Pilot Plant Operation 2

CPD 30302

CHAPTER 1

STEAM GENERATION
Objectives
At the end of this topic, student should be able to:

• Describe how the steam is produced and the processes

involved in the steam generator esp. its application in the
Power Station.

• Describe the function of each equipment involved in the

steam generator & relate it with the equipment in the lab.

• Apply the principle of thermodynamics in operating the

equipment in the lab.

• Run the steam generator in the lab based on the theory

class given.
 The Theory of Producing Steam

• Water and steam are typically used as heat carrier in

heating systems.
• It is well known that water boils & evaporates at 100°C at
atmospheric pressure. P , water evaporates at T - e.g. a
pressure of 10 bar equals an evaporation temperature of
184°C.
• During the evaporation process, a substantial amount of
heat are use for bringing the water from liquid to vapour
phase.
 The Theory of Producing Steam

• In this condition the steam contains a large

amount of latent heat, corresponding the heat
that was led to the P & T.

• The amount of heat is much higher in vapour

compared to the liquid.
Schematic of Conventional Coal Fired Power Station
Schematic of Conventional Coal Fired Power Station
 Steam Generating Boiler
 To produce steam water must be boiled, requiring the input of
latent heat. Heat of evaporation is the heat or energy required to
change the state of the a fluid ( i.e. change the state of liquid to
vapour phase)
 The steam produced in the boiler is called ‘wet steam' because
it is contact with the liquid water in the boiler.
 However, in a power station it is more efficient to re-heat that
'wet-steam' into 'superheated steam'. Superheated steam is a
very efficient medium to transport energy.
 The combustion of coal, oil or natural gas is used in
conventional power stations to provide the energy for the boiler.
The chemical energy of these fossil fuels is converted to heat
energy, during combustion. The heat energy is then taken up by
the steam.
 Steam Generating Boiler
 The heated air stream, at T of maybe 800 oC, is forced by the
pressure of the forced fan and sucked by the induced draft fan to
move through the boiler.
 When the air stream leaves the boiler it would have lost most of
its heat to the superheated steam & may now be only 300 OC.
 This air stream however, contains the combustion by-products
(sulphur, carbon dioxide, etc. ) and fly ash, which are small coal
particles that did not burn completely.
 These particles are removed by scrubbers - which may operate by
static electrical attraction, or be cyclones, or be bag filters ( like
your vacuum cleaner bags ).
 The air stream is then exited to the atmosphere up the chimney
stack.
Steam Generating Boiler
 Steam Turbine & Generator
Steam Turbine

 The superheated steam enters the steam turbine.

 The purpose of a steam turbine is to convert heat energy
contained in high P & high T steam into mechanical energy.
 The source of the high P / T steam is from boiler.

Generator

 The rotating shaft of the steam turbine is coupled to the

electrical generator.
 Purpose :to convert mechanical energy into electrical
energy.
 The source of the mechanical energy : steam turbine or gas
turbine.
 The mechanical energy is supplied to the generator in the
form of a rotating shaft, while the generator output is
alternating current electricity transmitted along conductors.
 Condenser & Feed Water Pump
Condenser
 Steam exhausted from turbines / boiler enters the
condenser.
 Condenser is a HEX & operated at near vacuum
conditions, to enhance the P drop & improved the efficiency
of condensing the low pressure steam back into liquid
water.
Feed Water Pump
 The feed water pump must pump the liquid water that was
condensed in the condenser from the low pressure steam,
back into the boiler.
 The primary working fluid must be pumped at a slightly
greater pressure than the boiler pressure to ensure that the
fluid enters the boiler.
The Similarities
 Give the name of electricity
energy plant in Malaysia with
some details?
Post your answer (according to lab group) through Padlet in
VLE. You are going to present in the next class !
Thermodynamics
in
Steam Generator
 Rankine Cycle
• Steam cycles used in electrical power plants is
based on the Rankine cycle.
 1 to 2: Isentropic expansion
(Steam turbine)
 2 to 3: Isobaric heat rejection
(Condenser)
 3 to 4: Isentropic compression
(Pump)
 4 to 1: Isobaric heat supply
(Boiler)

 2-3: Condensation process. Provides

saturated liquid at 3.
 3-4: H2O is pumped to the boiler P at
point 4 but at this point it is not at the sat
T. (Ideally- isentropic process)
 4-5: Heat, Q must be added to change
H2O at 4 to sat water at 5.
 5-1:Heat is supplied until the system
reached superheated T at sat P.
 1-2: Work, W is delivered to
surroundings (thermal energy-mech
energy).
Method of increasing rankine efficiency

1.Lowering the condenser Pressure

2.Superheating the steam to high temperatures
3.Increasing the Boiler pressure
 Calculation Involved In The
Experiment
• Calculation of Fuel Heat Rate
• Calculation of Heat Transfer Rate to Water &
Steam
• Calculation of the Efficiency of the Steam
Generator.
 Questions
1. How can we classify steam generators on the basis of
application
a) utility steam generators
b) industrial steam generator
c) marine steam generator
d) all of the mentioned

2. What is the critical pressure of steam?

a) 221.2 bar
b) 220 bar
c) 120 bar
d) 300 bar
 Questions
3. An air preheater is installed
a) between the economiser and chimney
b) before the superheater
c) before the economiser
d) none of the mentioned

4. The object of producing draught in a boiler is

a) to discharge the gases of combustion to the atmosphere through the
chimney
b) to exhaust the gases of combustion from the combustion chamber
c) to provide an adequate supply of air for the fuel combustion
d) all of the mentioned
 Questions
5. The temperature of condensate is __________ on leaving the
condenser than that of circulating water at inlet.
A. higher
B. lower

6. The power of a boiler may be defined as

A. the ratio of heat actually used in producing the steam to the heat
liberated in the furnace
B. the amount of water evaporated or steam produced in kg per kg of
fuel burnt
C. the amount of water evaporated from and at 100° C into dry and
saturated steam
D. the evaporation of 15.653 kg of water per hour from and at 100° C
 Questions
7. The function of a safety valve is
A. to blow off steam when the pressure of steam inside the boiler
exceeds the working pressure
B. to indicate the water level inside the boiler to an observer
C. to measure pressure of steam inside the steam boiler
D. none of the above

8. The pressure of steam in the engine cylinder at the beginning of

the stroke is __________ the boiler pressure.
A. equal to
B. less than
C. higher than
 Questions
9. A single acting steam engine produces __________ power than that
of double acting steam engine.
A. equal
B. half
C. double
D. four times

10. Air stream contains the combustion by-products (sulphur, carbon

dioxide) and fly ash. These particles are removed by
A. Coal shute
B. Coal grate
C. Scrubbers
D. Chimney
END OF STEAM GENERATION