BOILERS

Performance analysis

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 Evaluating Boiler Efficiencies
 The efficient utilization of fuel in steam boilers
is primarily determined by the following three
factors :
Complete combustion of the fuel in the
furnace
Deep cooling of the combustion products
during their passage through heating surfaces.
Minimization of heat losses to the
environment.

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 Evaluating Boiler Efficiencies
• Causes of poor boiler performance
- Poor combustion
- Heat transfer surface fouling
- Poor operation and maintenance
- Deteriorating fuel and water quality

• Heat balance: identify heat losses

• Boiler efficiency: determine deviation from
best efficiency

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 Performance Evaluation of Boilers
 Thermal efficiency of boiler is defined as the
percentage of heat input that is effectively utilised
to generate steam.
 There are two methods of assessing boiler
efficiency.

30-Dec-14 Engr. Ahsanullah Soomro 4

Performance Evaluation of Boilers
 Direct Method
 This is also known as ‘input-output method’ due
to the fact that it needs only the useful output
(steam) and the heat input (i.e. fuel) for
evaluating the efficiency.
 This efficiency can be evaluated using the
formula

Engr. Ahsanullah Soomro

 Performance Evaluation of Boilers

 Parameters to be monitored for the calculation

of boiler efficiency by direct method are :
 Quantity of steam generated per hour (Q) in kg/hr.
 Quantity of fuel used per hour (q) in kg/hr.
 The working pressure (in kg/cm2) and superheat
temperature (0C), if any
 The temperature of feed water (0C)
 Type of fuel and gross calorific value of the fuel
(GCV) in kcal/kg of fuel

30-Dec-14 Engr. Ahsanullah Soomro 6

 Performance Evaluation of Boilers

 Where,
◦ hg – Enthalpy of saturated steam in kcal/kg of steam
◦ hf - Enthalpy of feed water in kcal/kg of water

Engr. Ahsanullah Soomro

 Direct Method
 Advantages of direct method:
◦ Plant people can evaluate quickly the efficiency of
boilers
◦ Requires few parameters for computation
◦ Needs few instruments for monitoring
 Disadvantages of direct method:
◦ Does not give clues to the operator as to why
efficiency of system is lower
◦ Does not calculate various losses accountable for
various efficiency levels
 Boiler Efficiency by Direct Method:
Calculation and Example
Type of boiler: Coal fired Boiler
Heat output data
 Quantity of steam generated (output) : 8 TPH
 Steam pressure / temperature : 10 kg/cm2(g)/ 180 0C
 Enthalpy of steam(dry & Saturated) at 10 kg/cm2(g) pressure : 665
kCal/kg
 Feed water temperature : 850 C
 Enthalpy of feed water : 85 kCal/kg
Heat input data
 Quantity of coal consumed (Input) : 1.6 TPH
 GCV of coal : 4000 kCal/kg

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 Indirect Method
 Indirect method is also called as heat loss method.
 The efficiency can be arrived at, by subtracting the heat
loss fractions from 100.
 The principle losses that occur in a boiler are:
 Loss of heat due to dry flue gas
 Loss of heat due to moisture in fuel and
combustion air
 Loss of heat due to combustion of hydrogen
 Loss of heat due to radiation
 Loss of heat due to unburnt
 Indirect Method
 The data required for calculation of boiler efficiency
using indirect method are:
◦ Ultimate analysis of fuel (H2, O2, S, C, moisture content,
ash content)
◦ Percentage of Oxygen or CO2 in the flue gas
◦ Flue gas temperature in 0C (Tf)
◦ Ambient temperature in 0C (Ta) & humidity of air in kg/kg
of dry air.
◦ GCV of fuel in kcal/kg
◦ Percentage combustible in ash (in case of solid fuels)
◦ GCV of ash in kcal/kg (in case of solid fuels)
 Indirect Method
Solution :
 Theoretical air requirement

 Actual mass of air supplied/ kg of fuel (AAS) =

{1 + EA/100} x theoretical air
 Indirect Method

 m = mass of dry flue gas in kg/kg of fuel

 Cp = Specific heat of flue gas (0.23 kcal/kg 0C)
 Indirect Method
 ii. Percentage heat loss due to evaporation of
water formed due to H2 in fuel
 Indirect Method
 iii. Percentage heat loss due to evaporation of
moisture present in fuel

 iv. Percentage heat loss due to moisture present

in Air
 Indirect Method
 v. Percentage heat loss due to unburnt in fly ash

 vi. Percentage heat loss due to unburnt in bottom

ash
 Indirect Method
 vii. Percentage heat loss due to radiation
and other unaccounted loss
 In a relatively small boiler, with a capacity of 10
MW, the radiation and unaccounted losses
could amount to between 1% and 2% of the
gross calorific value of the fuel
 while in a 500 MW boiler, values between 0.2%
to 1% are typical.
 Assessment of a Boiler

