Steam Power Plant

Contents:
Boiler

Chimney
Introduction
Types of steam generators Coal
bunker
Main components
Operation & maintenance
Coal Air
mill heater
Types of steam turbines
Electrostatic
Main components Feedwater precipitator
heaters
Operation & maintenance Generator Turbine
Cooling
tower
Transformer

Condenser
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Steam Turbine Plant: Steam Generators

Contents:
Introduction
Types of steam generators
Main components
Thermodynamic analysis
Operation
Maintenance
Summary
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Introduction
1. Function of steam generator:
To convert water from liquid
BOILER
phase to superheat steam at Feedwater Steam
specified pressure by Heat
addition of heat
Fuel
2. Heat is obtained by
burning of fuel i.e.
chemical energy =>
thermal energy (heat)
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Types of Steam Generators (1)

1. Can be classified by its:
Capacity Application
Operating pressure Heat transfer direction
Fuel type Water circulation

2. Capacity: Steam generation capacity (tonne/hour, kg/s)

Steam thermal energy (MWh)

3. Operating pressure :
the pressure at which the
boiler is operating
Example:
4. Fuel type : coal, oil, gas Kapar Power Station Phase I
266 kg/s, SH outlet 172 bar, 538°C
Oil and gas fired
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Types of Steam Generators (2)

5. Applications:
UTILITY INDUSTRIAL

130 < P <240 bar

P < 105 bar
T~540°C
M < 125 kg/s
125<m<1250 kg/s
125<W<1300 MW

6. Heat transfer direction :

Fire-tube boiler Water-tube boiler

Heat Heat
Hot gas Water

Water Hot gas

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Types of Steam Generators (3)

a. Fire-tube boiler:
Heat
* A water-filled vessel with
Hot gas
combustion product in tubes Water

* Heat transfer is from hot gas

from tube to water in the vessel

* Limited in size, steam pressure,

& low level of operating safety

* No longer used in power plants

Still used in industrial plants
( P <18 bar, m <6.3 kg/s)
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Types of Steam Generators (4)

b. Water-tube boiler : Heat
Water
* Water flows inside tubes & the
Hot gas
combustion gases flow outside

* Heat transfer is from hot gas

to water in the tubes

* Higher in capacity, steam pressure,

& high level of operating safety

* Widely used in power plants

* Various designs: forced circulation,

natural circulation, once-through
Industrial water-tube boiler
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Types of Steam Generators (5)

7. Water circulation: Steam drum

a. Natural circulation: water circulates

by virtue of density difference between
Downcomer
the water in the downcomer and risers Riser

b. Controlled-circulation: water circulation

is helped by pumps Heat

c. Once-through boiler:
water-to-superheat steam formation
happens in one pass
No steam drum Pump

Suitable for supercritical boiler

Types of boiler: circulation
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (1) Steam Turbines: Boiler

1. Major components of steam generator:

BOILER Drum

STEAM DRUM Superheater

Reheater
SUPERHEATER
Economiser
Boiler
REHEATER
Air
heater
ECONOMISER

AIR HEATER

Boiler
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (2) Steam Turbines: Boiler

2. Steam flow: From boiler

feed pump
Economiser
Drum
Steam Drum
Superheater
Reheater
Boiler:
Downcomer
Economiser
Boiler
Boiler:
Air
Riser heater

Steam Drum

Superheater
To HP Turbine
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (3) Steam Turbines: Boiler

3. Economiser:
Drum
a. Raises temperature to saturation
temperature, at the boiler’s Superheater
Reheater
operating pressure
Economiser
b. Utilises high temperature gas leaving Boiler

superheater or reheater (convective) Air

heater
c. Important because increase efficiency:
~1% for every 5.5°C rise in Tfeedwater

d. Conditions to prevent internal corrosion

of economiser tubes:
T>100°C Dissolved O2< 0.007 ppm 8 < pH < 9
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (4) Steam Turbines: Boiler

4. Steam drum:
a. Chamber that separates water & steam

b. Water-steam separation methods:

* primary separation: removes water
from steam
* secondary separation (drying) :
removes remaining mist and droplets from steam
* methods: baffles, screens, bent plates, cyclones

c. Other functions of steam drums:

* control water-steam mixture during load changes
* chemical dosing point for water treatment
* removes particulate matter from steam
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (5) Steam Turbines: Boiler

5. Boiler:
a. Converts saturated water to
saturated steam
b. Also refers to entire steam generator
c. Consists of water walls:
downcomers and risers
d. Water tubes located on the furnace
walls and on top of the furnace
e. Radiation => primary mode of heat
transfer

f. Heat source is from fuel combustion via burners Burners

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (6) Steam Turbines: Boiler

6. Superheater:
Drum
a. Converts saturated steam to Superheater
superheated steam Reheater

b. Normally built in 2 stages: primary Economiser

Boiler
superheater & secondary superheater
Air
c. 2 types (according to source of heat): heater

Convection: - placed in gas passage

- heat transfer by convection
Radiation : - placed above furnace
- heat transfer by radiation
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (7) Steam Turbines: Boiler

