Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers

- An Overview
Presenting at IPPTA Conference

PS Ravishangar, Valmet
Date: 25 July 2022
Content
1 Recovery boiler process

2 Energy optimization – High Power features

3 High Power configuration

4 Limiting Factors for High Power Generation

5 Case study 1 – High Power Recovery Boiler

6 Case study 2 – High Power Recovery Boiler

7 Summary

2 25 July 2022 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Recovery Boiler Process
 Recovery Boiler
Introduction

Chemical recovery
 All sulphur in black liquor and side streams
recovered as sodium sulfide (Na2S)
 Excess sodium recovered as sodium carbonate
(Na2CO3)
Drying

Heat recovery
 Organic compounds burned and high pressure
Combustion zone Pyrolysis steam generated

Smelt

4 25 July 2022 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Recovery Boiler process
Boiler in detail

Superheaters
Economi
zers
- SH 1 -

SH 4
SH 3
Boiler /
SH 2 generating
bank ECO 1
ECO 2

Combustion
furnace
Electrostatic
Quartiary air
precipitators (ESP)

Tertiary air
Chemical
char bed
Liquor guns

Secondary airs:
Upper and lower

Primary Flue gas fans

combustion air
Dissolving tank

5 25 July 2022 | | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Energy optimization – High Power features
Improving Energy Efficiency of Recovery boiler

 Maximizing electricity output from Recovery Boiler

7 Date Author Title INTERNAL

 Energy Optimization
RB High Power Features

HIGH STEAM LOW PRESSURE

PARAMETERS SOOTBLOWING

OPTIMIZED
FEEDWATER
TEMPERATURE

HEAT RECOVERY
HIGH DRY SOLIDS AFTER
FIRING PRECIPITATOR

HIGH COMBUSTION HEAT RECOVERY

AIR TEMPERATURE FROM VENT GAS
TUBE CONDENSER
8
High Power Features

9 25 July 2022
 High Power features for higher electricity production
Case example with a condensing turbine

 Black liquor concentration up to ~84%

4.6 125%
(depends on raw material ! )
 Sulfur reduction up to ~96% in smelt
4.4
Na2S / (Na2S + Na2SO4 ) %-mol.

Electricity production increase, %

120%

Steam generation kg/s / BL. Solids,

 Main steam parameters up to 4.2
~110 bar, 515 °C
 Combustion air up to ~210 °C 115%
4.0
 Flue gas outlet temperature optimized kg/kg DS
together with a feedwater preheating
3.8
concept; after flue gas cleaning further 110%
cooling to ~130 °C
3.6
 Heat recovery from dissolving tank vent gas
105%
 Feedwater preheat
3.4
 full LP pressure feedwater tank
(~140...150 °C)
3.2 100%
 preheater before economizer
(MP1 steam)
 interheater between economizers
(MP2 steam)
Steam generation / BL solids Power difference compared to BASE case %

10 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

 High Power Recovery Boilers
Key parameter

High Power
4.6 Recovery Boilers
Steam generation / B.L. solids (kg/kg)

4.4
4.2 Conventional
Recovery Boilers
4

3.8
3.6

3.4
3.2
3

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

11 25 July 2022
High Power Configuration
High Power Features

 Higher black liquor dry solids

 Air Preheating
 Feed water preheating
– Fully pressurised feedwater tank
– Preheater
– Interheater
– Preheater + Interheater
 Heat recovery from dissolving tank vent gases
 Heat recovery from flue gases
 Low Pressure sootblowing
 High Steam parameters

13 25 July 2022 © | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

High BL dry solids content

 By increasing dry solids content less water needs to be evaporated in the furnace
 More live steam is generated
 Higher dry solids content increases extraction steam consumption in evaporation

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Air preheating

 Heat input to boiler increases

Main steam  Main steam flow increases
MW  Extraction steam flows increase
 Back-pressure steam flow decreases

Profitability depends on the ratio of electricity

BP steam and back-pressure steam prices

Air preheating has proven to be very

profitable!

