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Chap 25 PDF
Chap 25 PDF
Chapter 25
Boiler Auxiliaries
A variety of auxiliary components are needed for initial opening at the upstream static pressure set
the modern steam generating system to function ef- point and for maximum discharge capacity at 3%
fectively and efficiently. While space prevents an in- above set point pressure.1
depth review of all items, several deserve special at- Fig. 2 shows a typical power actuated type safety
tention. Safety and relief valves are critical to assure valve that may be used in some Code approved appli-
the continued safe operation of the boiler. The inter- cations. Power actuated valves are fully opened at the
play of dampers, stack design, and fans ensures set point pressure by a controller with a source of power
proper air and gas flow for optimum combustion. Fi- such as air, electricity, hydraulic fluid, or steam.
nally, a specialty condenser is used to supply high Fig. 3 shows a typical spring loaded relief valve for
purity water for attemperator spray in industrial boil- liquid service designed for a small initial opening at
ers where such water is not typically available. the upstream static pressure set point. The valve will
lating stop valve may be installed for power relief located in a rigid frame. They are generally rectan-
valve maintenance provided redundant relieving ca- gular in shape. One blade shaft end extends far
pacity is installed. Provided all the Code requirements enough beyond the frame so that a drive can be
are met or exceeded, the remaining required relief ca- mounted for damper operation. Ideally, blade shape
pacity is met with spring loaded valves set at 17% is determined by the amount of pressure drop that can
above master stamping pressure. The superheater be tolerated across the open damper. In reality, it is
division valves (Chapter 19) are part of the power usually a compromise among the following design
relief valve system so that credit may be taken for the goals: the ideal shape required for minimizing pres-
spring loaded superheater outlet valve(s) relieving sure drop, the ideal shape for minimizing initial cost,
capacity as part of the total required relieving capac- and the ideal shape to attain the required structural
ity. With a superheater division valve, the code requires strength to withstand pressure and temperature con-
6 lb/h relieving capacity per each square foot of su- ditions. An unreinforced flat plate is the simplest shape
perheater heating surface (0.008 kg/s per m2). The but is relatively weak and offers the greatest pressure
blowdown of the spring loaded valves shall not be less drop. Air foil shaped blades have lower pressure losses
than 8% nor more than 10% of set pressure. (See and have somewhat greater strength. If uniform down-
Code, Section 1.)1 stream flow distribution is required, opposed blade ro-
tation is used; otherwise, parallel blade rotation may
be used. (See Fig. 5.)
Air and flue gas dampers If the louver damper is to be used for isolation pur-
Dampers are used to control flow and temperature poses, thin, flexible metallic seal strips are mounted
of air and flue gas. They can also be used to isolate on the blades to minimize leakage around the closed
equipment in the air or flue gas streams when such blades. Seal strips are not required in applications
equipment is out of service or requires maintenance. where louver dampers are used for flow control.
The Air Movement and Control Association in Pub- Depending on the application, louver dampers may
lication 850-02, Application and Specification Guide have internal or external bearings. External bearings
for Flue Gas Isolation and Control Dampers, defines are of the self-aligning and self-lubricating ball or
both the isolation and control functions for the selec- sleeve type, which require a mounting block and pack-
tion of dampers.2 ing gland. In extreme conditions, packing glands may
Isolation dampers may be the nominal shutoff or have a seal air provision. Internal bearings are ma-
zero leakage type. Shutoff dampers are used in ap- chined castings with a self-cleaning feature. These
plications where some limited leakage is tolerable. All types of bearings do not require lubrication and elimi-
types of dampers, with appropriate blade seals, can
be used. Zero leakage dampers are designed to pre-
vent any flow media leakage past the closed damper. Damper
Frame
This is accomplished by overpressurizing the blade
seal periphery with seal air, which leaks back into the
system. Guillotine-type dampers are best suited for
this service. A pair of dampers or pairs of blades within
one damper with an overpressurized air block between
them can also be used. In heat recovery steam gen-
erator (HRSG) applications, diverter dampers are of-
ten used along with stack cap dampers to assist in Actuator
maintaining boiler temperature during overnight
shutdowns.
Control dampers are capable of providing a variable
restriction to flow and may be of several varieties.2
Balancing dampers are used to balance flow in two Bearing
or more ducts. Preset position dampers are normally
open or normally closed dampers which move to an
adjustable preset position on a signal. Modulating Shaft
dampers are designed to assume any position between Linkage
fully open and fully closed in response to a varied sig-
nal (either pneumatic or electric). A positioner with
feedback indication is normally required.2
Dampers may also be classified by shape or configu- Packing Box
ration. Damper shape classifications that are commonly
used in the fossil fuel-fired steam generation industry
are louver, round (or wafer) and guillotine (or slidegate).
Housing Blade
Fig. 6 Wedge seat round damper (courtesy of Damper Design, Inc.). Fig. 8 Guillotine damper (courtesy of Effox, Inc.).
Pin Adjustable
Slot Flange
Breach
Opening
Adjustable
Flange
Pressure
Load
Flow
Duct 2
Toggle
Section
Duct 1
Fig. 9 Multi-leaf metallic expansion joint with pinned support connection. Fig. 10 Nonmetallic expansion joint.
