WELCOME

EFFICIENT OPERATION OF
BOILERS

K V Subba Rao
GM(Oprn)
Thermal power plant
Visakhapatnam steel plant
Boiler Operating Engineer
Main Role

 Produce – Steam at desired parameters and

purity

 Protect – Equipment & Pressure parts from

corrosion, overheating, thermal stresses etc

 Prevent – Dangerous occurrences and furnace

explosions
Boiler Operating Engineer
Should be conversant with
 Water circuit, Air/Gas circuit, Fuel Circuit
and Steam circuit
 Understanding of system and its function,
station layout, equipment available and its
area
 Firing equipment & Safety
 SOPs (Start-up & Shut-down procedures of
equipment)
 Well conversant with Interlocks &
Protections
 Well conversant with different controls
(Draft, Drum Level, Fuel/Combustion,
Steam temperature etc)
Boiler Operating Engineer
Expected to

 Start up the Boiler

 Cold Start up
 Hot Start up
 Normal operation of the boiler
 Routine checks
 Tackling Emergencies of Boiler
Abnormal deviation in parameters from normal
values
 Shut down of the Boiler
 Flow of todays session
Efficient Operation of Boilers

 Basics of Thermodynamics
 Boiler Operations
 Interlocks & protections
 Emergency handling
 Efficient Operation of Boilers
Basics of Thermo Dynamics
FIRST LAW OF THERMO DYNAMICS
 Statement of Principle of Conservation of
Energy
 Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
 For a closed thermodynamic system
Q =W + E
Q = (Wexp+Wstir+Welect+……) +
( Epot+ Ekin+……..+ U)
 Heat to Work conversion
Joules Const J = 4.186 J/Cal
 Adiabatic work done in a process is
independent of path and details of the process
 Basics of Thermo Dynamics
SECOND LAW OF THERMO DYNAMICS
 Limitations of First Law of TD
 Energy can be transferred from one system to
another through Work & Heat interactions – Nothing
directional about it
 Some kinds of Energy interactions are practically not
possible.
A Fluid is stirred. As Temp increases, allow heat transfer to the cold plate.
Temp of the fluid remains the same.

W W
W W<0 Q>0
Closed
E=0 Closed
E=0
System Q<0 System W>0
E=0
Q W=Q Q W=Q

Cold plate Q
Possible Not Possible
As per 1st law : W=Q
Basics of Thermo Dynamics
SECOND LAW OF THERMO DYNAMICS - REFRIGERATION
High temp High temp High temp
Source T1 Source T1 Source T1

Q1 Q1 Q1

Cyclic Cyclic Cyclic

process process process
Wnet=0 Wnet=0 Wnet<0
Q2 Q2 Q2
Low temp Low temp Low temp
Sink T2 Sink T2 Sink T2

E=0 E=0 E=0

Wnet=0 Wnet=0 Wnet<0

As per 1st Law As per 1st Law As per 1st Law

Q1-Q2=0 Q1-Q2=0 Q1-Q2=Wnet
Q1=Q2 Q1=Q2 Q1=Q2+Wnet

POSSIBLE NOT
POSSIBLE
POSSIBLE
Basics of Thermo Dynamics
SECOND LAW OF THERMO DYNAMICS – HEAT ENGINE
High temp High temp
Source T1 Source T1

Q1 Q Q1

Cyclic Closed Cyclic

process System process
Wnet>0 W Wnet>0
Q2=0 Q2
COMPLETE
Low temp Low temp
Sink T2 CONVERSION Sink T2
OF HEAT TO WORK
E=0 E=0
-- NOT POSSIBLE --
Wnet>0 Wnet>0

As per 1st Law As per 1st Law

Q1-Q2=Wnet Q1-Q2=Wnet
Q1=Wnet

NOT POSSIBLE POSSIBLE

Basics of Thermo Dynamics
SECOND LAW OF THERMO DYNAMICS
 Heat cannot flow from a lower temperature to
a higher temperature
 Efficiency of an Engine cannot be 100%
 An Engine ONLY absorbing Heat and Completely
converts it into work is NOT POSSIBLE
 However a system absorbing work (W<0) and totally
converting into heat (Q<0) is POSSIBLE
 Efficiency of Heat Engine is always <100% and
Co-efficient of Performance of Refrigerator is
finite number (Not Infinity)
 Heat Engine requires some heat to be rejected
 Refrigerator requires some work to be consumed
 A Reversible Engine is the most efficient Engine
 Entropy is always produced not destroyed
 Entropy of the Universe always increases
 BASIC THERMODYNAMIC CYCLE –
RANKINE CYCLE
Rankine Cycle consists of 4 processes
◦ Isobaric Heat addition Process 1-2 Heat addition at const pr BOILER
◦ Isoentropic Expansion Process 2-3 Adiabatic work output TURBINE
◦ Isobaric Heat Rejection Process 3-4 Heat rejection at const pr CONDENSER

