HRSG CYCLING

Comparing ASME, European boiler codes and their impacts on design, operation
By S Hampson, D G Robertson, and S Simandjuntak, European Technology Development Ltd (UK)
In todays competitive electric generation marketplace more and more plants are cycling, which
brings with it the likelihood of increased damage to powerplant equipment. For heat-recovery
steam generators (HRSGs) serving in combined-cycle systems, low-cycle fatigue damage to thicksection components will accumulate as a result of large through-wall temperature gradients that
develop during thermal transients.
The peak thermal stresses induced by high-temperature gradients in superheater-header and
steam-drum walls are strongly influenced by the thickness of the components and the methods of
operation during startup and shutdown. It seems obvious that design of the HRSG should include
fatigue analysis of the critical components in order to determine the allowable number of
operational cycles and acceptable limits for startup and shutdown ramp rates.
However, Section I of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, which provides rules governing
the construction of power boilers, has no mandatory requirement for the designer to perform a
fatigue analysis.
Regardless of the stress transients during startup and shutdown, ASME Section I only considers
the steady-state operating conditions (specifically, the creep regime for superheaters) for the
purpose of component thickness calculations. Some consideration of fatigue and creep-fatigue
interaction is given in other sections of the ASME Code, but many boilers designed to ASME
Section I may not have had an assessment of fatigue life.
By contrast, the European standard Euro Norm (EN) 12952-3 requires that a fatigue analysis be
conducted when a boiler will be subject to cyclic operating conditions. Clearly, there is a
fundamental difference between the requirements of ASME Section I and the European standard
with regard to design of boilers for cyclic duty.
The authors recently completed cyclic-life capability studies for new HRSGs installed in two
combined cycles. The studies included a review of HRSG component design features to identify
any aspects that might constitute areas of weakness under cyclic operating conditions, as well as
a fatigue-life assessment of key HRSG components to determine their capability for meeting the
operational requirements specified by the plant operator.
The allowable numbers of load cycles to crack initiation were calculated for different temperature
ramp rates using the EN 12952-3 methodology. Fig 1 shows some results for the connection of
the saturated steam pipe to the HP drum.
Plant operators typically identify startups as cold, warm, and hot. They often are defined by the
length of time the HRSG has been shut down. However, fatigue damage is known to be directly
proportional to temperature changes. Thus another way of defining startups is by referring to
temperature and/or pressure of the internal surface of the metal/component.
For the purposes of this discussion, a cold startup is characterized by a zero-pressure condition
when the temperature of the steam-drum inside wall is 175F or less. A warm start is defined by
an HP drum pressure of 45 to 75 psig when metal temperature at the surface of the inside wall is
at least 285F (in HP drum). To be classified as a hot start, HP drum pressure must be at least 500
psig and metal temperature 465F.
When the metal temperature is at ambient (for example, in cold climates, the temperature could
be around 40F and in warm climates around 100F) and the HRSG is starting with zero steam
pressure, the startup event is called a cold ambient startup. This can be quite damaging in thick

pressure parts like steam drums and superheater headers because of the large temperature
gradients generated during the initial stages of startup when condensate heating occurs.
The fatigue analysis described by EN 12952-3 takes account of the thermal stresses arising from
through-wall temperature gradients during cyclic operations. Note that thermal shocks caused by
condensate quenching, which can be a significant issue for HRSGs with horizontal hot-gas paths,
are not addressed by the Euro Norm.
Superheater and reheater drainage should be a key design point, if the risk of damage from
condensate quenching is to be minimized. However, service experience has often shown that
insufficient attention was paid to drainage at the design stage, and modifications to drain systems
have been implemented following component cracking and failures caused by undrained
condensate.
Condensate is formed in superheater tubes during cooling on shutdown, GT trip, and purge prior
to warm/hot start. Condensate quenching is the thermal shock caused by condensate entering
hot components, such as superheater headers. This phenomenon cannot be avoided by draining
because the quench has already occurred by the time the condensate reaches the superheater
drain.
Once formed, however, condensate should be removed to avoid the consequences of condensate
migration through the system. The passage of condensate slugs, also known as condensate
migration, is of particular concern because it can produce random transient cooling or quenching
of tubes in particular tube bundles.
For a new plant, it requires the identification of the sources of such condensate and their
elimination. This may dictate modifications to the plant, especially the number and location of
condensate drains, and/or operating procedures. Studies have shown how temperature
monitoring can be used to correlate condensate migration and quenching events with plant
operational cycles.
In a recent study, cracking was found in the HP superheater outlet drain pot of an HRSG. The
plant had operated mainly in base-load mode with occasional cycling. The damage had developed
over a period of about three years, during which the plant had performed 50 two-shift cycles
that is, hot restarts.
The pattern of the cracking on the internal surface of the damaged component was indicative of
thermal quenching (Fig 2), which supported the view that crack initiation was caused by
condensate moving from the superheater module to the drain pot. Metallographic examination of
the damage location showed transgranular cracks growing through the microstructure, indicating
crack propagation by fatigue.