B
Stack draft = Z ( SE ) elevation (5)
Bsea level
where
Z = stack height, ft (m)
SE = stack effect, in./ft (Table 3 or Equation 2)
Belevation = barometric pressure at elevation (Table 2)
Bsea level = barometric pressure at sea level (Table 2)
The average gas temperature in these calculations
is assumed to be the arithmetic average temperature
entering and leaving the stack or duct section. For
gases flowing through an actual stack, there is some
heat loss to the ambient air through the stack struc-
Table 2
Barometric Pressure, B Effect of Altitude
Ft Above Pressure Ft Above Pressure
Sea Level in. Hg kPa Sea Level in. Hg kPa
0 29.92 760 6000 23.98 609
1000 28.86 733 7000 23.09 586
2000 27.82 707 8000 22.22 564
3000 26.82 681 9000 21.39 543
4000 25.84 656 10,000 20.58 523
5000 24.90 632 15,000 16.89 429
Chimney or stack
Early boilers operated with natural draft caused by
the stack effect alone. However, for large units
equipped with superheaters, economizers and espe-
cially air heaters, it is not practical or economical to
operate the entire unit from stack induced draft alone.
These units require fans to supplement the stack in-
duced draft. The entire unit might be pressurized by
a forced draft fan or the unit might use both induced Fig. 12 Diagram illustrating stack effect, or chimney action, in three
and forced draft fans for balanced draft operation. The vertical gas passes arranged in series.
where
∆Pl = stack flow loss, lb/ft2 (N/m2)
f = friction factor, dimensionless (Chapter 3, Fig.
1: ≈ 0.014 to 0.017)
L = length of stack = Z, ft (m)
D = stack diameter, ft (m)
G = mass flux = m /A, = lb/h ft2 (kg/m2 s)
m = mass flow rate, lb/h (kg/s)
A = stack cross-sectional area, ft2 (m2)
v = specific volume at average temperature, ft3/
lb (m3/kg)
g c = 32.17 lbm ft/lbf s2 (1 kgm/Ns2)
For English units this reduces to:
Stack flow loss =
2
2.76 Tg m
fL
∆Pl = 4 5
+ 1 (7)
B Di 10 Di
where
∆Pl = stack flow loss, in. of water
m = mass flow rate, lb/h
B = barometric pressure, in. Hg
Tg = average absolute gas temperature, R
Di = internal stack diameter, ft
Fig. 13 Stack height required for a range of stack drafts and
f = friction factor from Chapter 3, Fig. 1, dimen- average stack gas temperatures.
sionless
L = stack height above gas entrance, ft
If the stack gas flow is not specified, the following
The equation user is reminded that there is a gas- approximate ratios may be used:
flue-to-stack-entrance exit loss that is not included in
the above equation, which must be accounted for when Type of Firing Gas Weight/Steam Flow Ratio
determining overall system pressure losses.
Stack flow losses for natural draft units are typi- Oil or gas 1.15
cally less than 5% of the theoretical stack draft. Also, Pulverized coal 1.25
that part of the loss due to unrecoverable kinetic en- Stoker 1.50
ergy of flow (exit loss) is from three to seven times
greater than the friction loss, depending on stack The stack diameter to the nearest 6 in. increment
height and diameter. from Fig. 14 for 450,000 lb/h stack gas flow is 14 ft 6
in. For the required stack draft of 1.0 in. (increased to
Sample stack size selection 1.1 in. for safety) and an average stack gas tempera-
Tentative stack diameter and height for a given ture of 500F, based on the specified inlet temperature
draft requirement can be calculated using English of 550F and assumed exit temperature of 450F, Fig.
units with Figs. 11, 13 and 14 and an assumed stack 13 gives an approximate height of 187 ft. A check of
exit gas temperature. Adjustments to these values are the assumed stack exit temperature is obtained from
then made as required, by verification of the assumed Fig. 11, with the tentative height of 187 ft, diameter
stack exit temperature, a flow loss check and altitude of 14 ft 6 in. and inlet temperature of 550F. This re-
correction, if necessary. The following example illus- sult is 430F, or an average stack temperature of 490F
trates this sizing procedure: and draft of 1.1 in. H2O. Fig. 13 is again used to es-
tablish a stack height neglecting stack flow losses. This
Unit Specifications: height is 190 ft.
Fuel Pulverized coal Assuming a stack flow loss of 5%, the final required
Steam generated, lb/h 360,000 stack height is 200 ft (190/0.95). This represents the
Stack gas flow, lb/h 450,000 active height of the stack. The height of any inactive
Stack inlet gas temp., F 550 section from foundation to stack entrance must also
Required stack draft (from be included.
point of balanced draft to The stack flow loss is checked using the above val-
stack gas entrance), in. H2O 1.0 ues for diameter, height, average gas temperature and
Plant altitude Sea level gas flow in Equation 6. A check of available net draft,
using Equation 2, indicates that the 1.0 in. draft re-
Initial Assumption: quirement is amply covered.