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

 Air preheating

 Heating with back-pressure steam and

medium / high pressure extraction steams
(also hot water can be used in first stage)
 Temperatures up to >200°C
 Exception is Sec or high sec. air including
DNCG and vent gases
– DNCG max. 190°C
– Vents max. 120°C
– Max. mixing T 200°C
 Profitable to heat air as much as possible in
low pressure and medium pressure stages

16 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Feedwater preheating

 Enthalpy difference between main steam

and feedwater is decreased
Main steam
MW → Main steam flow is increased
 Back-pressure and possibly medium and/or
high pressure extraction steams are used
 Flue gas temperature after boiler is
BP steam increased, so boiler efficiency is decreased
 Electricity generation efficiency is increased
Back-pressurised feedwater tank

 If back-pressure steam is throttled before feedwater tank, more electricity can be generated by
removing the throttling (by increasing feedwater temperature and main steam generation)
 More back-pressure is then used for feedwater tank heating
 Profitability depends on the ratio between electricity and back-pressure steam prices
– If there is no price for BP steam → profitable
– If there is condensing turbine → profitable
– If BP steam is used for district heating and price for that is at maximum 1/3 of electricity price → profitable
 Has proven to be very profitable!
Preheater / Interheater

Eco 2

Eco 1
MP2 Steam

FW from FW
tank

MP Steam

To MP
expansion tank
Interheater

FW tank

Preheater
Preheater / Interheater

 Preheater before economizer (with MP steam)

 Interheater between economizer (with MP or MP2 steam)
 Combination of Preheater (MP steam) + Interheater (MP2 steam)
 With preheater, flue gas outlet temperature is higher due to
higher feedwater inlet temperature to the boiler
 Factors affecting profitability of Interheater vs. profitability of
Preheater:
– Available extraction steam levels
– Whether there is price for back-pressure steam or not
– Whether there is Flue gas cooler or not
– Limitation for flue gas outlet temperature
– Whether there is Eco 3 / Dolezal or not

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Heat from vent gas tube condenser

TUBE
VENT GAS CONDENSER
SCRUBBER ~80°C

FW tank
Demi water

Cooling water
Ash leaching
tank

Dump tank

DISSOLVING
TANK
Heat from vent gas tube condenser

 Back-pressure steam can be saved by recovering

heat from vent gas tube condenser
 Heat from vent gas tube condenser is transferred to:
– Deminarilised water
– Mixture of demi water and condensates
– (Combustion air)
 Demi water can be heated up to >80 °C in vent gas
tube condenser
 Vent gas heat recovery is profitable if there is high
enough price for back-pressure
 A lot of heat available – very profitable with
condensing turbine!

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Flue gas cooler

 Back-pressure steam (also MP steam) can be saved by

recovering heat left in flue gases after electrostatic precipitator
 Heat from flue gases is transferred to circulating water and then
to:
– Deminarilised water
– Mixture of demi water and condensates
– Combustion air (even some MP steam can be replaced)

 In normal operation flue gases can be cooled down to ~120°C

 Flue gas cooler is profitable if there is high enough price for
back-pressure
 A lot of heat available – very profitable with condensing turbine!

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Flue gas cooler

Demi water

ESP

ESP

FW tank

ESP
Flue gas coolers
 Flue gas cooler – view inside

Rake SB

26
Low pressure sootblowing
 By using lower pressure extraction steam for sootblowing more electricity can be generated
– Steam expands further in the turbine
– But ~ 20% more steam is required with LP sootblowers than with conventional sootblowers (according to
Diamond)

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

High steam parameters
 Increasing main steam temperature always increases electricity output from
generator
 Main steam pressure to be chosen according to temperature
 Increasing pressure increases condensate steam quality,
 Limitations for main steam temperature from superheater corrosion
 Levels of chlorine and potassium in black liquor tightly connected to
reachable main steam temperature
 With constant Cl and K levels, higher main steam temperature can be
reached if better superheater materials are chosen
 Cl and K in black liquor can be controlled by treating recovery boiler ash in
Ash Leaching → Decreases also boiler plugging problems!
 Optimization between more expensive superheater materials and make-up
costs caused by Na losses in ash treatment

| Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Limiting Factors for High Power Generation

