EIM5032

COGENERATION AND
SITE UTILITY SYSTEMS

STEAM & POWER

BALANCES

Steam & power balances_NER

 Steam and Power Balances

Provides

Link between the process utility requirements

and utility supply

Steam & power balances_NER

Steam system

Steam & power balances_NER

 Objectives

• To determine fuel consumption in boilers

• To size the boiler

• To determine the steam turbine flows

• To assess import power requirements

• To assess export power potential

• To size let-down valves and deaerator

• To determine steam flows in various parts of the system

• To determine boiler feedwater requirements

Steam & power balances_NER
 Data requirements

• Steam levels

• Process heat duties and steam consumption

• Process steam generation

• Steam generation in boilers

• Condensate return flows

• Estimate of losses in the system

• Steam turbine data

Steam & power balances_NER

Steam and power balance
construction

A simple example

Steam & power balances_NER

STEP 1: Define steam header conditions

P = 40 bar
T = 350 °C
H = 3094 kJ/kg

P = 4 bar
T = 150 °C
H = 2753 kJ/kg

Steam & power balances_NER

STEP 2: Specify process steam
generation and use

Process
P = 40 bar
5 t/h T = 350 °C
H = 3094 kJ/kg
15 t/h

Process

Process
10 t/h P = 4 bar
T = 150 °C
20 t/h H = 2753 kJ/kg

Process

Steam & power balances_NER

STEP 3: Estimate deaeration steam

Utility Blowdown
Boilers
Blowdown
Process
5 t/h ? P = 40 bar
T = 350˚C
15 t/h
h = 3094 kJ/kg
Blowdown Process
Process ?

10 t/h P = 4 bar
20 t/h T = 150˚C
? Vent h = 2753 kJ/kg
Process
h = 2683 kJ/kg
Deaerator
? Condensate Return 70%
h = 439 kJ/kg
T = 80oC
Treated Water h = 336 kJ/kg
T = 25oC
h = 105 kJ/kg
Steam & power balances_NER
 STEP 3: Estimate deaeration steam

Utility Blowdown
Assume: Boilers
Blowdown
Process
• Flow to 25 t/h P = 40 bar
5 t/h
T = 350˚C
deaerator is 15 t/h h = 3094 kJ/kg
5 t/h Blowdown Process
Process 15 t/h
• Blowdown 10 t/h P = 4 bar
rate is 5%
0.3 t/h 20 t/h T = 150˚C
5 t/h Vent Process h = 2753 kJ/kg
• 5% of the h = 2683 kJ/kg
deaeration Deaerator
28 t/h
steam is
42 t/h Condensate Return
vented 70%
h = 439 kJ/kg 9.3 t/h
Treated Water T = 80oC
T = 25oC h = 336 kJ/kg
h = 105 kJ/kg
Steam & power balances_NER
STEP 3: Estimate deaeration steam

Utility Blowdown
Blowdown Boilers
Process
25 t/h P = 40 bar
5 t/h
T = 350˚C
15 t/h h = 3094 kJ/kg
Blowdown Process
Process 15 t/h
10 t/h P = 4 bar
0.3 t/h 20 t/h T = 150˚C
5 t/h Vent Process h = 2753 kJ/kg
h = 2683 kJ/kg
Deaerator
28 t/h
42 t/h Condensate Return
9.3 t/h 70%
h = 439 kJ/kg
Treated Water T = 80oC
T = 25oC h = 336 kJ/kg
h = 105 kJ/kg

BUT!! Is the assumption of deaeration steam correct?

Check by doing mass and energy
Steam balance around the deaerator
& power balances_NER
STEP 4: Calculate deaeration steam from
deaerator balance

m1 Vent 5%
m2
m3 h = 2683 kJ/kg
T = 105oC Deaerator
h = 439 kJ/kg
m4 m5
Treated Water Condensate Return
T = 25oC 70%
h = 105 kJ/kg T = 80oC
h = 336 kJ/kg

Overall mass balance: Overall energy balance:

m1 + m4 + m5 = m3 + m2 m4h4 + m5h5 = m3h3 – m1h1+ m2h2
m2 = 0.05m1, so that m4h4 + m5h5 = m3h3 – m1h1+ 0.05m1h2
m4 = m3 – m5 – 0.95m1 105m4 + 336m5 = 439m3 – m1(2753 – 0.05*2683)
……(1) 105m4 + 336m5 = 439m3 – 2618.8m1
Steam & power balances_NER
………(2)
STEP 4: Calculate deaeration steam from
deaerator balance

Combining equations (1),(2) and solving for m1

m4 = m3 – m5 – 0.95m1
105m4 + 336m5 = 439m3 – 2618.8m1
334𝑚3 − 231𝑚5 334 42 − 231(28)
𝑚1 = = = 3.0𝑡/ℎ
2519 2519

Error = 40%

Since the discrepancy between guessed and calculated values of m3 is

large, need to iterate steam balance calculations until convergence is
achieved (error < 5% is acceptable)

Steam & power balances_NER

STEP 5: Calculate new balance with revised
deaeration steam flow, iterate until
convergence
Utility Blowdown
Blowdown Boilers
Process
23 t/h P = 40 bar
5 t/h
T = 350˚C
15 t/h h = 3094 kJ/kg
Blowdown Process
Process 13 t/h
10 t/h P = 4 bar
20 t/h T = 150˚C
3 t/h Vent Process h = 2753 kJ/kg
0.15 t/h
Deaerator
26.6 t/h
40 t/h Condensate Return
10.6 t/h 70%
Treated Water T = 80oC
T = 25oC h = 336 kJ/kg
h = 105 kJ/kg
Steam & power balances_NER
STEP 5: Calculate new balance with revised
deaeration steam flow, iterate until
convergence
Solving for m1 from mass and energy balance around deaerator

334𝑚3 − 231𝑚5 334 40 − 231(26.6)

𝑚1 = = = 2.9𝑡/ℎ
2519 2519

Error = 3.3%

Therefore the steam balance solution is now acceptable.

