Example: Boiler Efficiency Calculation

For Coal fired Boiler

The following are the data collected for a boiler using coal as the fuel. Find out the boiler effi-
ciency by indirect method.
 Fuel firing rate = 5599.l7 kg/hr = 1.55kg/s
Steam generation rate = 2l937.5 kg/hr = 6.09kg/s
Steam pressure = 43 kg/cm2(g) = 4216859.5 N/m2
Steam temperature = 377 °C = 650K
Feed water temperature = 96 °C = 369K
%CO2 in Flue gas = l4
%CO in flue gas = O.55
Average flue gas temperature = l9O °C = 463K
Ambient temperature = 3l °C = 304K
Humidity in ambient air = O.O2O4 kg / kg dry air
Surface temperature of boiler = 7O °C = 343K
Wind velocity around the boiler = 3.5 m/s
Total surface area of boiler = 9O m2
GCV of Bottom ash = 8OO kCal/kg = 3347.2kJ/kg
GCV of fly ash = 452.5 kCal/kg = 1893.26kJ/kg
Ratio of bottom ash to fly ash = 9O:lO
Fuel Analysis (in %)
Ash content in fuel = 8.63
Moisture in coal = 3l.6
Carbon content = 4l.65
Hydrogen content = 2.O4l3
Nitrogen content = l.6
Oxygen content = l4.48
GCV of Coal = 35Ol kCal/kg = 14648.18kJ/kg

Boiler efficiency by indirect method

Step – 1 Find theoretical air requirement

Theoretical air required for
complete combustion
= [(ll.6 x C) + {34.8 x (H2 – O2/8)} + (4.35 x S)]
/lOO
kg/kg of coal
= [(ll.6 x 4l.65) + {34.8 x (2.O4l3 – l4.48/8)} +
(4.35 x O)] / lOO

= 4.91 kg / kg of coal

Bureau of Energy Efficiency l4

 Step – 3 To find Excess air supplied

Actual CO2 measured in flue gas = l4.O%

79OO x [ ( CO2%)t – (CO2%)a]

% Excess air supplied (EA) =
(CO2%)a x [lOO – (CO2%)t ]

79OO x [2O.37 – l4 ]
=
l4a x [lOO – 2O.37]

= 45.17 %

Step – 4 to find actual mass of air supplied

Actual mass of air supplied = {l + EA/lOO} x theoretical

air
= {l + 45.l7/lOO} x 4.9l
= 7.13 kg/kg of coal

Bureau of Energy Efficiency l5

 Step – 5 to find actual mass of dry flue gas

Mass of dry flue gas =Mass of CO2 + Mass of N2 content in the fuel +
Mass of N2 in the combustion air supplied + Mass of oxygen in flue gas

O.4l65 x 44
7.l3 x 77(7.l3–4.9l) x 23
Mass of dry flue gas=+ O.Ol6 + +
l2lOOlOO

=7.54 kg / kg of coal

Step – 6 to find all losses

m x Cp x (Tf – Ta)
l. % Heat loss in dry flue gas (Ll)= x lOO
GCV of fuel

7.54 x 0.96232x (190-31)

=x lOO
14648.18

Ll= 7.88 %

2. % Heat loss due to formation = 9 x H2 x {584 + Cp (Tf – Ta)}

of water from H2 in fuel (L2) x lOO
GCV of fuel

9 x 0.0241 x {2443.46 + 0.45x4.184x (190-31)}xlOO

14648.18

L2 = 3.44 %

Bureau of Energy Efficiency l6

 M x {584 + Cp ( Tf – Ta )}
3. % Heat loss due to moisture in = X lOO
fuel (L3) GCV of fuel

O.3l6 x {2443.46+1.88 ( l9O - 3l)}

=x lOO
14648.18

L3 =5.91 %

6. Heat loss due to radiation and = O.548 x [ (343/55.55)4 – (3O4/55.55)4] + l.957 x

convection (L6) (343 – 3O4)l.25 x sq.rt of [(l96.85 x 3.5 + 68.9) /
= 68.9]
633.3 w/m2

%CO x C 5744
5. % Heat loss due to partial = x xlOO
conversion of C to CO (L5) % CO + (% CO2)a GCV of fuel

O.55 x O.4l65 5744

=xxlOO
O.55 + l414648.18

L5=2.58 %

Bureau of Energy Efficiency l7

 Total radiation and convection = 633.3 x 9O
loss per hour = 56997 W

56997 x lOO
% radiation and convection loss =
14648.18x1.56

L6 = 0.25 %

7. % Heat loss due to unburnt in fly ash

% Ash in coal
Ratio of bottom ash to fly ash
GCV of fly ash
Amount of fly ash in l kg of
coal
Heat loss in fly ash
% heat loss in fly ash
= 8.63
= 9O:lO
= 452.5 x 4.184 kJ/kg = 1893.26 kJ/kg
= O.l x O.O863
= O.OO863 kg
= 0.00863 x 1893.26
= 16.34 kJ/ kg of coal
= (16.34 x 100) / 14648.18 = 0.11%

8. % Heat loss due to unburnt in bottom ash

GCV of bottom ash = 800 x 4.184 kJ/kg = 3347.2 kJ/kg
Amount of bottom ash in l kg = O.9 x O.O863
of coal
= O.O77 kg
Heat loss in bottom ash = 0.077 x 3347.2 kJ/ kg of coal
= 257.73 kJ/kg of coal
% Heat loss in bottom ash = (257.73 x 100) / 14648.18
L8 = 1.77 %

Boiler efficiency by indirect = lOO – (Ll + L2 + L3 + L4 + L5 + L6 + L7 + L8)

method
= lOO – (7.88 + 3.44 + 5.9l + O.29 + 2.58 + O.25
+ O.ll + l.77)
= lOO – 22.23
= 77.77 %