 Preheating of FW and combustion air is limited by extraction steam pressures and/or drum
pressure
 Heat recovery from flue gases is limited by FG dew point corrosion
 Heat recovery from vent gases is limited by vent gas temperature
 Dry solids content is limited by feasible evaporation capacity and BL viscosity
 Steam parameters are limited by corrosion,
 Limitations for main steam temperature with boiler capacity
 In addition, ash quality limits the RB design through fouling

29 25 July 2022 © | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Recovery boiler ash circulation
Chemical recovery of recovery boiler Combustion of black
liquor generate large
amount of ash, which
contains valuable cooking
chemicals. Ash is further
circulated back to
K, Cl,.. etc combustion liquor.

This circulation enriches

chloride (Cl) and
potassium (K) into
recovery boiler ash.

Too high Cl and K

Ash circulation
concentration in recovery
K, Cl boiler ash reduces boiler
availability due to
increased corrosion and
plugging risk.

30 25 July 2022 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Ash composition and recovery boiler operation

 Ash chemistry defines ash melting temperatures*

(T0, T15, T70)
– General rule is the higher the Cl and K concentration, the more
difficult boiler operation becomes, eventually leading to boiler
plugging and to an unplanned shutdown

).

31 25 July 2022 © | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

 Cleanability
Effect of ash chemistry to recovery boiler cleanability

 The ash is sticky on temperature range between T15-T70,

causing scaling in the recovery boiler
– This is always happening in recovery boiler, regardless
how much ash is treated

 Increasing chloride concentration in ash lowers the T15

and T70 melting temperatures.
– Sticky area becomes wider, reaching further back in the
recovery boiler, where the distances between the tubes
are much smaller
– Eventually the boiler plugs up and water wash is only
way to clean the boiler. Water wash means full stop of
pulp mill for 2-3 days.

 Sulphate and carbonate ratio also changes the ash melting

temperature.
– It is not enough to just measure Cl and K

32 25 July 2022 © | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

 Corrosion
Effect of ash chemistry to recovery boiler corrosion

 Corrosion is an expensive problem at high power and

steam temperature recovery boilers
 Corroded superheater tubes need to be replaced,
causing a long mill shutdown

620
 Corrosion risk can be minimized by running the boiler at
lower than design steam temperatures -> lost energy 600
production
580

 Increasing potassium content lowers first ash melting Temperature 560

temperature (T0)
– Normally there is a dry ash layer protecting the 540

superheater tubes.
520
– When T0 gets close to steam temperature in
superheater pipes the ash melts on superheater tube 500
surface -> Corrosive conditions on the tube surface 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
K m-%

T0

33 25 July 2022 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Corrosion and Fouling

 High chlorine content increases the depth of the sticky area and moves it closer to II-pass
 High potassium content moves molten ash closer to tube surface accelerating corrosion
 Chlorine content also affects to corrosion

34 25 July 2022 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Molten corrosive ash close to tube surface
Ash behaviour
Ts To T 70

25 July 2022

Corrosion Three choices:

Accelerates when tube surface • Lower steam parameters
temperature approaches T 0 • Better superheater materials
(ash first melting temperature) • Lower K and Cl in ash

35 25 July 2022
 Superheater materials

Cl and K must be followed and

controlled strictly in order to
minimize corrosion risk

36 25 July 2022
Selecting the right superheater material
• The basis is steam pressure and temperature
• With the hottest sections the optimization is between expensive austenitic
stainless steel or nickel based alloys materials and operating cost
• Best solution depends on price of superheater versus price of make-up
chemicals

