4.1 Boiler
4.1 Boiler
4.1 Boiler
1. In the absence of steam flow meter, suggest a method by which steam quantity can be assessed in a
boiler.
Ans.
The feed water flow into the boiler can be used as an effective tool to quantify the steam flow
rate from a boiler.
The feed water flow rate also can be quantified either by measuring water flow with the help of
water flow meter or by noting the change in level of feed water tank for a specified period of
time. Care must be taken to ensure that blowdown is avoided during the trial period.
2. List out the merits and demerits of direct method of boiler efficiency.
Ans. Merits
• Plant people can evaluate quickly the efficiency of boilers
• Requires few parameters for computation
• Needs few instruments for monitoring
Demerits
• Does not give clues to the operator as to why efficiency of system is lower
• Does not calculate various losses accountable for various efficiency levels
• Evaporation ratio and efficiency may mislead, if the steam is highly wet due to water
carryover
3. In the indirect method of boiler efficiency evaluation, list any two additional losses computed for
solid fuel fired boilers as compared to liquid and gas fired boilers?
Ans.
• Unburnt losses in fly ash (Carbon)
• Unburnt losses in bottom ash (Carbon)
4. What are the main losses which are not accounted in an indirect method of boiler efficiency
testing?
Ans.
• Standby losses
• Blow down loss
• Soot blower steam
• Auxiliary equipment energy consumption
5. In the absence of data for evaluation of surface heat loss of boiler, what percentage value can be
assumed for the following three categories of boilers?
a Industrial fire tube / packaged boiler
b Industrial water tube boiler
c Power station boiler
Ans
a For industrial fire tube / packaged boiler = 1.5 to 2.5%
b For industrial water tube boiler = 2 to 3%
c For power station boiler = 0.4 to 1%
7. State two causes for rise in exit flue gas temperature in a boiler
Ans.
The rise in exist flue gas temperature in a boiler can be due to
a. Scale deposit inside the boiler tubes
b. Soot deposit on the outer surface of the boiler tube
10. Find out the excess air percentage supplied for a boiler if the theoretical CO2 is 20.67% and the
actual CO2 measured in the flue gas is 14%.
Ans.
7900 x (20.67 − 14)
Excess air supplied = = 47.44%
14 x (100 − 20.67 )
1. For the evaluation of boiler efficiency by direct method, describe how the heat input can be
quantified for the following three cases:
• Gaseous fuels
• Liquid fuels
• Solid fuels
Ans.
For gaseous fuel: A gas meter of the approved type can be used and the measured volume should
be corrected for temperature and pressure. A sample of gas can be collected for calorific value
determination, but it is usually acceptable to use the calorific value declared by the gas suppliers.
For liquid fuel: Heavy fuel oil is very viscous, and this property varies sharply with temperature.
The meter, which is usually installed on the combustion appliance, should be regarded as a rough
indicator only and, for test purposes, a meter calibrated for the particular oil is to be used and
over a realistic range of temperature should be installed. Even better is the use of an accurately
calibrated day tank.
For solid fuel: The accurate measurement of the flow of coal or other solid fuel is very difficult.
The measurement must be based on mass, which means that bulky apparatus must be set up on
the boiler-house floor. Samples must be taken and bagged throughout the test, the bags sealed
and sent to a laboratory for analysis and calorific value determination. In some more recent
boiler houses, the problem has been alleviated by mounting the hoppers over the boilers on
calibrated load cells, but these are yet uncommon.
2. List out the major factors which affect the boiler performance.
Ans.
The various factors affecting the boiler performance are listed below:
• Periodical cleaning of boilers
• Periodical soot blowing
• Proper water treatment programme and blow down control
• Draft control
• Excess air control
• Percentage loading of boiler
• Steam generation pressure and temperature
• Boiler insulation
• Quality of fuel
3. List out different temperatures to be measured during the boiler (steam generation) audit?
Ans.