Boiler Efficiency: Indirect Method

Advantages
• Complete mass and energy balance for each
individual stream
• Makes it easier to identify options to improve boiler
efficiency

Disadvantages
• Time consuming
• Requires lab facilities for analysis

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 Assessment of a Boiler
Boiler Efficiency: Indirect Method
• Type of boiler Oil fired
• Ultimate analysis of oil
C: 84%; H2=12.0%; S: 3.0%; O2: 1%
• GCV of Oil 10200Kcal/kg
• % of oxygen 7%
• % of CO2 11%
• Flue gas tem(Tf) 220C
• Ambient tem(Ta) 27C
• Humidity factor 0.018kg/kg of dry air

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 Boiler Draught:
 The rate of steam generation in a boiler depends upon the rate at
which the fuel is burnt.
 The rate of fuel burning depends upon the supply of oxygen/ fresh
air.
 Fresh air enters the fuel bed only when the gases of combustion are
exhausted from the combustion chamber of the boiler.
 This is possible only if a difference of pressure is maintained
above and below the fire grate.
 This difference of static pressure known as draught(draft).
 The main objectives of producing draught in a boiler are:
1. To provide adequate supply of air for the combustion
of the fuel.
2. To exhaust the products of combustion from the
combustion chamber.
3. To discharge the gases to the atmosphere through the
chamber.
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 Classification of Draught:
 Boiler draught can be effected by any one of the methods
indicated below

Draught

Mechanical Natural Steam-jet

draught draught draught

Induced fan Forced fan

draught draught

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I –natural draught
 Natural draught is obtained by the use of chimney,
and the draught thus Produced is due to the
density difference between the column of hot gas
inside the Chimney and the cold air outside.

 The above figure shows a diagrammatic arrangement of

a chimney of height 'H' above the grate
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 Natural ( chimney) Draught:
 Since atmospheric air ( outside the chimney) is heaver than the
hot gases ( inside the chimney), the outside air flows through the
furnace into the chimney pushing the hot flue gases out of the
chimney.
 Natural draught varies with
1. Climatic conditions,
2. Temperature of furnace gases,
3. Height of chimney.
Mechanical Draught:
 Is a draught produced by means of a fan and blower.
 In the induced fan draught, the fan is placed in the path of the
flue gas before they enter the chimney which draws the flue gases
from the furnace and forces them up through the chimney.

 In the forced fan draught, the fan is placed before the grate and
air is forced into the grate through the ash pit. 25
 Static draught
𝑷𝟏 = 𝑷𝒂 + 𝝆𝒈 𝐠𝐠

P1 = Pressure at the gate level (chimney side)

Pa = Atmospheric Pressure at chimney top
ρg gH = pressure due to the column of hot gas of height H meters and
ρg = Average mass density of hot gas

𝑷𝟐 = 𝑷𝒂 + 𝝆𝒂 𝐠𝐠

P2 = Pressure acting on the grate on the open side

Pa = Atmospheric Pressure at chimney top
ρa gH = pressure exerted by the column of cold air outside the chimney of
height H meters
ρ𝑎 = mass density of air outside the chimney
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 Static draught

 Net pressure difference causing the flow through the

combustion chamber
∆𝐏 = 𝐏𝟐 − 𝐏𝟏 = (𝛒𝐚 − 𝛒𝐠 )𝐠𝐠

 The difference of pressure causing the flow of gases is

known as “static draught”

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 Chimney effect
 The stack effect in chimneys:
 the gauges represent absolute air pressure
 the airflow is indicated with light grey arrows.
 The gauge dials move clockwise with increasing pressure.

