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Air Pre-Heater
Fossil Fuel Fired Plant
How it Works
Absorbs waste heat from flue gas and transfers this heat to
incoming cold air by continuously rotating heat transfer elements
of specially formed metal sheets.
Bi-sector Air preheater preheats the combustion air. Tri-sector
preheats the secondary and also primary air.
High efficiency elements are spaced and compactly arranged with
in twelve/twenty four sector shaped compartments and twenty four
sector shaped compartments.
The housing surrounding the rotor is provided with duct
connections at both the ends, and is adequately sealed by radial
and axial sealing members forming an air passage through one
half of the Air preheater and a gas passage through the other.
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Heat loss from furnace surface.
Unburned carbon losses.
Incomplete combustion losses.
Loss due to hot ash.
Loss due to moisture in air.
Loss due to moisture in fuel.
Loss due to comb. gen. moisture.
Dry Exhaust Gas Losses~ 4.6%
Heat gained
by SH & RH
38%
Heat gained by economizer & air
pre-heater 11%
Fuel Energy
100%
Heat gained by boiling water 38%
Hot gas
Flue gas
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Air Pre-Heater-functions
An air pre-heater heats the combustion air where it is
economically feasible
The pre-heating helps the following
Igniting the fuel
Improving combustion
Drying the pulverized coal in pulverizer
Reducing the stack gas temperature and increasing the
boiler efficiency
There are three types of air heaters
Recuperative
Rotary regenerative
Heat pipe
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Advantages by use of APH
Stability of Combustion is improved by use of hot air
Intensified and improved combustion
Permitting to burn poor quality coal
High heat transfer rate in the furnace and hence lesser heat
transfer area requirement
Less un-burnt fuel particle in flue gas thus combustion and
both r efficiency is improved
Intensified combustion permits faster load variation and
fluctuation
In the case of pulverised coal combustion, hot air can be
used for heating the coal as well as for transporting the
pulverised coal to burners
This being a non-pressure part will not warrant shut-down of
unit due to corrosion of heat transfer surface which is
inherent with lowering of flue gas temperature
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Gas temperature entering APH
Gas quantity entering APH
Air quantity leaving APH
Desired pressure drop on air/gas side
Gas temperature leaving APH
Air-heater Selection
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Air Heater in Fossil Fired Plant
The accumulated heat is released to the
incoming air as the same surfaces pass
through other half
The heat transfer cycle is continuous as
the surfaces are alternately exposed to
the outgoing gas and incoming air
The rotating cylinder packed
with thousands of sq m of
specially formed sheets of heat
transfer surfaces
As it revolves, heat of FG is
absorbed through one half
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Types Of Air Preheater
Recuperative
Regenerative
Plate type Airheater
Steam Air Preheater
Langsdorm type
Rothemuhle type
Tri sector Air Heater
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Tubular Air Heaters
(Recuperative)
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Tubular Air Pre-Heater
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Design Parameters
Tubes are generally arranged in staggered pattern
Steel tubes of Dia: 37 63 mm
Transverse pitch: S
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/d = 1.5 1.9
Longitudinal pitch: S
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/d = 1.0 1.2
The height of air chamber:1.4 4.5 m
Gas and Air flow velocity : 10 16 m/s
Plate Recuperators:
Instead of tube, parallel plates are used
The gas passage is 12 16 mm wide
The air passage is 12 mm wide
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Regenerative air pre heater
RADIAL SEAL
AXIAL
SEAL
BYPASS SEAL
COLD END
HOT END
HOT INTERMEDIATE
Components of Air heater
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Rotary Plate (Regenerative)
type Pre-Heater
Rotates with a low speed : 0.75 rpm
Weight : 500 tons
This consists of : rotor, sealing apparatus, shell
etc.
Rotor is divided into 12 or 24 sections and 12 or 24
radial divisions
Each sector is divided into several trapezoidal
sections with transverse division plates
Heat storage pales are placed in these sections
Electric Motor
Fluid Coupling
Air Motor
Cam Clutch Box
Gear Box
Overrunning Clutch
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The Material used in APH for
heat storage
Material used Cold end in the basket is a special type of
steel (corten steel (trade name)) which has high resistance
to the low temperature sulphur corrosion, thus prolonging
operational life.
