Operation Of Boilers

Operation Of Boilers

The load control range

The steady regime of boiler operation

The allowable boiler range

The unsteady regime of boiler operation
 The Load Control Range

The automatic control system of a boiler

responds quickly to the load without the
interference of the operating personnel.
The lowest limit is from 40-50% of rated
load. Smaller boilers not used for power
stations have much lower control range
 The steady regime of boiler
operation

The steam parameters vary insignificantly

at any load. The lowest limit is from 30-
40% of rated load
 The Allowable Load Ranges

The allowable load ranges include loads

from limit of control range to the lowest
load at which the boiler can function
steadily
 The Unsteady Regime of Boiler
Operation
Load variation and fluctuation of steam
parameters occur due to internal or external
disturbances
Internal disturbances are variations in:

Flow rate

Temperature

Fuel consumption rate

Combustion air flow rate

 The Unsteady Regime of Boiler
Operation
External disturbances are variations in:

Steam pressure

Load of the turbo-alternator

The degree of opening of start-up and shut down

device
 Steam Generators Testing

Cold testing

Hydrostatic Testing

Welding testing

Hot testing

Flow measurement

Temperature measurement

Dryness fraction of steam leaving the drum
 Flow Measurement

Steam, water, air and gas flow should be

measured using orifice, nozzle or venturi tubes
so as to check any flow meters connects in the
boiler lines. These measuring instruments
should be manufactured according to certain
standards, say ASME Performance Test
Codes.

Temperature measurements
These are carried out by using different types
of thermocouples.

Dryness fraction of steam leaving the

drum:
this can be measured by a separating and a
throttling calorimeter.
 Bringing a Boiler on Load

In bringing a boiler on load the key parameter
to be maintained is temperature.

In this case it is not maintained constant but
is changed according to a predetermined
pattern.

This a pattern is a compromise between the
desire to bring the boiler on-load as quikly as
possible and the risk of boiler damage by
thermal stresses arising from uneven.
 Bringing a Boiler on Load

There are four stages:

1. Warming up before circulation is
established
2. Warming up after circulation is
established
3. Stage when significant quantities of
steam are being taken
4. Bringing the boiler on load
 1.Warming up before circulation is
established

During this phase the limit on the system

is the temperature of boiler tubes.

Until circulation is established there is a
risk of local overheating in regions of
pockets of trapped steam and of serious
uneven heating between adjacent tubes.

Limited input of energy into the system is
needed and light oil burners are used.

The provision of boiler circulation pumps
removes this stage from procedure.
 2.Warming up after circulation is
established

During this phase the main concern is stresses
on the boiler drum arising from uneven
heating along its length or through the
thickness of its metal.

These limitations are met by restricting the
permissible rate of rise of drum pressure and
hence of drum temperatures.

Progressively more energy is taken from the
system by steam flow to drains and slightly
tighter input is needed.

Careful control of the energy input is most
important at this stage and this is achieved by
varying the number of oil burners if applicable
3.Stage when significant quantities of steam
are being taken

This stage is present when boilers used for
industrial processes are also used to generate
power, and then turbine conditions must match
with the steam output conditions.

The limit now passes to the maximum
permissible value in the superheater tube metal
temperatures.

The steam and fuel flows are increasing since
appreciable energy is being taken from the
system, but the steam flows are not yet
adequate to ensure superheater cooling.

Considerable drainage on the superheater may
still be necessary
 4.Bringing the boiler on load

Here the limit is still the superheater
temperature.

During this section there must be smooth
change from the light oil used in the initial
stages of boiler operation to the heavy fuel
oil used under spontaneous operation.

The sequential ignition of these burners
provides the fine control of the energy
needed.

As each burner is put into service, care must
be taken to see that it ignites properly, and
that it burns with bright smokeless flame and
does not subsequently go out

The following are the minimum
standards for the operation as listed
in ASME Section VI, VII
On a daily basis, boiler operation
¨ Test performed and the results,

¨ Unusual boiler conditions,

¨ Changes in equipment status and the reason
¨ Steam pressure

¨ Stack temperature

¨ Flame condition,

¨ Confirmation that no smell of gas or evidence
of fuel leaks exists

¨ Confirmation that no steam or water leaks
from the boiler

¨ Operator’s name, initials, and dates of log
entry.
On a daily basis, boiler operation

Confirmation that pressure and temperatures

are within the guidelines set by the
manufacturer of the boiler.

