Boiler

• What is circulation ratio ?

•
What is a boiler ?
–
As per Indian Boiler Act 1923, a boiler is a closed vessel with capacity exceeding
22.75 liters used for generating steam under pressure
–
Mass flow rate of circulating water to the rate of steam generation
–
Value 4 to 30 for natural circulation
–
Value 3 to 10 for forced circulation
–
For once through boilers, circulation ratio is unity

Combustion
•
What is combustion ?
– It is very high speed chemical reaction-oxidation so speedy that the
heat of reaction keeps the firing of unburnt part of fuel , keeping the
flame or burning continuous
•
Secondary combustion
– The burning of fuel in areas or spaces beyond the outlet of a furnace &
where combustion is not intended by the design

Pulverization
• What are advantages of pulverization ?
–
Increase in surface area- high rate of combustion
–
Less excess air required
–
Higher efficiency
–
Poor quality coal can be burnt
– Better combustion control
–
Slagging and clinkering problem are less
–
Unburnt loss is less
–
Ash handling problems are less
–
Cold start up is easy
–
Faster heat release – better for super thermal power stations
• For grinding which type of coal, ball mills are preferred?
–
Coal having low in volatiles and hard

Tangential Burner Arrangement

• Why tangential burner arrangement is preferred ?
–
High heat generating capacity.
–
Uniform heat distribution.
–
Low clinkering probability
–
Less combustible in fly ash
 –
Better flame stability
–
Better steam temp controls possible using burner tilt
–
Suitable for high capacity boilers
• What is usual ratio of width to depth of tangential burners furnace
–
1 to 1.2

Safety Protections in Boiler

• Safety interlocks (Master Fuel Trip-MFT- FSSS)for high pressure boiler
–
Both ID fan trip
–
Both FD fan trip
–
All mill trips on PA header press.v low
–
Loss of all fuel
–
Unit flame failure.
–
Furnace draught v.high and v.low
–
Re heater protection
–
Drum level high / low trip
–
Turbine / Generator trip to Boiler trip
–
Loss Of DC Supply
–
Emergency trip push buttons
–
Boiler pressure very high trip
Safety Systems
• Safety Valves
– What is safety valves ?
• Prevents boiler pressure from rising above a predefined pressure by opening to
allow excess steam to escape thus guarding against a possible explosion.
–
Safety valves Testing
• Blow safety valves after boiler annual shutdown.
• Electromatic Relief valve can be tested when boiler is in operation.
• Safety valve defects to be attended without any delays.
• Expansion joints
Safety Parameters in Boiler
• Parameters to be monitored for ensuring boiler safety
–
Flame intensity / Flame scanners
–
Furnace draft
–
Drum level
–
Excess Air / O2 / CO2 / CO in flue gas at Economiser inlet
–
Unburnt in Fly ash
–
Flue gas temperature at Air heater / Economiser / LTSH zones
–
Soot blower / Air heater blower operation
–
Boiler Steam / Water Chemistry
–
Freeness of boiler expansions
–
Backstay / suspensions inspection
 Boiler Water Chemistry
Silica Level
• Permissible level of silica in drum
–
Depend on operating pressure in drum
–
With rise in drum pressure, permissible limit is reducing
–
It is generally expressed in ppm
• Process of removing silica
–
Blow down
–
Controlling the source supplying silica(Condenser / Make up)
• Process of removing silica from turbine blades
–
Rise in Curtis wheel press. & Axial Shift are indications of silica deposit on turbine
blades
–
On / Off line turbine washing to remove deposits by lowering turbine parameters
and condensate drain to waste. Condensate drain sample silica and conductivity to
be monitored.
–
During shutdown cleaning of turbine blades

