FMDS0614
FMDS0614
January 2014
Interim Revision January 2021
Page 1 of 22
Table of Contents
Page
List of Figures
Fig. 1. Effects of thermal expansion .............................................................................................................. 5
Fig. 2. A typical single-unit combined cycle layout ........................................................................................ 6
Fig. 3. Heat recovery boiler unit suitable for high-temperature gases carrying sticky or semi-molten
particles ............................................................................................................................................. 10
Fig. 4. Forced circulation LaMont heat recovery boiler ............................................................................... 11
Fig. 5. Vertical water tube heat recovery boiler with external downcomers (steam generated at
50 psi [345 kPa] recovering heat from sulphur-bearing gases; the top channel serves as
steam disengaging drum) ................................................................................................................. 12
Fig. 6. Finned tubes used on watertube boilers .......................................................................................... 13
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6-14 Heat Recovery Boilers
Page 2 FM Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets
Fig. 7. Open hearth horizontal gas tube heat recovery boiler ..................................................................... 13
Fig. 8. Controlled circulation boiler for recovery of heat from open hearth furnace ................................... 15
Fig. 9. Fume hood for heat recovery in the oxygen process for steel making ........................................... 16
Fig. 10. Smelting and refining heat recovery boiler ..................................................................................... 16
Fig. 11. Heat recovery equipment at a gas turbine installation ................................................................... 17
Fig. 12. Diesel engine waste-heat steam generator (U.S. Maritime Commission Liberty ship
‘‘Thomas Nelson’’) .......................................................................................................................... 19
Fig. 13. Copper reverberatory furnace heat recovery boiler ....................................................................... 20
Fig. 14. Copper reverberatory furnace heat recovery boiler ....................................................................... 21
Fig. 15. Watertube boiler for sulfur recovery plant with cast iron extended surface tube elements ........... 21
Fig. 16. Combination watertube/firetube heat recovery boiler ..................................................................... 22
List of Tables
Table 1. Temperature of Waste Heat Gases ................................................................................................. 9
1.0 SCOPE
This data sheet covers heat recovery boilers. Heat recovery boilers are units that recover sensible heat from
industrial processes and combustion products; such units include fired and unfired heat recovery steam
generators (HRSGs) used in combined cycle power generation. Firetube boilers are covered in Data Sheet
6-22, Firetube Boilers. Watertube boilers are covered in Data Sheet 6-23, Watertube Boilers.
1.1 Changes
January 2021. Interim revision. Updated contingency planning guidance.
2.1.1 Operation
A. Train operators on standard and emergency operating procedures. See Data Sheet 10-8, Operators,
for guidance on developing operator programs. Ensure operators are properly trained in the operation of
the boiler and well-versed in standard and emergency operating procedures. Ensure they also have an
understanding of the overall process so as to recognize the effect of boiler operation. Give operators full
authority to shut down the heat recovery boiler in case of emergency.
B. Provide written emergency operating procedures and have them readily avalable in the boiler control
room.
C. Establish a training program designed to review boiler standard and emergency operating procedures.
Plant management is responsible for this training program and scheduling periodic retraining.
D. Provide proper feedwater treatment at all times. Consult water treatment specialists and/or the boiler
manufacturer to establish a proper feedwater treatment program. Boiler manufacturers should also be
consulted to aid in the establishment of proper blowdown and chemical cleaning procedures.
E. Have heat recovery boilers cleaned (mechanically or chemically) by authorized/trained personnel.
F. Control dust loading by maintaining low velocities, and provide proper maintenance to curtail the buildup
of dust and minimize erosion. Large quantities of dust in waste gases can be controlled by installing dust
collectors, pockets and hoppers, or conveyors.
G. To minimize corrosion from low temperatures, operate boilers above the dew point.
H. Ensure a maximum heat input is established to prevent excessive heat from entering the heat recovery
unit.
I. To prevent fatigue problems, do not cycle load firetube heat recovery boilers.
J. Perform more frequent inspections at combined cycle plants that were designed for base load operation
but are cycled due to market conditions. Base load operation sees fewer starts and stops and therefore
fewer fluctuations in temperature, pressure, and water chemistry. Cycling can cause additional concerns,
such as creep and thermal fatigue.
K. Conduct a process hazard analysis to determine the possible consequences of a leak from the water
side to the process side and vice versa.
2.1.2.1 General
Check for sagging tubes in a firetube boiler, and bulged or distorted tubes in a watertube boiler, indicating
overheating.
Pitting of tube surfaces is an indication of corrosion and can occur on both the water and gas sides of the
boiler. Waterside corrosion is an indication of an inadequate water treatment program. Gas-side corrosion may
occur from operating at too low a dew point for the composition of the heat recovery gas. Dew point is
especially critical in installations that are recovering heat from processes with high sulfur content.
Tubesheet
Gap caused by
thermal expansion.