In no case shall the pressures/temperatures be

greater than the manufacturer’s maximum
allowable working pressure/temperatures.

The maximum allowable pressure and or
temperature are denoted on the nomenclature
plate affixed to the boiler (data plate).
On a daily basis, boiler operation

Observation of condition of the flame to

determine if it is even, and not off color.

Gas burner flame should be blue with varying

amounts of yellow on the flame ends
depending upon the firing rate.

The flame should be even around the burner.

Oil burner flame should be bright yellow

without dark trails off the end of the flame.
 On a weekly interval, the boiler
operation

Observing the boiler during its shutdown

and start-up cycle while listening for the fuel
solenoids to activate and listening for any
unusual noises (such as the fuel valve
solenoid chattering, buzzing loudly, etc.)

Testing low water cut-off and boiler low-

water alarm for low-pressure boilers while in
operation. The test must show the boiler will
shut off if a low water condition exists.
On a weekly interval, the boiler
operation

Visual checks of ignition and flame detection
system, looking for any abnormal conditions, such
as frayed wires, loose or broken conduit, loose
wiring, etc.

Checking the firing rate controls and linkage for

freedom of movement and linkage connections.

Cleaning fuel oil filters and strainers. Unless your

boiler is equipped with dual filters, this must be
done with the boiler shutdown.

Always shutdown the fuel oil pump(s) and valve

off to the fuel oil filters prior to cleaning or
replacement.

Following approved lock out, tag out procedures.
 On a monthly interval, the
boiler operation

Visually checking the boiler during

shutdown and start-up. Make sure
the burner fan runs through its pre
and post-purge ventilation cycles.

Watch and listen to the fuel
solenoid valves to insure they are
closing as prescribed by the
manufacturer’s recommendations.
 On a monthly interval, the
boiler operation

Checking all floor drains in the boiler
room for proper operation.

First look down the drain to see if
water is visible, which will indicate the
automatic drain charging system is
working properly .

Put about one gallon of water down
each drain to insure that the drain is
free from clog.

If water can not be seen in the drain
indicate such on the boiler room log
and notify the maintenance person to
have the situation corrected.
 On a monthly interval, the
boiler operation

Inspecting the combustion air louvers
and or ventilation screens both inside the
boiler room and outside. They must be
free from dust and debris, clean if
necessary.

Visually checking the boiler stack,
looking for areas of overheating,
blackened area where flue gasses are
escaping, areas of rust, free operation of
barometric damper (if equipped), and
joints coming apart or holes in flue
ducting.
 On a quarterly basis, boiler
operation

Testing the flame safeguard control

system. This test shall verify proper
operation of control devices and cause
a safety shut down and lockout.

The boiler should not restart without
resetting the flame safe guard control.
 On a quarterly basis, boiler
operation

Testing low gas pressure limit control
system. Slowly close the gas valve upstream
from the low-pressure gas limit control. This
should cause the burner to shut off and lock
out.

For oil fired burners, conduct the same test.
without damaging the fuel oil pumps or the
system.

Checking alternate fuel supply system by
switching to the backup fuel source.
 Fireside parameter Monitoring and
Control

The preservation of boiler operation and

performance includes meeting underlined
design assumptions and process control.

The boiler design involves the energy balance
between the fireside and the steam side
parameters.
 Fireside parameter Monitoring and
Control

In a typical fossil power plant, there is more

steam side instrumentation installed with the
original control system than there is flue gas
side instrumentation.

However, the fireside provides the heat
energy input to the boiler system and it is
extremely important to control the fireside
operating parameters to ensure the boiler
performance.
 Fireside parameter Monitoring and
Control
Typically, the boiler lacks fireside control.

The fuel and air are mixed, combustion

takes place in the burner system and the
next monitoring point in the flue gas path
is the boiler exit temperature.

