Reheat steam temperature control concept in Once-through boilers - A Review

Dr. Joachim Franke, SIEMENS AG, Germany

Ponnusami K Gounder, CETHAR VESSELS LTD
V.Balarathinam, CETHAR VESSELS LTD
SYNOPSIS
In once through boilers, superheated steam temperature is controlled by means of coordinated feed
water flow and spray attemperation. For reheat (RH) steam temperature control, many methods are
being adopted namely burner tilt, gas recirculation, divided back pass dampers, excess air and steam
bypass as primary control and feed water attemperation is envisaged as emergency control. When the
boiler is operated in sliding pressure mode the cold reheat steam temperature is higher compared to
constant pressure operation. The adjustment required for maintaining constant reheat outlet temperature
is larger in constant pressure operation mode. In general spray is not used for RH steam temperature
control for boilers designed for constant pressure operation since the spray quantity required will be large
and its impact on plant heat rate. In Europe utility boilers are operated under sliding pressure mode and
hence RH steam temperature control by spray is a common practice especially for once-through boilers.
This paper deals with the benefits and losses of using spray for RH steam temperature control in lieu of
other control mechanisms.
Introduction:

pressure operation as it affects plant heat rate.

In utility boilers, it is important to achieve best

However, in case of once through boilers which

possible heat rate to reduce the fuel cost and

are generally operated in sliding pressure mode,

hence the operators try to maintain superheat

quantum of RH spray is expected to be lower. In

and reheat steam temperatures at rated value to

this case RH spray attemperation is preferred as

the extent possible. In once through boilers, SH

it will result in simpler design and operation of

steam temperature is maintained by means of

the boiler and also less maintenance as systems

coordinated

spray

like burner tilt, GR fans, divided back pass

attemperation. There are many methods to

dampers are eliminated. Above aspects are

control RH steam temperature: like burner tilt,

discussed in detail in this paper.

feed

water

flow

and

gas recirculation (GR), divided back pass

dampers (gas biasing), excess air and steam

Need for steam temperature control:

bypass.

an

Superheat and reheat steam temperatures

emergency control, is not preferred as a means

should not be allowed to increase beyond the

of RH steam temperature control in constant

rated value as it will result in metallurgical

Spray,

though

envisaged

as

problems in superheater and reheater tubes and

Burner tilt:

also turbine components. On the other hand,

Tilting burners are provided in corner or

steam temperature lower than rated value will

tangential fired boilers. The burners can be tilted

result in higher cycle heat rate. Typically a

up or down in unison in all the four corners to

temperature reduction of 10 deg C in large

move the fire ball inside the furnace either

capacity power plant will result in about 0.3 %

upward or downward to change the furnace

increase in plant heat rate. Hence it is essential

absorption. When RH temperature is lower than

to

reheat

the rated value, burners are tilted up to reduce

temperatures within a narrow range around the

the furnace absorption and increase the furnace

rated values.

outlet temperature. As more heat is now

maintain

the

superheat

and

available for RH pick up, RH temperature can be

Steam temperature control methods:

maintained. When RH temperature is more than

In a coal fired boiler, super heat and reheat pick

the rated value, the burners are tilted down.

up are influenced by many variables like coal

Refer Figure-1.

quality,

cleanliness / dirtiness of the furnace,

fouling of heat transfer sections, etc,. When the

furnace is cleaner compared to the design
condition, the furnace absorption is more
resulting in lower furnace outlet temperature
(FOT)

and

hence

lower

SH

and

RH

temperatures. On the other hand, when slagging

/ fouling occurs due to deterioration in coal
quality, furnace absorption will be lower resulting
in higher furnace outlet temperature and hence
higher SH and RH outlet temperatures. Normally
superheat steam temperature is maintained over

Fig. 1 Burner Tilt

the load range by means of coordinated feed

water flow and spray attemperation. Various
methods are employed to maintain the reheat

Divided back pass dampers:

steam temperature at rated value over the

The divided back pass arrangement is used in

control load range. The after effect of reheat

wall fired boilers with fixed burners. In wall fired

temperature control on superheat temperature

boilers, the convective back pass is divided into

increase or decrease is regulated by feed water

two gas passes. On one side, Low Temperature

attemperation.

for

Reheat (LTRH) section is located and on the

reheat temperature control are discussed below.

other side Low Temperature Superheat (LTSH)

The

methods

employed

section is located. These two sections are

dampers are positioned both upstream and

divided by steam cooled wall or a baffle plate. A

downstream of the fan. Refer Figure-3 for a

common economiser heat transfer section is

typical arrangement of gas recirculation. As the

located across both the LTRH and LTSH

quantity of re-circulated gas is changed, the

sections outlet. The gas mass flow through

quantity of heat absorbed in the furnace and the

LTRH side can be increased or decreased (gas

heat at furnace outlet are changed. When RH

biasing) by the multi louver dampers positioned

outlet temperature is lower than rated value, GR

at the outlet of each pass (generally at the outlet

quantity is increased to increase the heat

of economizer section in lower gas temperature

available for RH pick up. In this case power

region). Refer Figure-2 for a typical arrangement

consumed by the GR fan is additional loss and

of dived back pass with control damper. By

will increase the net plant heat rate.

opening the dampers on LTRH side, the heat

transfer in LTRH section which is predominantly
convective is increased due to the increase in
gas mass flow thereby increasing the RH steam
temperature. In this type of control, draft loss
through the dampers will increase the power
consumed by induced draft fans.

