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Investigations of low NOx corrosion hazards in boiler OP650 of the rybnik

power plant using a mobile monitoring system

Article  in  Rynek Energii · June 2011

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Nr (3) - 2011 Rynek Energii Str. 161

INVESTIGATIONS OF LOW NOx CORROSION HAZARDS IN

BOILER OP650 OF THE RYBNIK POWER PLANT
USING A MOBILE MONITORING SYSTEM
Piotr Ostrowski, Sylwester Kalisz, Robert Wejkowski
Keywords: steam boilers, high-temperature corrosion, NOx emissions

Summary. This manuscript reports the results of an investigation concerning the composition of the boundary layer of the
flue gas at the waterwall of boiler K6 (OP650) of the Rybnik power plant. These results were obtained using a boundary
layer monitoring system (BLM), which allows the prediction of the low-NOx corrosion hazards in the furnace. The BLM
system is first described in detail and is followed by the CO concentration maps for low and high boiler loads. Finally, the
results of a single day of operation of the BLM system are translated into predictions of the corrosion rate, and the
manuscript concludes with recommendations regarding the proper use of BLM systems.

1. INTRODUCTION frequency basis. The BLM monitoring system is

Modernisation of pulverised fuel boilers for the
reduction of NOx emissions can induce localised
areas of reduced flue gas composition, i.e., zero
concentration of oxygen (O2) and an increased level
of carbon monoxide (CO), which is a negative in-
furnace phenomenon. Such conditions lead to
accelerated corrosion of the internal surfaces of the
boiler wall [1].
Low NOx corrosion significantly shortens the
lifetime of the evaporator tubes and is a source of
mechanical breakdown and substantial financial
losses. An effective method of reducing the risk of
corrosion is to implement a furnace protection air
system to limit the access of aggressive flue gas
components (i.e., CO and H2S) in the boundary layer
near the waterwall tubes.
A practical and patented (PL205438, [2])
solution of an air protection system has been
presented previously [3]. In this technology, jet fans,
which are driven by waste steam from the boiler, are
used to induce airflow. The jet fans generate a hot and
high-velocity stream of air for protection of the
waterwalls. An additional advantage of jet fans is the
simplicity of the design with no moving parts; hence,
they are durable and inexpensive.
Despite the application of protection air systems,
the areas of corrosion risk, particularly in the form of
isolines of gas concentration, should be determined by
monitoring the composition of the gas boundary layer
of the wall. The Boundary Layer Monitoring method
(BLM) allows sampling of the composition of gases
inside the boundary layer in the furnace of the boiler
either on a continuous basis or on a selected
protected by patents PL202007 [4] and PL208085 [5].
2. BLM METHOD
The BLM method of monitoring implies that the
monitoring probes that are used to sample the
boundary layer of the flue gas are located at
designated points of the furnace. The flue gas from
these points is sampled, conditioned and sent for O2
and CO analysis.
The BLM installation to monitor the composition
of the boundary layer is presented in Fig. 1.
The preliminary assumptions for design of a
mobile monitoring system are as follows:
1. An approach of multiplexing of routes to reduce
the costs of multiple O2 and CO analyses is
implemented.
2. The gas-line multiplexer is controlled using a
PLC controller, which also converts and archives
the results of the measurements.
3. The gas lines are multiplexed sequentially, and
the sample is sent to the respective gas analysers
(O2 and CO). However, the completion of the
measurement system with other flue gas
components is also possible, depending on the
specific user requirements.
4. Due to the time delays in measurement resulting
from the length of the gas routes, the concept of
two multiplexers is implemented. The two
multiplexers interchangeably purge the gas lines
(in preparation for the measurement) and send
the sample for analysis. This facilitates a double-
speed measuring cycle.
Str. 162 Rynek Energii Nr () - 2010

compressed air
multiplexer
Control Cabinet

ceramic

pump
filter

sample line
multiplexer
FS

Exhaust gas sample lines

probe

sensor
waterwall

Flow
condensate

Furnace compressed air

multiplexer
ceramic

pump
filter

sample line
multiplexer

Gas Analyser PLC

FS
Exhaust gas sample lines

[CO]=5% [O2]=21% ET200S-CPU

probe
sensor
Flow
waterwall

condensate

Panel
OP277
signal routings Profibus DP
air

Fig. 1 A schematic of the on-line BLM monitoring system for CO and O2

5. The unused gas lines are purged by compressed monoxide concentrations at specific positions on
air during the preparation process for the next the boiler walls.
analysis. Purging cools the sampling probes, 11. The measuring system is ultimately intended to
prevents ash deposition on the sampling probes control the air protection system using a neural
and cleans the probe filters. network.
6. Each individual multiplexer is made up of two
sets of eight valves that shut off the flow of As shown in Fig. 2, the BLM system is equipped
compressed air and attribute the line for analysis. with sampling probes for online monitoring of CO
The selection of the currently used multiplexer is and O2.
realised by a three-way shut off valve.
waterwall

tube
casing
isolation

filter

solenoid

7. The flow sensors (pressure switches) that are

valve

incorporated into the measurement system

control the permeability of the gas line. compressed
air
8. The operator of the measuring system is able to
control the duration of the periodic measurement
through an operator panel, which also facilitates
the reviewing of the current and archived results.
exhaust

