Chapther 4

Result & discussions

4.1 Design Parameters Simulations The result obtained from excel simulations were related by plotting various graph to determine the effect of increment or decrement of each design parameters or constant parameters on the economizer tubes. The design parameters were basically approximated on a suitable scale that fits the model of the economizer design. The wall thickness of the tubes was designed to be as thin as 10mm in order to transfer the heat steam to the water in tubes. This is due to the fact that pure steam is suitable to driving the turbine to generate electricity. By using this economizer, it can produce steam which supply to boiler, from this the boiler can save more energy and save fuel consumption to boiler the water in steam. The saturated steam is not suitable for use in the turbine as it can easily damage the nozzles/ blades of the turbine while in a running condition.

Table 4.1 Design parameters of the economizer Parameter Outer diameter of economizer tube Do (m) Inner diameter of economizer tube Di (m) Economizer tube thickness t, (m) Height of the tubes H, (m) Length of the economizer tubes L, (m) Numbers of tubes, n Value 0.040 0.030 0.010 0.250 0.650 15.000

4.1.1 variation of steam temperature in economizer tubes with other parameters The hoop stress varies linearly with the area as shown below by figure 4.1. the hoop stress drop rapidly from 1166kN/m2 to 448.625kN/m2 with the increasing the thickness of the tube in the economizer. This was due to the fact that the inner radius and the thickness of the tubes has effect on the hoop stress. This is because increasing the thickness increases the stiffness of the tube in the economizer which leads to less stress in the economizer.

Hoop Stress (kN/m2) vs increasing tube thickness (m2)

1200.000

Hoop stress (kN/m2)

1000.000

800.000

600.000

400.000 0.004

0.006

0.008

0.01

0.012

0.014

0.016

Increasing of economizer tube (m2)

Hoop Stress

Figure 4.1: variation of hoop stress (kN/m2) with economizer tube thickness

But the pressure dropped rapidly from 11890.90N/m2 to 10061.538N/m2 and finally to 9125.581N/m2. This shows that pressure decreases with increasing of surface area of the tubes in economizer. If the area of the tube increase due to the diameter of the tube increase, so the pressure in the tube will decrease. The flow pressure will increase unless the diameter in decrease.

Pressure p (kN/m2)
13000.000 12000.000 11000.000 Pressure (kN/m2) 10000.000 9000.000 8000.000 7000.000 6000.000 0.00820

0.00870

0.00920

0.00970

0.01020

0.01070

0.01120

increasing area of economizer tubes (m2) Pressure p (kN/m2)

Figure 4.2: variation of pressure (kN/m2) with economizer area (m2)

4.1.2 Effect of tube thickness on heat transfer rate by conduction It is knows that heat conduction is the heat transfer of thermal energy between the regions due to the temperature gradient. Heat flows from the region of high temperature concentration to the region of low temperature concentration. In figure , it is observed

that conduction (Qcond1) increases linearly with the increasing temperature but not step

enough, this might be due to thermal contact resistance in the conducting interface. While the graph of conduction (Qcond2) was lagging behind conduction (Qcond1) as shown in the figure 4.5. This was due to the influence of the tube thickness since conduction decreases with increasing tube thickness and the temperature increases gradually as shown in figure 4.5.

A graph of Heat Transfer vs Steam Temperature Heat Transfer by Conduction (kW)

70.000 60.000 50.000 40.000 30.000 20.000 10.000 0.000 250.2

270.2

290.2

310.2

330.2

350.2

370.2

Steam Temperature (T) C

Conduction t1 Conduction t2

Figure 4.5: variation of heat transfer by conduction (kW) with steam temperature (oC)

At t1 (0.005m), the rate of heat transfer increases linearly from 37.549 kW until reaches a maximum of 60.302kW at minimum and maximum of 250.2oC and 350.2oC respectively (Figure 4.5) but when the tube thickness in increased from t1 to t2 (0.02014m), the graph of conduction (Qcond2) dropped with minimum and maximum rates of 9.322kW and 14.975kW respectively. This shows that heat transfer is a given medium and increases the temperature inside the tubes which can lead to failure during the service time as the ashes start accumulating at the tubes with increasing hoop stress giving rise.

