Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT

STEAM POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT:

A. STEAM BOILER OR STEAM GENERATOR
Steam Boiler – is a heat exchanger with water
or steam on one side and hot gas on the other
side. Its function is to convert water into steam
at predetermined pressure and temperature.
Steam Generator – commonly referred to as
boiler. It is an integrated assembly of several
essential components for furnishing, producing
and recovering heat together with the
apparatus for transferring or transmitting the
heat thus made available to the working
medium. Image courtesy to: Steam Plant Operation by Woodruff and Lammers
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT

STEAM POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT:

A. STEAM GENERATOR
Components of a Steam Generator:
• Pressure Parts
• Enclosure or Setting
• Combustion Equipment
• Auxillaries

Pressure Parts:
• Boiler heating surface with attached drums
or shells for storage of water and steam
• Superheater surface (more heating surface
Image courtesy to: Steam Plant Operation by Woodruff and Lammers
through which the steam must pass after
leaving the boiler to achieve the desired
superheated state).
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT

STEAM POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT:

A. STEAM GENERATOR
Things to consider in designing a central
station steam generators:
• High efficiency
• High availability for service
• Ability to deliver clean steam
• Uniformity of superheat
• Ability to accommodate variations in rate of
steaming

Image courtesy to: Steam Plant Operation by Woodruff and Lammers

Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT

STEAM POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT:

Two general types of boilers:

1. Fire-Tube Boiler (Tubular Boiler) - type of

boiler in which the products of combustion
(hot gases) pass inside the tubes and the
water lies around outside the tubes. These
units are usually limited to steam pressures of
about 250 psig working pressure. Capacity
range up to 18,000 lb/hr of steam. They are
commonly used in small industrial plants,
heating system, and railroad steam engines.
a) Horizontal Return Tubular (HRT) Boiler Image courtesy to: https://www.neptunewatersvcs.com/new-page-2
b) Horizontal Two-Pass or Economic Boiler
c) Round upright type
d) Horizontal Multi-Pass Boiler
e) Locomotive type
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT

STEAM POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT:

Two general types of boilers:

2. Water-Tube Boiler (Tubulous Boiler) –

type of boiler in which the water is
inside the tubes while the products of
combustion (hot gases) surround
outside the tubes.
Classifications:
a) shape of tubes
• Straight-Tube Boiler
• Bent-tube Boiler
b) drum position Image courtesy to: https://dieselship.com/marine-technical-articles/marine-engineering-knowledge-general/marine-
boilers/boiler-basics/
• longitudinal
• cross
c) method of water circulation
• forced
• natural
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT

STEAM POWER PLANT EQUIPMENT:

Two general types of boilers:

2. Water-Tube Boiler (Tubulous Boiler) –

type of boiler in which the water is
inside the tubes while the products of
combustion (hot gases) surround
outside the tubes.
Classifications:
d) number of drums
e) service
• marine
• stationary Image courtesy to: https://dieselship.com/marine-technical-articles/marine-engineering-knowledge-general/marine-
boilers/boiler-basics/
f) capacity (lb per hour)
g) thermal conditions
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:

1. Heat generated by steam, Qs:

𝑄𝑠 = 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓

2. Energy charged from the fuel, Ec:

𝐸𝑐 = 𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹

where: 𝑚𝑠 = mass of steam

ℎ𝑠 = enthalpy of steam leaving the boiler
ℎ𝑓 = enthalpy of feedwater entering the boiler
𝑚𝐹 = mass of fuel
𝑄𝐻𝐹 = heating value of the fuel
Note:
 Boiler capacities are given in terms of the mass of steam produced in an hour, i.e. lb/hr.
 Common fuels used in the fuel-burning equipment for boilers are coal, oil and gas.
 Stokers are the combustion equipment for lump coal, and burners for fluid fuels like gas and oil.
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:

3. Boiler Efficiency, eb – is also called overall thermal efficiency

or efficiency of boiler, furnace and grate.
ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟
𝑒𝑏 =
𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙

𝑄𝑠 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓
𝑒𝑏 = =
𝐸𝑐 𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹

If boiler blowdown (or deconcentration) is considered:

𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓 + 𝑚𝑏 ℎ𝑏 − ℎ𝑓
𝑒𝑏 =
𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹
Note:
 Blowdown is the process of discharging some of the boiler water to waste due to steady accumulation of dissolved
solids in the boiler water to prevent foaming and carry-over which reduces boiler thermal efficiency.
 Foaming refers to condition of boiler operation where a stable foam is produced.
 Carry-over is the presence of impurity bearing droplets of water in the steam flow.
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:
4. Boiler Horsepower – is the heat equivalent to the evaporation
of 34.5 lb (15.7 kg) water per hour at 212oF (100oC) to steam at
212oF (100oC).
1 𝐵𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑃 = 34.5 𝑙𝑏/ℎ𝑟 970.3 𝐵𝑡𝑢/𝑙𝑏
1 𝐵𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑃 = 15.7 𝑘𝑔/ℎ𝑟 2257 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔
Note:
 1 Boiler HP = 33, 500 Btu/hr or 35, 322 kJ/hr is an estimation of
the above values
5. Developed Boiler Horsepower, DBHP – is the heat equivalent to
the evaporation of 34.5 lb/hr (15.7 kg/hr) of dry and saturated
steam at 212oF (100oC).
𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓
𝐷𝐵𝐻𝑃 = = = =
𝑙𝑏 𝑙𝑏 𝐵𝑡𝑢 𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝐽
34.5 × ℎ𝑓𝑔 @212℉ 34.5 × 970.3 15.7 × ℎ𝑓𝑔 @100℃ 15.7 × 2257
ℎ𝑟 ℎ𝑟 𝑙𝑏 ℎ𝑟 ℎ𝑟 𝑘𝑔
Where: 970.3 Btu/lb (2257 kJ/kg) is the energy of evaporation of steam at 212oF (100oC).
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:
6. Rated Boiler Horsepower, RBHP – also called “Nominal
Boiler Horsepower”, is the manufacturer’s rating based on
the boiler heating surface. This is the output of the boiler
based on the total heating surface of the boiler.
𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝐴𝑠
𝑅𝐵𝐻𝑃 = =
𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑃 𝐻𝐹