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 Chimney Height
 Assuming that under same (T&P) conditions :
volume of combustion products = volume of air supplied
 And let :
 ma = mass of air supplied per kg of fuel
 1+ ma = mass of chimney gases
 Ta = absolute temperature of atmosphere
 Tg = average absolute temperature of chimney gases

𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦 𝐨𝐨 𝐡𝐡𝐡 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈 𝒎𝒂 + 𝟏

=
𝐦𝐦𝐦𝐦 𝐨𝐨 𝒂𝒂𝒂 𝒎𝒂
 Temperature and pressure being same
𝐏 𝟏. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟏𝟓 𝟏 𝟏
𝛒𝐚 = = = 𝟑𝟑𝟑
𝐑𝐓𝐚 𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝐓𝐚 𝐓𝐚

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 Chimney Height
 And also
𝐏 𝐦𝐚 + 𝟏
𝛒𝐠 =
𝐑𝐓𝐠 𝐦𝐚
𝟏. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟏𝟓 𝟏 𝐦𝐚 + 𝟏 𝟏 𝐦𝐚 + 𝟏
𝛒𝐠 = = 𝟑𝟑𝟑
𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝐓𝐠 𝐦𝐚 𝐓𝐠 𝐦𝐚

 Sub values of (𝛒𝒂 and 𝛒𝐠 ) in above Static draught eq.

∆𝐏 = (𝛒𝐚 − 𝛒𝐠 )𝐠𝐠

𝟏 𝟏 𝐦𝐚 + 𝟏 𝐍�
∆𝐏 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑 −
𝐓𝐚 𝐓𝐠 𝐦𝐚 𝐦𝟐

 Assuming draught pressure (∆P) is equivalent to (H1)m of

burnt gases
𝑚𝑎 + 1 1
∆𝑃 = 𝜌𝑔 . 𝑔𝐻1 = 353 . 𝑔𝐻1
𝑚𝑎 𝑇𝑔
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 Chimney Height
 Equating the two expressions for (∆𝐏)

1 1 ma + 1 ma + 1 1
353g. H − = 353 . g. H1
Ta Tg ma ma Ta

353 353 ma + 1 ma + 1 353

gH − gH = . g. H1
Ta Tg ma ma Ta
𝐦𝐚 𝐓𝐠
𝐇𝟏 = 𝐇 −𝟏
𝐦𝐚 + 𝟏 𝐓𝐚

 Let (hw) be the height of water column in (mm) shown by u-tube

manometer which will produce (∆𝐏)

𝟏 𝟏 𝐦𝐚 + 𝟏
𝐡𝐰 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 −
𝐓𝐚 𝐓𝐠 𝐦𝐚

1𝑚𝑚 𝑜𝑜 𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 = 9.81 𝑃𝑃

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 Neglecting friction, the velocity of flue gases through, the
chimney under draught H’ is:

C= 2 gH 1 [ m / s ]

 m  a × Tg 
C= 2 gH ×  − 1 [ m / sec]
 (m
 a + 1)Ta 

 The final form of chimney diameter evaluation can be presented

as
𝐦̇𝐠
𝐃 = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝛒𝐠 . 𝐂

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 Inserting values of C and gas density to get

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Example
 A boiler is equipped with a chimney of 25 m height. The flue gases,
which pass through the chimney, are at a temperature of 3000C
whereas the atmospheric temperature is 200C. If the airflow through
the combustion chamber is 20 kg/kg fuel burnt, determine:
a. The theoretical draught produced in mm H2O and the height of hot
gases column, and
b. The velocity of flue gases passing through the chimney, if 25% of the
theoretical draught is lost due to friction in the grate and chimney
passages.
Solution
a. Theoretical draught produced in mm H2O.
 1 (m a + 1) 
h = 353 × H ×  −  mm H 2 O
T
 a m a × Tg 

 1
h = 353 × 25 ×  −
(20 + 1)  = 13.95 mm H O

 293 20 × 573 
2

The theoretical draught produced in height of the hot gases column:

 m  a × Tg   20 × 573 
H' = H × − 1 = 25 ×  − 1 = 21.56m
 (m
 a + 1)Ta   (20 + 1) × 293  34
b. Velocity of flue gases passing through the chimney. since 25% of the
theoretical draught is lost by friction, the net draught available is.
H’ = 0.75* 21.56= 16.17 m

C = 2 gH ' [ m / s ]

C = 2 × 9.81 × 16.17 = 17.8m / s

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 ASSIGNMENT
 Calculate the mass of flue gases flowing through the chimney
when the draught produced is equal to 1.9 cm of water.
Temperature of flue gases is 2900C and ambient temperature is
200C. The flue gases formed per kg of fuel burnt are 23 kg.
neglected the losses and take the diameter of the chimney is
1.8m.

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