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NATIONAL POWER TRAINING INSTITUTE

FARIDABAD

A
PROJECT REPORT ON

“FACTORS INFLUENCING
PERFORMANCE OF BOILER”
BY

ASHUTOSH KUMAR
POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
ROLL NO. PGDC/S/23/PPE/07
UNDER GUIDANCE OF
Sh. Mahendra Singh (Dy.Director)

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ABSTRACT

A power station, also referred to as a power plant or powerhouse and sometimes

generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of
electric power. Boilers are used to generate steam in steam turbines at Thermal
Power Plants. Boiler performance is influenced by a multitude of factors that
collectively determine its efficiency, reliability, and environmental impact. This
abstract explores key Factors Affecting Boiler Performance, including fuel quality,
combustion efficiency, water treatment, and maintenance practices. Each factor is
analyzed in terms of its impact on overall boiler operation and the implications for
energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Understanding these factors and
their interrelationships is crucial for optimizing boiler performance, reducing
operational costs, and meeting regulatory requirements. These abstract highlights the
importance of comprehensive management strategies that encompass technical,
operational, and environmental considerations to achieve and maintain peak boiler
performance in diverse industrial and commercial settings. Fuel quality stands out as
a fundamental factor influencing boiler performance. The type and quality of fuel
used directly impact combustion efficiency, emissions levels, and maintenance
requirements. High-quality fuels with consistent composition promote efficient
combustion, reducing emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
particulate matter. In contrast, poor fuel quality can lead to incomplete combustion,
increased emissions, and higher operational costs due to more frequent maintenance
and cleaning.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The success and final outcome of this project required a lot of guidance and
assistance from many people and we are extremely privileged to have got this all
along the completion of our project. All that we have done is only due to such
supervision and assistance and we would not forget to thank them.

We respect and thank Dr. Mahendra Singh, for providing us an opportunity to do

the project work in NPTI and giving us all support and guidance which made us
complete the project duly. We are extremely thankful to him for providing such a
nice support and guidance, although he had busy schedule managing the corporate
affairs.

Ashutosh Kumar

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DECLARATION

I certify that the work contained in this report is original and has been done by
me under the guidance of supervisor. The work has not been submitted to any other
institute for any degree or diploma I have followed the guidance provided by the
institute in preparing the report. I have conformed to the norms and guidelines given
in the Ethical Code of Conduct of the Institute. Whenever I have used materials
(data, theoretical, analysis, figures and text) from other sources, I have given due to
credit to them by citing them in the text of the report and giving their details and
references.

Ashutosh Kumar

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CERIFICATE

CERIFICATE This is to certify that project entitled

“Factors Influencing Performance of Boiler”

Submitted by – ASHUTOSH KUMAR

To the NATIONAL POWER TRAINING INSITUTE, FARIDABAD is

recorded of Bonafide work carried out by him under our supervision and guidance,
for partial fulfilment of the requirements for the awarded of the diploma in Power
Plant Engineering as prescribed by NATIONAL POWER TRAINING
INSITUTE.

Internal Examiner External Examiner

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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Introduction 7
2.Indian Boiler Regulations 8
3.Classification of Boilers 9
4.Boiler efficiency 11
5.Combustion Theory 13
6.Factors Effecting boiler Efficiency 14
7.Boiler Design 16
8.Coal Quality 17
9.Mill Performance 20
10.Burner Imbalance 23
11.Excess Air 23
12.Boiler Air Ingress 24
13.Air Heaters 26
14.Environmental Conditions 27
15.Quality of Overhauls 28
16.Water Chemistry 31
17.Conclusion 36
18.Reference 37

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INTRODUCTION

A boiler is an enclosed vessel that provides a means for combustion and transfers
heat to water until it becomes hot water or steam. The hot water or steam under
pressure is then usable for transferring the heat to a process. which can be used for a
variety of purposes, including heating, steam production, and power generation.
They are available in a range of designs to meet the specific needs of different
industries.

Working Principle

The boiler is a closed vessel in which the water is stored. Hot gases are produced by
burning fuel in the furnace. These hot gases are made to come in contact with the
water vessel where the heat transfer takes place between the water and the steam.
Therefore, the basic principle of the boiler is to convert water into steam by
using heat energy.

