BOILER ECONOMIZER

Acknowledgment
Primarily, we would like to give quite Glory to God who kept me to finish my Internship. Next,
we would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor Mr.Mengestu for his valuable
guidance, advice and comments throughout my work. Finally, an honorable mention goes
to the technical manager Eng. Mersha and utility staff of the factory specially Mr. Brihanu, Mr.
Tewodros and Mr. Ephrem and my friends for their support on my work .

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Abstract
Economizer is a mechanical device which is used as a heat exchanger by preheating a fluid to
reduce energy consumption. In a steam boiler, it is a heat ex-changer device that heats up fluids
or recovers residual heat from the combustion product i.e. flue gases in thermal power plant
before being released through the chimney. The residual and unnecessary particle extracted from
the overall production of the company affect the environment around it. So BGI PLC collects
this wastage particle and changes it. Although this renewable energy has a great role in reduction
of fuel consumption, it rejected in to the environment. The exhaust flue gas from the boiler and
biogas from the biogas digester respectively is released to the environment. This consists of
greater amount of energy that is lost to the environment. The removed flu gas and biogas can
increase the temperature of water before inter to the boiler in economizer. This energy increases
the boiler efficiency and decrease the amount of fuel consumption in the boiler. Our project
concern design of economizer use exhaust biogas as energy source. This biogas reduces the fuel
consumption; as a result, the company increase its productivity.

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Contents
Acknowledgment.....................................................................................................................................1
Abstract...................................................................................................................................................2
List of figures......................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1................................................................................................................................................5
1.1. Introduction......................................................................................................................................5
1.1.1. Background................................................................................................................................5
1.1.2 Introduction................................................................................................................................6
1.1.3 Problem statement......................................................................................................................7
1.2 Objective...........................................................................................................................................7
1.2.1 General objective........................................................................................................................7
1.2.2 Specific objective........................................................................................................................7
1.3 Scope of the project...........................................................................................................................7
Chapter 2.....................................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Literature review................................................................................................................................8
Chapter 3...................................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Methodology....................................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER 4..............................................................................................................................................11
4.1 Design process.................................................................................................................................11
4.1.2 Energy balance..........................................................................................................................11
4.1.3 Working Principle.....................................................................................................................13
4.1.4 Design of Economizer..............................................................................................................14
CHAPTER 5..............................................................................................................................................20
5.1 Discussion of the results..................................................................................................................20
CHAPTER 6..............................................................................................................................................22
6.1Conclusion and recommendation......................................................................................................22
6.1.1 Conclusion................................................................................................................................22
6.1.2 Recommendation......................................................................................................................23
6.1.3 Reference..................................................................................................................................24

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List of figures
Figure 1.Method of work flow…………………………………………………………….10

Figure 2 Working principle diagram ………………………………………………………13

Figure 3 Shell and tube heat exchanger……………………………………………………14

Figure 4 Tube section ……………………………………..................................................15

CHAPTER 1

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1.1. Introduction
1.1.1. Background
Ethiopian BGI PLC is the leading brewery in Ethiopia with a leading share of the domestic beer
market. BGI Ethiopia PLC has four different locations factories; Addis Ababa, Kombolcha,
Hawassa, including Castel Winery at Zeway site. Basically Ethiopian BGI PLC has four plants.
These are utility, brewing, filtration, and bottling plant.

In utility plant, boiler is the basic equipment that converts the chemical energy in fuel into the
heat energy in steam, or the heat energy of hot gases into the heat energy of steam when no firing
is involved. The main function of a boiler is to heat water for steam generation. Steam produced
can be used for a variety of purposes including space heating, sterilization, drying,
humidification and power generation. Accessories and mountings are devices, which form an
integral part of a boiler but are not mounted on it. They include economizers, super heaters, feed
pumps and air pre-heaters. Accessories help in controlling and running the boiler efficiently.
Although economizer and air pre heater are the accessory parts of boiler that increase its
efficiency, the company has not used at the moment. Economizer is widely used equipment in
various industries such as power generation, petroleum refining, chemicals paper, refrigeration
and also in HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning). According to a market survey
conducted in Europe, economizers are used in about 42% of the power plants. It also used for the
heat exchange process in Nuclear Industry as well. Hence there arises a need for analysis of
Economizer.

