CHAPTER 8

BURNER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

1.O FURNACE EXPLOSION

The flammable fuel-air mixture admitted to a boiler furnace is immediately ignited,

burnt and converted into inert. The product gases formed are evacuated by the draught system
so that under normal operating conditions, the furnace pressure remains very close to
atmospheric pressure. Hence the furnace enclosure walls are generally designed to with stand a
pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure, that is a maximum of +700 mmwc even in case
of pressurised furnaces. If the ignition of the flammable mixture is delayed it leads to the
accumulation of the same in the furnace. When the accumulated mass in the furnace is ignited
later, the rate of energy release can be tremendously high which the walls of the furnace may
not be in a position to contain due their low strength. This results in furnace explosion.

Thus the furnace explosions result from rapid rate of volume increase of gaseous
combustion products when too great a quantity of fuel and air reacts almost simultaneously in
an enclosure with a limited volume and strength.

Any boiler furnace is susceptible to explosion. Furnace explosion especially in large

boilers result in severe plant damage and possible personnel causalities. Repair of plant
damage takes considerable time and consequent generation losses.

1.1 CAUSES FOR FURNACE EXPLOSIONS

Many of the furnace explosions occurred through

a) Ignition of an accumulation of combustible gas in a boiler out of service.

b) Operating for a long period of time with a deficiency of air and then suddenly
bringing about proper air-fuel ratio.

The three basic operating procedures causing accumulation of an explosive mixture that
will be leading to furnace explosion are.

- Improper sequence of operation of firing system components.

- Insufficient ignition energy supplied relative to actual requirements.
- Firing with improper air fuel ratio.
It is to be noted that a fuel flow interruption is also a potential hazard

From a study made on furnace explosion it was found that most of the explosions
occurred during Start up of the boiler that too mainly because of improper ignition.

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1.2 METHODS TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE FLAMMABLE ACCUMULATIONS
Furnace explosion prevention should be aimed at limiting the quantity of diffused
flammable fuel-air mixture that can be accommodated in a furnace in proportion to the total
volume and the mechanical strength of the furnace.

While fuel and air are being admitted to a furnace the excessive flammable diffused
accumulation can be prevented by

a) igniting all flammable mixtures as they are formed, prior to their excessive
accumulation.
b) Diffusing all flammable mixtures with sufficient additional air, prior to ignition,
to a point beyond the diffused flammable mixture ratio and accomplishing this
with sufficient degree of diffusion before a critical percentage of the furnace
volume is occupied by the flammable mixture.

2.0 NEED FOR BURNER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The firing system of a boiler contains so many components distributed over a large
physical area and multiplicity of operating steps are required for admission of fuel into the
furnace in a safe manner. Hence there is a considerable latitude for error if the operating steps
are completely left to operator’s judgement. Further adequacy of ignition energy should not be
left to operator’s interpretation as many furnace explosions result from inadequacy of ignition
energy.

To prevent damage to the boiler and the firing system equipments, simultaneous,
continuous monitoring of substantial parameters and at times instantaneous reaction to a
hazardous situation are required. As such action by the operator in timely manner is not
possible. Since major furnace explosions result from the ignition of unburnt in first one or two
seconds, human reaction time will be very much inadequate.

For preventing furnace explosion by performing the above tasks adequately a dedicated
protection system is required. Such a protection system is called Burner management system
(BMS) or Fuel Firing Safety System. Many boilers in Indian Power Stations supplied by
BHEL are provided with such a protection system called Furnace Safeguard Supervisory
System (FSSS).

2.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF B.M.S.

The Burner Management System of a boiler is a distinct system more closely allied to
the firing system digital actions (open-close, Start-Stop) than to the process controls. It is not
an auxiliary function of the steam generator process control system. Burner Management
System for a boiler has to be tailored specifically to the requirements and operating
characteristics of its firing system.

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2.2. ROLE OF BURNER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN STEAM GENERATING
PROCESS.
When provided the B.M.S. supervise, control and monitors the preparation, distribution
and admission of fuel and air into the furnace. It will be executing and enforcing pre-
established safe operating procedures for the firing system components. Thereby B.M.S. can
effectively prevent the formation of an explosive mixture of fuel and air in any portion of the
steam generator during any phase of operation including start up and shut-down. It will not be
the responsibility of B.M.S. to regulate the air and fuel flow quantities or to initiate start up or
normal shut down of firing system components. But B.M.S. exercises authority over both
operator and process controls through its safety interlocking features. The interlocking features
included in the system depends on

a) Physical characteristics of the firing system.

b) Type of fuel fired

2.3 BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF BURNER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A Burner Management System provided in a boiler must meet the following
requirements.