In the hot end mild steels are used
The optimal geometric shape is usually corrugated and
sizes are determined based on design modelling and
experimental data. The turbulence of air and gas flow
through the package increases the heat transfer rate.
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Stationary-Plate Type Air Pre-Heater
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Stationary-Plate Type Air Pre-Heater
The heat storage elements are static but the air/gas flow
section rotates.
The storage plates are placed in the stator.
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Trisector air Heater
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Heating Elements
Hot End Baskets
Hot Intermediate Baskets
Cold End Baskets
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NF Profile
1.2 mm thick
DU Profile
0.8 mm thick
Change in Cold End Profiles
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New Profile
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TYPES OF SEALS
RADIAL SEAL (HE & CE)
AXIAL SEAL
CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL
ROTOR POST SEAL
SECTOR PLATE STATIC SEAL
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1. HE Radial seal leakage - 62.21%
2. CE Radial seal leakage - 11.98%
3. Axial seal leakage - 08.78%
4. By pass or circumferential seal leakage - 0.87%
5. Center post seal leakage - 3.17%
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Total percentage = 87.01%
Entrapped leakage = 12.99%
TOTAL = 100%
PERCENTAGE AIR LEAKAGE
OF TOATAL LEAKAGES
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Radial Seals
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RADAIAL SEALS &
SECTOR PLATE
RADIAL SEALS AND SECTOR PLATES ARE
LOCATED AT THE HOT AND COLD ENDS OF THE AIR
PREHEATER. THE RADIAL SEALS ARE ATTACHED
TO THE DIAPHRAGMS, WHICH SEPARATE THE
INDIVIDUAL ROTOR COMPARTMENT.
PURPOSE: - THE PURPOSE OF RADIAL SEALS IS
TO REDUCE THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR LEAKAGE
FROM THE AIR TO THE GAS SIDE BETWEEN THE
DIAPHRAGM AND THE SECTOR PLATE
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AXIAL SEALS AND
SEALING PLATES
AXIAL SEALS MINIMIZE LEAKAGE PASSING
RADIALLY AROUND THE ROTOR SHELL. THE AXIAL
SEALS ARE MOUNTED ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE
ROTOR SHELL AND SEAL AGAINST THE AXIAL SEAL
PLATES MOUNTED ON THE AIR PREHEATER
HOUSING.
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AXIAL SEAL DIAPHRAGM
COG RIM PIN
Axial Seal
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AXIAL
SEAL
PLATE
JACK BOLT
AXIAL SEAL INSPECTION DOOR
ADJUSTABLE
BOLT
TURN-BUCKLE
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Axial Seal Arrangement
Curved axial sector plate adjustable from
outside
Seal strips are attached to the rotor.
The thickness of seal strips :
6 MM straight strips in Russian.
2.5 mm thick and bend backward in
BHEL.
BHEL APH has better accessibility of axial
seal adjustment as compared to Russian
design
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CIRCUMFERENTIAL
SEALS
THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALS PREVENT
AIR AND GAS FROM BYPASSING THE
HEATING SURFACE THROUGH THE SPACE
BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND THE HOUSING
SHELL. THEY ALSO PREVENT AIR AND GAS
FROM FLOWING AXIALLY AROUND THE
ROTOR.
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CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL-
RUSSIAN
CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL
H.E. ROTOR FLANGE
2.5MM RADIAL SEAL
H.E. DIAPHRAGM
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ADJUSTABLE BOLT
CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL
ROTOR FLANGE
AXIAL SEAL
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CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALS
ACTUATING MECHANISM-
RUSSIAN
Actuating Bolt
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ROTOR POST SEALS
ROTOR POST SEALS PREVENT LEAKAGE
BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE ROTOR POST AND
THE AIR PREHEATER HOUSING.
THE STATIC SEALS PREVENT LEAKAGE BETWEEN
THE HOT & COLD END SECTOR PLATES AND THE
HOT AND COLD END CENTER SECTIONS.