Drum Silica at Different Pressure

Flue Gas Analysis for Bituminous Coal Firing
Boiler Tube Leak
• How to identify Boiler tube leakage ?
–
Clear distinguish sound
–
Variation in drum level
–
Rise in hotwell make up flow
–
Difference in feed flow and steam flow
–
Water coming out from second pass hoppers
–
Furnace draft variation
–
Sharp drop in steam pressures
–
Rise in ID fans loading
–
Drop in flue gas temperatures
–
Noticeable fog fumes emission from chimney
–
Sonic leak detection if installed.
Boiler Tube Leak
• Actions to be taken
–
Maintain furnace draught
–
Maintain drum level. If necessary start standby BFP.
–
Start reducing boiler load
–
Location identification
–
Allow unit to trip on protection or hand trip.
–
Box up the boiler after purging.
–
Try to maintain drum level keeping BFP running
 –
Allow natural cooling and drain the boiler
–
When tube leak is confirmed, try to shut down unit as early as possible to avoid
secondary damage. Secondary damage will increase shut down period.
Boiler Inspection
• Frequency : Once in a year
• Steps for shut down :
–
Gradually reduce load & Shut down boiler
–
Box up boiler & allow natural cooling
–
Run ID fan and open vents at pressure 2.0 Kg/cm2
–
Drain water wall,Super heater, Reheater, LTSH & Economizer
–
Disconnect feed line, drains, steam lines
–
Open furnace doors, manholes
–
Evacuate Fly &Bottom ash
–
Carry out electrical, instrument & mechanical isolations

Boiler Internal Inspection

• Checking of presence of deposits on external surface of water wall tubes, SH tubes,
Economizer tube.
• Cleaning of tubes using high pressure water jets
• Cleaning of Air heater by high pressure water jets
• Deposits which are hard to dislodged to be brushed off
• Cleaning of second pass ash hoppers
• ESP washing and inspection, maintenance
• Fans bearing, guide vane, blades inspection , maintenance
• Valves (including safety valves) / Dampers servicing
• Coal nozzles,wind box & Burner tilt inspection, maintenance
• Duct inspection & Maintenance

Pressure Part Inspection

• Drum inner surface :
–
Presence of development of cracks, corrosion, pitting, thinning of sections
– Drum internal inspection, cleaning
• Headers & Drains :
–
Deposits, thinning out , blockage
• Other surfaces of water wall, SH, Economizer tubes :
–
Thinning out due to erosion, Deformation /bulging out, increase in diameter.,
obstruction to free thermal expansions etc.
• Boiler Hydraulic Test
• Wet Preservation
Boiler Efficiency
•
By loss method
•
Efficiency = 100 - % losses
•
Major losses :
– Dry stack loss (hot flue gases)
– Wet stack loss (moisture in fuel)
– Combustible loss
– Radiation loss
– Sensible heat of ash
Factors responsible for inefficiency of boiler
– High back end temperature
– High unburnt in fly and bottom ash
– High moisture in fuel
– Heavy Slagging and fouling
– Low Economizer inlet temperature
– Boiler operating at low parameters
– Steam / Water leaks
– Drain / vents / safety valve passing
– Blow downs
– Poor coal quality
How to improve boiler efficiency
• Optimizing operating parameters with different coal quality. Combustion
optimization by CO / O2 monitoring, Flame intensity meters
• Need base soot blowing
• Mill performance (to control unburnts)
• Air heater blowing
• Operation of boiler at rated parameters
• Improve regenerative cycle performance
• SCAPH cleaning
• Arresting leaks
• Improving boiler water chemistry to reduce blow downs

Performance parameters
• Specific steam consumption
–
Steam consumption per unit generated
• Specific coal consumption
–
Coal consumption per unit generated
• Specific oil consumption
–
Oil consumption per unit generated
• Unit heat rate
–
Heat units consumed per unit generation
• DM water consumption (%)
• Auxiliary consumption (%)
• Stack Emission
• Boiler Continuous run
Cost
•
Cost of power
– Cost of power is function of administrative cost and fuel cost
•
Method to arrive Fuel Cost
– From fuel consumption,generation, sp fuel consumption, fuel cost, cost
of unit
– Unit heat rate(Boiler efficiency and turbine heat rate), CV of fuel, sp
fuel consumption, cost of unit