Steam & power balances_NER

 Example 1
Do a steam balance on the given network below and determine the
steam flowrates m1, m2, m3 and the shaftwork Ws. Take the theoretical
steam rate, TSR = 14.40 kg/kWh for HP to MP expansion and
TSR = 11.61 kg/kWh for MP to LP expansion.

HP Steam 100 t/h

HP from boiler
m1
Ws To process
h = 60% 10 t/h
m2
MP

50 t/h To process
m3
25 t/h
LP
Steam & power balances_NER
To process
 Example 1
Solution:
Extraction turbine can be modeled as a decomposition of two
turbines.

m1 Steam balance on HP header:

W1 W2 100 = m1 + 10 ➔ m1 = 90 t/h

Steam balance on turbine:

90 = m2 + 50 ➔ m2 = 40 t/h

Steam balance on MP header:

m2 50 t/h
m2 = m3 + 25 ➔ m3 = 15 t/h

Steam & power balances_NER

 Example 1
Solution (cont.):
HP to MP expansion

m1 90000𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑊ℎ
W1 W2 𝑊1 = × × 0.6 = 3.75𝑀𝑊
ℎ 14.40 𝑘𝑔

MP to LP expansion

m2 50 t/h
50000𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑊ℎ
𝑊2 = × × 0.6 = 2.58𝑀𝑊
ℎ 11.61 𝑘𝑔

WS = W1 + W2 = 6.33 MW

Steam & power balances_NER

 Example 2
Find power generated by extraction of 40 bar, 4400C steam to 10.5 bar
steam and the flow rate of steam from 40 bar, 4400C header to 2 bar
header in turbine T1. Given the TSR for 10.5 bar to 2 bar expansion is
5.78 kg/kWh.

Steam & power balances_NER

 Example 2
Solution:

40 bar, 440oC to 10.5 bar

→ ∆his = 374.4 kJ/kg (from steam table)

374.4𝑘𝐽 81,100𝑘𝑔 ℎ
𝑊1 = × × × 0.55 = 4.6𝑀𝑊
𝑘𝑔 ℎ 3600𝑠

WT = W1 + W2 = 6 MW
➔ W2 = 1.4 MW

For 10.5 bar to 2 bar,

Given TSR = 5.78 kg/kWh

5.78 𝑘𝑔 1.4 × 103 𝑘𝑊 𝑡

𝑚2 = × × & power balances_NER
= 14.7𝑡/ℎ
𝑘𝑊ℎ 0.55 Steam 1000 𝑘𝑔
 Example 3
Find the quantity of steam flow rate for T1, Process B and make-up BFW
to B1.

Steam & power balances_NER

 Example 3
Solution:

50 bar, 550oC to 10 bar → ∆his = 494.69 kJ/kg (from steam table)

𝑘𝐽 𝑠 𝑘𝐽
2000 × 3600 = 𝑚 𝑇1 × 494.69 × 0.7
𝑠 ℎ 𝑘𝑔

𝑚 𝑇1 = 𝟐𝟎. 𝟖𝒕/𝒉

Flowrate through Process A = 19.8 t/h

Balance around 10 bar header:

Flowrate through Process B = (20.8 + 19.8 + 10) – (10) = 40.6 t/h

Balance around boiler B1:

25.3 + MUp = 50.6 + 0.05*(50.6) ➔ M/Up = 27.83 t/h

Steam & power balances_NER

 Steam system security

Maintain supply over a range of operating and upset

conditions:

• Loss of steam producers

o Steam boiler
o Waste heat boiler

• Short term steam demands

o Steam decoke
o Flare steam
o Etc.

Steam & power balances_NER

 Base case
B1 B2 B3

70 70 70

40 40 0
30 bar
30 35
15

15 bar
30 10
Process A 10 Process B

3 bar
10 15 15
Process C Process D Process E
Steam & power balances_NER
 Steam system security

What happens if B1 or B2
breaks down?

Steam & power balances_NER

 B1 breaks down!

B1 B2 B3

70 70 70

0 70 0 If B1 breaks down:
30 bar
30 35 • Fire B2 to
5 maximum
capacity

15 bar • Reduce let-down

30 10
flow
Process A 0 Process B
• Process C must
3 bar shut down (until
0 15 15
B3 brought on-
Process C Process D Process E line)

Steam & power balances_NER

 Summary

• Steam balance provides link between process and utility

requirements

• Steam balance allows quantitative analysis of different

operating modes

• ‘What if’ scenarios can be examined

Steam & power balances_NER