Stack exit gas temperature, F 450 If the plant is not located at sea level, the draft re-
Power
Power may be expressed as shaft horsepower, in-
Fig. 14 Recommended stack diameter for a range of gas flows. put horsepower to motor terminals if motor driven, or
theoretical horsepower which is computed by thermo-
quirement of the unit must be increased by multiply- dynamic methods.
ing the draft by the altitude factor 30/B and the theo- Fan power consumption can be expressed as:
retical stack draft decreased by multiplying the theo-
retical draft by B/30, where B is the normal barometric ∆ P V
Power = k (8)
pressure, inches of mercury, at the boiler site (Table 2). ηf C
External factors affecting stack height
where
The stack also functions to disperse combustion
gases. Increasing stack height enlarges the area of Power = shaft power input, hp (kW)
dispersion. In narrow valleys or locations where there ∆P = pressure rise across fan, in. wg (kPa)
is a concentration of industry, it may be necessary to V = inlet volume flow rate, ft3/min (m3/s)
provide increased stack height. ηf = fan mechanical efficiency, 100% = 100
Some power plants located near airports are pro- k = compressibility factor, dimensionless
hibited from using stacks high enough to provide ad- (see equation 9 below and Table 4)
equate dispersion. In such cases, the stack may be C = constant of 6354 (1.00 for SI)
reduced in diameter at the top to increase the dis-
charge velocity, simulating the effect of a higher stack. The compressibility factor k is calculated using the
However, necking down the stack adds an appreciable following formula:
amount of flow resistance which can only be accom-
modated by a mechanical draft system. γ −1
γ P2 γ
Stack design − 1
γ − 1 P1
After the correct stack height and diameter are es-
k = (9)
tablished, there are economic and structural factors P2
to consider in designing the stack. Stack material se- −1
P1
lection is influenced by material and erection costs,
stack height, means of support (i.e., whether the stack where
is supported from a steel structure or a foundation),
and erosive and corrosive constituents in the flue gas. γ = specific heat ratio (1.4 for air)
After selecting the material, the stack is checked for P1 = absolute inlet pressure (any unit)
structural adequacy, making both a static and a dy- P2 = absolute outlet pressure
namic analysis of the loads. (any unit, P2 = P1 + PT)
Stack operation and maintenance An approximate value for k can be calculated by using:
All connections to the stack should be air tight and PT
sealed with dampers when not in use. Cold air leaks kapprox = 1 −
into the stack during operation, reducing the average CEST
where
Table 4
PT = fan total pressure, in. wg Mechanical Efficiency Approximate Ranges ( f )
CEST = 1150 for PT < 10 in. wg
1200 for PT < 40 in. wg Centrifugal fan
1250 for PT < 70 in. wg Paddle blade 45 to 60%
Foward curved blade 45 to 60%
All fluids and especially gases are compressible. The Backward curved blades 75 to 85%
effects of compressibility are accounted for in the fan Radial tipped blades 60 to 70%
laws by including a compressibility coefficient. Air foil 80 to 90%
Approximate ranges of fan efficiencies and com- Axial flow fan 85 to 90%
pressibility factors for use in Equation 8 are provided Approximate compressibility factors (air)
in Table 4. The term fan efficiency can be misleading
because there are a number of ways it can be defined. ∆P/P 0 0.03 0.06 0.09 0.12 0.15 0.18
Fan efficiency can be calculated across the fan rotor
only, across the fan housing (inlet to outlet) with no k 1 0.99 0.98 0.97 0.96 0.95 0.94
allowance for efficiency losses caused by inlet or out-
let duct configuration, or across the housing with losses ∆P = total pressure increase, in. wg (kPa)
induced by inlet and outlet ducting included. The fan ρ = actual density, lb/ft3 (kg/m3)
vendor can usually recommend the best duct arrange- C = constant of 5.20 (1.00 for SI)
ment at the fan inlet and outlet to minimize these
losses. To select the proper fan motor, shaft input Using the adiabatic head concept as defined by Equa-
power must be calculated using the efficiency that tion 11, fan shaft input power can be calculated as:
accounts for all of the losses associated with the fan
type, including losses caused by inlet and outlet duct
Power =
(m ) ( H d ) (C )
arrangement. ηf (12)
In order to use the above formula, the volume flow
must be known. Since the engineer often calculates where
boiler air and flue gas flows in mass units (lb/h, kg/s,
etc.) by using the various heat and material balances m = gas flow, lb/h (kg/h)
published in performance test codes or other stan- C = constant of 0.505 × 10−6 (2.724 × 10−6 for SI)
dards, it is advantageous to have a quick conversion
method for calculating volume flow (cfm, m3/s). The Fan performance
conversion formula for arriving at volume flow when
mass flow is known is: Stacks seldom provide sufficient natural draft to
cover the requirements of modern boiler units. These
T Pref higher draft loss systems require the use of mechani-
V ( cfm ) = m
× ρ ref × a × ×F (10)
cal draft equipment, and a wide variety of fan designs
Tref
Pa and types is available to meet this need.
Fan performance is best expressed in graphic form as
where fan curves (Fig. 15) which provide static pressure (head),
shaft horsepower and static efficiency as functions of
V = volumetric flow rate, cfm or ft /min (m /s)
3 3
capacity or volumetric flow rate. Because fan opera-
m = gas flow, lb/h (kg/s) tion for a given capacity must match single values of
ρ ref = gas density at reference temperature, lb/ft3 head and horsepower on the characteristic curves, a
(kg/m3) balance between fan static pressure and system re-
T a = actual temperature, R (K) sistance is required.