Bureau of Energy Efficiency l8

 SUMMARY OF HEAT BALANCE FOR COAL FIRED BOILER

Input/Output Parameter kCal / kg of % loss

coal
Heat Input = 14648.184 lOO
Losses in boiler  
l. Dry flue gas, Ll = 1153.69 7.88
2. Loss due to hydrogen in fuel, L2 = 594.91 3.44
3. Loss due to moisture in fuel, L3 = 866.73 5.9l
4. Loss due to moisture in air, L4 = 43.54 O.29
5. Partial combustion of C to CO, L5 = 377.92 2.58
6. Surface heat losses, L6 = 36.47 O.25
7. Loss due to Unburnt in fly ash, L7 = 16.34 O.ll
8. Loss due to Unburnt in bottom ash, L8 = 257.73 l.77
Boiler Efficiency = lOO – (Ll + L2 + L3 + L4 + L5 + L6 + L7 + L8) = 77.77 %

Efficiency for an oil fired boiler

The following are the data collected for a boiler using furnace oil as the fuel. Find out the boil-
er efficiency by indirect method.

Ultimate analysis (%)

Carbon = 84
Hydrogen = 12
Nitrogen = 0.5
Oxygen = l.5
Sulphur = l.5
Moisture = 0.5
GCV of fuel = 10000 kCal/kg = 41840kJ/kg
Fuel firing rate = 2648.l25 kg/hr = 0.736kg/s
Surface Temperature of boiler = 80 °C = 354K
Surface area of boiler = 90 m2
Humidity = 0.025 kg/kg of dry air
Wind speed = 3.8 m/s

Flue gas analysis (%)

Flue gas temperature = 190°C = 463K
Ambient temperature = 30°C = 303K
Co2% in flue gas by volume = 10.8
O2% in flue gas by volume = 7.4

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 a) Theoretical air required = [(ll.6 x C) + [{34.8 x (H2 – O2/8)} + (4.35 x S)]
/lOO
= kg/kg
[(ll.6 xof84)
fuel. [from fuel
+ [{34.8 analysis]
x (l2 – l.5/8)}
+ (4.35 x l.5)] / lOO
= 13.92 kg/kg of oil
b) Excess Air supplied (EA) = (O2 x lOO) / (2l – O2)
= (7.4 x lOO) / (2l – 7.4)
= 54.4 %
c) Actual mass of air supplied/ kg = {l + EA/lOO} x theoretical air
of fuel (AAS)
= {l + 54.4/lOO} x l3.92
= 2l.49 kg / kg of fuel
Mass of dry flue gas = Mass of (CO2 + SO2 + N2 + O2) in flue gas + N2
in air we are supplying
O.84 x 44 O.Ol5 x 64 7.4x232l.49 x 77
= l2 + 32 lOO+ O.OO5 + +
lOO

21.36 kg / kg of oil =

% Heat loss in dry flue gas
m x Cp x (Tf – Ta)
= x
lOO GCV of fuel
21.36x x0.23 x4.184 (190 –30)
= x lOO
41840

Ll = 7.86 %

9 x H2 x{2443.46 + Cp (Tf – Ta )}
Heat loss due to evaporation of = x lOO
water due to H2 in fuel (%) GCV of fuel

9 x 0.12 x{2443.46 + 0.45 x4.184(190 – 30 )}

= x lOO
41840

L2 = 7.08 %

Bureau of Energy Efficiency 2O

 M x {2443.46 + Cp ( Tf - Ta )}
% Heat loss due to moisture = X lOO
in fuel GCV of fuel
O.OO5 x {584 + 1.88 (l9O – 3O)}
=
x lOO
41840

L3 =0.033%

AAS x humidity x Cp x (Tf – Ta ) x lOO

% Heat loss due to moisture in air =
GCV of fuel

2l.36 x O.O25 x 1.88 x (l9O – 3O) x lOO

=
41840

L4 = 0.38 %

Radiation and convection loss = O.548 x [ (Ts / 55.55)4 – (Ta / 55.55)4] + l.957
(L6) x (Ts – Ta)l.25 x sq.rt of [(l96.85 Vm + 68.9) / 68.9]
= O.548 x [ (353 / 55.55)4 – (3O3 / 55.55)4] + l.957
x (353 – 3O3)l.25 x sq.rt of [(l96.85 x 3.8 + 68.9)/
68.9]
= l3O3 W/m2

Total radiation and convection = 1303 x 9O m2

loss per hour = 117.3 kJ
% Radiation and convection loss = lOO852.2 x lOO

41840 x 0.736
L6 = 0.38 %
Normally it is assumed as O.5 to l % for
simplicity

Boiler efficiency by indirect = lOO – (Ll + L2 + L3 + L4 + L6)

method = lOO – (7.86 + 7.O8 + O.O33 + O.38 + O.38)
= lOO – l5.73
= 84.27 %

Bureau of Energy Efficiency 2l

Summary of Heat Balance for the Boiler Using Furnace Oil

Input/Output Parameter kCal / kg of %Loss

furnace oil
Heat Input = 41840 lOO
Losses in boiler :  
l. Dry flue gas, Ll = 3288.82 7.86
2. Loss due to hydrogen in fuel, L2 = 2964.3 7.O8
3. Loss due to Moisture in fuel, L3 = 13.8 O.O33
4. Loss due to Moisture in air, L4 = 158.99 O.38
5. Partial combustion of C to CO, L5 = O O
6. Surface heat losses, L6 = 158.99 O.38
Boiler Efficiency = 100 – (L1 + L2 + L3 + L4 + L6) = 84.27 %