Air & Draft

system

Presentation Plan

Introduction
Principle of working
Classification
Fan designation
Other fans in a boiler
Fan laws
Fans daily checks
Trouble shooting
Practical exposure

Arrangement of Boiler Auxiliaries

Difference between fans, blowers and

compressors
As per ASME the specific pressure, i.e, the ratio of the discharge
pressure over the suction pressure is used for defining the fans, blowers
and compressors as highlighted below :

Equipment
Fans
Blowers
Compressors

Specific Ratio

Pressure rise (mmWg)

Up to 1.11

1136

1.11 to 1.20

1136 2066

more than 1.20

INTRODUCTION:
-Rotating machines used for energy transfer.
-Energy transfer occurs from the machine to
the fluid,i.e. Mechanical energy is converted
to fluid energy.
-Consume power as rotate with the help of
prime mover and energizes the flowing fluid.

CLASSIFICATION:
-AXIAL FLOW
Flow is parallel to the axis of rotation of the fan
both at entry and exit.
Impulse type- most of the energy coming out of
the impeller is Kinetic energy-<0.2
Reaction type-most of the energy coming out of
the impeller is in the form of pressure energy
Static pressure rise across impeller/Total
pressure rise-DOR

CLASSIFICATION:
-RADIAL FLOW
Backward curved-blade angle at exit is less
than 90 degree-Best efficient
Radial bladed-blade angle at exit-90 degree
Forward curved-blade angle >90 degreeoverloading characteristics and more power
consuming-self cleaning characteristics

RADIAL FAN

FAN DESIGNATION:
-RADIAL FANS
NDFV
Y
Z
Type of wheel b,c,d, etc.
Nominal tip dia of impeller in decimeter
Radial single suction overhung impeller with IGV control
NDV-Radial single suction simply supported impeller
NDZV-Radial double suction simply supported impeller

FAN DESIGNATION:
-AXIAL FAN
A
N
M

E6

DIFFUSER DESIGNATION
TIP DIA IN DECIMETER
AXIAL

NON PROFILED BLADED

Need of Draft System

Combustion
Air

Boiler

Flue Gases

Controlled supply of Air needed for proper

combustion
Flue are needed to be evacuated
Losses due to flow need to be overcome

DRAFT SYSTEM
Draft:

Force required to draw.

Either a stack or fan or combination of both
produces a difference in pressure causing air
and gas flow through boiler.
Draft loss depends upon flow path geometry,
surface smoothness ,area available for flow

Types of Draft
1)
2)

Natural draft
Mechanized draft
a. Forced draft
b. Induced draft
c. Balanced draft

Natural draft
Hot air or gas having lower
density/ lower specific weight
than cold air exhibits the
natural tendency of moving
upwards.
For larger boilers, draft loss is
large and can not be
compensated by stack alone
as height of stack will be
impractical to connect.

Forced Draft
Forced

draft fan forces the atmospheric air

through boiler furnace and pushes out the hot
gas.
Boiler is under positive pressure.
Necessary to seal all the boiler opening like
peephole doors, soot blower openings etc. to
avoid any leak out of hot gases/flame.
.

Induced Draft
Induced

draft fan provided at the outlet of

boiler sucks the hot gases from furnace.
Furnace pressure is below atmospheric
pressure.
Air ingress is possible through boiler
openings.

Balanced Draft
Both Forced draft (FD) fan and Induced Draft
(ID) fan are provided.
FD fan supply controlled quantity of air to
boiler for proper combustion.
ID fan sucks the product of combustion (flue
gases) from the boiler and discharges into
stack/chimney.
Small negative pressure(-5 to -10 mmWC) is
maintained at the furnace.

How to select a fan

Volume

of Air or Gas flow -Kg/hr

Density (function of temperature and
pressure)
System, resistance (losses)
Pressure to be developed
Major Fans in Boiler Draft System
PA Fans
FD Fans
ID Fans

PRIMARY AIR SYSTEM

Ambient

air is drawn into the primary air

ducting by two 50% duty, motor driven
fans.
Air discharging from each fan is divided
into two parts, one passes first through a
air pre-heater then through a gate into the
hot air duct. The second goes to the cold
air duct. The mix of both is used to carry
the pulverized coal to the boiler.

PRIMARY AIR FAN

SPECIFICATION
Design

volume-522000 cubic meter/hour

Design Head-1797 mmWC
Motor rating- 11KV/3.309 MW
RPM-1490
Flow Control-Inlet guide vane
Type-Backward curved centrifugal

Components of PA Fan

Fan

housing with Guide Vanes

Main Bearings (Anti Friction)
Guide vane housing with guide vanes
Lube oil system

SECONDARY AIR SYSTEM

Ambient air is drawn into the secondary air

system by two 50% duty, motor driven axial
reaction forced draft fans with variable pitch
control.
Air discharging from each fan passes first
through a air preheated then through a
isolating damper into the secondary air bust
duct.