Economy of power plant depends on

– Fuel Quality & cost

– Boiler performance
– Turbine performance
– Condenser and cooling tower performance.
– Generator performance
– Regenerative cycle performance
– Auxiliary used on work
– Plant load factors
– No of trips / Shut downs
Foaming
• What is foaming ?
–
Formation of stable foam on evaporative surface of boiler
• Major factors contributes foaming
–
High salt content in boiler water
–
Presence of oil / grease in boiler water
–
High alkali concentration in boiler water
• Effect on quality of steam
 –
Foam swells & disintegrates in to minor droplets carrying dissolved salts reaching
super heater and turbine resulting SH tube failure & lower turbine outputs.

Priming
•
What is priming ?
– Infiltration of BFW into steam lines of boiler drum mainly due to Sharp
drop in pressure on account of sudden rise in load
•
Effect of priming
– May damage SH tubes / Turbine vibrations

High Stack Emissions

•
Reasons
– Ash evacuation not proper
– ESP performance poor
– High flue gas velocities
– High ash coal than design coal
•
Limit : 150 mg/nm3

Pressure & Temperatures

•
Possible cause for low steam pressure
–
Mill troubles and performance
–
poor coal quality
–
Poor governing system performance
–
Sudden load increase
–
improper combustion
–
Tube leak
•
Possible cause for low steam temperature
–
Temp control valve not working properly
–
Sharp fall in Burner tilt
–
Excessive Wall blowing
–
Priming / Foaming in drum

BMS
•
Burner management system
–
Purge conditions
–
Flame intensity
–
Interlock, permissive & Protections
•
Burner system protection works on
 –
Flame sensing device
–
Burner header pr
–
Atomizing media pressure
–
Burner lineup availability(Valve positions)
–
Control supply for protection system availability
–
Defined cycle of burner operation
Burners
• Firing sequence
–
If burner fuel header pressure and atomizing header pressure are adequate and
burner is lined up(Isolating valve open limit switch permissive), then burner start
command is executed
–
With the burner start command atomizing valve open
–
After opening the atomizing valve fuel valve starts to open
–
Ignitor advanced and ignitor sparking taking placed for predefined time and then
ignitor retracted
–
If flame sensing device (Flame scanner / Intensity meter)sense the flame, burner
remains in service, otherwise it’s shutdown sequence starts

Burners
•
Shut down sequence
–
Shut down starts if stop command is given or flame sensing does not sense the
flame and burner is in service
–
Fuel valve will close
–
Scavenge valve will open
–
Ignitor advanced and spark established for predefined time and ignitor retraced
–
Atomizing and scavenge valve will close
–
If burner does not establish, check burner tip for chockage, Ignitor spark, flame
scanner for flame sensing, Burner cycle operation etc.
Standby Boiler
• Starting of stand by boiler
–
Keep close main steam header valve.
–
Established boiler parameters as per boiler starting procedure
• Procedure for boiler paralleling with battery
–
Achieve steam temperature and pressure as per battery existing parameters keeping
drain valves before header isolating valves
–
Open boilers header isolating valve after operating its equalizing valve & close
drain valves
–
During this process keep constant watch on drum level as rising trend noticed in
drum level with steam flow increases
–
Adjust firing rate according to the steam demand and gradually increase the load on
boiler
 BOILER STARTUP
General check:
• It is assume that boiler is in wet preservation after hydraulic test.
• Drain the boiler to achieve normal operating level in drum.
• Ensure sufficient DM water storage in Feed water tank. DM plant is available. BCW
system in service.
• All control systems have been checked and available for service.
• All instruments and associated mechanical equipments have been checked and
available for service.
• The oil firing equipment has been checked for proper functioning. All manual valves
should be opened and control valves closed.Ensure oil circulation.Oil stock available.
• All pulverizes and Raw Coal feeders have been checked and keep ready for operation.
BOILER STARTUP
• Wind box has been checked for proper damper positioning. SADC &
Burner tilt operation OK
• Feed water system lined up.
• All air handling equipments air and gas path dampers have been checked.
• Soot blowing / Air heater blowing system available for operation.
• Desuperheater spray control valves closed.
• Cooling water and compressed air is available.
• The turbine generator is available for operation.

