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CASE STUDY

Power Station
Boiler | Sagging Economizer
Tubes
PLANT LOCATION Asia

FACILITY DESCRIPTION Sub Critical Utility Boiler

BOILER TYPE Forced Circulation

BOILER CAPACITY 350 [MW] – Power Generation

STEAM CONDITIONS HP: 2400 [psi] @ 520 [°C]

Conditions:

The economizer tubes on a 2400 [psi] subcritical coal 8red power station boiler were subject to an annual
inspection which revealed that the tubes had sagged. This suggested that they had been exposed to
excessive operating temperatures. The power station produced 350 MW of electricity and operated on a
tight production schedule. Because the economizer tubes formed part of the reheater support system and

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Power Station Boiler | Sagging Economizer Tubes 25/6/20, 10)26 PM

further tube sagging could damage the reheater elements and shut the plant down for an extended period,
this issue required immediate action.

Design Boiler was engaged to undertake an investigation to determine the likely cause of the problem. Our
engineer travelled to site and collected relevant operating data along with boiler details relating to the
economizer and reheater support system. A computer model was con8gured to simulate the performance
of the economizer. Multiple operational scenarios were evaluated to determine any obvious design defects
which could have caused the tubes to sag. None could be identi8ed.

However, it is known that economizers 8tted to water tube boilers are potentially vulnerable to overheating
at startup. In normal operation the heat in the combustion Que gases is still recovered by the economizer
heating surface but at start-up the feedwater Qow is relatively stagnated because the boiler is not producing
steam, and consequently, the feedwater Qow is unable to remove this heat. Left unchecked a substantial
proportion of the feedwater within the economizer will quickly boil off inside the economizer leaving the
tubes dry and vulnerable to overheating.

In large high-pressure boilers, the problem is compounded by the fact that they are less able to recover low
grade heat due to their higher saturation temperature. Consequently they have a greater reliance on
airheaters and economizers to recover this low grade heat. This is explained in the graph and additional
comments below;

1. High pressure boilers operate at higher saturation

temperature than lower pressure boilers. This
limits the amount of heat recovered from Que
gases by evaporative heating surfaces because
the higher saturated temperature reduces the
driving temperature difference needed for heat
transfer. The adjacent graph demonstrates this
concept.
2. Also, a higher saturation temperature means that
more heat is required to raise the feedwater to
saturation conditions.
[Graphical representation of the saturation
The net effect of these two factors is that high pressure temperature as a function of boiler pressure.
boilers have a larger proportion of economizer heating This natural phenomenon limits the recovery
surface per unit mass [tonnes/hr or lbm/hr] of boiler potential of a boilers evaporative heating

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Power Station Boiler | Sagging Economizer Tubes 25/6/20, 10)26 PM

evaporation and are more vulnerable to overheating at surface.]

start up than an industrial boiler.

Boiler manufacturers incorporate several strategies to address this problem. The most effective option
involves the use of a recirculation pump that is utilized during the startup period to recycle water between
the steam drum and the economizer inlet. Other methods include the strategic installation of non-return
valves between the steam drum and economizer inlet which enable a natural thermo-siphon circulation
process to form in situations where a density difference is generated if the economizer water begins to boil
as a result of Qow stagnation.

However, a more common method involves a deliberate operating strategy which sees the boiler trickle fed
during startup. The rising drum level is then reduced by periodic blowdown. This strategy is shown
graphically in the diagram opposite and was intended to have been implemented on this boiler.
For this reason, the operation of the boiler during this critical start up stage was investigated further. The
review of startup operating procedures identi8ed that the likely root cause of the problem was inadequate
feedwater Qow through the economizer during startup. Revised instructions were formulated and the
operators were provided with additional training. The implementation of these strategies permanently
addressed the problem.

Many problems encountered with boiler plant can be complex and diZcult to resolve. A combination of
boiler performance modelling with purpose developed boiler software in conjunction with site performance
testing and expert observation can often provide a cost effective method that not only solves diZcult boiler
problems but is able to evaluate the best 8x options and produce an optimum solution that is not always
expensive to implement

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Power Station Boiler | Sagging Economizer Tubes 25/6/20, 10)26 PM

[Revised start-up operating strategy implemented to address the sagging

Economizer problem.]

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