Case Study On Clean Air Flow Test of Mills

CASE STUDY ON CLEAN AIR FLOW TEST OF MILLS BY: Navneetha Krishnan INTRODUCTION: Coal fired thermal power
plants with corner fired burner arrangements are having different lengths of coal piping emanating from the pulveriser. The primary air supplied, to pulverisers for drying the coal powder and transporting the powders through the coal piping to the burners, shall have equal distribution for effective combustion in boiler. The equal distribution of the transportation air is ensured by conducting the Clean air flow test prior to the initial admission of coal in to the pulveraisers. The test is carried out in boiler with status confirming to the coal firing conditions, i.e. running of one set of ID fan, FD fan, PA fan, Pulveriser and seal air fan. TESTING CONDITIONS: Boiler furnace Air Tightness Test is completed and furnace bottom seal trough is in service Primary air and secondary air ducting from fans to boiler and pulveriser is completed and ATT is completed Flue gas ducting from furnace to chimney is completed with ATT ESP is ready after air in leak test completion with all internals assembled Pulveriser and seal air fan trial run completed Coal piping from pulveriser to burner is completed with all supports and the tapping points provided (2 nos. at 90 0 apart) as in Figure 3, in piping at all four corners for taking measurements of air velocity The pneumatic gates and control dampers provided in the primary air circuit should be operable from control room
Erection of Raw coal feeder and the piping to pulveriser should be completed Instrumentation of air, flue gas and pulveriser system should be completed and parameters shall be available in control room Proper approach and platforms shall be provided in all corners nearer to the measurement locations of coal piping Pitot tube, manometer and thermometer are available for measurements Markings are done on Pitot tube with values, 0.0436R, 0.135R, 0.238R, 0.358R, 0.507R, 1.492R, 1.642R, 1.762R, 1.816R and 1.956R (R- inner radius of coal pipe) to ensure measurements from equal area inside the coal pipe (Figure 2) TEST PROCEDURE: One set of ID fan, FD fan, PA fan, Seal air fan and the Mill are started and PA header pressure (750 800 mmwc), furnace draft (-5 mmwc) and secondary air flow (30 %) are adjusted Pitot tube measurement is taken from inside the coal pipe at the centre of the coal pipe and air flow is adjusted to around 110 % of the design air flow by regulating hot and cold primary air control dampers. The condition established as above should be continued for the complete period of test. Velocity profile in each coal pipe shall be obtained by traversing the pitot tube at two directions (Figure 3) wrt the markings made on the pitot tube Mill air temperature, airflow, mill DP and PA header pressure indications are noted from control room. The pitot tube velocity head readings are converted into air velocity inside the coal pipe using the formula, V = 0.2365227 h(t)
where V = air velocity in m/sec h = DP measured using pitot tube and manometer in mmwc & t = temperature in deg Kelvin Average velocity is calculated for each coal pipe. The maximum and minimum velocity of air in the pipe and their deviations from the average of the four pipes are also calculated The deviations shall be within 5% of the average velocity for successful completion of the test. The velocity measured can be converted into the air flow and can be compared with control room readings Airflow = velocity x area x air density
PROBLEMS FACED IN BHILAI UNIT 1: The tests were conducted on 01/08/08 on mills A & B maintaining 110 % of design air flow and the deviations from average were calculated as 10 % & 8 % The tests were repeated on 10/10/08 on mills A & B maintaining 140 % of design air flow and the deviations calculated were 7 % &8% Mills A & B were thoroughly inspected for choking in MDVs, classifier vanes and rechecking of orifices at mill & burner ends also done. Coal pipes of Mill A was cut at two locations and cleanliness was also ensured The tests were repeated on 20/10/08 on mills A & B maintaining 140 % of design air flow and the deviations calculated were 7 % &8% The test was conducted on Mill C on 01/09/08 and Mill D on 10/09/08 and deviations calculated from the readings, were not within acceptable limits
The measurements taken and calculations done were sent and clarifications regarding the orifice sizes selection were obtained from BHEL Trichy Designers. BHEL Trichy confirmed that the selection of orifices was in order PA fan was kept running more than a day to ensure the cleanliness of the coal pipings and the test was repeated in Mills A & B on 01/11/08. The test results were not satisfactory and the deviations calculated from the pitot tube measurements were not within acceptable limits. SOLUTION OBTAINED: Pitot tube was arranged from BHEL site/ JPL, Raigarh and the test was done on Mills E, F & G. The calculated results were within acceptable limits. The clean air flow tests were carried out in other mills ( A, B, C & D) also and the test results were all within acceptable limits. Customer insisted to repeat the tests with the new PITOT tube and after getting repeatability of results, cleared all the tests and cleared for coal firing operation of the unit. CONCLUSION; Lot of efforts were put to identify the problem faced in the clean airflow tests conducted and finally the instrument used (PITOT TUBE) for measurement was found defective. Hence it is concluded that the calibration, accuracy and correctness of Instruments used for all tests are to be doubly verified and ensured for successful completion of the tset.
Markings done
End to be put inside coal pipe
Connections to U tube Manometer FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2 STUBS AT 900 APART FOR PITOT TRAVERSE
FIGURE 3

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CASE STUDY ON CLEAN AIR FLOW TEST OF MILLS BY: Navneetha Krishnan INTRODUCTION: Coal fired thermal power

End to be put inside coal pipe

Connections to U tube Manometer FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2 STUBS AT 900 APART FOR PITOT TRAVERSE

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