T ref = reference temperature, R (K) Varying the operating speed (rpm) to yield a fam-
Pref = reference pressure, psi (Pa) ily of curves, as shown in Fig.16, will change the nu-
Pa = actual pressure, psi (Pa) merical performance values of the curve characteris-
F = time unit correction factor tics. However, the shape of the curves remains substan-
= 1/60 English Units (1.00 for SI) tially unaltered. Changes in operation of fans can gen-
erally be predicted from the Laws of Fan Performance:
Another method used to calculate power consump-
tion involves the concept of adiabatic head. If total 1. Fan speed variation (for constant fan size, den-
pressure rise is known, adiabatic head can be calcu- sity and system resistance)
lated using the following formula: a) Capacity [ft3/min (m3/min)] varies directly with
speed.
Hd =
( k ) ( ∆ P ) (C ) b) Pressure varies as the square of the speed.
c) Power varies as the cube of the speed.
(11)
ρ 2. Fan size variation (geometrically similar fans, con-
stant pressure, density and rating)
where
a) Capacity varies as the square of wheel diameter.
Hd = developed adiabatic head of gas column, ft (m) b) Power varies as the square of wheel diameter.
k = compressibility factor c) Rpm varies inversely as wheel diameter.
Specific diameter is fan diameter required to deliver The fan manufacturer can review the proposed
1 ft3/min standard air against a 1 in. wg static pres- ductwork layout and offer suggestions to minimize
sure at a given specific speed. The fan laws lead to these effects. Of particular importance are effects
these equations: caused by improper design of the transition duct from
fan outlet(s) to final duct cross-section downstream of
1 fan outlet. The ideal evase shape for low pressure drop
Specific speed ( N ) =
(
rpm ft3 /min ) 2
may not be attainable in the space available.
3 (13)
(SP ) 4
Typical fan applications
1
D ( SP ) 4 Forced draft fan
Specific diameter ( D ) = Boilers operating with both forced and induced
1 (14)
( ft /min )
3 2 draft use the forced draft fan to push air through the
combustion air supply system into the furnace. (See
where flow in ft3/min is at standard conditions, SP is Fig. 17.) The fan must have a discharge pressure high
static pressure (in. wg) and D is fan diameter (in.). enough to equal the total resistance of air ducts, air
Because there is only one value of specific speed at heater, burners or fuel bed, and any other resistance
the point of maximum efficiency for any fan design, between the fan discharge and the furnace. This
that value serves to identify the particular design. The makes the furnace the point of balanced draft or zero
same is true for specific size. If either specific speed or pressure. Volume output of the forced draft fan must
specific size can be established from the requirements equal the total quantity of air required for combus-
of an application, only those designs with correspond- tion plus air heater leakage. In many installations,
ing identifying values need to be considered. greater reliability is obtained by dividing the total fan
capacity between two fans operating in parallel. If one
Fan capacity margins fan is out of service, the other usually can carry 60%
To make sure that the fans will not limit boiler per- or more of full boiler load, depending on how the fans
formance, margins of safety are added to the calcu- are sized.
lated or net fan requirements to arrive at a satisfac- To establish the required characteristics of the
tory test block specification. These margins are in- forced draft fan, the system resistance from fan to
tended to cover conditions encountered in operation furnace is calculated for the actual weight of air re-
that can not be specifically evaluated. For example, quired for combustion plus the expected leakage from
variation in fuel ash characteristics or unusual oper-
ating conditions slag or foul heating surfaces. The unit
then requires additional draft. Air heater leakage can
increase to higher than expected levels because of
incorrect seal adjustment or seal wear. Stoker-fired
boilers, burning improperly sized coal, may require
more than normal pressure to force air through the
fuel bed. A need for rapid load increase or a short
emergency overload often calls for overcapacity of the
fans. The customary margins to allow for such condi-
tions include: 1) 15 to 20% increase in the net weight
flow of air or gas, 2) 20 to 30% increase in the net
head, and 3) 25F (14C) increase in the air or gas tem-
perature at the fan inlet.
System effects and fan margin
System effects is a label given to adverse conditions
at the fan inlet and outlet that can cause increased
static pressure losses. These conditions may not have
been foreseen by the fan purchaser or the fan sup-
plier. It is important to account for all system effects
and to ensure that they are included in the fan’s net
static pressure requirements. If system effects are not
fully considered, fan margins will be less than antici-
pated. System effects may include:
1. elbows located close to fan discharge,
2. insufficient duct length at the fan discharge,
3. improper inlet conditions, e.g. elbow located too
close to the fan inlet, or
4. elbows without turning vanes or splitters. Fig. 17 Forced draft centrifugal fan for a 364 MW outdoor unit.
the air side of the air heater. It is design practice to base slagging of heating surfaces, and control of NOx emis-
all calculations on 80F (27C) air temperature entering sions in oil- or gas-fired burners. They are generally
the fan. The results are then adjusted to test block speci- located at the economizer outlet to extract gas and in-
fications by the margin factors previously discussed. ject it into the furnace at locations dependent on the
Forced draft fan selection should consider the fol- intended function. These multiple purposes are also
lowing general requirements: an important consideration in properly sizing and
Reliability Boilers must operate continuously for specifying gas recirculation fans. Selection may be
long periods (up to 18 months in some instances) with- dictated by the high static pressure required for tem-
out shutdown for repairs or maintenance. Therefore, pering furnace temperatures at full load on the boiler
the fan must have a rugged rotor and housing and unit, or by the high volume requirement at partial
conservatively loaded bearings. The fan must also be loads for steam temperature control.