- It should offer maximum protection

- It should not cause any nuisance boiler trips
- It is components should consume less power
- The components of B.M.S. must be reliable and have long life.

2.4 OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF BURNER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The B.M.S. of a boiler will enforce and execute safety interlocking features on the
operation of following components and system of the boiler

i) Boiler Purge
ii) Secondary air damper modulation and on/off control and supervision in corner
fired boilers.
iii) Ignitors on/off control and supervision
iv) Light oil (Warm up oil) on/off control and supervision
v) Heavy oil on/off control and supervision
vi) Pulverisers and feeders on/off control and supervision
vii) Flame scanners intelligence and checking
viii) Overall flame failure protection
ix) Boiler protection

3.0 ORGANISATION OF BURNER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

As mentioned earlier the Burner Management System for a boiler is tailor made to suit
the specific characteristics of the firing system of that boiler. A typical system known as
F.S.S.S provided for corner firing boilers works through logic functions. The logics is divided
into three groups as

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 - Unit Logic
- Elevation Logic
- Corner Logic

The unit logic has the supervision of overall furnace conditions. It monitors all critical
parameters of the fuel firing system, supervises furnace purge, and examines all pertinent
conditions required for a safe warm-up before allowing main fuel to be admitted. During steam
generator operation, the unit logic continuously monitors critical feed backs to insure maximum
safety and will trip all fuel within a present time limit if dangerous conditions cannot be
eliminated. In response to a load demand signal, the unit logic can automatically initiate
addition or removal of elevations of fuel in a programmed manner. If by decreasing fuel
demand the firing conditions approach the point of instability, additional ignition support
energy can be automatically initiated. The unit logic also provides intelligence to the operator
on overall status of furnace operation and initiates alarms when manual corrective steps must
be taken.

The elevation logic can be termed an intermediate logic which depends on the operator
or the unit logic for initiation of start or stop actions. In addition, it also provides essential
permissive and trip commands to the corner logic. The elevation logic is designed to suit the
type of fuel it controls. For instance, in case of pulverized coal, no corner logic other than
ignition is required since the firing is done on a pulverizer-elevation basis, in case of oil or gas
firing, corner sequencing is performed by the elevation logic. In general, the elevation logic
receives commands from the unit logic or the operator on when to start, shutdown, or trip the
elevation. Under the normal operating conditions, the elevation logic assumes supervision of
its elevation and will not start, or if in service, will shut the elevation down when proper firing
conditions cannot be maintained. The unit logic is informed of what ever actions are taken by
the elevation logic.
The corner logic of oil or gas firing depends on elevation logic commands for initiating
an action. During normal operation, the corner logic computes its own permissives based on
ignition energy availability, status of various corner devices, and other factors for sequencing of
individual fuel, air, or steam valve operations. In the case of oil firing, the logic performs an oil
scavenge cycle before the gun is allowed to retract. However, emergency trip signals
originating in unit logic and transmitted via elevation logic will bypass the corner permissive
logic and cause immediate closure of all valves.

3.1 ARRANGEMENT OF SYSTEM

The system above basically consists of the following major parts.
- Logic Cabinet
- Console insert
- Secondary air damper control panel
- Mill panel
- Field equipments

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 Fig.8.1.

3.1.1. LOGIC CABINET

This is the heart of the system containing the logic hardware which may be either
conventional relays, solid state relays or microprocessors. This receives the incoming
commands from the console insert and feed back signals from field mounted devices. All these
signals are processed and outputs are generated to operate the field devices.

3.1.2 CONSOLE INSERT

The console insert contains all the command devices (switches and/or push buttons) the
operator requires to manipulate the firing system equipment and all the feed back devices
(status lights) required to monitor the status of the equipment. The console insert or connected
to the logic cabinet through cables.

3.1.3 SECONDARY AIR DAMPER CONTROL PANEL

In a corner fired boiler, the secondary air from the corner wind boxes is distributed in to
the furnace through secondary air dampers designated as Auxiliary air dampers and fuel air
dampers as already explained under Tangential firing System. These dampers are required to
modulate as a function of process variables such as the auxiliary air dampers are modulated to
maintain wind box to furnace differential pressure and fuel air dampers modulated proportional
to the raw coal feeder speed.
Besides the above analogue controls, certain digital controls are transmitted from the
logic cabinet to the S.A.D.C. panel to command a group of dampers or all the dampers, to fully
open or fully close or open partly, depending on the conditions prevailing at that time. The

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command signal from the logic cabinet will over ride the analogue control signals to secondary
air dampers.
The S.A. D.C. panel contain all the controllers, digital analogue transfer components
etc. to position the secondary air dampers through electro pneumatic converters.