The following temperatures should be recorded during the boiler audit:
1. Make-up water
2. Condensate return
3. Feed water to deaerator (after condensate mix)
4. Water entering to economiser
5. Water entering to boiler
6. Flue gas at exist from boiler
Flue gas at exist from economiser
Flue gas at exist from air pre-heater
7. Air supply to the boiler
8. Air supply to the air heater
9. Steam temperature, where super heater is fitted
10. Temperature of preheated fuel (in case of heavy oils)
ID
Fuel analysis
Ash content in fuel : 8.63%
Moisture in coal : 31.6%
Carbon content : 41.65%
Hydrogen content : 2.0413%
Nitrogen content : 1.6%
Oxygen content : 14.48%
GCV of coal : 3501 kcal/kg
Useful data
Theoretical air requirement : 4.84 kg/kg of coal
Theoretical CO2% : 20.67%
Specific heat of air : 0.24 kcal/kg °C
Ambient air temp : 30 °C
Boiler efficiency : 82%
Coal consumption/per hr : 12 TPH
i. Estimate the heat loss due to air infiltration.
ii. Estimate heat loss quantity as percentage of fuel input
Ans.
i. Estimation of heat loss:
Excess air percentage level = ⎛⎜ O 2 % × 100 ⎞⎟
⎜ 21 − O % ⎟
⎝ 2 ⎠
= ⎛⎜ 3 × 100 ⎞⎟
⎜ 21 − 3 ⎟
⎝ ⎠
At boiler outlet ⎛
=⎜ 3 × 100 ⎞
⎜ 21 − 3 ⎟⎟ = 16 . 66 %
⎝ ⎠
At ID fan = ⎛⎜ 9 × 100 ⎞⎟ = 75 %
⎜ ⎟
⎝ 21 − 9 ⎠
Actual air infiltration quantity in the duct = ⎡ ⎛⎜ 1 + 75 . 0 ⎞⎟ × 4 . 84 ⎤ − ⎡ ⎛⎜ 1 + 16 . 66 ⎞⎟ × 4 . 84 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎣⎝ 100 ⎠ ⎦ ⎣⎝ 100 ⎠ ⎦
= 8.47 – 5.65 = 2.82 kg/kg of coal
Infiltration air quantity = 2.82 x 12000 = 33,840 kg/h
Heat loss due to infiltrated air : 33840 x 0.24 x (135-30)
: 852768 kcal/h
Heat loss as equivalent to fuel quantity (as coal) : 852768/3501
: 243.6 kg/h
Heat loss as percentage of input fuel : 243 . 6 × 100 = 2 . 03 %
12000
Data
Ans.
i. Evaluation of boiler efficiency: By direct method
Q × (H − h) × 100
Boiler efficiency (%) :
q × GCV
Q = Quantity of steam generation per hour : 7000 kg/h
q = Quantity of fuel used per hour : 600 x 0.89 = 534 kg/h
GCV = Gross calorific value of the fuel : 9650 kcal/kg
H = Enthalpy of steam (kcal/kg) : 665 kcal/kg
h = Enthalpy of feed water : 42 kcal/kg
7000×(665 − 42)×100
Boiler efficiency (η) :
534× 9650
: 84.6%
5000×1× 94 + 2000 ×1 × 28
ii. Feed water temperature at condensate tank : = 75.1°C
7000× 1
iii. To estimate the fuel loss quantity, due to feed water temperature drop:
3. Estimate the boiler efficiency by indirect method for the following data.
= 7.11 kg / kg of coal
m x C P x ( T f − Ta )
% Heat loss in dry flue gas (L1) = x 100
GCV of fuel
7 .11 x 0 .23 x (190 − 32 )
= x 100
3568
L1 = 7.24 %
Losses other than exhaust loss = 28%
Total losses = 35.24%
Boiler efficiency = 100 – 35.24 = 64.76%
4. In a process plant a coal fired boiler of 78% efficiency is proposed to be replace with paddy husk
fired boiler of 68% efficiency. Calculate the cost savings for changing over to paddy husk.
Ans.
A. For paddy husk fired boiler:
Ans.
Boiler efficiency by indirect method = 100 – (L1+ L2+ L3+ L4+ L5+ L6+ L7+ L8)
= 100-(5.40 + 0.13+ 1.81+ 0.56+ 3.54+0.93+0.2+2)
= 100-14.57 = 85.43 %