well balanced and the blades shaped so that they will Even though gas recirculation fans have the same
not collect dirt and disturb this balance. basic requirements as induced draft fans, there are ad-
Efficiency High efficiency over a wide range of out- ditional factors to consider, such as being subjected to
put is necessary because boilers operate under vary- large amounts of abrasive ash. The gas recirculation
ing load conditions. fan typically operates at higher gas temperatures, so in-
Stability Fan pressure should vary uniformly with termittent service may cause thermal shock or unbal-
volumetric flow rate over the capacity range. This ance. When the fan is not in service, tight shutoff damp-
facilitates boiler control and assures minimum distur- ers and sealing air must be provided to prevent the back
bance of air flow when minor adjustments to the fuel flow of hot furnace gas, and a turning gear is often used
burning equipment change the system resistance. on large fans to turn the rotor slowly to avoid distortion.
When two or more fans operate in parallel, the pres-
sure output curves should have characteristics simi- Primary air fans
lar to the radial tip or backward curved blade fans in Primary air fans on pulverized coal-fired boilers
order to share the load equally near the shutoff point. supply pulverizers with the air needed to dry the coal
Overloading It is desirable for motor driven fans to and transport it to the boiler. Cold primary air fans
have self-limiting horsepower characteristics, so that should be designed for duty similar to forced draft
the driving motor can not overload. This means that fans. Primary air fans may be located before the air
the horsepower should reach a peak and then drop heater (cold primary air system) or downstream of the
off near the full load fan output (Fig. 16). air heater (hot primary air system). The cold primary
air system has the advantage of working with a
Induced draft fan smaller volumetric flow rate for a given mass flow rate.
Units designed to operate with balanced furnace This method will pressurize the air side of the air
draft or without a forced draft fan require induced heater and encourage leakage to the gas side. The hot
draft to move the gaseous products of combustion. primary air system avoids primary air heater leakage,
The gas weight used to calculate net induced draft but requires a higher fan design temperature and
requirements is the weight of combustion product gas larger volumetric flow rate.
at maximum boiler load, plus any air leakage into the
boiler setting from the surroundings and from the air Fan maintenance
side to the gas side of the air heater. Net gas tempera- Fans require frequent inspection to detect and cor-
tures are based on the calculated unit performance at rect irregularities that might cause problems. How-
maximum load. Induced draft fan test block specifica- ever, they should also have long periods of continu-
tions of gas weight, negative static pressure and gas ous operation compared with other power plant equip-
temperature are obtained by adjusting from net values ment. This can be assured by proper lubrication and
by margins similar to those used for forced draft fans. cooling of fan shafts, couplings and bearings.
An induced draft fan has the same basic requirements A fan should be properly balanced, both statically
as a forced draft fan except that it handles higher tem- and dynamically, to assure smooth and long-term ser-
perature gas which may contain erosive ash. Excessive vice. This balance should be checked after each main-
maintenance from erosion can be avoided by protecting tenance shutdown by running the fan at full speed,
casing and blades with replaceable wear strips. Because first with no air flow and second with full air flow.
of their lower resistance to erosion, air foil blades should Fans handling gases with entrained abrasive dust
be treated with caution when considering an induced particles are subject to erosion. Abrasion resistant
draft application. Air foil blades are very susceptible to materials and liners can be used to reduce such wear.
dust erosion and, if hollow, they can fill with dust and In some cases, beads of weld metal are applied to build
cause rotor imbalance should the blade surface wear up eroded surfaces.
through. Bearings, usually water-cooled, have radiation
shields on the shaft between the rotor and bearings to Fan testing
avoid overheating. It is difficult to obtain consistent data from a field
test of fans installed in flue and duct systems because
Gas recirculation fans it is seldom possible to eliminate flow disturbances
As discussed in Chapter 19, gas recirculation fans from such things as bends, change in flow area, and
are used in various boiler arrangements for control- dampers. Structural arrangements at the fan entrance
ling steam temperature, furnace heat absorption, and discharge also materially affect field performance
results. The consistent way to verify fan performance 3. least expensive type of fan drive; a constant speed
is on a test stand. (See Fig. 18.) induction type AC motor may be used, and
4. continuous rather than a step-type control mak-
ing this method effective throughout the entire fan
Fan types operating range.
There are essentially two different kinds of fans:
The primary disadvantage of damper control is
centrifugal and axial flow. In a centrifugal fan, the
wasted power. Excess pressure energy must be dissi-
air or gas enters the impeller axially and is changed
pated by throttling. Outlet damper control (usually
by the impeller blades to flow radially at the impeller’s
with opposed blade type dampers) is inefficient and is
discharge. The impeller is typically contained in a vo-
not often used. Inlet box damper control with parallel
lute-type housing. In an axial flow fan, the air or gas
blades pre-spins the entering air or gas in the same
is accelerated parallel to the fan axis.
direction as impeller rotation, making this method
Centrifugal fans more efficient than outlet damper control.
The most economical control is accomplished with
Centrifugal fans can utilize several types of impel- variable inlet vanes (VIVs), designed for use with both
lers: airfoil, backward inclined, radial tipped, and for- dirty air and clean air. These vanes change position
ward curved. Fans with forward curved impellers are with flow and produce a more efficient pre-spin than
typically used for low-capacity applications and are sel- inlet dampers. VIVs are the most common type of flow
dom found in industrial applications. Characteristic control for constant speed fans. The relative location
traits of centrifugal fan impellers are: and types of flow control devices are shown in Fig. 19.