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INDIAN BOILERS REGULATIONS

Indian Boiler Regulations (IBR) set of standards that regulate the

materials, design and construction, inspection and testing of boilers and
boiler components for compliance by the manufacturers and users of boilers
in India under Indian Boilers act 1923.

Definition according to Indian Boilers Regulation – A closed vessel which has a

volume of 22.75 L or more, which is used to generate steam is called Boilers.
Elsewhere, boiler comes under IBR any vessel containing steam of 3.5kg/cm2 g and
volume more than 22.5 liters or pipeline more than 10 inch Dia come under preview
of IBR. But, boilers below this volume & pressure are considered as non –IBR
boilers.

Every boiler owner who purchases a new boiler submits an application to the Chief
Inspector of Boilers along with the inspection fees as per regulation 385 of IBR-1950
and the certificates of the manufacture in form of II, III & IV issued by the Chief
Inspector of Boilers of the manufacturing state, for the registration of the boiler.
The Boiler is inspected and its M.B along with (Memorandum of Inspection Book) is
prepared. All calculations for the pressure parts of the boiler are made as per IBR-
1950 and a P.O. (Provisional Order) is issued for a maximum period of six months to
operate the boiler at the maximum working pressure as calculated.

The boiler is offered for the STEAM TEST by the boiler owner within the validity of
PO and if found satisfactory, a certificate for a period of 12 months is issued.

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Classifications of Boilers

1.According to the position of water and hot gasses

 Water Tube Boiler

 Dissolved Gases in Feed Water and Its Effect

2. According to Axis of Shell

 Horizontal Boiler

 Vertical Boiler

 Small Boiler

3. According to the position of the boiler

 External Fired Boiler

 Internally Fired Boiler

 Pressure Reduction System

4. According to the pressure

 Low-Pressure Boiler

 High-Pressure Boiler

5. According to the method of circulation

 Natural Circulation Boiler

 forced Circulation Boiler

 Assited circulation
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6. According to use of boilers

 Mobile Boiler

 Stationary Boiler

7. According to drums

 Single drum Boiler

 Multi drum Boiler

8. According to the nature of drought

 Forced drought Boiler

 Natural drought Boiler

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BOILER EFFICIENCY

Boiler efficiency may be indicated by

• Combustion Efficiency - indicates a burners ability to burn fuel measured by
unburned fuel and excess air in the exhaust
• Thermal Efficiency - indicates the heat exchangers effectiveness to transfer
heat from the combustion process to the water or steam in the boiler, exclusive
radiation and convection losses
• Fuel to Fluid Efficiency - indicates the overall efficiency of the boiler
inclusive thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger, radiation and convection losses -
output divided by input.
Boiler Efficiency is in general indicated by either Thermal Efficiency or Fuel to
Fluid Efficiency depending the context.

Boiler Efficiency calculation

We have 2 methods of calculation Direct Method & Indirect Method

Direct Method

Direct or input-output method of boiler efficiency calculation is very simple

for the calculation of boiler efficiency. It is preferred by most of the boiler
engineers. Following input data are required for the calculation of efficiency
in this case:

• Steam pressure (kg/cm2) • Steam temperature (°C) • Steam flow (Q) •

Feed water temperature (°C) • Calorific value of fuel (kcal/kg) • Quantity of
fuel used (Q f)

Efficiency = Output/ Input

Output from the boiler is the net heat added to the steam in the boiler which
is given by

Steam flow x (Heat available in steam — Heat on the supplied feedwater)

Input to the boiler is the heat energy supplied to the boiler by fuel which is
given by Fuel flow x Calorific value of fuel. So,Efficiency = Steam flow
(Heat available in steam — Heat on feedwater)
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/ (Fuel flow x Calorific value of fuel)

Indirect Method The total heat supplied to the boiler by fuel is not utilized for
the generation of steam. Various losses take place in the boiler. In heat loss
method or indirect method of boiler efficiency calculation, various losses are
calculated and the efficiency is calculated by subtracting these heat loss
fractions from 100. Principal heat losses that take place in a boiler are listed
below:

• Heat loss in dry flue gas• Heat loss due to evaporation of water formed due
to hydrogen present in the fuel • Heat loss due to evaporation of moisture
present in the fuel • Heat loss due to moisture present in the combustion air •
Loss due to unburnt fuel in ash • Heat loss due to radiation and other
unaccounted losses Also, some heat is added to the boiler other than the
fuel.