4.1.2 Effect of surface area on heat transfer rate

A graph of Heat Transfer Rate

6750

6700

6650

6600

6550

6500 3.54 3.56 3.58 3.6 3.62 3.64 3.66

Numerical calculation

Areas of convection and conduction heat transfer on the economizer tube can be computed from eqution ______________________

Convection area

= =

Conductive area

= *

+
( )

= *
= 0.01885m2

Total area (AT) of hollow economizer tube can be computed from

AT =

(*

+
(

*
)

+)
( )

(*
= 0.00825m2

+)

Total Pressure (pt) acting on the total surface area of the fifteen tubes can be calculated from equation______ *
( ) + ( )

(kN/m2)

11.89

The rate of heat transfer in the economizer can be computed from equation_____ Q

Where

= log mean temperature, which is suitable form of the temperature difference for use in the analysis of economizer = 144.26 = correction factor determine from the graph = 0.91 = heat transfer area of the economizer tube = 3.54m2 U = overall heat transfer,

The conduction heat transfer before increase the thickness of the tube can also be computed from equation ______

Where K = thermal conductivity of the economizer tube = A = conductive area of the tubes = = change in tube thickness =

= Temperature difference / change in steam temperature =

The conduction heat transfer after the increase of thickness of the tube can be computed. [ ]

From the above value of heat transfer by conductive, it is observed that heat ransfer by conduction (31.788kW) is highest when the tube thickness is 0.005m and lowest (7.907kW) when the tube thickness was increased.

After computing the heat transfer, the hoop stress can be calculated from equation_______

Where

= hoop stress along the economizer tube in ( P = operational internal pressure in, ( Ri = inner radius of the tube in, m T = economizer tube thickness in, m )

Hence, the hoop stress becomes

The thermal resistance due to conduction heat transfer can be computed from equation_____ ( ) ( ) ( ) ( Thermal resistance due to convection heat transfer can be calculated from ) ( )

Where

hi = convection heat transfer

Ai = inner area of tube for convection heat transfer

Therefore total thermal resistance on the economizer becomes,

 Efficiency (%) can be computed from equation_________

Based on the nature of graph (figure 4.5), the graphs are not stiff due to thermal resistances at the interface of the tubes which interfered with heat conduction processes. The combination of the resistances due to both convection and conduction heat transfer has been computed above equation [3.8] to be These resistance caused

interferences on the conduction surfaces making the graphs of the conduction to appear in a non fashioned state ( not stiff enough ). The thermal resistance of the wall against heat conduction depends on the geometry of the medium (High Carbon Steel) and its thermal properties. Due to high vale of convection heat transfer coefficient the convection resistance on the inner tube wall as calculated is very small ( ) compare to thermal resistance on conduction interface. .

4.4 economizer corrosion experimental findings facts. With all the analysis that has been undertaken, it it clear that economizer corrosion depends on the tube temperature and oxygen partial pressure when there are no molten deposits and incomplete burn liquor carries out. The corrosion rate can be reduced by massive transfer or reagents through the thickening of oxides along the tubes. However, the choice of economizer tube materials must be done with consideration of corrosion resistant materials; this can be achieved by alloying an element that forms oxides with limited solid state diffusion coefficients. High temperature on the economizer accelerates an intense corrosion rate on unalloyed carbon steel tubes. Therefore, it can be alloyed with addition of chromium (Cr), with regard, chromium can easily undergoes oxidation than the iron but it has lower diffusion coefficient that iron oxides making it the right choice to alloy the carbon steel tubes. With increasing corrosion resistance, the economizer tubes were designed with High Carbon Steel (T11 Carbon steel, 1 percent Cr).

4.5 An alternative energy source during inspection or shutdown In power plant companies, there is always an alternative source based on the capacity of the plant. The power plant with two boilers have two equal economizers where one can be shut-down for inspection while the other line keep operating for steam generating.

This condition is considered at the design stage but depend on the capital authorization of the company during the establishment, otherwise with small power plant that has a single boiler and one economizer, the whole system can be shut-down for inspection purposes.