Airfoil This impeller is capable of attaining the high- Operating experience on forced draft, primary air
est efficiency. It has the highest specific speed (it must and induced draft fans has proven that inlet vane
run faster to develop a given pressure at a given di- control is reliable and reduces operating cost. It also
ameter). Sound levels tend to be lower than the other controls stability, controls accuracy, and minimizes
types. It is not satisfactory for high dust loads; the hysteresis. Inlet vane control (Fig. 20) regulates air
blades can not easily be made wear resistant and it is flow entering the fan and requires less horsepower
prone to dust buildup on the backs of blades. The hol- than outlet damper control at fractional loads. The
low blades have potential for water and dust ingress. inlet vanes give the air a varying degree of spin in
Tip speed limits increase with reduced tip width. the direction of wheel rotation, enabling the fan to pro-
Backward inclined duce the required head at proportionally lower power.
Curved backward inclined (CBI) offers high effi- Although vane control offers considerable savings in
ciency (although not as high as airfoil impellers). This efficiency at any reduced load, it is most effective for
design is satisfactory for dust loads and can accept moderate changes close to full load operation. The
removable wear plates. This design is prone to buildup initial cost is greater than damper control and less
on the backs of blades. It is economical to manufac- than variable speed control.
ture and sound levels are marginally lower than air-
foil impellers. Specific speed is high.
Flat backward inclined is excellent for high dust
loads and can easily accept removable wear plates.
Efficiency is lower than for a curved backward design.
It is economical to manufacture, has a high specific
speed, and is prone to dust buildup on the backs of blades.
Radial tipped This design is excellent for dust load-
ing, can accommodate removable wear plates satisfac-
torily, and has very few dust buildup problems. How-
ever, it has the lowest efficiency of the four types. This
impeller has tip speed limitations and therefore is not
suitable for very high pressure rise applications.
A further summary of these impeller types is given
in Table 5.
Control of centrifugal fan output
Very few applications permit fans to always operate
at the same pressure and volume discharge rate. There-
fore, to meet requirements of the system, some means of
varying the fan output are required such as damper
control, inlet vane control, and variable speed control.
Damper control introduces sufficient variable resis-
tance in the system to alter the fan output as required.
The advantages are:
1. lowest initial capital cost of all control types,
2. ease of operation or adaptation to automatic control, Fig. 18 Full-scale testing of variable-pitch axial flow fan.
25-16
Centrifugal Fans3
Performance
Type Impeller Design Housing Design Performance Curves Characteristics Applications
Scroll-type, usually designed
Highest efficiency of all to permit efficient conversion Highest efficiencies occur
centrifugal fan designs. 9 to 16 of velocity pressure to static 50 to 65% of wide open
blades of airfoil contour curved pressure, thus permitting a 10 volume. This is also the
high static efficiency; SP General heating,
away from the direction of 8 10 area of good pressure
essential that clearance and ventilating and air-
rotation. Air leaves the 6 ME 8 characteristics; the
alignment between wheel conditioning systems.
impeller at a velocity less than 6 horsepower curve reaches
and inlet bell be very close 4 HP Used in large sizes for
its tip speed and relatively 4 a maximum near the
Efficiency
to reach the maximum 2 clean air industrial
Pressure - HP
deep blades provide for 2
Airfoil
peak efficiency area and applications where power
efficient expansion within the efficiency capability. 0 0 becomes lower toward
Concentric housings can also 0 2 4 6 8 10 savings are significant.
blade passages. For given duty, free delivery, a self-
be used as in power roof Volume Flow Rate
this will be the highest speed of limiting power
the centrifugal fan designs. ventilators, because there is characteristic as shown.
efficient pressure conversion
in the wheel.
Same heating,
Efficiency is only slightly less 10 Operating characteristics
SP ventilating, and air-
than that of airfoil fans. of this fan are similar to
8 10 conditioning applications
Backward-inclined or the airfoil fan mentioned
Utilizes the same housing 6 ME 8 as the airfoil fan. Also
backward-curved blades are above. Peak efficiency for
configuration as the airfoil 6 used in some industrial
single thickness. 9 to 16 blades 4 HP
this fan is slightly lower
4 applications where the
Efficiency
Pressure - HP
2 than the airfoil fan. airfoil blade is not
the direction of rotation. 0 0 Normally unstable left of acceptable because of
Efficient for the same reasons 0 2 4 6 8 10 peak pressure. corrosive and/or erosive
given for the airfoil fan above. Volume Flow Rate
environment.
Backward-Curved
Backward-Inclined
Used primarily for
material handling
Simplest of all centrifugal fans Scroll-type, usually the applications in industrial
10
and least efficient. Has high narrowest design of all plants. Wheel can be of
mechanical strength and the centrifugal fan designs 8 SP 10 Higher pressure rugged construction and
The Babcock & Wilcox Company
wheel is easily repaired. For a described here because of 6 ME 8 characteristics than the is simple to repair in the
given point of rating, this fan required high velocity 4 6
above mentioned fans. field. Wheel is sometimes
4
Efficiency
requires medium speed. This discharge. Dimensional HP Power rises continually to coated with special
2
Pressure - HP
requirements of this 2
Radial
classification includes radial free delivery. material. This design also
blades and modified radial housing are more critical 0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 used for high pressure
blades, usually 6 to 10 in than for airfoil and Volume Flow Rate industrial requirements.
number. backward-inclined blades. Not commonly found in
HVAC applications.