These are called credits. Some of the credits are as follows:

• Heat in feedwater• Heat in combustion air • Heat from auxiliary equipment •

Sensible heat on fuel for the calculation of efficiency by indirect method,
following data are required:

• Ultimate analysis of fuel (H2, 02, C, S, moisture %, ash%) • Percentage of

02, CO, CO2in flue gas • Flue gas temperature at boiler exit (Tf °C) •
Ambient air temperature (T, °C) and humidity • GCV of fuel (kcal/kg) •
Percentage of unburnt fuel in ash • GCV of ash (kcal/kg)

Following steps are followed for the calculation of efficiency:

• Calculate the theoretical air requirement for the combustion of fuel. As

discussed earlier, it is given by 4.35[(8/3C + 8H2+ S) — 021/100 kg/kg of
fuel.

• Calculate the percentage of excess air and the actual mass of the air
supplied per kg of the fuel. Excess air (EA) = 02x 100/ (21 — 02)
Actual mass of air supplied per kg of fuel = (1 + Excess air/100)
Theoretical air

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COMBUSTION THEORY

The theory of combustion is the understanding of heat generation and

transfer. Combustion is a chemical combination or reacting that produces
heat, and heat is a form of energy due to molecular vibration or motion.

3 T IN COMBUSTION THEORY – Time,Temperature,Turbulance

Combustion efficiency can be further explained in terms of the three T's;

Time, Temperature and Turbulence. For example, in oil heat systems, the
amount of time oil vapor has to combust (or reside in the flame front or
burning zone) has been improved dramatically with the advent of flame
retention burners.
Time All combustion required sufficient time for chemical reaction, should
be perfect for completion of fuel.

Temperature Temperature must be more than ignition temperature or

combustion of fuel to take place.

Turbulence- Proper turbulence help in bringing fuel & air in intimate contact.

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Factors Affecting Boiler Efficiency

Factors affecting Boiler efficiency includes

• Design • Coal Quality • Mill Performance - PF Fineness • Burner-to-burner PF

balance• Excess Air Level • Boiler Air Ingress• Performance • Furnace / Convective
section Cleanliness • Quality of Overhauls • Water Chemistry,etc

Boiler performance depends on Coal Quality Component; Condition Operating

practices / parameters; Boiler design; Operating practices / parameters; Boiler design

 Boiler Performance Characterization Combustion / Thermal Efficiency -

Conversion of chemical heat in fuel to production of steam – adequate Time /
Temperature / Turbulence

 Combustion / Thermal Efficiency - Conversion of chemical heat in fuel to

production of steam – adequate Time / Temperature / Turbulence

Effect of boiler side Parameters (Approx.)

OFF – Design/Optimum Conditions

Parameter Deviation Effect on Heat Rate

Excess Air (O2) Per% 7.4 Kcal/kWh
Exit Gas Temp per o C 1.2 Kcal/kWh
Unburnt Carbon Per% 10-15 Kcal/kWh
Coal moisture Per% 2-3 Kcal/kWh
Boiler Efficiency Per% 25 Kcal/kWh

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Boiler – Control Volume

On Basis of Boiler Design

500 MW NTPC Singrauli

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Coal Quality

Efficiency Vs Ambient Temp / RH

Assume Exit Gas Temp – Constant; Excess Air – 20 % GCV - 3700 kal/kg

Efficiency Vs Moisture in Coal

Assume,
Exit Gas Temp - Const. Fuel Moisture - 20.5 % Excess; Air - 20 % GCV - 3700 kal/kg

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Efficiency Vs Hydrogen in Coal

Assume, Exit Gas Temp – Const. Fuel Hydrogen - 2.33 %; Excess Air - 20 % GCV -
3700 kal/kg

Efficiency Vs HHV of Coal

Assume, Exit Gas Temp - Const. Fuel Moisture – Const. Fuel Hydrogen – Const.
Excess Air - 20 % GCV - 3700 kal/kg