9. The measurement report is available as an Excel

sheet stored on a memory card located in the
operator’s panel.
10. The PLC module is part of a distributed system
of boiler control and facilitates the visualisation
of the current distribution of oxygen and carbon Fig. 2 Sampling probe for online monitoring of CO and O 2
Nr (3) - 2011 Rynek Energii Str. 163

3. THE PROTECTION AIR SYSTEM nozzles are built in a burner box protecting the side
INSTALLED IN THE OP650 BOILER OF walls.
THE RYBNIK POWER PLANT

The implementation of the low-NOx technology

developed by IPW Polin and Energotechnika-
Energorozruch and the operation of the boiler with
NOx emissions below 300 mg/m3n (NO2 at 6% O2,
dry flue gas) has inevitably deepened the reducing
atmosphere at the furnace walls, which has led to an
increase in the corrosion hazards.
Therefore a protection air system has been built
to protect the waterwalls in the most endangered
zones of the furnace. The rear and side walls between
levels 11.6 m and 25 m (approximately 500 m2) are
covered by the protection air. The protection air
system is composed of single distribution units
incorporating three sets of air nozzles whereas:
 Two sets of side nozzles distribute the protection Fig. 3 Single distribution unit of the protective air system
air along the waterwall,
 A third set of nozzles distributes the air towards
the interior of the furnace to minimise the suction
effect of the side nozzles.
A schematic of the entire protective air
The single distribution unit is shown in Fig. 3. system, including the single distribution units, the
columns of the distribution units and the supply ducts,
Five single distribution units are grouped in a is presented in Fig. 4.
column, and three such columns are located at the rear
boiler waterwall. Each side wall is protected by a
single air distribution column. In addition, extra

Fig. 4 Protection air system at the K6 (OP650) boiler in the Rybnik power plant
Str. 164
4. INVESTIGATIONS OF LOW-NOx
CORROSION HAZARD AT THE OP650
BOILER IN THE RYBNIK POWER
PLANT
The BLM monitoring system was used to
measure the composition of the boundary layer of the
flue gas in the OP650 boiler operated in the Rybnik
power plant. A view of a control cabinet and two
multiplexers of the mobile online monitoring system
are presented in Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 BLM system installed in Rybnik power plant
The BLM system was used to monitor the rear boiler
wall, and investigations were carried out during one
week of normal boiler oparation. Fig. 6 presents the
results obtained for a single sampling point,
Fig. 7 The distribution of CO concentration over the
surface of the rear wall of the OP650 boiler during high
boiler load with 5 coal mills in operation
Rynek Energii Nr () - 2010
demonstrating the highest values of CO over one day
of boiler operation.
Fig. 6 CO and O2 concentration trends over one day of
boiler operation (sampled every 15 minutes) at a single
sampling point, demonstrating the highest averaged CO
concentration at the rear wall of the OP650 boiler
Fig. 7 and 8 show exemplary data concerning the CO
values for high and low boiler loads, respectively.
Such concentration maps clearly identify the
waterwall zones that are highly affected by corrosion
and may provide valuable online information for the
control of protective air systems. The clear
dependence of concentration on the boiler load and
the CO concentration is visible.
Fig. 8 The distribution of CO concentration over the
surface of the rear wall of the OP650 boiler during low
boiler load with 4 coal mills in operation
Nr (3) - 2011 Rynek Energii Str. 165

As mentioned earlier, the CO results were calculation of the corrosion rate g/ [nm/h] using
averaged over one day at each sampling point at the the formulas given in [6]. The results of such
rear boiler wall. Such manipulation allowed for the corrosion rate predictions are shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 Surface view of the corrosion hazard expressed in terms of the corrosion rate [g/nm/h] from the one-day-
averaged CO concentration measured at the rear waterwall of boiler K6 in the Rybnik power plant.

5. CONCLUSIONS  Further work will determine the influence of

The analysis of the results obtained in this study
leads to the following conclusions:
 The simultaneous occurence of CO and O2 at a
given waterwall point indicates a proper operation
of the protection air system (Fig. 6).
 The composition of the boundary layer of the flue
gas is variable. Therefore, the existing incidental
measurements of the instantaneous gas
composition are not representative of the actual
distribution of the concentrations of O2 and CO at
the furnace wall of the boiler, and therefore, they
do not reflect the actual corrosion risk of the tubes
over a long period of time.
external factors, such as the boiler load, fuel
composition and staging and excess air number.
 Continuous measurements using the BLM system
facilitate the identification of the most vulnerable
areas of the furnace walls and are a valuable tool
for designers of air protection systems and anti-
corrosion coatings.
 The continuous corrosion rates obtained through
BLM measurements serving as a diagnostics tool
facilitate the forecasting of waterwall durability
over long periods, and therefore, the rates are
important for overhaul planning [7, 8].