The exhaust flue gas from the boiler and biogas from the biogas digester respectively is released
to the environment. This consists of greater amount of energy that is lost to the environment. The
removed flu gas and biogas can increase the temperature of water before inter to the boiler in
economizer and increase the temperature of air in the air pre heater before mix to the fuel inside
the burner of the economizer. This energy increases the boiler efficiency and decrease the
amount of fuel consumption in the boiler.

1.1.2 Introduction

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The efficiency of industrial boiler is increase by using economizer and air pre heater. An
economizer is a mechanical device which is used as a heat exchanger by preheating a fluid to
reduce energy consumption. In a steam boiler, it is a heat ex-changer device that heats up fluids
or recovers residual heat from the combustion product i.e. flue gases in thermal power plant
before being released through the chimney. Flue gases are the combustion exhaust gases
produced at power plants consist of mostly nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, soot carbon
monoxide etc. These gases have lower level of thermal energy within them which is trapped by
economizer. Hence economizer acts as an external heat transfer device where heat transfer takes
place from flue gases to the boiler feed water. This action preheats the boiler feed water; there by
reducing the amount of fuel required to convert the boiler feed water into steam. The boiler feed
water is converted into steam after absorbing the heat from combustion of fossil fuel.
Combustion of fossil fuels gives flue gases as by products. By recovering the energy from the
flue gas before it is exhausted to the atmosphere this performs a key function in providing high
overall boiler thermal efficiency. This action of economizer helps in economic production of
power in power plants. It reduces the operating costs of power plant. Because of this reason we
should not allow the heat to go out as waste in the flue gases. One of the ways to conserve the
heat energy which is going out as waste in the exhaust gasses is to extract the heat and transfer it
to a boiler feed water and air pre heater.

1.1.3 Problem statement

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Available boiler economizer is used exhaust flue gas. These flue gas have limited amount of
energy. To compensate this energy, Ethiopian bottling company used some percent of steam
generated from boiler to increase the water temperature. This processes decrease the amount of
steam generated from boiler.

The purpose of this project is to encounter these problems. Instead of using the generated steam
to increase the temperature of water, we propose to use the biogas generated in the company to
increase the temperature of the feed water. so we try to design economizer that use biogas as
energy source.

1.2 Objective
1.2.1 General objective

 The general objective of this project is to design an economizer that uses exhaust biogas
as energy source.

1.2.2 Specific objective

 To increase the efficiency of boiler by increasing the temperature of boiler feed water.

 To increase the amount of steam production.

 To decrease boiler fuel consumption.

 To minimize the production time

1.3 Scope of the project

The scope of the project is limited to easy solid work model of the economizer.

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CHAPTER 2
2.1 Literature review
A.N. Aziz, P. Siregar, Y.Y. Nazaruddin, and Y. Bindar work on “Improving the Performance of
Temperature Model of Economizer Using Bond Graph and Genetic Algorithm”. The
mathematical model of economizer, based on physical laws is derived using bond graph
methodology. Pseudo multi-energy bond graph, which employs mass flow-rate and enthalpy
flowrate as flow variables, as well as pressure and temperature as effort variables, is used in
achieving that. Overall heat transfer coefficient of economizer is obtained by using logarithmic
temperature mean difference between flue gas and boiler feed water. A modification of overall
heat transfer coefficient in the form of parameterized polynomial is also done by using the help
of genetic algorithm technique. A step simulation of the model at maximum, continuous, and
minimum boiler operating condition demonstrates, that model’s performance has been improved.

Krunal P. Mudafale & Hemant S. Farkade work on “CFD analysis of economizer in a tangential
fired boiler”. In this a simulation of the economizer zone, which allows for the condition of the
shell-side flow and tube-side and tube-wall, thermal fields, and of the shell-tube heat exchange.
As per their observation maximum number of cause of failure in economizer unit is due to flue
gas erosion. The past failure details revels that erosion is more in U-bend areas of Economizer
Unit because of increase in flue gas velocity near these bends. But it is observed that the velocity
of flue gases surprisingly increases near the lower bends as compared to upper ones. The model
is solved using conventional CFD techniques by STAR- CCM+ software. The Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach is utilized for the creation of a three-dimensional model of the
economizer coil.