Efficiency Vs Excess Air

Assumptions Exit Gas Temp - Const. Ambient Temp - 27 C GCV - 3700 kal/kg

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The Coal

• Proximate Analysis, Ultimate Analysis, Calorific Value, Ash Constituents, Ash

Fusion Temperatures, FC/VM ratio, Hard Grove Index, YGP (Yeer Geer Price) Index

• Typical Proximate Coal Analysis - Fixed Carbon - 32.4 %, Volatile matter - 21.6 %,
Moisture 16.0 %, Ash 30.0 %, GCV 4050 kcal/kg

• +ve aspects - Low Sulfur, Low chlorine, Low iron content and High Ash fusion temp

-ve aspects - High ash, moisture, high silica / alumina ratio, low calorific value, high
electrical resistivity of ash,

Variation in heating values, moisture, ash content and volatile matter

Coal composition – Different bases of representation

Coal characteristics decide the heat release rates, furnace wall conditions &
consequently the furnace heat transfer

• Deterioration in Coal quality affects boiler capability to operate at rated parameters.

• Change in coal quality affects capacity, efficiency and combustion stability.
• Increase in moisture affects mill drying, tempering air requirement, gas velocities,
Boiler efficiency.
• Ash quality / quantity affects boiler erosion, mill wear, slagging and fouling
propensity, ash handling system, sprays, soot blowing requirements etc.
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• Change in coal characteristics affects mill wear parts life & throughput of Pulverizes.
• Increased dust loading & change in dust characteristics may affect ESP performance.

FACTORS AFFECTING MILL PERFORMANCE

 GRINDABILITY (HGI); FINENES; MOISTURE; SIZE OF RAW COAL; MILL

WEAR (YGP); MTC PRACTICES

PF fineness
 Typical recommended value of pulverized fuel fineness through 200 mesh
Sieve is 70% and 1% retention on 50 mesh sieves.

 Fineness is expressed as the percentage pass through a 200-mesh screen (74µm).

 Coarseness is expressed as the percentage retained on a 50-mesh screen

(297µm).

 Screen mesh indicates the number of openings per linear inch.

PF fineness is influenced by

Coal Quality; Mill loading, settings, mill problems; PA flows/velocities; Manual /

motorized sieve shaker

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Sampling location; Near mill / burner single pipe / average; Sampling Techniques
;64-point rotary sampler; Conventional Cyclone / ASME Sampler

EFFECT OF FINENESS ON BOILER OPERATION

Excessive PF fineness would cause

 Reduction in mill capacity

 Increased mill component wear
 Increased mill and fan power combustion
 Excessive PF fineness may not necessarily result in improved combustion

Burner Imbalance
 Mill discharge pipes offer different resistance to the flows due to unequal
lengths and different geometry layouts.

 Fixed orifices are put in shorter pipes to balance velocities / dirty air flow /
coal flows. The sizes of the orifices are specified by equipment supplier.

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TANGENTIAL FIRING

Uneven fuel and air distribution can result in

• High unburnt carbon in fly ash

• Non - uniform release and absorption of heat across the furnace resulting in
temperature imbalance

• Reducing furnace leading to slagging and fouling

• High furnace and boiler exit gas temperatures

• Water wall wastage and tube metal overheating

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Burner Imbalance
• Coal Flow & PA Flow
Dirty air flow distribution should be within +/- 5.0% of the average of fuel pipes Coal
distribution should be within +/-10% of the average of fuel pipes Balanced Clean air
flows do not necessarily result in balanced Dirty air flows.
Burner Balance
Balanced PF flows are an essential pre-requisite to an optimized combustion. Usually,
the imbalance gets camouflaged by additional excess air, thereby losing out on boiler
efficiency and operating flexibility

Excess Air
• Typically, 20 % excess air is recommended for boiler operation; Actual optimal
value would vary from boiler to boiler depending on coal quality, fineness and other
operating practices.

• Optimum level of oxygen could be less than value specified by OEM.

• O2 instruments are installed at the economizer exit, where they can be influenced by
air infiltration. The O2 reading in control room may not be necessarily representative of
the actual O2 in furnace.

