of 7 > BELINERY ENGINEERING SCHOO OF TRA ING AIR PREHEATERS: Air Preheaters are used to recover the waste heat from the flue gases of Boilers and Industrial Furnaces, Recovery of useful heat energy otherwise lost to the atmosphere has proven to be one of the most effective ways of increasing plant operating economy. Very low gas exit temperatures are possible by providing Air Heaters with consequent increase in boiler or furnace efficiency. For avery 20°C drop in flue gas exit temperature, the boiler/furnace efficiency increases by about one percent. ADVANTAGES OF @IR HEATERS: In addition to increase in boiler efficiency, the other advantages are listed belowi— 1. | Stability of combustion is improved by use of hot air. 2. Intensified and improved combustion. 3. Permitting to burn poor quality coal. 4. High heat transfer rate in the furnace and hence lesser heat transfer area requirement. 5S. Less unburnt fuel particle in flue gas, thus combustion and boiler efficiency are improved. 6. Intensified combustion permits faster load variation and fluctuation. In the case of pulverised coal combustion, hot air can be used for drying the coal as well as for transporting the pulverised coal to burners. This being a non-pressure part, it will not warrant shut down of units due to corrosion of heat transfer surface which is inherent with lowering of flue gas temperature. TYPES OF AIR HEATERS: Air heaters can be classified as Recuperative, Regenerative and Heat pipe types based on their operating principles. In recuperative type, heating medium is on one side and air is on the other side of tube or plate and the heat transfer is by conduction through the material which separates the media. These are of static construction and hence there is anly nominal Jeakage through expansion joints, access doors, casings, etc. In Regenerative type, the heating medium flows through a closely packed matrix (heating elements) to raise its temperature and then air is passed through the same matrix to pick up the heat. Either the matrix or the hoods are rotated to achieve this and hence some leakage through sealing arrangements at the moving surface is present. In Heat Pipe type air and gas are allowed to flow in counter current direction over a set of finned heat pipes. No leakage of air 4s possible as the heat pipes are double sealed. Plate type air heaters and tubular type air heaters are coming under Recuperative type. Ljungstrom and Rothemuhle are coming under Regenerative type. BlAir Preheaters RECUPERATIVE TYPE: (i) Plate Air Heaters: These comprise of parallel plates which provide alternate passage for gas and air. The flue gas is passed over the plates and heat energy absorb- ed is based on the thickness and area of the plates. The air is passed in between the plates. This type is very heavy and not economical since clean- ing the narrow space 'M between the plates is very hard and tedious. Tubular Air Heater: This usually consists of large number of stee! tubes either seamless or elec- tric resistance welded tubes of 40 to 65 mm dia. either welded or expanded into the tube plates at the end. Either gas or air may be designed to flow through the tube. Gas through the tube normally requires higher size tube ‘and vertical flow to reduce fouling. Air heater portion at low temperature is designed normally with a shorter tube length so as to facilitate maintena~ nce of surfaces due to corrosion and fouling. (ii) Steam Air Preheater This does not utilise the heat from boiler flue gas. This consists of a bank ‘of tubes which carry steam to be condensed. Tubes usually have fins on the air side. Normally, this is used only during starting when the temperat- ure of flue gas entering the regular air heater is low and hence further heat extraction is not possible and low temperature corrosion prevails. (iv) Cast Jron Tubular_Air Heater This consists of finned cast iron tubes inside and outside which are arran- ged in banks. Normally the gas passes through the tubes and air outside. This is quite heavy and the pressure loss is quite high. For low tempera~ ture application it may be better, as Cast Iron has better corrosion resis- tance. ‘ ’ REGENERATIVE TYPE: (i) Ljungstrom Type: The heat transfer elements are rotated at a constant speed of 1.01 to 4.46 rpm and they pass alternatively through the gas and air passes. The axis of rotation may be horizontal or vertical. The drive is normally electrical, operated through reduction gear with compressed air motor as standby. The plates forming the elements (matrix) may be varied in spacing and thickness and cold ends are made of special corrosion-resistant alloy such as corten or enamelled to achieve corrosion-resistance. Effective cleaning of heat transfer surface