BOILER STARTUP
Water side lineup
–
Economizer inlet drain v/v close & vent v/v open. (to be closed after ensuring full
bore water flow through vent)
–
Water wall drain v/v close,Drum vents open(to be closed after 2 kg/cm2 pr).
–
Attemperator manual operated v/v to be kept open and motorised and control v/v
kept closed.
•
Steam side lineup
–
Super heater header(1,4,4,8) drains to be kept open.
–
Super heater / reheater vents to be kept open.
–
Before stop v/v drain & start up vent to be kept open
–
All vents to be closed after ensuring steam flow
through it.

BOILER STARTUP
• Air path
 –
Check that the Inspection doors in the air path are closed.
–
Check that FD fan permissive are satisfied.
–
Air heater inlet and outlet dampers to air header are open.
• Gas path
–
Check that the Inspection doors in the gas path are closed.
–
Check that ID fan permissive are satisfied.
–
Interconnecting damper before &after ESP are closed.
–
Inlet & outlet dampers of ESP & air heater are open.

BOILER STARTUP
• Purge condition
– Drum level normal(Ensure that drum level indicator at UCB matches with the absolute gauge glass)
– All coal feeders and pulverisers off.
– SH & RH spray header shutoff v/v closed.
– One pair of ID & FD in service.
– Air flow more than 30%
– Furnace draft normal
– Fuel oil trip v/v closed
– All burner oil v/v closed
– All mill HAD closed
– All mill CAD open 5% / close.
• Purge cycle is completed after 300 seconds.
• MFT reset
BOILER STARTUP
• Lit up the boiler preferably with bottom elevation oil burners.
• Increase the fuel firing rate such that the pressure increase is according to the standard
chart & temperature rise of steam does not exceed 110 deg C/ hour
• Flue gas temperature at the exit of furnace should be below 538 deg C until the turbine
synchronize & sufficient steam flow established from SH & RH.
• Close drains & vents after sufficient steam flow established.
• Charge PRDS and pull vacuum in turbine. Roll turbine & Synchronize. Gradually raise
the load.
• Start PA fans.Cut in mill. Raise boiler load.
• At 60 % boiler load, remove oil support.

Stable Operation
• Observe performance parameters like
– Main steam pressure & temperature
– Back end temp.
– Unburnt in fly / bottom ash
– PF fineness of mills
– Air flow / Oxygen
– Flue gas temp. at APH outlet
– Spray flows
– Burner tilts
– Fuel demand
 – Milling parameters
– DM water make up
– Water chemistry
– Fans loading
– Drum level and Furnace draft
– Economiser inlet temp.

BOILER SHUTDOWN
• Reasons
• Annual survey/Long shutdown
• Internal boiler maintenance/Turbine shutdown
• Steam/Water leakages
1) Boiler drain
2) Boiler pressure ‘0’.
3) Boiler boxup

• Duration
–
> 10 days
–
>24 hours
–
< than 24 hours

SHUTDOWN TO COLD
(LONG SHUTDOWN)
• Normally, during plan s/d m/c off bar time is predefined. Thus load reduction has to be
started accordingly. Here the intention is to reduce the pressure to ‘0’ and cool it
completely.
• Operate the soot blowers prior to load reduction.
–
Logic:- To clean the boiler tubes as far as possible.
• Gradually decrease the load. Reduce the firing rate of pulveriser. Allow the pressure
and temp to drop, to accelerate cooling.
• When feeder rating of all pulverisers is reduced to 40 % of maximum, introduce oil
support at top elevation. Gradually reduce feeder rating of top mill.
–
Logic:- Temp will decrease and also flame stability at low load will be better with
lower elevation mills.