Excess Air
C+ O2 = CO2 + 8084 kcal / kg of Carbon

2C+ O2 = 2CO + 2430 kcal / kg of Carbon

2H2+ O2 = 2H2O + 28922 kcal / kg of H

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S + O2 = SO2 + 2224 kcal / kg of Sulphur

We lose 5654 kcal for each kg of CO formed.
Excess Air
Low excess air operation can lead to

• unstable combustion (furnace puffs)

• increased slagging of waterwalls and SH sections
• Loss in boiler efficiency due to increased CO / unburnt combustibles

High excess air operation can lead to

• Increased boiler losses • High SH / RH temperatures • Higher component erosion

Boiler Air Ingress

• Cold air leaks into the boiler from openings in the furnace and convective pass and
through open observation doors.

• Some of the boiler leakage air aids the combustion process; some air that leaks into
the boiler in the low temperature zones causes only a dilution of the flue gas.
• This portion of air appears as a difference in O2 level between the furnace exit and
oxygen analyzers at economizer exit. Actual oxygen in the furnace could be much less.

• Also, boiler casing and ducting air ingress affects ID fans’ power consumption and
margins in a major way.
Furnace Outlet Air-in- leakage Zirconia O2 Probe AH Seal Lkg ESP Expansion
Joints Air Ingress Points – Furnace Roof Expansion joints, Air heaters, Ducts, ESP
Hoppers, Peep Holes, Manholes, Furnace Bottom

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Air can ingress be quantified by the increase in oxygen % in flue gas; The temperature
drop of the flue gas from air heater outlet to ID fan discharge also provides an indication
of the same.

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AIR HEATERS
• Operating excess air levels • PA/SA ratio • Inlet air / gas temperature • Coal moisture
• Air ingress levels • Soot blowing • No. of mills in service

Factors affecting performance includes

 PA Header Pressure High pressure results in increased AH leakage, higher ID

fan loading, higher PA fan power consumption, deteriorates PF fineness & can
increase mechanical erosion

 Upstream ash evacuation

 Maintenance practices Condition of heating elements, seals / seal setting,

sector plates / axial seal plates, diaphragm plates, casing / enclosure, insulation

Boiler Exit Gas Temperature

 Ideal flue gas temperature at stack outlet should be just above the dew point to
avoid corrosion; Higher gas temperatures reduce efficiency; Possible causes of
temperature deviations are

 Dirty heat transfer surfaces • High Excess air • Excessive casing air ingress
Fouled/corroded/eroded Air heater baskets • non-representative measurement.

Factors affecting EGT include

Entering air temperature - Any changes would change exit gas

temperature in same direction

 Entering Gas Temperature - Any changes would change exit gas temperature
in same direction

 X-ratio - An increase in X-ratio would decrease exit gas temperatures & vice
versa

 Gas Weight - Increase in gas weight would result in higher exit gas
temperatures
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 AH leakage - An increase in AH leakage causes dilution of flue gas & a drop

in ‘As read’ exit gas temperatures

Environmental Condition

Environmental conditions can significantly affect boiler performance. Here are

some key factors:
1) Temperature- Extreme temperature can impact the efficiency of boilers. Cold
weather can lead to condensation in flue gases, reducing efficiency, while high
temperature can increase heat losses.
2) Humidity- High humidity can cause corrosion in boiler components,
especially if combined with contaminants in the water supply. This can
decrease the lifespan of the boiler and increase maintenance requirements.
3) Altitude- Boilers at high altitudes experience lower air pressure, which affects
combustion efficiency. Proper adjustment of air-to-fuel ratios is necessary to
maintain optimal performance.
4) Air Quality- Poor air quality, including pollution and particulate matter, can
affect combustion efficiency and increase maintenance needs by fouling heat
exchanger surfaces.
5) Wind- Wind can affect the draft in the boiler, leading to uneven combustion
and reduce efficiency. Proper positioning and shielding can mitigate these
effects.
6) Exposure to Elements- Exposure to rain, snow, and other elements can lead
to corrosion and deterioration of boiler components if not properly protected.
7) Ventilation- Inadequate ventilation can lead to insufficient air supply for
combustion, affecting efficiency and potentially leading to unsafe operating
condition.
8) Location- Boilers installed in different geographic locations may require
adjustments to account for local environmental conditions, such as
temperature variations and air quality.
Overall, maintaining optimal environmental condition is essential for maximizing
boiler performance, efficiency, and longevity. Regular maintenance and
monitoring are key to to identifying and addressing any issue related to
environmental factors.