◦ Isoentropic Compression Process 4-1 Adiabatic work input PUMP

2
Saturated Saturated
Liquid Line Vapour Line Saturated Saturated
1 2 Liquid Line Vapour Line
Liquid Liquid
P Liquid
+
Vapour
Vapour
T 1
Liquid
+
Vapour
Vapour

3
4 4 3

V S 11
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Prechecks
 All permits are returned
 All safety valve gags / test plugs are removed
 All manhole doors are closed
 Local drum gauge glasses are available
 All soot blowers are retracted
 Isolation valves of all impulse lines are open
 All valves, Dampers are checked from control desk
 All Interlocks & Protections are checked for healthiness
 All Oil guns/HEA/Spark plugs are cleaned
 All boiler drains and vents are in start up position
 Bottom ash hopper & seal trough are filled
 Fire fighting system is ready
 Cooling water & Instrumentation air systems are started
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Boiler Drum Filling
 Ensure all drum & Economiser vents are open
 Ensure ring header, Economiser & blow down valves are
closed
 Start filling boiler drum with DM water at temp +10oC
to that of metal temperature
 Close vents once water starts coming
 Flush drum gauge glass drains
 Stop filling once drum level comes to normal
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Draught System
 Start Lube oil pumps of Air Heater / ID Fan / FD Fan
 Lineup flue gas path by keeping corresponding gates
open
 Check the operation of air motor of Air Heater
 Start Air Heater main motor
 Start ID Fan
 Start corresponding FD Fan
 Load FD & ID fans to maintain 30% air flow
 Start scanner air fan
 Charge SCAPH
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Boiler purging
 Purge permissives
All trip v/v’s are closed (Oil & Gas)
All corner v/v’s are closed (Oil & Gas)
All mills are off
All feeders are off
All HAG’s are closed
Both PA fans off
Air flow > 30% & < 40%
No boiler trip
Secondary air dampers are modulating
Purge Push to Purge
Purging
Ready Purge complete
 Complete boiler purging
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Boiler Firing
Open LOTV / HOTV
Establish one pair of oil guns in AA elevation
Sequence of Oil gun Operation
 Insert HEA Ensure HEA inserted f/b
 Open air/steam v/v Ensure air/steam v/v open f/b
 Open HONV & spark HONV open f/b & spark command
 After 10sec stop spark Ensure scanner flame ok
Establish 2nd pair of oil guns
Ensure oil elevation is proven (3 out of 4 oil guns)
Open Economizer recirculation valve
Control oil firing rate. Inspect for flame condition.
When drum pressure reaches 2kg/cm2, close drum air
vents
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Boiler Firing
Start 2nd elevation oil guns
Control firing rate as per start up curve and furnace
temp not exceeding 540oC
Close Super heater drains and vents except startup vent
Check for boiler expansion
Slowly increase firing and steam pressure
Warm up main steam lines
To be observed
 SH / RH metal Temp
 Drum wall differential Temp
 Evaporator tube Temp
Maintain drum level by feeding through Low Load FRS
 Boiler Operations
BOILER LIGHTUP
 Boiler Firing
Check for boiler water quality
 Maintain boiler water Ph through Phosphate dozing
 Ensure Silica and TDS are within norms
Charge ESP and start rapping mechanism
Start PA fan and Seal air fan
Start mill and coal firing
Increase Boiler load steadily
Control main steam Temperature
 Boiler Operations
ROUTINE CHECKS DURING BOILER OPERATION
 Flame condition / stability
 Pressure parts for leakages
 Leakages in air / flue gas path
 All drives for bearing temp /vibrations /abnormalities
 Maintain hourly log to identify deviations
 Compare local gauge readings with control desk
readings
 Maintain feed water / steam quality
 Bottom ash unloading as per norms
 Maintain mill parameters
 Regularly check for pr & temp drops across Eco, SH,
AH etc.
 Boiler Operations
ROUTINE CHECKS DURING BOILER OPERATION
 Carry out soot blowing
 AH soot blowing – once in a shift
 Other soot blowing – As per standard practice
 Drives running in parallel are to be loaded equally
 Changeover of standby drives as per practice
 Regular cleaning of oil guns / Ignitors
Boiler Protection & Interlocks
 Protections
 For safety of equipments and systems – To avoid
damage to equipments
 Protection of equipments – Individual equipment stops in case
of abnormalities
 Protection of Boiler - All fuels are cut off when safety of
boiler is threatened
 Interlocks
 To ensure safe sequential Operations of various
systems & components
 Trip individual equipments to avoid abnormalities
 Boiler Protection & Interlocks
 BOILER MFT(Master Fuel Trip) CONDITIONS
◦ Emergency push button pressed
◦ Both ID fans off
◦ Both FD fans off
◦ Loss of all fuel
◦ Flame failure
◦ Furnace pressure hi-hi
◦ Furnace pressure lo-lo
◦ Drum level hi-hi
◦ Drum level lo-lo
◦ MS temp < 400oC
◦ Loss of 220V DC
◦ Loss of 24V DC
 Boiler Protection & Interlocks
When Boiler MFT(Master Fuel Trip) acts – All Fuels get cut off