Basically, there is nothing in between.

There is a simple logic to converting from
a two point control, burner and boiler exit
temperature, to a three point control; i.e.,
burner, furnace exit gas temperature
(FEGT), then boiler exit temperature.

This extra control point, FEGT, can have a
major impact on boiler performance and
reliability.
Fireside parameter Monitoring
and Control

Basically, the furnace exit point

separates the radiation zone from
the convection pass.

FEGT is one of the most important
interface parameters in boiler
design and operation.
 Fireside parameter Monitoring
and Control
Typical boiler gas side design involves the
following

Input/plan areas (Btu/sq. ft-hr)

Gas temperature entering first pendant
surface over the arch

Gas temperature leaving the furnace

Location and quantity of furnace wall
blowers

Burner input and burner clearance

Total heat available to burner zone
(Btu/sq.ft...-hr)
Operational parameters affecting
FEGT

Excess air level

Furnace heat absorption rate
(modified by soot blowing)

Burner selections, Burner tilt

Low NOx operations

Fuel quality

Air in-leakage
 FEGT

A furnace startup probe is
sometimes used to protect the
superheater and reheater tubes prior
to the establishment of steam flow.

Unfortunately, the current startup
probes can not be used for the
complete flue gas temperature
range.
 FEGT

For many years the industry has

been actively involved in developing
more accurate instrumentation,
analysis methods, and performance
improvement techniques for the fire
side parameters control.
 FEGT

A furnace startup probe is
sometimes used to protect the
superheater and reheater tubes prior
to the establishment of steam flow.

Unfortunately, the current startup
probes can not be used for the
complete flue gas temperature
range.

For many years the industry has
been actively involved in developing
more accurate instrumentation,
analysis methods, and performance
improvement techniques for the fire
side parameters control.
 FEGT

There are many techniques that
can be used to obtain the FEGT
on-line, i.e, direct measurement
or from calculations.

Direct measurement techniques

can be intrusive and non-
intrusive. Operators can use this
information to balance
combustion.
 FEGT

FEGT control is a critical parameter

which can
be used to preserve the boiler
operation and
performance including, emission,
reliability,
and safety.
 FEGT
If FEGT deviates from the design value the
following
Undesired condition can occur:

Increased slagging/ fouling of water
walls, superheater, and economizer, and
air heaters

Increased corrosion rates of superheater
and reheater tubes

Potential of convective pass tube
overheating (creep damage), requiring
more attemperation

Altered design conditions which are more
difficult to correct by the operator

Increased flue gas temperature in the
boiler exit which increases heat loss and
lowers efficiency
 FEGT
FEGT provides an operational safeguard and
indictor for the boiler operation.
The following influential Factors will be discussed:

Slagging and fouling control

Soot blowing

Superheat steam temperature control

Low NOx firing
 Slagging and fouling
control

One of the important characteristics of the
fuel from a boiler design view point is the
slagging and fouling control.

The formation of slag deposits is caused by
the deposition of molten ash on surfaces
receiving heat by radiation such as the
furnace and radiant sections of the
supereheater.

Entrained in the gas stream, molten ash
particles strike the wall or tube surface
becoming chilled then solidify.
 Slagging and fouling
control

If slag is allowed to accumulate on the lower
furnace walls, furnace exit gas temperature
will rise and the slagging area is forced
higher into the furnace.

The effect on the furnace performance can be
drastic.

Proper boiler operation requires keeping the
ash particles away from the walls and in
suspension in the gas stream until the ash is
sufficiently cool to be admitted to the
convection pass.
 Parameters that result in
increased deposition

Slagging

Fuel quality

Combustion problems and poor
flame stability

Low excess O2 or O2 imbalance

Inadequate soot-blowing

High FEGT

Fouling
 Parameters that result in
increased deposition include

Maintain the hot furnace can reduce the

furnace slagging problem.