Tube
2.1.2.5 Repairs
The method of repairing tubes or any pressure part of the boiler affected by erosion depends on the degree
of damage and, to a certain extent, the location. Tube sections with 50% of the wall thickness eroded should
be replaced. See guidance in Data Sheet 6-23 for watertube boilers. Small eroded tube areas may be
overlaid and reinforced by either gas or arc welding. Welding should not be done on sections of tube where
enough of the wall thickness has been eroded to allow burn-through when applying weld overlay. With larger
tube defects, it may be necessary to remove a section of tube or, in some cases, the entire tube.
2. Establish proper soot blower and hand-lancing procedures. Ensure soot blowers are aligned properly
to avoid impingement.
3. To prevent condensate erosion, have soot blowers drained before they are operated.
D. In watertube boilers with finned tubes, ensure the gas temperature is not excessive, to avoid burning
the fins. Where fin tubes are used, ensure the gas is clean. The buildup of solids (fouling) can lead to
fire.
E. Provide low-water protection in accordance with DS 6-12, Low-Water Protection.
2.3 Occupancy
Cooling Tower
Generator
Electricity
Steam
Exhaust Stack
In
Condenser
Steam
Out
Feedwater
Feedwater Pump
Hot Exhaust Heat Recovery Steam Generator
Fuel
Combustor
Co
m
pr
Turbine Electricity
es
so
r
Generator
Intake Air
Gas Turbine
2.3.2.1 Inspection
Areas of concern due to cycling and/or swing loads are water chemistry, temperature differentials that can
cause unequal expansion or contraction due to metal thicknesses, and spray attemperation, particularly at low
load and startup.
A. Spray Attemperators
At each internal inspection, do the following:
1. Check for deterioration, broken liner welds, and worn or obstructed spray nozzles
2. Inspect and service block and control valves, including calibration of the control loop
B. Steam Drums
At each internal inspection, check the following for erosion or corrosion:
1. Steam separators, baffle plates/belly liners, and nozzle welds
2. Chemical feed line
3. Feedwater pipe
4. Piping supports and hardware
5. Perforated plates (located upstream of the first set of tubes in the hot end; they are subject to severe
cracking because they are not cooled)
C. Review and comply with OEM technical bulletins.
D. Implement a high-energy piping inspection program. Include the following:
1. Hot and cold setting inspection for hangers
2. Periodic NDE of longitudinal seam welded piping
Fatigue is the most common cause of cracking without accompanying overheating and is defined as the
action that takes place in material, especially metals, causing deterioration and failure after a repetition of
stress. A repetition of stress can be caused by restriction of proper expansion in the boiler setting, foreign
material lodging under drums and headers closing the expansion gap, and by steam and other line
connections that have inadequate expansion facilities.
The change of pressure and temperature in boilers produces a “breathing action” that may result in fatigue
cracking after several years of service. Cracking may result in areas of high stress where localized from
general expansion and contraction. A crack from fatigue may grow faster in the presence of corrosive water.
The combined deteriorating effect of fatigue and corrosion are greater than the sum of their individual
consequences.
Safety valves can be the cause of a loss due to overpressure if they are of improper size. Improper setting
and broken and jammed parts of safety valves can also lead to losses from overpressure.
Inadequate supports include broken or collapsed supports and columns, loosened nuts on suspension bolts,
loose or broken pipe hangers, inadequate room for expansion of pipes, misalignment, and excessive external
loading on piping.
4.0 REFERENCES
Data Sheet 6-12, Low-Water Protection
Data Sheet 6-22, Firetube Boilers
Data Sheet 6-23, Watertube Boilers
Data Sheet 7-72, Reforming and Cracking Furnaces
Data Sheet 9-0, Asset integrity
Data Sheet 10-8, Operators
C. Added recommendations for heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) and combined cycle plants.
D. Added information on HRSGs and combined cycle plants to Section 3.0, Support for Recommendations.
E. Added terms to Appendix A.
June 1999. Reformatted the document to be consistent with other data sheets.
May 1998. The content of DS 12-14C was added to this document.
C.1 Introduction
Rising fuel costs have made the recovery of heat from a given process economically feasible. Heat recovery
can also be important from a pollution standpoint. Most waste gases are characterized by a high inert gas
content and by a solid carryover content. The degree to which the inerts are present, and the quality, size, and
character of the solids, strongly influence the boiler design for a given application. With proper design, all
or part of the plant’s steam requirements may be supplied by a heat recovery boiler.
Heat recovery is economically practical wherever a process waste product or gas is continuously discharged
at a temperature of 1,000°F (538°C) or higher (Table 1). In addition to producing useful steam, the lowering
of the flue gas temperature may reduce maintenance of flues, fans, and stacks. Process material may often
be more completely recovered from the cooled gases.
The heat transfer from the process waste gases is accomplished primarily through convection. There is very
little radiative heat in process waste gases. As a result, gas velocities in heat recovery boilers tend to be
high. In gases that carry a substantial amount of particulate matter, the velocities cannot be too high or erosion
of heating surfaces will become a problem.