by soot blowing is possible.iui COMPARISON - REGENERATIVE Vs 8 (a) Rothemutte Type: This type os the sume as the Lyungsiiom exceph thar the heating element . (matrix) 13 stationary and air hoods rotate ut about | rpm. Again, axts of rotation inay be horizontal, vertical oF mclined. i) Heat Pipe Type = A heat pipe is a tube evacuated and sealed with a working fluid. The inner wall of the tube is provided with u wick structure. When the tube is subjected to a uniform temperature the working fluid is in equilibrium with its vapour and the wick is saturated with the liguid. When heat is applied on oneside (evaporator) the liquid in the wick evaporates and moves to the other side (condenser) where if cooled the vapour condenses fon the wick. The condensate is trunsported back to the hot side by the capillary action of the wick to repeat the cycle. Thus heat can be transfered irom a hot gas to cold air when a set of these pipes are kept between them. Regnerative Air Heaters have the following advantages over Recuperative Type. (1) Compact und hence savings in space and structure cost. (2) @) @) @) (6) m” (3) (9) As the boiler size increases, the area required in air heater also increases and if the pressure drop in air and gus side 1 to be kept constant co limit the fan capacities and operation cost, the recuperative air heater size assumes even greater portions than boiler, wheress the ‘ative Cun be economically used at less vost. The corrosion problem at the cold ex! 1s greatly reduced by using ally steel material like corten steel elements. The cold end packs ure separat Fative type) and hence replucene hundy, reversible (possible only in regene= cost aid shawn tine ate very lows Minimum metal temperature at the cold end of cegenerauve heater is slightly higher than in a recuperative design operating under the same condition. This is because regenerative type works very close 10 the counter-Jlow while the recuperative is on cross flow where metal reaches the air inlet temperature. Holes in the elements due to corrosion, etc., will not materially affect the performance of the heater. Deposits on the heat transfer surface does not reduce the heat transler. - Deposits will reduce the heat transfer m the case of recuperutive exchanger due to their poor conducuvity. Ducting arrangements are neat and simple and less costly. Pressure drop across the elements can be kept nearly constant throughout the operating period. with on-load cleaning arrangement, Off-load cleaning also helps. . (10) "Hot primary air for coal drying in anill i> possible in the ieisector design with ‘single air heater. This alsb helps to make use of a Cold Primary Air Fan. E sone alAir Preheaters A COMPARIZON OF VAKLOUS AIK HEATER rrvEs Recuperative Notary Neat : ipe design (Steel besign Design tubular plate and cast iron) Size Large Medium to Small Weignt © 99+) Nigh Medium Air leakage Initially neac zero tredae ted tere : increases with time quantity can be maintained with : regular mainte nance only. Corrosion Cold corner effects Cold end cold end replaceable above dew point - uniform Errosion Increases air leuhaye tncreases air No effect = leakage Cleaning Water wash only bn toad seve On loud WS water soot blow= ing and _ water wasn ing Fan Power High, entrance exit, Low counter flow Lov counter as * and turning losses Elow Max. efficiency 65% oat 90k (Economical) Cost of Airheater High Medan Low Cost of Hign Medium Low Installation i maintenance Routine bue need: nigh Low wholesale replaceAIR PREHEATERS LJUNGSTRON AIR PREHEATER: Even though this Air Preheater has gained world wide acceptance for large boiler and furnace applications and is currently manufactured in India by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the higher air leakage in small units is no longer tolerated due to increasing energy costs. WORKING PRINCIPLES: The Ldungstrom Air Preheater absorbs waste heat from flue gas and transfers this heat to incoming cold air by means of continuously rotating heat transfer elements of specially formed metal plates. Thousands of thoce high efficiency elements are spaced and compactly arranged within twelve sector-shaped compartments of a radially divided cylindrical shell called ‘rotor’. The housing ’urrounding the rotor is provided with duct connections at both ends, and is adequately sealed by radial, axial and Circumferential sealing members forming an air passage through one half of the preheater and a gas passage through the other half. As the rotor slowly revolves the mass of elements through the gas ‘nd air passages alternately, heat ic absorbed by the element Surfaces passing through the hot gas stream, then, as these same surfaces are carried through the air stream, they release the stored up heat, thus greatly increasing the temperature of the ‘incoming combustion or process air. CONSTRUCTION DETAILS: GQ) Rotor Housing: The housing 15 assembled between the connecting plates and encloses the rotor. “It is divided into sections for ease of assembly. (44) Connecting Plates: They are located on the ends of the rotor housing and they mainly consist of a heavy centre section to house the bearings and sector plates for providing sealing between the air and gas streams, and connections required for external duct work leading to the Air Preheater. 