SHUTDOWN TO COLD
(LONG SHUTDOWN)
• Reduce Mill loading to minimum, Switch off RC feeder, close the hot air shut off gate.
Stop mill when coal air temp has reduced to 45 deg C after ensuring that mill is
completely empty. Associated wind box dampers will close on Auto.
–
Logic:- Empty mill will help in carrying out mill maintenance.
• Charge the SCAPH if required.
–
Logic:- To maintain backend temp.
• Similarly stop the other mill in top to bottom order. Before reducing further load
introduce more oil support at that elevation.
–
Logic:- For flame stability
SHUTDOWN TO COLD
(LONG SHUTDOWN)
• Reduce the air flow such that it does not decreases below 30 % till the boiler is on line.
To avoid the firing instability during this time due to high relative air flow, reduce the
wind box pressure to its lowest setting.
• Change the PRDS from unit to other station steam line.
–
Logic:- Reduction in boiler press will reduce the PRDS pressure and hence chances
of Low vacuum in turbine.
• Close the desuperheating isolating valves.
• After the last mill is stopped, trip the turbine, keeping ‘Turbine trip to Boiler trip’
protection bypassed.
–
Logic:-Tripping of turbine will trip the boiler resulting in removal of oil guns
without scavenging.
SHUTDOWN TO COLD
(LONG SHUTDOWN)
• Remove the oil support gradually and scavenge the oil guns before taking out of
service.
–
Logic:-Scavenging of burner will clean the burner.
• After taking out all the burners, the boiler will be trip (It will trip on loss of all fuel).
Purge the boiler at least for 5 minutes.
–
Logic:-To remove the unburnt combustibles.
• Stop the fans, box up the boiler and stop air heater when the flue gas temp at air heater
inlet has dropped below 200 *C.
–
Logic:- To avoid secondary combustion in air heaters.
• After about four hours, start ID fan for forced cooling of boiler.
• Operate ring header blow down at @ 10 kg/cm2
–
Logic:- To remove scale and impurities present.

SHUTDOWN TO COLD
(LONG SHUTDOWN)
• Open all vents of boiler at 5 kg/cm2.
–
Logic:- Pressure reduction and quick draining possible.
• Drain the boiler when water temp is reduced below 94 *c.
• Scanner fan/Igniter cooling fan to be run till boiler temp reduces below 100* c
• Isolate all auxiliaries.
• Keep the record of boiler expansion.
• Empty Bottom ash hopper and fly ash from ESP.
• What is Boiler box up ?
–
Boiler to be S/D in such a manner that its temp and pressure remains as high as
possible. Economizer inlet v/v, M.S stop valve, Vents, Drains, Sampling v/vs to be
closed tightly to avoid reduction in pressure. Open Reheater vent and drains.
OPERATION MANAGEMENT

• The objective of operation management are :

– Operation of units at minimum partial loading and maximum availability.
– Operation of units at rated parameters.
– Efficient Control of Water Chemistry.
– Operation of plant at minimum demineralised water make up
consumption,soft water consumption, auxiliary power consumption and coal
/ secondary fuel consumption.
– Operation of plant and accessories at optimum efficiencies.
– Operation of unit with all Auto control loops in service

How to Achieve ?
• To achieve the above objectives following practices are adopted :
– Systematic monitoring and reporting systems.
– Easy availability of operating instructions, manuals and other literature to
operating engineers and staff.
– Efficient up keep of instruments, auto loops, annunciations, protections and
interlocks.
– Good house keeping.
– Good working environment.
– Proper training.
– Regular in-house performance tests
– Regular condition monitoring of equipments