 Oil Header trip valves  All Elevations and all

close corner oil valves close
 Gas Header trip valves  All Elevations and all
close corner gas valves close
 Coal Feeders and Mills  PA fans Stop
stop
Boiler Protection & Interlocks
 Boiler Protection & Interlocks
ID FAN LOGIC
 START PERMISSIVE  TRIP
◦ Inlet vane in minimum ◦ Motor bearing
position temperature v.high
◦ Hydraulic coupling in ◦ Motor winding
minimum position temperature v.high
◦ Inlet gate in close position ◦ Fan bearing temperature
◦ Outlet gate in close ◦ Motor bearing vibration
position ◦ Fan bearing vibration v.high
◦ SWGR available ◦ ID on and hydraulic
◦ Motor bearing coupling oil pressure v.low
temperature not high ◦ Hydraulic coupling oil
◦ Motor winding temperature high
temperature not high ◦ ID on and inlet gate closed
◦ Lube oil tank level is ok ◦ ID on and outlet gate
◦ Flue gas path is available closed
Boiler Protection & Interlocks
FD FAN LOGIC
START PERMISSIVE TRIP
o FD fan not tripped o Post purge fan trip
o Both ID on or (any ID on and
other FD off) o Motor bearing temperature
o Outlet damper in close v.high
position o Motor winding temperature
o Blade pitch in minimum v.high
position
o Fan bearing temperature v.high
o SWGR available
o Motor bearing temperature o Motor bearing vibration v.high
not high o Fan bearing vibration v.high
o Motor winding temperature o Both ID off
not high
o Fan bearing temperature not o Both FD on and corresponding
high ID off
o Lube oil tank level is ok o FD on and outlet damper close
o Lube oil pressure ok and outlet gate closed
o Control oil pressure ok
 Boiler Protection & Interlocks
MILLS LOGIC
 READY PERMIT  IGNITION PERMIT
◦ HOT PA HEADER PR OK ◦ CORRESPONDING
OIL/COG ELEVATION IN
& SEAL AIR PR OK
SERVICE
& LUBE OIL PERMIT
OR
 OIL LEVEL ADEQUATE
 OIL PRESSURE OK - ADJACENT FEEDER IS
 NO LUBE OIL LEVEL TRIP ON WITH FEEDER SPEED
> 50%
& CAG OPEN
& BUNKER O/L & FEEDER I/L
GATES OPEN
& MDV’S OPEN
& TRAMP IRON HOPPER
GATE OPEN
THE IGNITION ENERGY MUST CONTINUE FOR 3 MIN AFTER THE
FEEDER IS STARTED. IN CASE OF INTERRUPTION THE MILL TRIPS
Emergency Handling
• Boiler Emergencies are conditions where the
operating parameters deviate from normal
values
• If the above condition is allowed to continue it
may result either in tripping of boiler or damage
to equipment
• The cause is to be identified quickly and
corrective actions are to be initiated to bring
back the system to normalcy
 Emergency Handling
Some Emergencies
• One set of ID & FD fans trip
o Take draught control on manual and Load running ID fan and maintain furnace
draught
o Maintain airflow
o Cut in oil burner adjacent to working mills
o Maintain drum level
o Investigate the cause of trip correct and restart
• One ID tripped and FD did not trip
o Manually trip corresponding FD fan. Take all actions as mentioned in above point
• Maloperation of control vanes of ID, FD fans
o Take control vane operation in manual and control draught
• Closure of dampers on flue gas side dampers
 Emergency Handling
Some Emergencies
• Unstable flame conditions
o Reduce load
o Check secondary air dampers
o Cutin corresponding oil elevation to improve flame stability
• Air heater tripped
o Reduce load so that AH. Flue gas Outlet temp does not increase abnormally
o Check for flame stability
o Trip one mill if required
o Start air motor
o Investigate the cause of AH trip,correct and restart electric motors early
• Sudden tripping of mill
o Cutin corresponding oil elevation to improve flame stability
• Mill/RC feeder/coal pipe choke
o Increase loading of other mills
o Take oil support if required
• Maloperation of feed auto control
o Take feed control into manual and maintain Drum level
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Fuel BOILER