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Quality of Overhauls

It is evident that over 50% of energy requirements of India are met through
thermal power plants using coal i.e., over 50% is being generated using steam
generator or boiler. So, it becomes very important that these boilers are well
maintained and the mechanism that causes damages to these boilers, well
understood and proper inspection techniques used to evaluate these damages
and ensure that boilers are running defect free. In the periodic Overhauling
process under the IBR Guidelines owners of these steam generators gets an
opportunity to inspect the steam generators and carry out necessary works over
these steam generator components to maintain their health, ensure safety and
reliability. Periodic/annual overhauling of boilers helps in retrieving the
desired efficiency of boilers which gets deteriorated due to deposition of ash in
the pockets and heating surfaces. Also, remnant life assessment of the
components helps in deciding the replacement of high pressure and
temperature components which helps in ensuring the safe operation of the
boiler.
During overhauls, maintenance engineer gets an opportunity to:
1. Carry out annual health check-up of boiler
2. Resolve/attend to the defects of boiler.
3. Cleaning heating surface area.
4. Defect free run till next shut down
5. Improving the efficiency of the boiler.

If overhauling is not done, it may lead to: -

1. Unsafe operation of boiler
2. Deterioration in performance/efficiency
3. Increase in MTBF or frequent break-down of the equipment
4. Rise in maintenance cost which further leads to rise in generation cost
5. Loss of market share
6. Loss of incentives associated with the generation availability

Overhauling of boiler is considered as critical process and following are the

reasons:
1. Efficiency: Over a period of time boiler efficiency deteriorates due to
formation of slag and ash deposition based on various types of coal firing. It
gets cleaned during overhauls and helps in restoring the desired performance
by better heat transfer through the cleaned surface area, thereby saving fuel.

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2. Uncertainty: When we consider about uncertainty it’s not the uncertainty in

planning but the uncertainty regarding the defects appearing during inspection
for which we are not prepared. For example, a steam generator is under
shutdown and inspection is being carried out the oxide scale thickness comes
out to be very high in the superheater zone which may lead to breakdown in
future. At this time a call is to be taken if the entire set of tubes having high
oxide scale needs to be replaced. So, this is just an example to understand the
uncertainty which we may be faced with during inspection.

3. Resource Management: Under the guidance and technical support, boiler

repairers are obtaining qualifying certification from IBR for carrying out
overhauls and repairs on boilers. The approved vendors can only work or
execute the boiler overhauls. This helps in ensuring the quality-of-service
providers/boiler repairers and gives confidence to the power plant/steam
generating stations.

4. Spares Quality & Availability: All boiler pressure part components are
subjected to high pressure and temperature conditions. Hence it is very critical
from reliability and safety point of view, the replaced/used component offer
safe operation of boiler and with high reliability. IBR guidelines direct the
boiler part manufacturers for manufacturing parts and components maintaining
quality standards. Also, with experience of past history of failures, IBR gives
necessary directions and guidelines to the manufactures for manufacturing
which helps in improving quality and reliability of the components. All users
of boilers should follow IBR guidelines in overhauling and RLAs so that the
assessment of component health helps in deciding the procurement of the
critical components which have high lead time. All components/spare parts
use in boiler shall be certified before use to avoid quality issues.

5. Standardization of overhauling cycle time: Over a period of time power

plant operators have benchmarked the processes of boiler overhauling, so that
power plant is made available for support of grid requirement. However, due
to use of different coals like domestic or imported coal, the overhauling cycle
time changes due to different slag formation properties and erosion of
components which requires different time frames to address.

6. Quality standards: Steam generator/boiler is one of the most critical

equipment in a power station and for it to run efficiently and effectively it is
very important to maintain the quality standards during entire overhauling
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process. Various quality standards issued by various governing bodies are to

be strictly followed in order to maintain the health of boiler and maintain the
efficiency of boiler.

7. Organization Standards: When we are considering the organization

standards it's not about the organization who own the boiler/steam generator
but it's about the organization which will be carrying out the overhauling
process for boiler/steam generator. Often it is observed that due to cost
reduction the quality of the manpower which is being brought for overhauling
the machinery affects overall boiler/steam generator quality and its health.