Start of the Shift

• Taking charge and previous shift report / log book study
• Ensure boiler is operating with due regard to safety and efficiency
• Man power management
• Equipments under isolation and to normalize
• Boiler important parameters
• Deashing / Soot blowing / Boiler water chemistry status / gauge glass
testing
• Reporting to higher up for important issues
 Condenser
•
What are the prime functions of condenser ?
– Reduces back pressure on turbine-increases work done per kg of steam-
increases efficiency of power plant.
– Exhaust steam condensate can be recycled
– Non condensate (Air) removed from the system
•
Troubles experienced with condenser
– Low vacuum
– Tube leakage

Reasons for Low Vacuum

•
Rise in C.W. Inlet Temp
•
Less C.W. Flow
•
Air Ingress in the system
•
Dirty Tubes
Low Condenser Vacuum
• Reasons for High CW inlet temp
–
Atmospheric conditions
–
CTID fans out of service
–
Damage fills in cooling tower
–
Hot basin nozzles choked
• Less C.W. Flow
–
Reduced output
–
Dirty tubes
–
Debris arrived at water box
–
High CW sump filter difference

Ultrasonic Flow Meter

• 2 nos.of transducer are to be mounted on the pipe.
• Ultrasonic waves are passing through pipe.
• Time taken by waves to pass through pipe is proportionate to flow
inside the pipe.
Air ingress in Condenser
•
What are the effect of air leakages in the condenser ?
 – Increases back pressure-low thermal efficiency
– Pressure of air lowers partial pressure of steam i.e Steam will condense
at lower temp & that will require high cooling water flows to maintain
Vacuum.
– Reduces rate of condensation as air is poor in thermal conductivity
Major Sources of Air Ingress
• L.P. Turbine Bursting Plates
• L.P. Turbine Parting Plane Joints
• Condenser Gauge Glass packings
• Sub atmospheric valve valve glands
• Gland steam parameters not maintained
• Standby Ejector & Starting ejector air valve passing
• Vacuum breaker valve not sealed
• Leaky Joints and flanges in sub atmospheric system

How to confirm Air ingress ?

• If Air Suction Temp. remains very low than Saturation temp of steam.
• Condensate temperature remains low and exhaust hood temp. remains
high
• Rate of Back Pressure Decay, i.e when ejector steam valve is closed and
drop in vacuum is higher than drop recommended.
• Direct Measurement- Through rotameter mounted at Ejector outlet.
• Using ultrasonic leak detector

Dirty Tubes
• Dirty tubes are judged by
–
Inspection of water box and passing cutters through tubes
–
Reduced cooling water flow
–
Rise in differential pressure across CW inlet - outlet water box
• Tube cleaning methods
–
Intermittent dosing of Chlorine
–
On load mechanical cleaning
–
High Pressure water jetting
–
Chemical cleaning
On Line Tube Cleaning
Condenser Tube Leak
• Can be judged from
–
Rise in hot well conductivity
 –
Rise in Hot well level
–
If small leak, rise in drum conductivity
• Action
–
Isolate the part condenser and carry out leak test
–
If major leak, shut down the unit and carry out hydraulic test
Cooling Tower
•
Cooling tower maintenance
– Cleaning of hot and cold basins to remove microbiological growth and
debris
– Cleaning of hot basin nozzles
– Inspection and replacement of damage splash fills
– Uniform distribution of water
– Maintenance of flow control valves
– CTID fans condition monitoring for vibration measurement

Back Pressure Terminology

Condenser
•
What is the vacuum efficiency of condenser?
– Ratio of actual vacuum to ideal vacuum
Patm - (Psat + Pair)
Vacuum = ---------------------
Patm – Psat
where Patm = Atmospheric pressure
Psat = Saturation pressure of steam
Pair = Partial pressure of air in condenser