Fig. 3 RH Steam Temp. Control

By Gas Recirculation

Excess air:
Excess air by itself is not used as a means of
Fig. 2 Divided Back Pass Damper control

RH steam temperature control as an increase in

excess air will increase the stack loss and

Gas recirculation:

reduces the boiler efficiency. Typically 0.3 to 0.4

Flue gas at economizer outlet or ID fan outlet is

% of boiler efficiency will be lost for every 10 %

drawn and reintroduced into the furnace by a

increase in excess air. In some cases especially

Gas Recirculation (GR) fan. Tight shut off

when the control load is very low, in addition to

burner tilt or gas biasing, excess air is also to be

the rated temperature can be achieved at

increased to achieve the RH steam temperature.

control load (70%) with zero spray. Even at

loads below control load the reheat steam

Effect of RH spray:

temperature deviation is small compared to

The reheat spray is done in a reheat de-

constant pressure operation and hence the

superheater located in the cold reheat piping at

impact on turbine metal temperature and heat

the inlet of low temperature reheat (LTRH)

rate are minimal. Figure 4 gives typical reheat

section or in between stages in a two stage

steam temperatures over the load range for

reheater. Due to the lower operating pressure for

constant

reheat cycle, RH spray is normally taken from

pressure operation. Reheat steam temperature

boiler feed pump inter stage. When tapped at

control by spray is a common practice in

this location, the spray water is not passing

Europe for once through boilers. Attached table

through the HP feed water heaters. Hence this

(Table 1) gives few supercritical boilers built in

amount of spray quantity is less regenerative.

Europe where spray attemperation is the

Further this spray quantity bypasses HP turbine

normal

and expands only in IP / LP turbines doing less

temperature control.

pressure

control

operation

means

for

and

variable

reheat

steam

work. Because of these reasons, the cycle

efficiency reduces and heat rate increases. The
reduction in efficiency (or increase in heat rate)
is a function of the quantity of spray water used.

RHO CP
Rated temp 568 deg c

RHO SP

Since the spray water required under sliding

pressure operating mode is less, its impact on
heat

rate

is

minimal. Typically

the

cycle

efficiency decreases by about 0.08 % for every

1% RH spray.
RHI SP

RH spray as the primary control method in

RHI CP

once through boilers:

In once through boilers which are generally
operated

in

sliding

pressure

mode,

the

temperature of steam entering RH at all loads is

higher than it would be in constant pressure

RHO CP RH outlet temp, constant pressure

operation. This helps in achieving the rated RH

RHO SP RH outlet temp, sliding pressure

outlet temperature easily even at part loads.

RHI CP RH inlet temp, constant pressure

When designed with 1 to 2% spray at full load,

RHI SP RH inlet temp, sliding pressure

Table 1
Design simplification:

Reference List of European supercritical boilers

with reheat temperature control by spray attemperation

Generally for coal fired boilers either "Burner Tilt" or "Divided Backpass" is used for reheat steam
temperature control. The control response is slow due to the large inertia involved with these control
Neurath
mechanisms. So emergency spray is providedWalsum
in addition to either ofNordjyllandthese control
methods. In many
Iskenderun
Name of plant
Maasvlakte
F&G
Rostock
10
svaerket 3
1&2
operating plants, the operators resort to spray for control(BOA1&2)
flexibility though other control mechanism is
Country in the design. As a result
Netherlands
Germany
Germany
Germany
provided
the real heat
rate advantage
is not Denmark
realized in dayTurkey
to day operation.
Evonik/Ste
The
design
can be simplified if E.ON
"Burner Tilt"Evonik
or "DividedRWE
Backpass"Vattenfall
is not considered for control.
Name
of Customer
E.ON
ag
Elimination
of the control mechanisms
associated Controls
& Instrumentation
will also result
in
Year of order
2008with their2006
2005
1993
2000
1991
Power Output,
( MW
)
1100
710
1100
415
660
550
reduced
capitalgross
cost and
operating
cost.
Steam pressure (barg)
284
290
272
290
210
265
Main steam temperature (C)
600
603
580
582
541
545
RH steam temperature (C)
620
621
605
580/580
539
562
Boiler type

Pulverised
coal

Pulverised
coal

Pulverised
coal

Pulverised
coal

Pulverised
coal

Pulverised
coal

Type of coal

Bituminous

Bituminous

Lignite

Bituminous

Bituminous

Bituminous

Conclusion:
In view of the marginal effect on heat rate, elimination of maintenance prone control mechanisms, design
simplification, RH steam temperature control by spray attemperation in once through boilers is good for
both boiler suppliers and plant owners. The consultants and owners who are in the process of making the
specification for once through boilers should seriously consider adopting spray as the normal control
means for reheat steam temperature control.
Reference:
1.

Power plant Engineering Black and Veatch

2.

J.C. Peeraer , "Gegenberstellung

unterschiedlicher Zwischenberhitzer temperaturregelungen",
Diploma Thesis Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, 1996