Acknowledgments
The results presented in this study were obtained within the ECOALBOILER project on ‘Investigations for
enhancing effectiveness, limiting emissions and reducing operation costs of boilers’ realised in the consortium of
Polish Universities of Technology, EDF Polska and EDF R&D, France.
REFERENCES
[1] Pronobis M.: Modernizacja kotłów energetycznych (Modernisation of steam generators in Polish), WNT
Warszawa 2002.
[2] Patent PL 205438 Sposób i układ urządzeń do ochrony przed korozją ekranu energetycznego kotła
(Method and system for protecting boiler waterwalls against corrosion), 30.04.2010 WUP04/10.
[3] Ostrowski P.: Steam jest ventilators for creating protection air at boundary layer of water- wall of power
boilers. Ostrava, Czech Republic, September 2009.
[4] Patent PL 202007 Sposób i urządzenie do quasi-ciągłego monitorowania chemicznego składu spalin w
przyściennej warstwie ekranu energetycznego kotła (Method and system for quasi-continuous monitoring
of flue gas composition in the boiler waterwall boundary layer), 29.05.2009 WUP 05/09.
[5] Patent PL 208085 Sonda do quasi ciągłego poboru spalin na ścianie wewnętrznej ekranu zwłaszcza w
kotłach z pyłowymi palnikami o niskiej emisji NOx (Probe for quasi-continuous sampling of flue gas in
low-NOx pulverized fuel boilers), 31.03.2011 WUP 03/11.
Str. 166 Rynek Energii Nr () - 2010

[6] Pronobis M., Hernik B., Wejkowski R.: Kinetics of low NOx corrosion of waterwalls in utility boilers.
Rynek Energii Nr 6 (91) – 2010.
[7] Rusin A.,Wojaczek A.: Wspomaganie decyzji remontowych maszyn i urządzeń energetycznych za pomocą
analizy niezawodności (The use of reliability analysis for the support of decisions on maintenance of
power machines and devices). Rynek Energii Nr 6 (79) – 2008.
[8] Rusin A.,Wojaczek A.: Wpływ zmienności obciążeń cieplnych kotła na prawdopodobieństwo uszkodzeń
korozyjnych rur ekranowych w warunkach niskoemisyjnego spalania (Influence of thermal loads variation
on the probability of waterwall tubes corrosion failure in low-emission combustion). Rynek Energii Nr 6
(85) – 2009.

BADANIA ZAGROŻENIA KOROZJĄ NISKOEMISYJNĄ KOTŁA OP650 El. RYBNIK SA PRZY

UŻYCIU MOBILNEGO UKŁADU MONITORINGU

Słowa kluczowe: kotły parowe, korozja wysokotemperaturowa, redukcja emisji NOx

Streszczenie. W prezentowanym artykule zamieszczono wyniki badań warstwy przyściennej kotła K6 El.
Rybnik. Na początku omówiono układ do pomiaru składu warstwy przyściennej na ścianie wewnętrznej ekranu
kotła parowego oparty na metodzie BLM monitoringu składu tej warstwy. Uzyskane wyniki badań stężenia CO
przedstawiono w formie obrazów pola stężeń uzyskanych dla niskiej i wysokiej mocy kotła. Przedstawiono
również przebieg zmian składu spalin w wybranym punkcie podczas doby eksploatacji kotła. W oparciu o
pomiary obliczono prognozowany rozkład szybkości korozji na tylnym ekranie komory paleniskowej.

Piotr Ostrowski, PhD, is a docent in the Department of Power Plant Metrology of the Institute of Power
Engineering and Turbomachinery, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 20, 44-101 Gliwice. Fields of
expertise: control and measurement systems, energy conservation and management and modernisation of power
plants. E-mail: piotr.ostrowski@polsl.pl.

Sylwester Kalisz, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Boilers and Steam Generators of the
Institute of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 20,
44-101 Gliwice. Fields of expertise: gasification, alternative fuels, biomass co-firing, low-emission combustion
technologies, intensification of heat transfer and reduction of fouling of heating surfaces in power boilers. E-mail:
sylwester.kalisz@polsl.pl.

Robert Wejkowski, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Boilers and Steam Generators of the
Institute of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 20,
44-101 Gliwice. Fields of expertise: application of CFD modelling in investigations concerning NOx emission
reduction, corrosion and erosion in boilers and intensification of heat transfer in boiler tube banks.
E-mail: robert.wejkowski@polsl.pl.

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