44a) Rotor: 7 The rotor is a ravially divided open-ended cylinder : which contains the heating surface elements. The centre section of the rotor is called the ‘post’. Diaphragm plates extend outward from the post dividing the rotor into 12 sectors which are further divided to form compartments into which the element baskets are packed. A pin rack 1s located around the outside of the rotor to allow it to be rotated by the drive mechanism. a 16s~Air 1 6 t S&S RESOT Preheaters (iv) Heating Surface (Basketed Heating Elements): a) Hot_End: The elements are usually made of 24 gauge open hearth steel. Tn BHEL manufacture it is double undulated. The notches run parallel with the rotor axis and provide the correct spacing of sheets and the undulations run at 60° to the notches to impart high turbulance. b) Cold End: The elemeiiis*are made of 18 gauge corten steel. Pairs of notched and flat sheets, are used for the manufacture. Enamelled or ceramic elements are also used in severe corrosion problems. All the heating surface elements are packed into reversible containers called baskets to facilitate easy removal and handling. Cold end baskets are arranged for removal through the basket removal door in the housing. Hot end baskets are arranged for removal through the Hot End Ducts. (v) Sealing Systems: Usually some air leaks into the gas stream due to static pressure differen tial. This leakage air decreases the gas-leaving temperature. Various arrangements to reduce the leakage are as follows. The sealing arrangement consists of radial, axial, bypass, axial seal plate to sector plate, static, rotor post seals and machined sealing plates designed to minimise leakages between the gas and air streams of the Air Preheater. The Radial Seals are located along the edges of the diaphragm plates and bear against the sector plates, housed under centre sections. The axial seals are located axially in line with the outer edges of diaphragm plates and bear against the axial seal plates mounted in the housing pedestals. The bypass seals are located on ‘the housing around the periphery of the rotor and bear against the T bar attached to the periphery of the rotor. The axial seal plate to sector plate seals are attached to the axial seal plates and bear against the sector plates. The static seals are fixed under the centre sections and housing pedestals and bear against sector plates and axial seal plates respectively. The rotor post seals are attached to the ends of the rotor post and bear against the sector plates. (vi) Bearings: The rotor is supported by and rotated on 2 spherical roller thrust-bearing ‘on the cold end which is fixed and provides axial location of the rotor. The hot end of the rotor is fitted with a spherical roller bearing which is free to allow axial movement of the rotor as it expands. (vii) Drive Arrangement: The drive mechanism consists of an electric motor (1.5 to 40 HP) con- nected to a gear reduction unit driving a Pinion Gear. The pinion gear meshes with a pin rack on the rotor which allows the rotor to rotate at a low speed.Air Preheajers (viii) Lubricating Oil Circulation System: The oil circulation systein provides the bearings with proper amount of lubri- cating oil, It consists of oil pump, a filter, a cooler and associated valves, piping ‘and instruments. The bearing housings form the oil sump. (ix) Power Driven Cleaning Device: . : Normally one power driven twin nozzle cleaning device is located in the gas outlet duct. The cleaning device steam cleans the heating surface elements by the use of a swinging arm fitted with steain nozzles traversing in an arc across the radius of the rotor. (x) Washing Devices: Two stationary washing manifolds are located in the gas inlet and gas outlet ducts.’ The washing devices wash the heating surlace clements by the use of water sprayed from nozzles attached to pipes located across the radius of the rotor. Water washing is done during shutdown periods. (xi) Deluge Pipe Two stationary deluge pipes similar to washing manifolds are provided in the gas inlet and outlet ducts. Thiese have to be connected to the fire main thro- Ugh valves. In case of fire, large quantity of water has to be dumped through these pipes, to extinguish fire. The washing devices (point x above) can also be used to inject additional quantity of water. (xii) Observation Port and Lights One glass-faced observation port is fitted into the duct-work at the cold end of the air preheater to view the cold end elements. A flood light is also moun- ted in the duct-work adjacent to the observation port to provide the necessary iMlumination lor ucpee tien. (xii) fice Detection System : Since the Air Preheater fire has potential to damage the entire installation, devices have been developed 0 detect any lire at its early stage and give warn ing to the operator to take steps to control it. Even though thermo couples connected to scanner can be used, they can only detect after considerable time lapse after the commencement of fire. A. newly developed infra red hot spot detector can sense any hot spot before the actual fire occurs, Though this systein is costlier than the others, it is highly reliable. typ | LIUNGSTROM AI PREHEAT We have different constructional types 10 suit the Layout and process cequire- ment of the builer. ‘The clussfications ure as tollows. Vo ® Vertical Shaft (Upward gas flow) Vi- Vertical Shaft (Downward inverted yar low) H = Horizontal Shaft, yas over air, air over gus and side by side gy. K = Package series, shop erected, sizes 7 to 16.5. square casingAr REE eh 1 Preheaters S Intermediate series ~'Semi-field erected, sizes 17 to 18.5 square casing, R = Untermediate series, field erected, sizes 19 to 24 round casing _ A. =. Trisector design, field erected, sizes 24.5 10 36, Octagonal housing c x >" Cyclone fired, boiler applications + Pressurized boiler applications + *LIUNGSTROM AIR PREHEATER DESIGNATIONS: 27 Yi 1800 (1) 27 Size Number ‘of heater + Vi Heater designation (vertical inverted) 1800 Heating element depth in min T Trisector ” As an example, for various sizes and types, the depth of heating elements + is tabulated below. Size Range Type Element Depth coe i 7 ~ 165 kK 550 - 1350 12 + 30 17 = 18.5 s 650 - 1350 320 - 38 19 = 215 R 700 - 1800 42 - 66 2e- we pe Reed 700 - 2400 42 - 66 ~ WS - 36 Conventional 750 = 2400/ 6.9 - 16.0 Large 3.000 (appx.) The latest development in Ljungstrom Air Preheater is the modular type in which each segment of the rotor is manufactured separately and then fastened to the rotor post, but not welded. This type gives easiness in manufacture as weil as erection. APPLICATIONS OF LJUNGSTROM AIR PREHEATE! (a) Small Power Plants: The advantages of installing Ljungstrom package in small power plants |, upto 60 tonnes evaporation is that the compactness in luyout can be main- tained. The versatility of the package Ljungstroin Air Preheater permits it being located in almost any position in relation to the boilers. The select- | ion of ‘position depends on the following factors: Restrictions on the size of the boilers, lov head room, limited depth of existing buildings, etc. we,Air Preheaters (b)Hydro-carbon Processing Industries: Refineries have started to bank on the regenerative air heaters to realise healthy fuel savings in their process furnaces. Studies show that with the inclusion of a regenerative air preheater system, furnace efficiency can be increased 10 - 15% which represents a 15 - 25% fuel saving. On ‘an evaluation basis, the ait preheat system can usually be justified within the payout time required by the refiner. In the field of Hydro-carbon processing industries, the main applications fare the crude furnace still, reformer furnace, vacuum furnace, ‘hot oil heater and thermal cracker. Package air preheaters are quoted for these applications. In addition to saving fuel costs, the effective utilisation of waste heat at increased furnace efficiency can reap dividends in other areas such as increase in the capacity, high product quality and low maintenance costs. (c) Copper Reverberatory Furnace: Ljungstrom has been applied in the indirect firing system providing preheated air for copper reverberatory furnaces. For increasing the furnace capacity, by increasing the firing rate, the indirect fired air heater was considered. (d) Air Pollution Control: (i) Flue Gas Desulphurisation Plant: The temperature of the flue gas drops when it passes through wet desul- phurisation process. After-burning is normally required to improve stack gas dispersal and minimise water pluming. In most cases,. high cost low Sulphur fuel is used for after-burning. It is highly desirable to avoid or reduce as far as the Situation permits, the consumption of such precious resource for this purpose. The Ljungstrom air heater can regenerate the : waste heat and use it for the heating of stack gas. (i) Fume Incinerator: Air preheater can be used in the fume