There are basically two types of heat recovery boilers: firetube and watertube. When heat must be removed
or recovered from a process gas supplied above atmospheric pressure, firetube units are usually the choice.
Watertube heat recovery boilers are useful when heat must be removed from flue gases at near-atmospheric
pressure.
Fig. 3. Heat recovery boiler unit suitable for high-temperature gases carrying sticky or semi-molten particles
Bent-tube boilers have a relatively low steam generating rate per square foot of heating surface. As a result,
more tubes are needed for a given steaming rate, and the number of drums is determined according to the
area necessary for tube attachment.
Fig. 5. Vertical water tube heat recovery boiler with external downcomers (steam generated at 50 psi [345 kPa] recovering
heat from sulphur-bearing gases; the top channel serves as steam disengaging drum)
Watertube boilers are equipped with plain or finned tubes (Figure 6). Plain tubes are useful only for small
volumes of gas, or for high-temperature gases (above 1400°F, 760°C). Plain tubes are also used on units
where gases have large amounts of solids.
Nearly all other watertube boilers are equipped with finned tubes. Finned tubes provide greater heating
surface; as much as 10 times more than bare tubes of the same tube diameter and length.
Fig. 8. Controlled circulation boiler for recovery of heat from open hearth furnace
Fig. 9. Fume hood for heat recovery in the oxygen process for steel making
(Brayton cycle) burns fuel, and the hot exhaust is ducted to a heat recovery steam generator that provides
steam to a steam turbine (Rankine cycle) to increase the overall efficiency of the operation.
Gas turbines find wide application where power must be provided on a standby or peaking basis, and for
unattended service in remote locations. In many cases the thermal efficiency of a gas turbine plant has been
improved by adding heat recovery equipment comprising boilers, economizers, and regenerators, singly or
in combination (Figure 11).
Gas turbines employ air-cooled stainless-steel combustion chambers operating at about 1500°F (815°C)
on a continuous basis. To obtain this relatively low combustion temperature, excess air in quantities higher
than 300% must be employed. With some gas turbines in which lower combustion chamber temperatures
are used because of the nature of the fuel, the excess air may be as high as 500%. The exhaust gas
temperature is about 600°F (315°C) below the combustion chamber temperature.
The large quantities of excess air and the 700°F to 900°F (371°C to 482°C) turbine exhaust gas temperatures
have the following effects on the design of steam generating equipment:
A. Straight waste-heat recovery of sensible heat in the turbine exhaust must be accomplished at lower
thermal heads than is the case with waste gas from reverberatory furnaces and the like.
B. As gas turbine combustion chamber temperatures are lowered, the exhaust stream becomes larger
in quantity for a given gas turbine output at such a low-temperature level that the recovery of heat recovery
may become uneconomical.
C. The use of gas turbine exhaust as highly preheated combustion air for a steam generating unit fired
with any fuel, and without restriction as to steam conditions, becomes attractive. Many of the combined
gas-steam turbine applications in operation involve both straight heat recovery by boilers or economizers
and the use of turbine exhaust as the source of oxygen for fuel burning.
Heat recovery steam generators for the recovery of sensible heat from gas turbine exhaust can be of either
the natural or controlled circulation design. Such boilers can be built inside of what amounts to a continuation
of the turbine exhaust duct. Gas velocities through these units are limited to about 100 ft/s (30 m/s) by reason
of excessive backpressure on the gas turbine.
The construction or design of the HRSG is based on the gas flow. The unit can be either vertical or horizontal.
Fig. 12. Diesel engine waste-heat steam generator (U.S. Maritime Commission Liberty ship ‘‘Thomas Nelson’’)
In the ammonia process the waste recovery system may be used to accomplish two or more objectives.
Steam is produced for processing, but the main use of the heat recovery system is to cool the gas in process
so it can then be passed over a catalyst bed in the conversion process to obtain ammonia. A special type
of boiler, the bayonet type, is used in the ammonia process. For information about this special application,
refer to Data Sheet 7-72, Reforming and Cracking Furnaces.
In chemical plants today the conversion of heat recovery in process systems is a custom job and needs
careful study and evaluation for the process involved. When sulfur is burned under a boiler, as in the
commercial production of sulfuric acid, the temperature of all metal surfaces should exceed the dew point
temperature of 450°F (232°C) if they are to have a reasonably long life. The quantity of acid present is small,
about 0.005% by volume in dry gas. Figure 16 is a sketch of a combination watertube/firetube heat recovery
boiler for use in a chemical plant.
Gases in contact with tubes and plates reach the dew point sooner than gases in the main stream. The gases
leaving the boiler proper are not all the same temperature. Corrosion usually is most noticeable at the cold
end of the economizer or air heater.
Fig. 15. Watertube boiler for sulfur recovery plant with cast iron extended surface tube elements