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SECTOR PLATE STATIC SEAL
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CE ROTOR POST SEAL
DIAPHRAGM
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AIR SEAL HOUSING
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ROTOR POST SEAL
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THICKNESS OF RADIAL SEAL
STRIPS
RUSSIAN MODEL : 6 MM
BHEL DESIGN : 2.5 MM
SOFT SEAL : 0.1 MM
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FLEXIBLE / SOFT
SEALS
THE FLEXIBLE SEALS WAS DEVELOPED TO REDUCE
NORMAL LEAKAGE CAUSED BY THE THERMAL
EXPANSION OF THE ROTOR WHILE THE UNIT IS
OPERTAING. THE ROTOR EXPANSION OPENS UP
AREAS OF DIRECT AIR TO GAS LEAKAGE THAT CAN
BE GREATLY REDUCED BY INSTALLING FLEXIBLE
SEALS.
MERIT : - SOFT SEAL IS SET TO A NEGATIVE
CLEARANCE IN COLD CONDITION, AND WHICH WILL
EXTEND IN THE HOT CONDITION TO OPERATE AS A
STANDARD PROXIMITY SEAL.
DEMERIT : - SINCE THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE OR
CONTACT SEAL, THE WEAR LIFE IS VERY LOW.
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COST OF SOFT
SEALS
RADIAL SOFT SEAL HE/ SET :- 1 LAC
RADIAL SOFT SEAL CE/ SET :- 0.95 LAC
AXIAL SOFT SEAL/ SET :- 0.4 LAC
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RADIAL SEAL
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BY PASS SEAL RUSSIAN
BY PASS SEAL
RUSSIAN
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Rotor Bearings
A thrust bearing supports the complete rotor. Support
bearing assy has two types
Hanging design
Integral design
Load is transmitted to thrust bearing by a trunnion, bolted to
the lower end of the rotor post or by an extension to the
rotor post.
To guide the upper end of the rotor, a guide trunnion is
bolted to the face of the rotor post. A radial guide bearing
assembly maintains the position of this trunnion.
Both the support and guide bearings are lubricated with an
oil bath.
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Guide bearing
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Support Bearings
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Oil Circulation System
The system supply the bearing with a bath of continuously cleaned oil at
proper viscosity.
The bearing oil is circulated by a motor driven pump through an external
filtering system.
The system components are a pump, motor, thermometer, pressure
gauge cooler and filters.
A thermostat is used to limit the operation of the system to temperature,
which will not overload the pump or motor as a result of high oil
viscosity.
The schematic diagram shows the path, which the oil takes as it, passes
through this system
Oil is drawn from bearing housing by the pump into the filter and back to
the bearing housing.
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Schematic
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SCHEME FOR SUPPORT BEARING LUB OIL CIRCULATION
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Rotor Drive System
The driving force for turning the rotor is applied at its periphery.
A pinion attached to the low speed shaft of a power driven speed
reducer engages a pin rack mounted on the rotor shell.
The auxiliary drive ensures the continued operation of the preheater
even if power to the electric motor is interrupted. Generally Air motor is
used for the auxiliary drive.
The auxiliary drive motor may also be used to control the speed of the
rotor during water washing of the heating surface.
The gear box is furnished with an auxiliary high speed shaft extension,
thus permitting the installation of the auxiliary drive motor at any time.
A lubricator is furnished with all air motor drive for installation in the air
line.
Clean dry compressed air with required pressure is supplied into
the Air motor to avoid jamming / failure.
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MAIN DRIVE ASSY
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PERFORMANCE
DEGRADATION OF APH
Seal Leakage
Erosion
Corrosion
High Press Drop Across APH
APH Fire
Typically air heater starts with a
baseline leakage of 6 to 10% after an
overhaul
AH Leakage
What we measure is mainly leakage through
radial seals at hot & cold end
Leakage through circumferential seals is
substantial and has a major effect on heat
transfer but nominal effect on APC
Leakage is expressed as a % of inlet gas flow
and not a % of fan input flow
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