A.D.Patil, P.R.Baviskar, M.J.Sable, S.B.Barve work on “To optimize economizer design for
better performance” This paper focuses on optimization of economizer design with finned &
bare tube economizer. The aim of this work is to develop methodology which finds optimization
of economizer design.CFD analysis is used to compare the new economizer design with
traditional strategies

A.D.Patil, P.R.Baviskar, M.J.Sable, S.B.Barve work on “Optimization of Economizer Design

for the Enhancement of Heat Transfer Coefficient”. This paper presents an approach for the
optimization of economizer design. The aim of this work is to develop methodology which finds
optimization of economizer design. CFD analysis is used to compare the new economizer design
with traditional strategies. The most economical solution of this problem seems to distribute gas
flow uniformly at inlet of economizer by using vanes. In the present work commercial software
Fluent is used for the 3D simulation using its inbuilt K- Ԑ Reliable model. Optimization of
economizer is done for effective heat transfer with reducing number of tubes required. In the
present work commercial software Fluent is used for the 3D simulation using its inbuilt K- Ԑ
Reliable model. Optimization of economizer is done for effective heat transfer with reducing
number of tubes required.

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TSUNG-FENG WU work on “failure analysis for economizer tube of the waste heat”. This
paper is about failure analysis of the leakage of the economizer tube of the waste heat boiler in
the energy factory. The results show that although the material and mechanical properties of the
failed tube, were inferior to those of the new one, most of them were still satisfactory to the
criterion requirement it is clear that the crack initiated in the outer surface and propagated toward
the inner surface of the tube and the crack was identified to be rectangular in shape.

Nandgaonkar, Dr. S. N. Sapali. Work on “effect of arreasters on erosion in economizer zone and
its analysis”. The authors in this paper have attempted to suggest a probable solution for
reduction of erosion in economizer zone and its analysis using CFD tool. In this paper the
authors have submitted the findings of analysis of finned tube economizer with Arresters at
different inclinations. A steady 3D CFD tool is used for analysis and flow of the flue gases over
the coils has been observed. The effect of provision of arresters on the surface temperature, the
flue gas temperature, pressure and velocity field of fluid flow within an economizer tube using
the actual boundary conditions have been analyzed using CFD tool. The optimum dimensions of
arrester and feasible inclination is recommended as a result of the study. The authors have
analyzed the performance and tried to comment on this issue too.

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CHAPTER 3
3.1 Methodology
In order to achieve the main objective of this project the following methods are being followed.

o The first technique used to collect ideas is through observation .in the company every day
there is continuous removal of burned biogas without any task.
o Then I tried to collect possible information’s and asking for what purpose can I use this
wasting biogas. Finally I decide to use this biogas as flue gas for the boiler preheater or
economizer after this I follow the process below.

Select the suitable heat exchanging design

Identify the heat balance

Design process

Flow design Part design

Shell design Design of bundle

Design of tubes

Simple simulation of the design

Figure 1.method of work flow

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CHAPTER 4
4.1 Design process
4.1.2 Energy balance
Assumption

 No heat loss by conduction, radiation and convection

Energy absorbed by water = Energy loss by bio- gas

Estimation of Heating Values of bio-gas

CH4 +X (O2 +3.76 N2 ) A CO2 + BH2O + CN2

Balancing the above combustion of methane

Reactant product

C=1 C=A=1

H=4 H=2B,B=2

O=2X O=2A+B

2X=2A+B
2X=2+2

X=2

N=X*2*3.67 N=2C

7.34*X=2C

C=7.34*2/2

C=7.34

Then balanced chemical equation become

CH4 +2 (O2 +3.76 N2 )  CO2 + 2H2O + 7.34N2

Enthalpies

CH : -4.667 MJ/kg; O : 0.0; N : 0.0

4 2 2
CO : -8.942 MJ/kg; H O : -13.423 MJ/kg (Gas) / -15.866 MJ/kg (Liquid)
2 2

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(i) Net Calorific Value

NCV = - (H –H )/mass of CH
products reactants 4

= - [{-8.94244 + -13.423218} – {-4.66716}]/16 = 50.125 MJ/kg

(ii)Gross Calorific Value

GCV = - (H –H )/mass of CH
products reactants 4

= - [{-8.94244 + -15.866218} – {-4.66716}]/16 = 55.622 MJ/kg

Note: NCV = GCV – (M /M )h = 55.622 –

water methane fg
(36/16)2.443 = 50.125 MJ/kg.
From given data mass flow rate of bio- gas =100Kg/hr

Then heating vale of bio gas =50.125MJ/Kg*100kg/hr

Q=5012.5MJ/hr

Energy loss by bio-gas =energy absorbed by water

Q=MxCpx(Tf-To)………………………………………………….eqn(1)

Where

M=mass flow rate of water per hour=4000kg/hr, from data

Cp=specific heat capacity of water=4.2KJ/kg.K

Tf=temperature of water out from economizer

To=temperature of water in to economizer=30c0

Then the temperature of water out from economizer (Tf)

Tf = Q/(MxCp)+To

=5012.125MJ/16800KJ+30=55.3CO

 We conclude from this, by using biogas as fuel we can increase the temperature of water
by 25C0.