Where: For water-tube boiler

𝐻𝐹 = 0.91 𝑚2 /𝐻𝑃 = 10 𝑓𝑡 2 /𝐻𝑃
For fire-tube boiler
𝐻𝐹 = 1.1 𝑚2 /𝐻𝑃 = 12 𝑓𝑡 2 /𝐻𝑃
7. Boiler Percent Rating, % Rating – is the ratio of the developed
boiler horsepower to that of the rated boiler horsepower.
𝐷𝐵𝐻𝑃 Note: Common installations has 200% per cent rating, modern
% 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 = > 100%
𝑅𝐵𝐻𝑃 high-capacity boiler operate as much as 400% rating.
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:
8. Factor of Evaporation, FE – is the ratio of the heat added to
the water in the actual boiler under observed conditions to
that of the evaporation from and at 212oF or 100oC.

ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓
𝐹𝐸 = =
𝐵𝑡𝑢 𝑘𝐽
970.3 2257
𝑙𝑏 𝑘𝑔

9. Equivalent Evaporation, EE – is the equivalent amount of

steam that may be evaporated if the given boiler will be
operated from and at 212oF or 100oC. It is the product of
actual evaporation and the factor of evaporation.
𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓
𝐸𝐸 = =
𝐵𝑡𝑢 𝑘𝐽
970.3 2257
𝑙𝑏 𝑘𝑔
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:
10. Actual Specific Evaporation, ASE – is also called the BOILER
ECONOMY, is the ratio of the mass of steam to the mass of
the fuel burned in the boiler.
𝑚𝑠
𝐴𝑆𝐸 =
𝑚𝐹

11. Equivalent Specific Evaporation, ESE – is the ratio of the

mass of steam to that of the mass of fuel burned when the
boiler is operated from and at 212oF or 100oC.
𝑚𝑠
𝐸𝑆𝐸 = × 𝐹𝐸
𝑚𝐹

12. ASME Evaporation Units

𝐴𝐸𝑈 = 𝑚𝑠 ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑓
Chapter 3: STEAM POWER PLANT
Important Terms and Principles of Calculations in Boilers:
13. Gross or Overall Station Efficiency, eo:
𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐸𝑃 𝐸𝑃
𝑒𝑜 = = =
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝐸𝑐 𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹

14. Net Station Efficiency, eNet:

𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 − 𝑘𝑊 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑢𝑥𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝐸𝑃 − 𝑘𝑊 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑢𝑥𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠
𝑒𝑁𝑒𝑡 = =
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹

15. Gross Station Heat Rate:

𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹 1
𝐺𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = = =
𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐸𝑃 𝑒𝑜
16. Net Station Heat Rate:
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 𝑚𝐹 𝑄𝐻𝐹 1
𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = = =
𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝑢𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 − 𝑘𝑊 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑢𝑥𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝐸𝑃 − 𝑘𝑊 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑢𝑥𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑒𝑁𝑒𝑡

Note: Gross and Net Station Heat Rate are the criterion used to measure Plant Performance
EXAMPLE:
1. A water tube boiler evaporated 5.05 kg of water per
sec. from a feed water temperature of 104.44oC to
steam at 1241.1 kPa and quality of 0.97; weight of
coal fuel per sec. is 0.57 kg; high heat value of the
coal as fired, 11,800 Btu/lb.
a) Determine the rate of heat absorption in kJ/s.
b) Determine the boiler horsepower.
c) Determine the efficiency of the steam generating
unit.
EXAMPLE:

2. A steam boiler on a test generates 885,000 lbs of

steam in a 4-hour period. The average steam pressure
is 400 psia, the average steam temperature is 700oF,
and the average temperature of the feedwater supplied
to the boiler is 280oF. If the boiler efficiency for
the period is 82.5%, and if the coal has a heating
value of 13,850 Btu per pound as fired, find the
average amount of coal burned in short tons per hour.
EXAMPLE:
3. A steam turbine operating at a load of 30,000 kW
requires 15 lbs per kW-hr delivered at the
switchboard. The steam is supplied at 200 psia and
500oF. The temperature of the feedwater entering the
boiler is 184oF, and the boiler efficiency is 78%.
a) How many pounds of coal are required per kW-hr if
the coal has a heating value of 13,500 Btu/lb.
b) How many boilers would be necessary to carry the
load if each of the boilers supplying steam
has 20,000 square feet of heating surface and
operates at 150 percent rating?