Overhauling Preparation:
Since overhauling is considered to be a critical process, we need to prepare in
advance keeping the following factors in the mind:
1. Learnings from the previous shutdown
2. Analyzing the shortfall of spares and consumables required for the next
shutdown
3. Studying the metal temperature pattern of boiler metal tubes during running
4. Analyzing the soot blowing pattern
5. Monitoring the pressure drop and FGET across the furnace.
6. Thermography reports of the valves and any leakages through drain and glands
of the valves.
7. Any past tube leakages or any historical data of the steam generator which had
led to break down
8. Water chemistry monitoring throughout the boiler. Overhauling is an important
process for maintaining effectiveness and efficiency of the steam generators.
Overhauling is a critical activity and there should be proper management
process which oversees the entire process and ensure that overhauls are being
completed on a timely basis with the desired results of efficiency and
effectiveness.

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Water Chemistry

The effect of water quality on boiler performance is a huge concern for plant
owners and operators. Premature boiler failure often occurs as a result of poor or
inconsistent feed water quality. Hard water elements in feed water are
responsible for a number of issues:

Scale Build Up The concentration of minerals in water, referred to as TDS (total

dissolved solids), includes calcium, magnesium and silica. These elements in
feed water can cause a dense scale to build up and harden on the surfaces
within boiler equipment. Scale builds up typically develops on the hottest
surfaces and reduces flow through pipe which prevents the efficient transfer of
heat.
Iron Corrosion Iron can be soluble or insoluble. It can clog valves and strainers
and accumulate at the bottom of the boiler in the form of heavy sludge.
Reducing iron in the water prevents corrosion and substantially increases the
life of the boiler and associated equipment.
Oxygen Pitting in Boilers Even in small concentrations, oxygen is highly
corrosive when present in hot water. One of the most damaging kinds of
oxygen corrosion is oxygen pitting, which involves concentrated pitting and
corrosion in a very small area. Even though only a relatively small amount of
corrosion and loss of metal has occurred, tube failure can happen.
Natural Water Bases Bases such as bicarbonates, carbonates, hydroxides,
silicates, borates, and phosphates in natural water breakdown to form carbon
dioxide in steam. This is a major factor in the corrosion of condensate lines
and contributes to foaming.
Water softeners, demineralizers or reverse osmosis systems can be used along or
in combination to effectively manage water issues and improve feed water
quality. If water quality is a concern, selecting the right boiler type can also
help. Fire tube boilers are a good choice if water hardness is an issue.

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Oxygen Removal The addition of oxygen to a system with feed water and heat
will initiate corrosion.
● Heat accelerates the oxygen corrosion if the oxygen is not removed from the
feedwater system and boiler water
● An oxygen scavenger is used to eliminate the remaining oxygen.
● Properly applied, oxygen scavengers will prevent oxygen pitting
● The ability for oxygen to attack forming a pit on metal, increases by a factor of
two for every 10ºC) rise in temperature.
● Oxygen can be 512 times as aggressive at 100º than it was at 10ºC.
● Once heated, the oxygen has to be removed via mechanical and chemical
means.
● Oxygen pitting occurs when the oxygen has been heated up and then is not
removed.

Oxygen Scavengers Heating the feed water greatly reduces the dissolved oxygen
but does not remove all dissolved oxygen Oxygen scavengers when applied
properly, should be able to remove oxygen down to 1-3 ppb by volume
● The Law of Mass Action: Excess feed of a reactant is used to drive a reaction to
completion. Therefore, we maintain chemical residuals as Tannin to force the
reaction to completion
● Oxygen’s ability to react with iron doubles every 10ºC increase in feedwater
temperature.