FORCED DRAFT FAN

SPECIFICATION
Type-Axial

Flow
Design volume-896400 cubic meter/hour
Design Head-445 mmWC
Motor rating- 3.3KV/1.535 MW
RPM-1480
Flow Control- Blade pitch angle

Primary and Secondary air

System in the Boiler

ID FAN SPECIFICATIONS
Type-Backward

curved centrifugal
Design volume-2060280 cubic meter/hour
Design Head-352 mmWC
Motor rating- 11KV/3.42 MW
Motor RPM-746
Flow Control-Inlet guide vane/Hydraulic
coupling
Fan rated speed-717 RPM

Other Fans in The System

Ignitor Air Fan: Provide cooling air to the

ignitors..
Scanner Air Fan: Supplies cooling air to
flame scanners. Normally there are two fans
taking suction from FD Fan discharge duct.
Mill Seal air fan: Seal air fans provide air for
the sealing of Mill bearing. Suction is from
cold Primary air and pressure is boosted up to
maintain the differential pressure

Types of Fans

Centrifugal
a. Backward curved
b. Forward curved
c. Radial type
Axial
a. Propeller type
b. Tube axial type
C. Vane axial type

Centrifugal Fans Radial fans

Advantages

High pressure and temp

Simple design
High durability
Efficiency up to 75%
Large running clearances

Disadvantages

Suited for low/medium

airflow rates only

Centrifugal Fans Forward curved

Advantages

Large air volumes against low

pressure
Relative small size
Low noise level

Disadvantages

Not high pressure / harsh service

Difficult to adjust fan output
Careful driver selection
Low energy efficiency 55-65%

Centrifugal Fans - Backward-inclined

Advantages

Operates with changing

static pressure
Suited for high flow and
forced draft services
Efficiency >85%

Disadvantages

Not suited for dirty

airstreams
Erosion risk

Axial Fans

Work like airplane propeller:

Blades create aerodynamic lift

Air is pressurized
Air moves along fan axis

Popular with industry: compact, low cost

and light weight
Applications

Ventilation (requires reverse airflow)

Exhausts (dust, smoke, steam)

Control of Fan Air flow

Dampers-least efficient
Inlet guide vanes-axial impulse type and
radial
Speed control-variable speed motor or
hydraulic coupling
Blade pitch control-most efficient, impeller
blades are tilted during operation and
hence angle of entry-hydraulic servomotor

Flow control
Damper - Most Popular
Variable Speed Drive
Recirculation
Damper

100

Power

VFC

75
50

VFD

25

Ideal

25

50

Flow

75

100

Fan Laws
Flow ? Speed

Q1 N 1

Q2 N 2

Pressure ? (Speed)2

SP1 N 1

SP 2 N 2

Varying the RPM by 10% Varying the RPM by 10%

decreases or increases air decreases or increases the
delivery by 10%.
static pressure by 19%.

Power ? (Speed)3

kW 1 N 1

kW 2 N 2

Varying the RPM by 10%

decreases or increases the
power requirement by
27%.

Where Q flow, SP Static Pressure, kW Power and N speed (RPM)

Fan performance
At constant speed and capacity
Horsepower and pressure directly vary with
density and barometric pressure and
inversely with absolute temperature.

Impact of speed reduction

FANS DAILY CHECKS

FAN TROUBLE SHOOTING:

1. Motor Noise:
Firstly determine if the noise is electrical or mechanical.
If the noise doesn't stop instantly, but runs down with the motor, the problem
is more likely to be mechanical, generally the bearings; If the motor is
switched off and the noise stops instantly the problem is more likely
to be electrical
2. Rough lumpy sound.
The bearings may have brinelled. Brinelling occurs when the fan is vibrated
during transit or through ground vibration when stored. This causes the
bearing to vibrate at a single point and therefore indenting the bearing
race.
Problems with brinelling usually occur shortly after a fan is installed.

FAN TROUBLE SHOOTING:

3. Vibration:
The impeller may be out of balance
The shaft may be bent.
Impeller may be worn as a result of handling abrasive or corrosive
materials.
Material such as dust or grease could be sticking to the fan blades.
The impeller may have been damaged by loose material in the duct
system.
Vibration being transmitted through the building structure.
Looseness.
Misalignment
Resonance-Natural frequency-prefer to vibrate=Driving frequency-freq.
of forced vibration.

FAN TROUBLE SHOOTING:

4. Electrical hum
Phase imbalance on three-phase motor
Motor is not designed for the electric supply ie. wrong voltage or
frequency.
Motor is overloaded and drawing greater than the nameplate amps.
Motor has excessive clearance between stator and rotor. In this
situation the motor will run slower than the normal speed. ie. have
excessive slip.
5. High bearing temperature
Bearing damage.
Bearing clearance too small.

FAN TROUBLE SHOOTING:

6.Unquiet running
Bearing clearance too large.
Blades graze housing.
Unbalance.
Alignment not correct.

INLET GUIDE VANES:

INLET GUIDE VANES:

IMPELLER:

LUBE OIL SYSTEM:

PA FAN:

FD FAN:

THANK YOU

BURNER NOZZLES:
Both the oil and coal burner nozzles fire at a tangent to a imaginary
circle at the furnace center. The turbulent swirling action this produces,
promotes the necessary mixing of the fuels and air to ensure complete
combustion of the fuel.

BOILER TUBE MATERIALS

Material

Grade

Main
Location
constituents

Carbon
steel

SA 210 Gr. A1
SA 210 Gr. C

Alloy
steel

SA 209
SA 213
SA 213
SA 213

T1
T2
T12
T11

SA 213 T22

Austeniti
c Steel

SA 213 T91
SA 213 TP
304/304 H
SA 213 TP
347/347 H

Max. metal
temp. in o C

Economiser,
Water wall

454
454

C - Mo
Cr- Mo
1 Cr- Mo
1 Cr- 1
Mo
2 Cr- 1
Mo
9 Cr-1 Mo

Water wall,
Superheater,
Reheater

482

18Cr-8Ni
18Cr-10NiCb

Superheater,
Reheater

552
577
613

704
704