flow
controller which controls the PA fan
air flow as per the deviation from the
remote set point generated out of the
curve depending on the load on the
boiler.
The total air required by the boiler is
controlled using the control of air thru
the upper and lower SA nozzles. These
nozzles dampers are regulated based
on a load Vs Total air curve for the
boiler. Depending on the deviation of
actual measured total air flow and the
value generated out of the curve at
the load of the boiler, the dampers of
upper and lower SA nozzles are
controlled.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if flow value increases the
output of controller decreases and
vice versa.
B. Oxygen Trim Control
The oxygen trim controller is
responsible for controlling the boiler’s
excess air by trimming the air flow
based on the oxygen content
measured in the flue gas. The
controller compares the oxygen
content of the flue gas to the operator
adjustable set point and accordingly
generates an output that will cause
an adjustment to the set point of the
air flow controller. The adjustment is
limited to ±10% of the required
airflow.
It should be noted that oxygen
content in flue gas is one of the most
important variables to be monitored
during the operation of the boiler. A
low content is indicative of fuel
overfeeding into the combustion
chamber, and an alarm will be
initiated to warn the operators when a
low oxygen condition (typically<1%
1 X 80 TPH CFBC Boiler
M/s. PT Tereos FKS, Indonesia
Comm/ JB No 0993/C11
Rev 00 01/ 06.07.13
O2) is detected. Fuel feeding should be
immediately stopped if such condition
arises.
Control Loop:
Oxygen trimming controller is giving the
O/P which is scaled between 0.9 to 1.1
and the same is multiplied and send to
the air flow controller as a remote set
point.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if flow value increases the
output of controller decreases and vice
versa.
C. Main Steam Pressure Control
The objective is to match the boiler’s
steam production to the steam demand
of the process. To accomplish this
objective the system must be designed
to maintain a constant steam pressure
and generate a demand for fuel to the
boiler.
The plant load change cause the steam
flow to change which in turn causes a
change in the main steam pressure.
Main steam pressure controller adjusts
the demand to the fuel which eliminates
deviation between the pressure set point
and the steam pressure measurement.
The Boiler Masters output sets the
demand to the boilers fuel which in turn
respond accordingly to both satisfy the
steam flow demanded by the process
and eliminate any deviation between the
main steam pressure and the pressure
set point.
Control loop:
The main steam pressure control of the
boiler depends on the steam demand
from the system. If the steam demand
from the system is high, then high
amount of fuel shall be required to
maintain the pressure and vice versa. In
order to maintain a constant pressure,
the steam generation shall be increased
by increasing the fuel flow. Main Steam
Pressure is considered as a major
parameters for combustion control.
The measured value is compared with
main steam pressure set point meant
for fuel flow and combustion air flow
control logic system. The master
pressure controller will generate the
demand signal for fuel.
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For better control, in addition to this,
a part of feed forward signal of
furnace temperature and main steam
flow difference with respect to time is
added with the controller output.
The fuel demand signal of master
pressure controller is given as set
point to individual fuel feeder drives
with adjustable gain factor.
Individual analog output signal is
provided with an Auto/Manual station
in DCS system to each feeder.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if pressure value
increases the output of controller
decreases and vice versa.
Secondary Air Header Pressure
Control
In this control loop, SA fan discharge
pressure is controlled by regulating
the SA fan. SA fan discharge pressure
signal is fed to SA fan discharge
pressure controller which controls the
discharge pressure as per the
deviation from set point.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if SA pressure increases
the opening command decreases and
vice versa.
5. DEAERATOR LEVEL CONTROL:
In this control loop, Deaerator level is
controlled by Deaerator level control
valve. Deaerator level signal is fed to
controller which controls the
Deaerator level by level control valve
as per the deviation from set point.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if level value increases the
opening of control valve decreases and
vice versa.
DEAERATOR OVER FLOW
CONTROL
High-High level, operates the over flow
control valve in On/Off mode, thereby
maintaining the water level in
Deaerator up to desired limits.
6. DEAERATOR PRESSURE
CONTROL:
In this control loop, Pressure of
Deaerator is controlled by Deaerator
Pressure control valve. The Deaerator
1 X 80 TPH CFBC Boiler
M/s. PT Tereos FKS, Indonesia
Comm/ JB No 0993/C11
Rev 00 01/ 06.07.13
Pressure signal is fed to controller
which controls the Pressure by Pressure
control valve as per the deviation from
set point.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if Pressure value increases
the opening of control valve decreases
and vice versa.
7. CBD TANK LEVEL CONTROL
The CBD tank level is controlled by the
control valve which is located between
the blow down tanks.
The loop maintains the CBD vessel level
at a predetermined value. The level is
sensed by the level transmitter and
used as a feed forward signal to the
controller This final output of the
controller will regulate the control valve.
Control action of this controller is Direct
i.e. if level value increases the output of
controller increases and vice versa.
8. START UP VENT CONTROL
Start up vent control valve maintains
the minimum main steam flow and the
main steam pressure (in case pressure
increases beyond a predetermined
value). Main steam Pressure and
Minimum steam flow is maintained by
two different controllers by higher
output selection.
Control action of main steam pressure
controller is Direct i.e. if pressure value
increases the output of controller
increases and vice versa.
Control action of minimum main steam
flow controller is Reverse i.e. if flow
value increases the opening of control
valve decreases and vice versa.
9. SOOT BLOWER PRESSURE
CONTROL
In this control loop, Soot blower
Pressure is controlled by soot blower
Pressure control valve. Soot blower
Pressure signal is fed to controller
which controls the soot blower Pressure
by Pressure control valve as per the
deviation from set point.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if Pressure value increases
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 Comm/ JB No 0993/C11
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Isgec Heavy Engineering Ltd

the output of controller decreases and

vice versa.

10. BFP DISCHARGE HEADER

PRESSURE CONTROL

In this control loop, BFP discharge

header pressure is controlled by
VFD/Fluid Coupling. BFP discharge
header pressure signal is fed to
controller which controls the BFP
discharge header pressure by
regulating the VFD speed /scoop
command as per the deviation from
set point. The normal set point for
this controller is 5 to 10 kg/cm2
above drum pressure.
Control action of this controller is
Reverse i.e. if Pressure value
increases the output of controller
decreases and vice versa.

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M/s. PT Tereos FKS, Indonesia