Oxygen Protection Tannins – Functions as a filming agent on metal surfaces

and also functions as an oxygen scavenger.
● Functional group is a reaction with the free iron to form a complex on the
metal surface. Absorption followed by magnetite formation

● Tannins are long chain aliphatic polyanions, which gives them dispersant
properties as well as adsorption of hardness ions.
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Tannin
Advantages:
● Tannins don’t add to the boiler TDS so reduces the need for blow down and
saves energy
● Feed water tannins have a dual corrosion protection mechanism since they not
only remove the oxygen but also form a corrosion resistant tannate film on the
boiler steel
● Tannin is brown in color so is easier to detect and test for
● They are particularly suitable for low or variable feed water temperatures and
very good at protecting idle and intermittently used boilers.
● Suitable for low pressure boilers
● Tannin residual level in the Boiler for Integra Chemical is 120-160ppm

Feed Water pH/Temperature/Hardness

● The pH of the feed water should be above 8.5 to prevent corrosion of iron in the
system
● Optimum pH in the feed water should be 8.5-9.5
● The higher the feed water temperature the lower the dissolved oxygen will be
in the feed water. The lower the dissolved oxygen, the lower the potential for
corrosion to take place in the boiler water systems
● The feed water needs to be softened water. Water softeners use and ion
exchange process to exchange calcium and magnesium hardness with
sodium/salt. In the event of scaling in the system the sodium ions are easily
removed Vs calcium/magnesium ions.

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Controlling Total Dissolved Solids in the boiler water

As a boiler generates steam, any impurities which are in the boiler feed water and
which do not boil off with the steam will concentrate in the boiler water.
As the dissolved solids become more and more concentrated, the steam bubbles
tend to become more stable, failing to burst as they reach the water surface of
the boiler. There comes a point (depending on boiler pressure, size, and steam
load) where a substantial part of the steam space in the boiler becomes filled
with bubbles and foam is carried over into the steam main.
This is obviously undesirable not only because the steam is excessively wet as it
leaves the boiler, but it contains boiler water with a high level of dissolved and
perhaps suspended solids. These solids will contaminate control valves, heat
exchangers and steam traps. Whilst foaming can be caused by high levels of
suspended solids, high alkalinity or contamination by oils and fats, the most
common cause of carryover (provided these other factors are properly
controlled) is a high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level. Careful control of
boiler water TDS level together with attention to these other factors should
ensure that the risks of foaming and carryover are minimized

Neutralized total dissolved solids

Neutralized total dissolved solids are measured by adjusting the pH of the sample
water to 7 with a neutralizing reagent and then testing with a TDS meter.
This give the corrected TDS reading and is normally lower by a third than the
TDS tested without Neutralization.
It is done to neutralize the hydroxyl ions (OH-). Hydroxyl ions contribute
significantly to the total ionic concentration of the water sample. This affects
both the conductivity and TDS readings when based on the specific
conductance of the sample.
Why do we want to neutralize the effect of hydroxyl ions on our readings?
Hydroxyl ions are not considered a dissolved solid, but instead part of a
disassociated water molecule. When we take our conductivity/TDS readings
on the boiler water and calculate cycles of concentration, we want to have a
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truer estimate of the cycles of concentration of dissolved solids without the

added conductance effects of hydroxyl ions.

Caustic Alkalinity (Hydroxide Alkalinity)

Caustic Alkalinity in steam boilers is very important in minimizing the
potential or scale formation Boiler water must contain a certain amount of
causticity i.e., Hydroxide alkalinity in order to accomplish three things:
1. To maintain a protective coating of iron oxide over the metal and thereby
prevent certain types of corrosion.
2. To provide a proper environment for precipitation of desirable sludge
materials.

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CONCLUSION

Factors affecting boiler performance are diverse and crucial for

ensuring optimal operation and efficiency. From this exploration, it is
evident that factors such as fuel quality, combustion control, water
treatment, and maintenance practices play pivotal roles in
determining boiler efficiency and longevity. The interplay of these
factors underscores the importance of a holistic approach to boiler
management, encompassing both operational practices and technical
considerations. By understanding and addressing these factors
comprehensively, stakeholders can not only enhance boiler
performance but also contribute to sustainability goals through
improved energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. As
technologies evolve and regulatory frameworks tighten, continual
attention to these factors will remain essential for achieving and
maintaining high boiler performance standards across industrial and
commercial sectors alike.

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REFERENCE

1) Wikipedia
2) Brad Buecker (2002), Basics of boiler and HRSG design
3) Thermal power Plant Familiarization volume 2
4) https://sphinxsai.com
5) https://slidesare.net
6) https://instrumentationtools
7) https://www.firebridge.com
8) https://venus-boiler.com
9) https://www.lathroptrotter.com
10) https://wikipedia.com
11) https://boilerworldupdate.com
12) https://integrawater.co

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