incinerator system for regenerating the waste heat produced, by the incinerator thereby utilising the hot air for other uses such as drying, etc. (e) Other Applications: Ljungstrom is also used in paper drying process for the conservation of steam which in turn reflects as fuel savings. Also it finds application in the drying of automobile bodies. The ambient air is raised to as high ‘a temperature as is possible by the use of package preheater and hot air ‘oven, then raises the mixture of ambient air and recycled air to 172° C.Air 10 RESOT Preheaters Ljungstrom is also used with a Thermal Catalytic Cracker (TCC). Though the conservation of fuel is not the objective as in the case a standard boiler application, the general idea is to remove the contamination of catalyst by burning as much fuel as possible. In the cracking process employ- ing a TCC unit the pellet catalyst becomes contaminated with the coke. This of course reduces the effectiveness of the catalyst's ability to aid the chemical reaction, especially since the catalyst is recycled. It is neces ary therefore to remove as much of the contamination coke from the cata- lyst as possible. This is accomplished in a coke kiln. It is obvious that the higher the temperature of the incoming air, the more complete will be the burning of the coke and subsequently the cleaner will be the catalyst. It is anticipated that this process of cleaning the coke catalyst more effect- ively will permit the catalyst to aid the reaction in the cracker, with ulti- mately higher yields. SELECTION OF AIR HEATERS: The selection of a Ljungstrom Air Heater is done with the following details: 1, Type of fuel 2. Quantity of gas entering air heater 3. Quantity of air leaving air heater 4. Temperature of gas entering 5. Desired temperature of gas leaving 6. Temperature of air entering 7. Desired pressure drop 8 Hot end pressure differential 3 9. Sector arrangement ; 10. Elevation of site above sea level OPERATION OF LIUNGSTROM AIR HEATERS When fuels with high sulphur content are burnt in the furnace, there is a likeli- hood of air heater heating elements getting fouled up and corroded/plugged due to increased concentration of sulphur trioxide. The average cold end tem- perature of air heater (average air inlet temperature + gas outlet temperature) is an important parameter which is to be controlled during such operation. Proper material for the cold end of air heater is also to be chosen to take care of the corrosion prevention.,,Corten steel is normally used. In some cases enamelled heating elements are ‘also used. The average cold end temperature can be controlled by (1) Cold air bypass, (2) Hot air recirculation and (3) Using a steam coil air preheater to raise the air inlet temperature. If excessive build up of deposits is allowed, there is a risk of air heater fire. To Start with, the deposits may burn and if it is not extinguished, the heating element material may also involve in fire. The fire may result in very high temperature due to exothermal nature of reactions. Such fires can be extin- guished only by flooding the air heater with huge quantity of water. Hence, deposit build up must be avoided in all possible manners. wee JeAIR PREHEATERS MAINTENANCE: Since this equipment being a rotary maching, normal maintenance is required for the drives, bearings, etc. To maintain the heat transfer surfaces clean, onload soot blowers and off-load washing devices are provided. They may have to be operated judiciously to remove the deposit build up then and there. Sealing system needs Frequent attention to control the air leakage within reasonable limit. HEAT PIPE AIRHEATER: These are increasingly used for heat recovery application in boilers and furnaces. Low cost manufacturing — technologies developed in recent times have made it possible for a wider ‘pplication of them in waste heat recovery. In many respects, these are superior to recuperative and regenerative airheaters. fe already explained the working principle is simple. Refer ta the figure at the end to get a better understanding. Unlike rotary airheaters these are very simple in construction. Refer to figure. They consist of a study casing with a middle wall and duct connections for gas and air. The pipes are provided with fins for compactness. High fin density can be maintained on the air side, while it is varied depending on the fouling nature of the flue gas. Soot blowers forvonload cleaning can be fitted if needed. These airheaters can be applied equally like a rotary airheater in many applications indicated earlier. The selection ‘of the heater is on the same basis as rotarys however the absence of air leakage will not dilute the flue gas reducing the corrosion potential. They can operate