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4.1.3 Working Principle

This pre
Economizer Finally the boiler receives
heated water
Exhaust starts to run well heated water & can
enters in to the
biogas burns produce steam easily
T◦ water= Condensate
55.3◦c water tank

The Output
temperature of Steam used
STEAM
the steam to cook food
decreases & & for d/t
change to water tasks

Figure 2.working principle diagram

The working principle of this heat exchanging device called economizer that uses the exhaust
biogas as a flue gas is

 First there is a biogas resource from the breathing of microorganisms that burns and
removed continuously to the environment without any use.
 Then by transporting this biogas through pipe and burn to boil the water from 30◦c up to
T=55.3◦c and more.
 Then mix the boiled water in to the condensate water tank having a temperature of (70◦c-
80◦c)
 The temperature of water in the condensate water tank becomes ∆T =( 75◦c + 55◦c)/2 =
65◦c
 Finally 65◦c water enters in to the boiler so that it requires less energy to change in to
steam.

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4.1.4 Design of Economizer

The first thing to design the economizer is selecting the type of heat exchanger.so that compares
different designs and selects the best design.

Criterion
1) The exhaust bio gas and the water must not be mixed.
2) Easy to construct.
3) Heat exchanging must be between the metal surface and the water (through conduction)
4) The design that maintain output temperature of Tf=55.3◦c and above

Due to this reasons shell and tube heat exchanger is preferable.

shell and tube heat exchanger is used to pass the exhaust bio gas either through the tubes or the
sell and the feed water either through the shell or the tubes without contact.

Figure 3.Shell and tube heat exchanger

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Shell-and-tube heat exchangers contain a large number of tubes (sometimes several hundred)
packed in a shell with their axes parallel to that of the shell. Heat transfer takes place as one fluid
flows inside the tubes while the other fluid flows outside the tubes through the shell.

Baffles are commonly placed in the shell to force the shell-side fluid to flow across the shell to
enhance heat transfer and to maintain uniform spacing between the tubes.

Figure 4. Tube section

Q: energy absorbed
A: surface area
U: overall heat transfer coefficient (30-100 W/m2 °C)

A=Q/(Ux∆TM), U=0.09KJ/m2c0

=1392.2KJ/(0.09x25) =618m2

Tube length

The preferred lengths of tubes for heat exchangers are: 6 ft. (1.83 m), 8 ft (2.44 m), 12 ft (3.66
m), 16 ft (4.88 m) 20 ft (6.10 m), 24 ft (7.32 m). For a given surface area, the use of longer tubes
will reduce the shell diameter; which will generally result in a lower cost exchanger, particularly
for high shell pressures. The optimum tube length to shell diameter will usually fall within the
range of 5 to 10.

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Shell diameter

The British standard BS 3274 covers exchangers from 6 in. (150 mm) to 42 in.
(1067 mm) diameter.

The shell diameter must be selected to give as close a fit to the tube bundle as is
practical; to reduce bypassing round the outside of the bundle.

 For our design of economizer take diameter of shell=900mm.

 Tube length to shell diameter=10

Then the length of tube =10x0.9

= 9m

Area of one tube

Tube diameters in the range 5/ 8 in. (16 mm) to 2 in. (50 mm) are used. The smaller diameters 5/
8 to 1 in. (16 to 25 mm) are preferred for most duties, as they will give more compact, and
therefore cheaper, exchangers. Larger tubes are easier to clean by mechanical methods and
would be selected for heavily fouling fluids.

From the above table:

DO =20mm, thickness=2.6mm,di=15mm

Area =∏xDOxL

=3.14x0.02x9

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=0.566m2

Number of tube

Passes, as spaces must be left in the pattern of tubes on the tube sheet to accommodate the pass
partition plates.