HP
than wheel. Tip speed and 2 open volume. Fan should be units, and packaged air-
Pressure - HP
Forward-Curved
wheel is the smallest of all delivery and this must be top units.
centrifugal types and operates taken into account when
at lowest speed. motor is selected.
Inlet Box Damper- Inlet Box Damper- Inlet Box Evase arrangements in sizes above 50 hp (37 kW). A steam
Opposed Blades Parallel Blades
turbine may be more economical than the electric
motor drive in plants where exhaust steam is needed
for process, or on large utility units using the extrac-
tion steam for feedwater heating.
Two-speed motor drives can be a reasonable alter-
native because initial cost is more attractive when
compared to the variable speed alternatives. Advan-
tages offered by a two-speed motor drive over a single
speed drive are:
1. sound level is lower at maximum continuous rat-
ing (MCR),
2. the rate of wear on impeller and other fan compo-
nents is substantially reduced,
3. bearing life is increased,
4. impeller stresses are reduced and fatigue life is
extended, and
Cylindrical
Outlet Damper-
Horizontal
5. power consumption at net and reduced load con-
Type Fan-
Variable Inlet
Opposed Blades ditions is reduced.
Vanes Outlet Damper-
Horizontal Disadvantages of the two-speed motor drives are:
Cone Parallel Blades
Type Fan-
Variable Inlet
1. larger fans have higher initial cost,
Vanes Outlet Damper- 2. higher motor cost,
Vertical Opposed Blades
3. plant operators are sometimes uncomfortable with
Outlet Damper- shifting to alternate speeds,
Vertical Parallel Blades 4. if reserve margins on flow and pressure at net con-
Fig. 19 Centrifugal fan flow control devices.3 ditions are not sufficient, the fan may shift to high
speed too often or at too low an operating load; an-
ticipated power savings at high boiler loads may
Electric motors are normally used for fan drives not be realized, and
because they are less expensive and more efficient 5. if reserve margins at the low speed are too high,
than other types of drives. For fans of more than a power savings at the normal operating condition
few horsepower, squirrel cage induction motors pre- are not enough to offset the increased initial cost
dominate. This type of motor is relatively inexpensive, of the two-speed system.
reliable, and highly efficient over a wide load range.
It is frequently used in large sizes and can be used Fan curves for a unit set for both high and low speed
with a magnetic or hydraulic coupling for variable operation are shown in Fig. 21.
speed installations. Axial flow fans
Variable speed motors are attractive because they
reduce shaft speed (saving operating power) at re- In an axial flow fan, the impeller is predominantly
duced flow rates. However, variable speed motors re- parallel to the axis of rotation. The impeller is con-
quire a higher initial cost which may not be offset by tained in a cylindrical housing. Axial fans for indus-
the lower power requirements at reduced fan load
conditions. Speed control also results in some loss in
motor efficiency because no variable speed driver
works as efficiently throughout the entire fan load
range as a direct connected, constant speed AC mo-
tor. The efficiency loss depends upon the type of speed
variation equipment being used.
Variable speed control for centrifugal fans can be
achieved by use of hydraulic couplings, variable speed
DC motors, two-speed motors, and variable speed
steam turbines. Hydraulic coupling losses can become
quite severe at low loads, to where a thorough evalu-
ation of power savings over the boiler operating load
range does not produce enough monetary savings in
power consumption to justify the high initial cost.
For some variable speed installations, particularly
in the smaller sizes, wound rotor (slip-ring) induction
motors are used. If a DC motor is required, the com-
pound type is usually selected. The steam turbine drive
costs more than a squirrel cage motor, but is less ex-
pensive than any of the variable speed electric motor Fig. 20 Inlet vane control.
82%
36 clude:
32
71%
15 1. The areas of constant efficiency run parallel to the
28
66%
0
boiler resistance line resulting in high efficiency
51% 61% MCR @ 890 RPM over a wide boiler load range.
24
40% -20 2. There is also a large control range above, as well
20
as below, the area of maximum efficiency permit-
16 30% ting the fan to be designed for net boiler condi-
12
20% -40 tions, while the test block point remains within the
8 control range.
10% -60
4 3. The lines of constant blade angle are actually in-
-70
0
-89 -80 dividual fan curves for a given blade setting. Be-
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 cause the curves are very steep, a change in re-
Volume Flow (1000 ACFM) sistance produces very little volume change.
(a) High Speed Operation 4. As the blade angle is adjusted from minimum to
33
maximum position, the flow change is nearly lin-
84% 85% ear, as shown in Fig. 24.
30 MCR @ 710 RPM
These last two characteristics provide stable fan and
27 boiler control.