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Findings. After completing fatigue analyses of critical HRSG components according to guidelines
presented in EN 12952-3, the authors were able to establish acceptable limits for startup and
shutdown rates in order to achieve specified numbers for cold, warm, hot operational cycles over
the design life of the plant.

Where the desired numbers of different cycle types could not be achieved, then changes to
operating procedures or modifications to component design were necessary. At the design stage,
this frequently means that either the specified temperature ramp rates should be reduced or a
stronger material should be selected in order to reduce the required component thickness and,
hence, reduce the magnitude of thermal stresses during operational transients.
Also conducted was the application of fatigue analysis as part of root-cause failure analysis of a
HRSG superheater drain pot, which had been damaged by thermal quench cracking. Fatigue
calculations based on monitored temperature data showed that cracking could occur as a result of
multiple quenching events that occurred during the two-shift cycles performed by the unit. Use of
stronger material would improve the cyclic life of the component, but it was also necessary to
identify measures that would reduce the severity of the thermal transients experienced during
operational cycles. CCJ

References
o

European standard EN 12952-3, Water tube boilers and auxiliary installationsPart 3:

Design and calculation for pressure parts

P Fontaine and J-F Galopin, HRSG optimization for cycling duty based on EN 12952-3,
Proceedings of the conference on cyclic operation of powerplants, European Technology
Development Ltd, September 2007, London

M Pearson and R W Anderson, Measurement of damaging thermal transients in F-class

horizontal HRSGs, Proceedings of the international seminar on cyclic operation of heatrecovery steam generators, European Technology Development Ltd, September 2005,
London

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section II, Part D, Materials properties

Obtain, read latest version of ASME Code

The foregoing comparison of ASME Section I and European EN 12952-3 is instructive, but lets
dig deeper to understand why things are the way they are regarding the ASME Code and what
has been done to update Section I.
Robert W Anderson, the chairman of the HRSG Users Group, had the following to say in the
HRSG Users Handbook, edited by Robert C Swanekamp, PE, and published for the HRSG
Users Group (go to www.hrsgusers.org for details) by PSI Media Inc, publisher of the
COMBINED CYCLE Journal:
Many purchasers of combined-cycle and cogeneration plants are under the impression that
their specifications will be sufficient as long as they require compliance with the ASME Code.
Unfortunately, they couldnt be more wrongat least if they plan on cycling their HRSGs.
The sole purpose of the ASME Code is to ensure safetyto prevent catastrophic failures and
the resultant loss of life, injury, and property. It does an exceptional job of this. . . . But the
ASME Code was never intended to be a design and construction handbook that guarantees
reliable and durable equipment fit for cycling HRSGs that will operate behind high-temperature
GTs.
These activities include the modeling of thermal transients, determination of component
fatigue life, consideration of creep/fatigue interaction, location and configuration of dissimilar

metal welds, effective management of condensate, implementation of effective desuperheater

protective logic, and effective integration of major plant equipment.
In addition to not mandating their execution, the Code gives little guidance regarding how to
effectively perform these activities for the conditions experienced by todays HRSGs. The
ASME is well aware of the shortcomings in its current Code and is working diligently to correct
them.
That passage was written in 2006 and a couple of ETDs references have 2005 and 2007
dates. Progress is slow in the world of engineering standards and work on the ASME Code was
ongoing while the references cited were written.
Note that Section I of the 2007 edition of the Code includes Part PHRSG, Requirements for
Heat Recovery Steam Generators. It cites requirements for superheater and reheater
condensate removal systems designed to minimize thermal shock and prolong the lifetime of
pressure parts. It also specifies rules for desuperheater drain pots and provides sketches of
drain arrangements. Owner/operators should review the latest version of the Code before
preparing specifications for new HRSGs.