at lower flue gas outlet temperature and hence higher boiler or furnace efficiency can be attained. Practically, there is no maintenance involved in this airheaters. LOW TEMPERATURE HEAT RECOVERY: Presently, the flue gases of the Boiler and furnaces are allowed to the stack at temperatures fairly above the dew point of sulphuric acid which is about i8@°C. Sulphur in fuels gets @xidised to sulphur tri-ovide in the furnace, which in association with water vapour present in flue gases forms sulphuric acid dew at low temperatures. These acidic vapour condenses on cold metal Gurfaces of heat exchangers and corrodes tham. Further fouling of the surfaces of heat exchangers and corrodes them. Further fouling Of the surfaces also takes place due to the deposition of soot, ash, etc. wee lL ASStr O1L.A Ye increasing energy costs necessitate further heat recovery in flue geses. Heat exchanger designs are made to lower the temperature pf flue gases even below the water dew point by condensing the mater Vapour og catent heat of evaporation of water vapour is also recovered in addition to the sensible heat of flue gases. These Bee tane | USE special materials such as glass, graphite and alloy aterials for the construction. Such condensing air heaters, use Seperate stack made of fibre glass. The ducting to stack is alse made of fibre glass. Fhe acid or water dew points are no longer limitation for waste heat recovery. Even high “investments by the use of costly faterials might get paid back as further increase in energy cost is bound to occur in the future. CONCLUSTON: ver ‘ising fuel costs warrant investigation and evaluation of peat recovery equipment for even smaller cized industrial Stes» eeemuen® Plants. In the process field of chemical plants. preheating air offers the advantage of considerably improving ee RrOress efficiency by reducing the gas outlet temporatures Moreover) better flame conditions are achieved with the praheated rombustion air. And with the more favourable burn-up rate, Pot only (the furnace temperature and consequently the capacity are phereased, (but alsp the slagging and fouling tendencies of” ane Rube banks are reduced and a better and more balanced distribution resus tned. In addition, the more favourable burn-up rate results in @ considerable reduction of corrosion attacks on the Parts passed by the flue gas. eed asex » aie = IDs Preheaters woes 13Air eS RESOT HAD Preheaters AIR OUT GAS IN SEALS DIVIDED HEATING. ‘SURFACE ROTOR DRIVE <= MECHANISM ross section ofa vertical A Brohester AIRIN Gas OUT Tybical horizontal Ljungsicom Alt Preheater coe LN eetAir 14a Preheaters ‘The "K" series Liungstrom air preheater isa completely factory-assembled heal exchanger. itis shipped asa unil and can usually be installed and ready to operate in 6010 120 man-hours, There are 12 sizesin this series, lo'serve bollers with 10,000 to 280,000 lb/hr evaporation rales and process furnaces with absorptions between 10 million and 230 million Btu/hr. ‘The Ljungstrom “S" series is similar in design and features 10”. the standard package unit, but loo large to ship completely ‘assembled, Maior components are shop- fabricated to mini- mize fiekd assembly. The lour sizesin this series serve boilers wilh evaporation rates between 200,000 and 280,000 ib/hr and process furnaces with absorptions between 200 milion and 280 milion Btu/hr. Ljungstrom "series air preneaters ave designed for boilers ‘with evaporation rates o! 280,000 to 780,000 tb/hr and process furnaces with absorptions of 280 milion to 780 milion Btu/hr, Availabe in 11 basic sizes, these air preheaters are shipped in large prefabricated components designed to speed field assembly. Higher capacity Liungstrom air preheaters are availabe, 15/-Preheaters Aw 1NO L¥3H NI L3H & = 80a 7A 1 of 7 (I i: : wom Ise == nanny > 38 SS Ink G3NNI4 Y3SN3GNO9 woivuodvag «8M . FIIONIdd ~=ONIAYOM = ddid LW3HHEAT PIPE AIRHEATER Preheaters . lu C2 5S i) aXDetermine Your Fuel Savings {he chart wat quchly show you whal you approxi gross ual waves canbe wana Lyongsorn howl exchangur ‘swing your bose! or process linace Toobin ine most reatsic houre, hu fuot cast usta should ‘tru maan va ushrruod or the economeculla lhe ante tows @xc800 te Wm on the chart us hat the how and double he tangs. Ge Teme (FI Fran Bota Fina oe 8 8 ¢ BEER etee Gat teroe nue FlLanang Has: Canoe: yeu hetcont more nant? OD . Toscana yout ett by [ecg the ot vere halt Cg ne peg en ‘Aevot Geet Ft Sng tac on BSD Aout Ooereten Pa Yate Aic Preheaters Tha chart wl show you tuut savings only You snows ‘considor such otra builds 48 wierd Produ, faduced vjupmunt mmiunance and reducbor ol hoy gat umputatury and volumoto lowur the costo au potuton control equipnvent & EERE i ne voen ne megunsatcae