SA-213 T12

SA-209 T1 Bended SH tubes

with 309L Weld overlay
SA-213 T12

SA-213 T24

SA-213 T24

San28 composite, 309L weld

overlay or AISI347
Typically outer bends &
last tube row in quaternary SH
37 25 July 2022
Ash Treatment systems

 Removes Cl and K
 Recovers cooking chemicals

AshLeach Ash Crystallizer

W ater Bleed

ESP Liquid
Centrifuge
Solids ESP ash back
ash to recovery
cycle Crystallizer

Leaching
tank

Heater

AshLeach Duo
Steam Steam
Thick-
Bleed ener

W ater Bleed
ESP Liquid
Centrifuge
Solids Liquid
Centrifuge
Solids
ESP
W aatsehr ash
ESP Centrifuge ESP ash
back to Solids
ash Liquid back to
recover
W ater Dissolving recovery
Leaching Leaching y cycle
tank tank
tank
Mother cycle
liquor
tank

38 25 July 2022
 Case study 1 – High Power Recovery Boiler

39
 Case Study 1: High Power Recovery Boiler
Pulp capacity 1,3 million t/a

Pulp Drying Line

2700 Adt/d
Gasifier
87 MW th
Recovery Boiler
7200 tds/d

Automation system
Lime Kiln
1200 t/h

40
 Case study 1 – High Power Recovery Boiler
A modern day High Power Recovery Boiler
All the High Power features:
• High black liquor dry solids
• Preheating of combustion air
Capacity 7200 t ds/24h
• Fully pressurized feedwater
tank
Steam 363 kg/s • Feedwater preheating and
110 bar interheater
515 °C • Heat recovery from
dissolving tank vent gases
Liquor Kraft, 83 % ds,
• Heat recovery from flue
without ash
gases

41
Case Study 1: Recovery boiler power generation
Substantial amount of renewable energy to the grid
Gross electricity generation [MW]

239.4 MW
Steam values 515oC & 110 bar
Black liquor dry solids 83%
All high power features included

205.8 MW
Steam values 490oC & 90 bar
Black liquor dry solids 80%
No other high power feature included

CONVENTIONAL DESIGN HIGH POWER DESIGN

42
Case study 1 – High Power Recovery Boiler
Electricity self-sufficiency, 1050 GWh/y sold electricity

will increase the share of

renewable energy by approx. 2
percentage points, from 28,5 % to
30,5 %

Electricity sales
 Renewable energy

Source: Äänekoski bioproduct mill, Metsä Group’s press

43 conference, 21 April 2015
Case study 2 - High Power Recovery Boiler

Capacity 2700 t ds/24h

Steam 118.9 kg/s
110 bar
515 °C
Liquor Kraft, 75 % ds,
without ash

44 25 July 2022 | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Case Study 2: - High Power Recovery Boiler

Gross electricity generation [MW]

63.3 MW
Steam values 515oC & 110 bar
Black liquor dry solids 75%
All high power features included

47.9 MW
Steam values 465oC & 65 bar
No other high power feature
included

CONVENTIONAL DESIGN HIGH POWER DESIGN

45 Date Author Title | Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

Summary (High Power Recovery Boilers)

The High Power features:

• High Steam parameters
• High black liquor dry solids
• Preheating of combustion air
• Fully pressurized feedwater tank
• Feedwater preheating and interheater
• Heat recovery from dissolving tank Fibre Line
vent gases W ood handling Cook ing
Ox y gen
delignificat ion

• Heat recovery from flue gases

Bleaching

Energy
surplus
Pulp dry ing
Sc reening Baling
E vaporation W as hing

Re covery boile r

Bi osl udge
Ge ne rator
Elec t rostatic Effluent treat ment
Elect ro-
Turbi ne prec ipit ator
static

Initiation towards energy and resource

prec ip.

NCG
Lime kiln

efficiency improvement in Recovery.

Pow e r boiler

Slaker Green
liquor
W hit e liquor filt er
filter Recovery
Cycle

Energy Efficient Recovery Boilers - an Overview

46 19 May, 2015