3.1.4 MILL PANEL

With a pressurised milling system using hot air for drying it is necessary to monitor the
flow or lack of flow of coal to the mill as well as loading of the mill. This monitoring is
essential for mill interlock systems provided to prevent a mill explosion or mill fire. For this
monitoring purpose coal flow alarm, high current relay and low current relay for all the mills of
the boiler are mounted in the mill panel.

3.1.5 FIELD EQUIPMENTS

The field equipments of the B.M.S. consists of both shut off devices to cut the fuel
supply to furnace and signal transmitters to convey the status of firing system to the logic
cabinet. The field equipments are
a) Nozzle valves
b) Header trip valves
c) Gun Advance retract mechanism
d) Local gun maintenance switch box
e) Ignitor cabinet
f) Pulveriser discharge valves
g) Pulveriser hot air gale
h) Secondary air damper drive
i) Flame Scanner head assembly
j) Signal initiating devices

3.1.5.1 NOZZLE VALVES

These valves are the isolating valves placed in the oil and atomising medium lines
connected to each oil gun just before the gun. For each oil gun there will be one more nozzle
valve in the interconnecting line of oil and atomising medium for scavenging purpose. All
these nozzle valves will have a slow opening and quick closing characteristics. There will be
limit switches to give signed for full opening or close of these nozzle valves.

3.1.5.2 HEADER TRIP VALVE

In each fuel oil line to the boiler (ignitor oil, light oil, heavy oil) there will be a isolating
valve at the header closure of which will cut off that oil supply to all the oil guns. These valves
are called trip valves which are also provided with limit switches for their position indication.

3.1.5.2 GUN ADVANCE – RETRACT MECHANISM

In some boilers the oil guns are provided with a pneumatic gun advance-retract
mechanism. The gun will be moved by a piston working in a air cylinder. Forward and
backward control of the guns is achieved by means of two three way solenoid valves. There

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will be limit switches for indicating advance retract positions. Air cooled oil guns do not have
this mechanism.

3.1.5.3 LOCAL GUN MAINTENANCE SWITCH BOX

The oil guns of an elevation are group operated from the console insert. To facilitate the
operator to select any particular gun alone for removal when others are operating, a
maintenance switch box is provided near each oil gun. A three position selector switch with the
REMOTE, SCAVENGE and OFF positions is provided.

3.1.5.4 IGNITOR CABINET

For each ignitor one ignitor cabinet is provided. The contents of ignitor cabinet depends
on the type of ignitors. An eddy plate ignitor cabinet will have the spark transformer, flame
proving differential switch or flame relay, ignitor oil/air shut off valve, oil flow control valve
and indicating lights. The HEA ignitor cabinet will have ignition exciter comprising of
transformer, capacitor, discharge tube etc.

3.1.5.5 PULVERISER DISCHARGE VALVE.

The pulveriser discharge valve consists of four open-close type butterfly or flap
dampers. The four dampers are located at the four discharge pipes of the coal mill. These
dampers are pneumatically operated from a common air supply so that all four dampers are
simultaneously either opened or closed. These dampers are also provided with open and close
limit switches

3.1.5.6 PULVERISER HOT AIR GATE

The hot air gate is an open-close shut off gate located in the hot primary air duct to
individual pulveriser. This is also operated pneumatically and provided with open-close limit
switches.

3.1.5.7 SECONDARY AIR DAMPER DRIVE

For modulating the secondary air dampers of the wind box as per the signal received
from the SADC panel each damper is provided with a pneumatic power cylinder and a position
indicator. The damper mechanism keeps the damper fully open in case of control signal failure
for fail safe arrangement.

3.1.5.8 FLAME SCANNER HEAD ASSEMBLY

These assemblies are mounted in the furnace corners for monitoring the furnace flame.
They consist of detector head housed inside a guide pipe with necessary cubling. The detector
head contains the scanner parts. The scanner guide pipe is supplied with cold air for cooling
the scanner heat.

3.1.5.9 SIGNAL INITIATING DEVICES

A number of pressure, temperature differential pressure and flow switches are
connected to the logic cabinet. They provide necessary feed back to the logics regarding the
status of the fluids to the furnace. They are generally direct acting type.

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