Static Pressure Rise (in. wg)
24
Parallel operation
21
51% 66% 82% Variable pitch axial flow fans can be operated in
18
61% 71% 77% parallel provided care is taken to avoid operating ei-
15 ther fan in the stall area discussed below. With two
40%
fans in operation, the resistance line for one fan is
12
30% influenced by the other fan as well as by the boiler
9 20% conditions. Two fans together will develop the pres-
-40
6 9%
sure required to overcome the boiler resistance, but in-
-80 -70 -60 dividual volume flows need not be equal. However, to
3
-89 obtain the most efficient fan operation and to avoid op-
0
0 80 160 240 320 400 480 560
eration in a range close to the stall line, it is best to keep
Volume Flow (1000 ACFM) both fans operating in parallel in their design condition.
(b) Low Speed Operation The suggested control logic for starting, stopping
Fig. 21 Fan curves for high and low speed operation.
and supervising the operation of variable pitch axial
flow forced draft and induced draft fans is very simi-
lar to that of centrifugal fans. An additional require-
ment of the logic is to prevent damage to the fan while
trial use are normally of the vane axial type, mean-
ing they have either inlet or discharge guide vanes,
or both. There are three types of vane axial fans:
1. Fixed pitch: Impeller blades are permanently se-
cured at a given angle on the impeller hub.
2. Adjustable pitch: Impeller blade angle can by me-
chanically altered when the impeller is at a stand-
still.
3. Variable pitch: Impeller blade angle can be me-
chanically or hydraulically altered while the im-
peller is rotating.
Variable pitch axial flow fans used in fossil power
generating systems can be more energy efficient than
equivalent centrifugal type fans. Fig. 22 compares the
power consumption of the primary air, forced draft and
induced draft fans for a typical 500 MW coal-fired unit
using variable pitch axial flow fans with the same unit
using backward curved, inlet vane controlled centrifu-
gal fans. At 100% unit load, auxiliary power savings us-
ing a variable pitch axial flow fan will be 4000 kW, or
about 7% of the total auxiliary power consumption. Fig. 22 Power savings.
2. Broad band noise is produced by high velocity will become plugged with flyash. In this instance, a reso-
fluid rushing through the fan housing and, as the nant-type discharge silencer with a self-cleaning design
name implies, covers a wide frequency range. must be used. Typical noise attenuation devices are
From the outside, the apparent source of both types shown in Fig. 30.
of fan noise is the fan housing. The sound travels out
of the inlet box opening, through the discharge
ductwork and through the casing of the fan. All three
Condensing attemperator system
areas must be acoustically analyzed and individually Superheater spray water attemperation is the pri-
treated to achieve an acceptable installation. Fig. 29 mary method of steam temperature control on most
illustrates noise distribution characteristics around a boilers. This spray water is introduced between stages
fan. of the superheater or, in some cases, immediately
Inlet sound levels from forced draft and primary air downstream of the superheater outlet. If feedwater is
fans are most commonly controlled by the installation used as the source for this attemperation, it must have
of an absorption-type silencer. Fan casing noise can very low solids content in order to avoid introducing
usually be effectively controlled by the use of mineral potentially damaging deposits in the superheater or
wool insulation and acoustic lagging. Fan discharge in the turbine.
noise, however, requires a more detailed evaluation Many industrial plants do not have the water treat-
to determine the most cost-effective method of control. ment facilities capable of meeting the low solids feedwater
For forced draft and primary air fans, insulating the requirements for spray attemperation. If feedwater
outlet ducts or installing an absorption-type discharge quality does not meet the solids criteria established for
silencer can be effective. For induced draft fans, instal- spray water, a condensing attemperator system can be
lation of thermal insulation and lagging on the outlet used to provide a low solids spray water source.
flues will generally be sufficient. For situations where A schematic diagram of a typical condensing
stack outlet noise must be reduced, an absorption-type attemperation system is shown in Fig. 31. The system
discharge silencer can be used. However, this will not typically consists of a condensing heat exchanger (con-
work on coal-fired units as the sound absorbing panels denser), spray water flow control valve, spray water
Sound
Radiated
Into Inlet
Ductwork
Sound
Radiated
Through
Flexible
Connections Transition
Sound
Sound Radiated
Radiated Outlet
Into Outlet Duct
From Ductwork
Casing
Structurally Sound
Transmitted Radiated
Sound Energy From Drive Train
Silencer Silencer
Fig. 28 Selected centrifugal and axial flow fan characteristic curves.
Transition
attemperator and occasionally, a condensate storage
tank and a condensate pump. The basic design phi-
losophy of this system is that saturated steam from the Forced Draft Fans
In Acoustical
boiler steam drum is routed to the shell side of a verti- Enclosure
cal condenser, where it is condensed and subcooled. This Inlet Box Diffuser
condensate then flows through the spray water piping Axial Forced Draft Transition
and control valve to an interstage attemperator or to a Fan With Inlet Box
Silencers Inlet Box
terminal attemperator.
Centrifugal
Most condensing attemperation systems are driven Forced Draft Fan
by the pressure differential between the drum and the Possible Locations With Inlet Box
point in the steam path where the spray water is in- Absorptive Silencing Silencers
troduced. Condensers are normally located above the
steam drum in order to increase the hydrostatic head
available to the attemperator. If the available pres-
sure differential is not sufficient to overcome the sys-
tem resistance developed at the design spray water
flow, then a condensate pump must be used. In order
to avoid the need for a condensate pump, system re-
sistance losses are usually minimized by using a low
pressure drop attemperator if system spray character- Centrifugal Fans Axial Fans
istics over the boiler operating range permit its use. Fig. 30 Fan noise attenuation devices.4