7. Superheater (..continued):
Pendant
c. Two types (according to construction):
Pendant: - tubes hung from the roof
- not drainable
Platen : - tubes arranged side by side
to form a wall
d. Main criterion in superheater tube
Platen
selection is its temperature strength
e. Degree of superheat is determined by:
* position of the superheater
* amount of superheating surface
* velocity of steam through the tubes
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (8) Steam Turbines: Boiler

8. Reheater:
Drum
a. Reheat steam from HP turbine
Superheater
b. Used to limit excessive moisture in Reheater

steam to about 10~15%

Economiser
Boiler
c. Usually pendant type and placed
behind the secondary superheater Air
heater

d. Cold reheat: from HP turbine to reheater

Hot reheat: from reheater to LP turbine

Boiler tube material

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Main Components (9) Steam Turbines: Boiler

9. Air heater: Drum

a. Exchanges heat from outgoing exhaust Superheater

gas to incoming fresh air Reheater

b. Increases system thermal efficiency Economiser

Boiler
c. Two types:
Air
* recuperative > heat transfer direct heater
from gas to air across heat-exchanger

* regenerative > heat transfer from gas to

Boiler overall view
air via intermediate heat-storage medium
Boiler view
d. Main problems: Heat transfer area

* corrosion => keep flue gas above acid dew point Tadp
* chokage due to fly ash clogging => regular cleaning
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Thermodynamic Analysis (1) Steam Turbines: Boiler

1. Steam generator performance is represented by its efficiency B

2. Boiler efficiciency calculation: Input/output method

Thermalenergy transfer to working fluid m S (h2  h1 )  m RH (h4  h3 )

B  
Thermalenergyreleasedby fuel Q in

Reheater outlet Reheater outlet

 
Fuel
 Reheater inlet  Reheater inlet
Heat
 Air 
Q Superheater Superheater
outlet outlet

Exhaust gases
 Heat loss 
Feedwater inlet Feedwater inlet

Simple model Actual

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Thermodynamic Analysis (2) Steam Turbines: Boiler

3. Other method: (HHV )   Lossi

B   100%
heat loss method (HHV )

4. Major sources of losses from boiler system:

a. Incomplete combustion [2.5~3.0%]
b. Unburned carbon [1~2%]
c. Sensible heat of dry gas [~10%]
d. Evaporation of moisture in fuel [5~6% for coal]
e. Evaporation of moisture in air [ 0.5~0.8%]
f. Thermal radiation of boiler [~0.2%]

5. Methods to calculate boiler losses:

a. approximate: data from fuel analysis & flue gas Orsat analysis
b. more accurate: ASME Power Test Code 4.1
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Thermodynamic Analysis (3) Steam Turbines: Boiler

6. Thermal loads in steam generators: Drum

a. Economiser: qe  m
 (heo  hei ) Superheater
Reheater
b. Boiler: qb  m
 (hg  heo )
Economiser
Boiler
c. Superheater: qsh  m
 (hsh  hg )
Air

d. Air heater: qah  m a (hae  hai ) heater

 m a C p (Tae  Tai )

7. Heat rate HR:

rate of heat added to steam generator
Heat Rate 
Net plant power output, kW
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Operation (1) Steam Turbines: Boiler

1. Steam generator is primarily designed to generate steam at rated

load, i.e. under specified pressure, temperature and flowrate
conditions

2. This is achieved once stable conditions has been established

a. correct thermal gradient c. expansions completed
b. all clearances are normal d. shaft alignment within limit

3. Types of plant start-up:

a. Cold start b. Warm start c. Hot start
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Operation (2) Steam Turbines: Boiler

4. Typical conditions for cold start:

a. plant shut down for d. boiler depressurised

long period (> ~36 hours) & drained
b. turbine metal temperature e. turbine shaft at rest
< 298°C
c. feedwater system drained

5. Typical conditions for warm start:

a. plant shut down for c. boiler steam between

between 15 - 36 hours 50°C above turbine
b. turbine metal temperature metal temperature
between 298 - 400°C d. turbine shaft on barring
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Operation (3) Steam Turbines: Boiler

6. Typical conditions for hot start:

a. plant shut down for < 15 hours
b. turbine metal temperature > 400°C
c. boiler steam 50°C above turbine metal temperature
d. turbine shaft on barring

7. Typical maximum rate of metal

temperature increase is 5°C per minute

8. Planning and operational activities required to bring large

unit from cold to full load are indicated by its critical path
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Operation (4) Steam Turbines: Boiler

CRITICAL PATH OF BOILER START-UP

Feed pump check

D/A filling pump check Fill D/A Prime & start feed pump Prime HP heaters Fill boiler

Sootblower system check

Main steam and reheat drains check

Reheat safety v/v check

HP chemical dosing check Dose prepared Dose to chemist instruction

Boiler drains & vents check Fill boiler Boiler recirculation & spray Burner i/s Raise boiler pressure