Feed Water in High Temp Steam out

Chemical Energy  Heat Energy Heat Energy  Thermal Energy

Combustion Efficiency Heat transfer Efficiency

Efficient Operation of Boilers
• Boiler Heat rate
 Input Energy required to produce 1Kg of steam at
rated parameters
 Kcal/Kg or Mcal/T

• Boiler Efficiency
 % of heat input utilized to produce steam at rated
parameters
 (Heat utilized / Heat input)x100
Efficient Operation of Boilers
To be Monitored for corrective actions -
 Flue gas Leakages
 Air ingress
 Air PreHeater leakages
 Steam Passing
 Super Heater / Reheater spray quantity
 Soot Blowing
 Excess air
 Combustion
 Tube Leakages
 Make up %
 Auxiliary power Consumption
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Losses encountered in boiler
 CONTROLLABLE
◦ Combustible in ash loss
◦ Dry gas loss
◦ Co in flue gas
◦ Mill rejects loss
 UN CONTROLLABLE
◦ Moisture in fuel
◦ Hydrogen in fuel
◦ Air moisture
◦ Sensible heat in ash
◦ Radiation and unaccounted
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Areas of Improvement -
 Combustion in boiler
 Air Heater performance
 Mill plant performance
 Fans
 Water losses
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Combustion -
 Combustion is the process of rapid chemical
oxidation of the combustible elements present in fuel.
They are mainly C,H,& S.
◦ Solid fuels burn in beds in lump or pulversid form,
suspended in air stream.
◦ Liquid fuels burn either by vaporizing and mixing with air
before ignition or in form of droplets which get evaporated
while mixing with air stream during combustion.
◦ Gaseous fuels burn in burners; either fuel and air premixed
or fuel and air separately flow to furnace

• If combustion is not proper, Heat loss increases due

to unburnt carbon leaving the boiler along with either
bottom ash or fly ash
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Combustion -
 Exothermic reaction – Liberating Heat
◦ C + O2  CO2 8084 KCal/ Kg
◦ 2H2+ O2  2H2O 29000 KCal /Kg
◦ S + O2  SO2 2200 Kcal/Kg
◦ 2CO + O2  2CO2 5450 KCal /Kg
◦ CH4+2O2  CO2+2H2O 12000 KCal /Kg
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Combustion -
 Ingredients

Temperature

 Ignition Temperature / Fire Point

◦ The minimum temperature required to start
spontaneous combustion
 Wood – 290oC
 Bituminous coal – 400oC
 Oil - 260oC
 Gas - 550oC
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion -
• Surface contact area of fuel with air
• Air-fuel ratio
• Retention time
• Combustion chamber temperature
• Turbulance in combustion chamber
• Removal of products of combustion
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion -
1 Air for combustion
 Air quantity
 Stochiometric air - Theoritical air required to completely
oxidize the fuel present
 Excess air – Extra air supplied over and above the teoritical
air requirement. In practice mixing is never perfect. So an
additional air is practically required to ensure complete
combustion and release of entire heat.
• 15% to 20% of excess air is required to be maintained
• % of oxygen in flue gas leaving boiler is measured and
monitored
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion -
1 Air for combustion
 Air distribution – A good turbulence results in Air molecules
thoroughly mixing with fuel molecules leading to complete
combustion
Sec Air
Fuel & primary air enters
Fuel
at the centre surrounded
Sec Air
at all sides by secondary air
Fuel
to ensure complete combustion
Sec Air
Fuel
Sec Air
Fuel
Sec Air
GOOD AIR DISTRIBUTION
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion -
2. Coal Particle Size
 Combustion will not be completed in time if the size of the
particle is higher
 Coarser particles increases combustibles in ash and increases
carbon loss
 Optimum fineness of coal
 100% through 50mesh
 90% through 100mesh
 70% through 200mesh
 Pulverised fuel fineness is to be periodically monitored and
adjusted
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion -
3. Coal quality – Volatile Matter
 Volatile matter in coal refers to the components of coal, except
for moisture, which are liberated at high temperatures
 First matter in coal that gets ignited liberating heat
 Lower than designed value needs more time for complete
combustion which furnace can not provide, and leads to
increased combustibles in ash
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion -
4. Time
 Sufficient retention time must be allowed for the fuel to stay
inside the furnace to complete combustion
 Time required/available depends on
• Fuel type, Fuel quality, Fuel size
• Furnace size
• Velocity
– Draught
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Performance of Coal Mill –
 PF fineness
 Rejection quantity
 Grind ability
 Type of coal used
 Ash content
 PA fan flow/pressure/temp.
 PF and air leakages
 Maintance
 Classifier position
 Moisture in coal
 Pipe choking
 Velocity across the pipes
 Power Consumption
 Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion –

Cause Leads to Corrective Action

Less Primary Mill overloading & mill rejection. Adjust air flow &
air flow Flame pulsating due to insufficient pressure
supply of coal particles.
More Primary Flame impingement with tubes. Adjust air flow &
air flow Heavier particles entering the pressure
furnace resulting , un-brunt carbon.
Less Primary No pre-heating of coal, hence Adjust air flow
air tendency to chokage. Increase inlet air temp
temperature Increase in mill rejects. / hot PA air
More Primary Tendency to catch fire inside the Decrease inlet air
air flow mill/PF bends pipes as volatile matter temp
will be given off Increase cold PA air
 Efficient Operation of Boilers
Factors affecting combustion –
Cause Leads to Corrective Action
Less Secondary Unburnt carbon in ash. Adjust air flow &
air flow Flame instability. SADC
More Secondary Excess air resulting less efficiency. Adjust air flow &
air flow Flame instability. SADC
Less Secondary Poor combustion. Check for Air heater
air temperature Lower efficiency. speed, seals.
Low flue gas Acid corrosion of air heater Economiser / Air
temperature in elements heater bypass
air heater
Coal fines Chokages
Oversized coal Mill overloading Crushers & Screens
Low ash fusion Formation of clinkers Blending of coal
temperature
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Air Heater Performance-
 Flue Gas outlet temperature lower than
optimum
 Leads to cold end corrosion
 Flue Gas outlet temperature higher than
optimum
◦ More dry gas loss
◦ Rise of 220c above optimum reduce boiler
efficiency by 1%
 20c rise above optimum results loss of
600kcal heat in 1 tonne of flue gas
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Air Heater Performance-
FACTORS AFFECTING A.H. GAS OUTLET TEMPERATURE
 Lower than optimum
◦ Lighting and firing cold boiler
 Use scaph
◦ Air leakage
 Seals conditon
 Diff. Pr. Between air and f.g
 Higher than optimum
◦ Qty. Of air passing through AH
 Tempering air
 Bypass dampers passing
◦ Temp.of gas entering AH
 Deposits on boiler heat transfer areas
 Delayed/sy.combustion
 Feed water temp
◦ Fouled / corroded elements
◦ Defective baffles
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Remember –
• Gas side deposits (Remove soot deposits when
flue gas temperature rises above the normal)

• Waterside deposits (A 1mm thick scale on water

side could increase fuel consumption by 5 to 8
%)

• Recovery of Condensate/Feed Water ( For every

60 C rise in feed water temperature through
condensate return saves 1 % fuel)

• Heat Recovery by APH (For every 200 C rise in

Combustion air through APH , there is a fuel
saving of 1 %)
Efficient Operation of Boilers
Remember –
• Avoid oil spillage and prevent oil leakage[ A leak
of one drop every second amounts to loss of
4000 liters per year]

• Report steam leak, damaged insulation of pipe

lines, flanges and joints.[ A 3 mm diameter leak
on a pipe line carrying 7 kg/cm2 steam would
amount a waste of 32,000 liters of Furnace oil
per year]

• Adjustment of burners and air dampers until you

get a hazy light brown smoke with at least 12. 5
% Co2 and 3- 4 % O2
THANK YOU

K V Subba Rao
GM(Oprn)
Thermal power plant
Visakhapatnam steel plant