Limiting FEGT to a minimum 55°C below

the ash softening temperature can
substantially improve the convective
pass fouling problem, because the dry
ash leaving the furnace will not stick to
the steam tubes.
 Parameters that result in
increased deposition include

If the fouling and blockage in the

convective pass is reduced, the
superheat soot blowing and fan
power can be reduced which
improves the heat rate.

It also prevent soot blower erosion.

 Parameters that result in
increased deposition include

If the fuel being burned is changed,
the ash fusion temperature for new
fuel can be obtained from the
laboratory test

A new FEGT limit can be established

by the operator and to adjust other
operational parameters to minimize
the potential of slagging/ fouling.
 The combustion system should be
tuned to achieve the following

Uniform flue gas temperature and
flow distribution

Uniform distribution of excess O2

Minimize fly ash unburned carbon
content

Minimize air heater leakage and
casing air-in-leakage

Balance secondary air and fuel
distribution

Proper primary air/fuel proportion
 Soot blowing

Ash slag and soot deposits on the tubes
act as insulators that prevent heat
transfer.

It can also restrict the flow of flue gas.
Therefore, keeping the gas side of boiler
tubes clean is essential to preserve the
boiler operation.

Soot blowing has proved to be the most
practical method of removing the
deposits.
 Soot blowing

Observation of the boiler for slagging
and fouling patterns and for soot
blower effectiveness should be made
on a regular basis.

A prime concern in soot blower
operation is to minimize the boiler tube
erosion. Soot blowers must be
maintained in good operating
condition.
 Soot blowing
Effective soot blowing should consider:

Blowing frequency

Blowing time

Blowing sequence

Blowing pressure

Nozzle position
 Soot blowing

FEGT can be used as the primary indicator
to establish the scheme for automatic
soot blowing or to alert the operator to
start the manual soot-blowing operation.

If FEGT exceeds the original design value,
this indicates that the furnace is dirty and
the operator should initiate the furnace
soot blowing and the soot blowing should
be stopped when FEGT has been reduced
below the original design value.
 Soot blowing

The over-blowing in the furnace is
wasting the energy and can also create
soot blower erosion problem in the water
wall tube.
 Superheat steam temperature
control

For the tangentially fired furnace, the
burner tilts are typically used as one of
the methods to control the final steam
temperature.

The use of tilting up option to achieve
desired steam temperatures should be
applied at low and intermediate loads
only.

Burner tilts position should be horizontal
or angled slightly downward at high
loads.
 Superheat steam temperature
control

The reason for tilts down or horizontally is to
increase residence time for complete
combustion.

The burner tilts up condition may increase

FEGT, which can increase the potential of
slagging and fouling problems as discussed
previously.

If the final steam temperature can not be

reached, other options such as increase
excess air should be considered in
conjunction with the burner tilting to
maintain FEGT within the allowable limit.
 Low NOx firing

Wall fired low NOx burners normally
result in longer flames and higher
unburned carbon content.

The potential of secondary combustion

could become more intense and increase
fouling and slagging of the convection
pass and air heaters.

The under-stoichiometric combustion,

typically used in the low NOx firing, will
result in starvation of oxygen in the
furnace areas.
 Low NOx firing

This can creates areas of reducing
atmosphere, which can accelerate
fireside wastage of water wall tubes.

Delayed combustion or secondary

combustion sometimes produce high
FEGT. These high temperatures can cause
overheating of superheater and reheater
tubes.

It is essential for the operator to

maintain the original design FEGT to
minimize other side effects. Otherwise
tradeoffs are required and comprise the
multiple system objectives.
 Using the Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

The furnace exit gas temperature
(FEGT) in a boiler is a critical
parameter which requires monitoring
during boiler start-up and on-line
operation.

Start-up FEGTs must be controlled so
as not to exceed allowable
superheater tube metal temperatures.

Many boilers use air-cooled probes,
which must be retracted when
temperatures reach 538°C.
 Using the Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

Maintaining the FEGT within the design
limit during the normal operation can
ensure boiler operability, thermal
performance and boiler reliability.