Boiler dampers & actuator check Start air heater Start ID fan Start FD fan

Boiler inspection doors check

Precipitator check

ID fan pre-start check

FD fan pre-start check

Burner pre-start check

PA fan, blowdown vessel, sprays and pumps pre-start check

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Maintenance (1) Steam Turbines: Boiler

1. Typical problems/maintenance:
a. Tube scales d. Foaming
b. Tube fouling e. Tube corrosion
c. Tube slagging f. Caustic embrittlement

2. Corrosion:

* metal oxidation which forms “rust” that goes into

solution in the boiler water
* also due to electrolytic action of two metals
* prevention: removal of dissolved O2 via deaeration,
sacrificial anodes Corrosion 1
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Maintenance (2) Steam Turbines: Boiler

3. Scale formation:

* hard substance created when mineral salts

come out of solution as their solubility drops steam

* typical components: calcium sulphate, calcium

and magnesium carbonates, and silicates

* adhere directly to heating surfaces => Tube rupture due

to scale
substantially decreases heat transfer efficiency

* results in metal fatigue/failure causing overheating,

energy waste, high maintenance costs and safety risks

* prevention: settling tanks, distillation of water,

chemical treatment e.g. slaked lime, soda, phosphates
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Maintenance (2) Steam Turbines: Boiler

4. Fouling:
* Accumulation of ash on heating surfaces
* Occur when volatile matters & Al2O3, SiO2 steam
etc. co-exist
Fouling
* Prevention:
- approach temperature of convection heat surface is limited to
under vapor point of volatile constituents (approx. 800oC)
- Sooblowing Sootblowers

5. Slagging:
* Melting ash that adheres to furnace wall & heating surfaces
* Composed of composed of Al2O3,SiO2,Fe2O3,MgO,CaO etc.
* Prevention:
- Design burner zone heat rate within adequately suitable range
- Sootblowing
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Maintenance (3) Steam Turbines: Boiler

6. Foaming:

* concentrations of soluble salts create bubbles in steam

* can cause priming: bubbles break & create liquid
that later form slugs of water
=> destructive to steam blades, valves & piping
* prevention: steam traps Steam traps

7. Caustic embrittlement:
* hairline cracks in highly stressed areas due to high
concentrations of alkaline salts
* alkaline salts liberate hydrogen, absorbed by iron in
steel, changing its physical properties
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Maintenance (4) Steam Turbines: Boiler

8. Water treatment:

* Purpose: to provide plant with properly treated water in

sufficient quantities to meet plant needs
* Treatment methods:
Conditioning the water to pre-determined
Chemical treatment levels by using a variety of chemicals

Demineralization Replacement of specific inorganic

salts by ion exchange

Removal of dissolved oxygen and carbon

Deaeration dioxide by heating and bombarding the
water with steam
Deaerator
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Summary Steam Turbines: Boiler

1. Steam generators are applied for utility and industrial uses

2. Types of steam generators: fire-tube and water-tube
3. Types of water-tube steam generators: natural-circulation,
controlled-circulation, and once-through
4. Main components: boiler (furnace), drum, economiser,
superheater, reheater, air heater
5. Performance is represented by boiler (steam generator) efficiency
6. Boiler start-up operation is determined by the its initial state:
cold, warm or hot start-up
7. Boiler tube maintenance: scaling, fouling, corrosion,
foaming and caustic embrittlement
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Thank
You

Industrial Water-tube Boiler
1. Water Level Controls
2. Main Steam Outlet Valve
3. Steam Separator
4. Safety Valve
5. Manhole for Access and Inspection
6. Flue Outlet Flanged Rear or Top
7. Twin Reflex Gauges
8. Feed Water Pump Interconnected to Boiler
Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler
9. Reverse Flame
10. Off Inspection Belly Handholes
11. Supporting Beams
12. Steam Space
13. Self-Adjusting Hinges
14. Automatic Burner High/Low Modulating
15. Tubes
16. Opening Door with Ceramic Fibre Insulation
17. No Tubes Above Furnace
Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler

Economiser

Economiser tubes with fins

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler
Steam Drum

405 t/h steam drum

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler
Waterwalls

Waterwalls/Risers

Red hot
risers
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler
Air Heater

Ljungstrom (ABB)
Ljungstrom

Rothemuhle (B&W)
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Boiler
Boiler arrangement

Superheater tube
inspection
MHI Boiler
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Burners (1) Steam Turbines: Boiler

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Burners (2) Steam Turbines: Boiler

Burner CFD simulation

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Tube scale & corrosion Steam Turbines: Boiler

Creep failure of reheater tube due to thick oxide scale

Scale and corrosion inside tube

Boiler tube maintenance

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Sootblowers Steam Turbines: Boiler

Sootblower operation

Sootblower gun
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Tube fouling Steam Turbines: Boiler

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Tube scaling & corrosion Steam Turbines: Boiler

Tube corrosion
Tube scale

Tube split due to corrosion

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Steam traps Steam Turbines: Boiler

Disc steam trap

Float steam trap

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Deaerator Steam Turbines: Boiler

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Boiler heat transfer area Steam Turbines: Boiler

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Boiler furnace Steam Turbines: Boiler