June 2009 PF 09-04

Profiles
Slagging and fouling in coal-fired boilers
Predictive models are not capable of predicting ash impacts with sufficient reliability
that slagging incidents cost the global utility industry several billion dollars annually in reduced power generation and equipment maintenance. A previous IEA CCC report entitled Understanding slagging and fouling during pf combustion by Gordon Couch presented a comprehensive review of the topic at that time. The report summarised the state of knowledge in respect of boiler design and operation, ash formation and deposition, predictive techniques and remedial measures. A later IEA CCC report, also by Gordon Couch entitled Ash management in coal-fired power plants, covering a number of ash-related issues, addressed some of the more recent developments in the field of slagging and fouling but a number of significant changes have continued to reshape the power generation sector which warrant this updated study of the topic. This report sets out to consider how the

. . . and in extreme cases a boiler can be shut down by ash-related problems

Slagging occurs in boiler furnaces where ash deposits are exposed to the radiant heat of the coal flames, while fouling occurs in the boilers convective passes. The propensity of a coal or a blend of coal with other fuels for producing slagging and fouling deposits depends on its ash content and, more importantly, the composition of that ash, and how the ash behaves under the conditions within the boiler during and after the combustion of the accompanying carbonaceous matter. The fact that the propensity for slagging and fouling problems is governed by the complex interaction between a boilers operating conditions and the coal ash chemistry makes the prediction of slagging and fouling very difficult. Excessive ash deposits on a coalfired boilers heat transfer surfaces will reduce its efficiency, and in extreme cases a boiler can be shut down by ashrelated problems. It has been estimated

Cofiring of other fuels with coal represents one of the biggest challenges to power plant operation
understanding of the slagging and fouling process has developed, how changes in the utility sector have impacted on the importance and likelihood of ash deposition incidents, and how problems may be predicted and tackled on a practical level. Some important factors which impact on the topic are considered in this review including: G power generation sector deregulation; G technological developments; G environmental protection technologies; G new technologies; G cofiring with biomass and other alternative fuels; G increased international coal trading. Developments in the global coalfired power generation sector continue to influence the subject in a number of ways. Increased competition between utility companies has led to the use of

Slag on platen superheater tubes

Superheater platens at Matia power station, South Africa

coals whose properties are often far removed from the coals specified for the original boiler design. The changing electricity market in many areas where the use of fuels other than coal (for example gas) has become widespread, has led to coal-fired plant being operated in some regions (for example OECD countries) under regimes other than base load. This change in operation has helped to reduce boiler slagging to some degree through the regular shedding of deposits as the boiler is thermally cycled. The increasing pressure on coal-fired power stations to reduce emissions has led to the development of technologies for the abatement of specific pollutants that impact on ash slagging. Combustion modifications for NOx reduction are considered the most significant and have, through a trend towards larger furnaces and cooler flames, generally reduced slagging propensity. Where coal switching has taken place for sulphur control, lowsulphur coals have been used in boilers not designed for them, with consequent problems. The best example of this is the increased use of Powder River Basin coal in US plant, where the low cost, low sulphur characteristics provide a powerful imperative for solutions to any problems arising from their use. CFBC plants in the power generation market are particularly effective with very low grade coals. The different combustion environment, compared to pulverised coal fired plant, gives rise to unique ash-related problems such as bed agglomeration. The new generation of pulverised coal fired plant, designed for high efficiency through the use of high steam temperatures and pressures, present the greatest challenge with respect to ash slagging and fouling. These new plant are almost certain to be required to operate under conditions that allow carbon capture and storage, for compliance with climate change driven requirements. The leading technology for this is oxy-firing and represents a very substantial change to combustion conditions within the boiler. It is regarded by boiler manufacturers, users and academic researchers as warranting significant study to identify and ameliorate any issues arising from the new combustion environment. The cofiring of other fuels with coal, especially biomass represents the one of the biggest challenges to power plant

operation in the last fifteen years. A large number of fuels have been studied at laboratory, pilot and full scale and many are now in regular use in operating plants. The ash chemistry of these alternative fuels is often very different to that of the coals and has given rise to serious problems, particularly in the early days of cocombustion. The alkali metals are particularly important in deposit initiation and growth and care has to be taken when selecting biofuels and establishing the appropriate coal replacement levels for cocombustion. However, the widespread practice of cofiring has demonstrated that these problems can be overcome, with minimum ash-related impact on plant operation. Although predictive models for slagging and fouling are now in widespread use, they are not thought to be capable of predicting ash impacts with sufficient reliability in all cases. The sub-models are thought to be at an advanced stage of development, but overall, model integration is still thought to require development. The prediction of ash impacts is generally thought to be more reliably achieved through a combination of predictive indices, models, historical information on coal and boiler performance and experience.

IEA Clean Coal Centre is a collaborative project of member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to provide information about and analysis of coal technology, supply and use. IEA Clean Coal Centre has contracting parties and sponsors from: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, the European Commission, Germany India, Italy, Japan, Republic of South Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Spain, Thailand, the UK and the USA.

Each issue of Profiles is based on a detailed study undertaken by IEA Clean Coal Centre, the full report of which is available separately. This particular issue of Profiles is based on the report: Slagging and fouling in coal-fired boilers Ian Barnes CCC/147, ISBN 978-92-9029-466-5, 43 pp, April 2009, 255*/85/42.50
* non-member countries member countries educational establishments within member countries

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