The problem in the past is the lack of on-
line instrumentation to measure the high
flue gas temperature.
 Using the Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

Water-cooled HVT probes have been used

for many years to measure gas
temperature above 538°C

Because of the probe length and weight
limitations, HVT is used primarily for
testing purposes and not for continuous
operation.
Typical Infra-View® Boiler Thermometer Installation
 Infra-View®Infrared Thermometers

Infra-View®Infrared Thermometers are
remote sensing infrared detectors that
are permanently flange mounted on
any port, door or penetration into the
boiler or furnace.

It is a lightweight device and can also
be used as a portable system for testing
purposes.
 Infra-View®Infrared Thermometers

The Infra-View®patented design is

supplied with a rugged protective-
cooling jacket that is factory assembled
and pre-piped with an air cooler,
purging and filtering system designed
to work in most severe service
environments.
 Infra-View®Infrared Thermometers

Customer supplied compressed air
and two wire shielded signal cable
is all that is necessary for operation
when integrated in a 4-20mA signal
loop supplied from a DCS, digital or
analog recording device.

The Infra-View®infrared "non-

contact" sensors monitors flue gas
temperatures in the boiler or
furnace ranging from 120° C to
1,650° C.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

The proprietary infrared spectral response of
the Infra-View thermometer is pre-set
specifically to detect infrared emissions from
hot CO2 gas.

This is accomplished by filtering out all other
wavelengths of infrared energy.

Modern infrared thermometry has advanced
significantly with the use of "selective
filtering" of the incoming infrared signal.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

Specifically, selected narrow band spectral

responses are necessary in order to see through
atmospheric interferences in the sight path, to
obtain a measurement of gas or other substance
which is transparent to a broad band of infrared
energy.
Infra-View®Infrared Thermometers

"Infrared radiation is observed as emitted from

excited molecules of gases. Many of the energy
transitions which take place in gases excited
thermally or electrically result in radiation
emission in the infrared region.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

Gaseous emission differs in character from solid
emission in that the former consists of discrete
spectrum lines or bands, with significant
discontinuities, while the latter shows a
continuous distribution of energy throughout a
broad band spectrum." Gases such as CO and CO2
exhibit a strong but narrow infrared spectral
response that can be detected with sensitive
infrared sensors utilizing the specific spectral
filter.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

Since CO2 gas is a by-product of the

combustion of all fossil fuels, its unique
spectral response was selected because of its
applicability to all boilers and furnaces
regardless of the fuel burned.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

With a concentrations of CO2 gas typically

found in fossil fuel burning utility and
industrial boilers, there is a high enough
level (10 - 12%) to reach a threshold of
detection where the Infra-View sensor can
measure the average or peak temperature
directly within the field of view of the
instrument.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

Because the Infra-View "sees" the CO2 gas

within the boiler as semi-transparent or
opaque medium, within the conical field of
view (30:1) the largest volume of gas
molecules are oriented farthest away from
the sensor.

Hotter gases, because of the selective
spectral filter, are favored over the cooler
gases located nearer the sensor comprising
a smaller volume in the field of view.
 Infra-View®Infrared
Thermometers

As a consequence, the Infra-View will sense

heated flue gas in the boiler yielding a
temperature reading that is indicative of the
overall boiler environment.

Secondly, the quick response time (100 msec.)
when averaged over say, 10 seconds (100
readings in all) generates a representative
temperature reading of the dynamic upward flow
of heated gases past the sensor posting the
processed data in a time vs. temperature
relationship.
 Conclusion

The preservation of boiler operation and
performance requires proper fireside
operating fireside control.

Basically, the existing boilers are lacking
of proper fireside control.

The fuel and air are mixed, combustion
takes place in the burner system and the
next monitoring point in the flue gas
path is the boiler exit temperature.

It is recommended that the process be
converted from two point control, burner
and boiler exit temperature to three
point control; i.e., burner, FEGT, then
boiler exit temperature.
 Conclusion

This extra control point, FEGT, can have a
major impact on boiler performance and
reliability.

The Infra-view system provides wide
range flue gas temperature measurement
and is a low cost effect instrumentation
to measure the FEGT on-line.

The system has been demonstrated
successfully in more than 400 sites to
provide real-time information for boiler
operation, performance, and reliability
improvement.