For our design square arrangement of 1 shell 2 tube pass, from the above table

K1= 0.156, N1 =2.291

Db=0.02(1090/0.156)^(1/2.291)=840mm

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 Tube arrangement and Tube pitch

Tp=1.25xDo

=0.025m

 Tube arrangement and Tube pitch

Tm=Db/Tp

=840/25=33.6=34

 Tube cross section area

∏ Di 2
A= =3.14x (0.015)2/4
4

=0.000178m2

Number oftube
 Tube per pass= total number of pass

=1090/2

=545

 Total flow area=Number of tube per pass x Total area inside tube

=545x0.000178m2

=0.0975 m2

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Shell diameter:

Figure 4 bundle diameter graph

Given that the economizer is a u-tube with a shell bundle diameter of 0.84 m, the bundle
diametrical clearance is read on the Figure 12.10 of Richardson and Coulson and is found to be
17 mm.

i.e, Ds= bundle diameter +shell-bundle clearance =0.857m

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CHAPTER 5
5.1 Discussion of the results
T1= Temperature of water entering in to the economizer

T2= Temperature of water leaving from the economizer

T3= Temperature to change water in to steam

T4= Temperature of condensate water supply to condensate tanker

T1= 30°c

T2= 55.3°c

T3= 100°c

T4= from 70◦c to 80◦c take 75◦c

Before using economizer the condensate tanker temperature of water =( 30◦c + 75◦c)/2 = 52.5◦c
After using the economizer the condensate tanker temperature of water =(55.3◦c + 75◦c)/2 =
65.15◦c

 Before using this economizer the temperature of the water entering to the boiler is 52.5°c,
so that in order to achieve 100°c the water must receive 47.5°c from the tubes surface.

∆T1 = 100◦c-52.5◦c=47.5◦c

 But in this project the main target is to increase the feed water temperature in to the boiler
and to minimize the time required to change the water in to steam, so that after using this
economizer the temperature of water entering in to the boiler becomes 65.15◦c.then in
order to achieve 100◦c the water receives only 34.85◦c from the tubes surface

∆T2 = 100◦c-65.15◦c= 34.85◦c

Before and after the project ∆T of the water entering in to the boiler is

∆T = T2 - T1

∆T = 65.15◦c – 52.5◦c = 12.65◦c

 In the company there are 3 boilers with production capacity of

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B1 = 5000 kg/hr.

B2 = 5000 kg/hr.

B3 = 6500 kg/hr.

Then calculate the production capacity change after using this project

Take B2

 Before the use of the economizer B2 production is 5000 kg/hr and the water receives
47.5◦c/hr.
 But after the use of the economizer the water receives 34.5 ◦c/hr.

47.5◦c = 1 hr

34.5◦c = A?

Then 47.5 × A = 1 × 34.5, A = 0.73 hr

 So within 0.73 hr (43.8 min) B2 can produce 5000 kg/hr

1hr = 60 min, T = 60 min – 43.8 min = 16.2 min

43.8 min = 5000 kg/hr

16.2 min = B?

Then 16.2 × 5000 = B × 43.8

 Within 16.2 min B2 can also produce = 1850 kg/hr

Finally the steam production capacity of B2 with in 1hr becomes the addition of 43.8 min
production and 16.2 min production

New capacity of B2 = Production capacity in 43.8 min + Production capacity in 16.2 min

N.C of B2 = 5000 kg/hr + 1850 kg/hr

= 6850 kg/hr

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CHAPTER 6
6.1Conclusion and recommendation
6.1.1 Conclusion
From our project we conclude that by using the biogas generated from the company, we can rise
the temperature of water by 25oc.To increase this temperature in some companies use steam
generated from the boiler. Using generated steam has its own draw back on time and resource.
To overcome this problem, using biogas for economizer is very crucial.

So that,

o I can decrease the time of production from 1hr to 38.4 min to change 5000 kg water in to
steam.
o I can increase the production from 5000 kg/hr to 7812.5 kg/hr
o I can minimize the power usage
o I can minimize the fuel consumption

Among such we intern student design smart project will justify BGI satisfaction by reducing
those problem. If this project will come to practical work Company saved around millions cost
per year and extend life time of machines.

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6.1.2 Recommendation
1. To maximizing and increase the products of the company it is better designing
economizer that use exhaust bio -gas as a fuel.

2. By adding more accessory parts, anyone interested can extended the project.

3. Can increase the temperature of feed water to the boiler by using two economizer or by
increasing the size of the economizer.

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6.1.3 Reference
1. Coulson, chemical engineering volume 6, 4th edition
2. Yunus A.Cengel, Heat Transfer, McGraw hill, USA, Second Edition Lhi, 2005

3. R.S Khurmi and J.K Gupta, Machine Design Books, Ram Nagar, New De

4. Richard and J.Keith, Shigleys mechanical engineering design books, 9th edition

pg. 24