Combustion Optimization for Coal-Fired Boilers

James Tobin Neil Widmer GE Energy

2nd U.S.-China NOx Workshop Dalian, China August 2005

The problem

Poor combustion result in many performance issues.

Increased Steam Spray Local Slagging Increased FEGT
(Furnace Exit Gas Temperature)
Coal Crusher

High NOx

Economizer O2 Imbalance High Metal Temperatures

Air Heater ID

High Carbon in Ash, eg. LOI

(Loss on Ignition)

Reduced Througput (Load)

Local Corrosion
Coal Supply Mill

Coal Silos

Boiler FD Fan

Combustion profile as monitored Fan Stack by Spatial Sensors

Turbine Generator

Local Hot Spots Local Fouling Increased Excess O2

High CO

Reduced Efficiency
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The major lost opportunities result from poor combustion.

Annual Loss Opportunity Contributions

Fleet-wide lost opportunity cost can be over $80 MM per year.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Contributing Factors: Condensate System Opacity Controls Chemistry Seasonal Derate Feedwater System Slag & Ash Removal PRB Derate Air Supply Fuel Quality Mill/Feeders Turbine

Boiler Fleet

Tube Leaks

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Improved burner operation drives performance gains.

Comfort Zone

Fuel Savings Output (Throughput) Emissions Credits Availability & Peak Power

Improved A/F
FEGT

Initial A/F
High CO Burners Limit Performance
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Solutions

Zonal combustion control system

Output NOx
object
Burner Airflow Controls Burner Coal Flow Controls

Availability Efficiency

Combustion (O2/CO) Monitors

3
Burner Adjustments

Combustion Diagnostic

1
Combustion Tuning Controls

Zonal Fuel and Air Optimization

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Components

Coal Flow Sensors

Combustion Sensors

Coal Flow Dampers

Burner Airflow Controls

Zonal Combustion Controls

Combustion Tuning Model

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Zonal combustion control system how fuel & air controls work together.
Zonal CO Trim - fine controls Zonal Fuel Trim - coarse for combustion balancing : controls for combustion shaping : > Trim furnace zonal air/fuel ratios based on sensor grid > Optimize wall-burner firing Balance CO Reduce impingement Reduce hot spots > Reshape tangential fireball Reduce delayed Centered and round combustion > Tune furnace fuel Maintain burner flame distribution Reduce LOI Balance economizer O2 Divert heat loading from Reduce excess O2 peak FEGT & slag regions
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Fuel control can reduce temperature and CO zones the precursors to slag.
Before After

CO Profile

Max = 2088

Max = 2023

Gas Temp. Profile

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Automatic Fuel Trim controls are successful at tightening distribution.

First Demonstration August 2003
15% 10% 5% 0% Burner Coal -5% Flow Bias -10% -15% -20% -25%

Burner C1 Burner C2 Burner C3 Burner C4 Burner C5 As-Found Manual Coal Distribution

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Automatic

Balanced and optimized coal flow distribution reduced peak FEGT 60F.

2525 Furnace Exit Gas Temperature (deg. F) 2500 2475 2450 2425 2400 2375 Baseline

Pea k

FEG

T Re

duc tion

Ash Fusion Point

W 10 M

Ca

rease c n I y pacit

Balanced Coal Distribution

Optimized
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20F Peak FEGT limited boiler capacity approximately 10MW.

Boiler Limit Turbine Capacity
2,700 2,650

Furnace Exit Gas Temperature, deg F

2,600 2,550 2,500 2,450 FEGT West 2,400 2,350 2,300 2,250 2,200 2,150 220 FEGT East FEGT Average

240

260

280

300

320

340

360

380

400

Load, MWg
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Zonal combustion monitoring system

Modeling (upgrade) Sensor Array Flow and Control Panel

Interface Display

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Zonal combustion model-based control system.

Monitoring & Control Interface Combustion Trim Model

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Zonal combustion tuning system demonstration.

Initial CO

gD nin Tu

Combustion Sensors

em o

Burner Tuning

Boiler Model Tuned CO

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Systematic tuning balanced CO and fly-ash LOI synergistic with Hg control.

1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 CO #11 CO #6 CO #12 CO #7 CO #14 CO #13 CO #1 CO #9 CO #8 CO #10 CO #4 CO #15 CO #5 CO #2 CO #3 0

Initial

Tuned
3.5 3

Initial

Tuned

CO Level, ppm

Fly-Ash LOI, %

2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

West Middle East

Flue Gas Duct

Combustion Sensors
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Zonal combustion control system features:

> Faster tuning experience > One system for managing Zonal combustion > Improves quality through systematic methods > Advises burner adjustments > Stores preferred burner setting by operating mode > Diagnoses combustion performance
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Benefits

Combustion Optimization Case Study

Sunflower Electric 380 MW Boiler Scope:
> > > > GE coal flow monitors & control GE combustion sensors GE boiler tuning services GE control software
Coal Flow Sensor
CO Sensor

System Benefits:
> Reduced peak FEGT 60F Eliminated barrier to increasing output 10 MW worth $1M/yr > Reduced high CO and temperature zones Avoid future slag outage 1 weeks worth ~ $2.5M/yr > Reduced NOx and Heat Rate

Coal Damper

Furnace Combustion Sensor Arrays

Burner Air Control

Burner Fuel/Air Flow Sensors & Auto-Control

Furnace Combustion Balancing

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Zonal combustion controls benefits:

9Reduce average and peak FEGT 9Reduce fuel rich (CO) zones 9Reduce corrosion 9Reduce slagging 9Reduce LOI 9Reduced NOx
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Good combustion provides significant benefits.

Emissions Peak Power Annual Benefits, k$/yr 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 100 300 500 700 900 Boiler Load, MWe Heat Rate Availability

Improvements :
> > > > > Excess O2: 0.5% reduction Emissions (NOx): 15% reduction Heat Rate: 0.4% improvement Peak Power: 2.3% increase Availability: 1 week avoided outage

Economic assumptions provided in notes

Economic benefits are site-specific. Your plants benefits may vary.

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