PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AIR PRE HEATER

AT OFF DESIGN CONDITION

Rakesh Kumar1, Sanjeev Jain2
1

Project Engineering- Mechanical Design, Engineering office complex, NTPC, Sector 24,Noida U.P, India
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India.

Abstract
The poor performance of air pre heaters in the modern power plants is one of the
main reasons for higher Unit Heat rate and is responsible for deterioration in boiler
efficiency. The main problem of Air Pre heater is the leakage of air to the flue gas
side and thereby poor thermal performance. The experience of automatic sealing
system used in rotary regenerators has proved to be a failure and the designers are
reverting back to fixed sector plate design. The higher ash content in Indian coal also
adds to the problems associated with rotary regenerators.
In the present work the performance of regenerative air pre heater has been
evaluated at off design conditions. To assess the performance at different operating
conditions and leakage rate, a regenerator leakage model is proposed. The model can
also be used while selecting a new type of surface geometry for improving the existing
heat transfer surface by replacement.
Key Words: Air pre heaters, Flue gas, Leakage, Performance, Element profile.
NOMENCLATURE
A
Cw
C
Cr*
Cr
C*
f
h
In
j
K
n
Nu
p
P
Re

V*

Surface area of heat transfer element

Specific heat of wall material
Flow stream heat capacity
Total matrix heat capacity ratio
(Cr/Cmin)
Matrix heat capacity rate
Heat capacity ratio (C min/Cmax)
Friction factor
Heat transfer coefficient
Modified Bessels function of nth
order.
Colburn modulus
Thermal conductivity
Fraction of leakage at cold end
Nusselt number
partial pressure of gas
Pressure of gas
Reynolds number

WP
Wa
Wg
Xp
Xa
Xg

Ratio of header volume to matrix total

volume
Fluid flow rate (Kg/s)
Pressure leakage (Kg/s)
Mass of air leakage (Kg/s)
Mass of gas leaking to airside (Kg/s)
Pressure leakage and carry over
factors
Air carry-over factor
Gas carry-over factor

Greek symbols

Effectiveness of regenerator
Density of fluid
Porosity of heat transfer element.
Viscosity

Introduction
Modern high capacity boilers are always provided with an air pre heater. The role of
the air pre heater, which can be used to preheat the combustion air increases with the
unit power of a plant. The flue gases from coal-fired boiler contain significant amount
of thermal energy at the exit of economizer. Apart from the need to preheat air to dry
coal and improve combustion efficiency the benefit from preheating combustion air
can be shown to be 1% improvement in boiler efficiency, for each 22 oC rise in the
combustion air temperature [1]. By utilizing the air pre heater the temperature of the
combustion product can be reduced from 370- 450 oC to 120-135 oC [2].
The cold end flue gas temperature of an air pre heater is designed for acid due point.
Generally with coal firing there is sufficient alkaline fly ash available to absorb the
acid (H2SO4) and prevent the fouling and corrosion of air pre heater and ducting. If
the ash to sulphur ratio in the coal is more than 7:1, then cold end fouling does not
occur even at temperature below 120 oC [3].
The main requirements of an air pre heater are high heat transfer rate, low-pressure
drop and low sensitivity to fouling. These depend mainly on heat transfer element
geometrical design.

Air Heater Performance

There are many factors, which contribute to the deterioration of air pre heater
performance like high seal leakage, deterioration of heat absorption characteristics of
basket elements due to fouling or plugging. Air pre heater performance can be
substantially affected by upstream parameters as well. Exact reasons of air heaters
performance deterioration needs to be investigated before planning for overhaul or
up-gradation.
The primary air temperature is normally controlled either biasing share of flue gas or
economizer bleeding to suit varying coal. Many air pre heaters are designed for
different coals, which were never received in actual operations. Both the extremes in
terms of moisture in coal have been noted in NTPC (India) stations [4]. In one case
operating efficiency was lower due to actual moisture being less than designed and in
other case, actual moisture was higher than design and this affected grinding
capability of coal mill. Increasing the temperature of the air entering the pre heater by
steam preheating can also increase air exit temperature by maintaining cold end metal
temperature.
Ash carry over from economizer hopper can also contribute to degradation of air pre
heater performance. Erosion of ducting and expansion joints upstream and
downstream of air pre heaters can also contribute to loss of margin in draught system
and poor air pre heater performance. Close monitoring of air pre heater performance
& proper instrumentation would enable timely detection of performance degradation.

Regenerator Model
In this paper a simple flow model of the rotary regenerator has been analyzed. In
rotary regenerator fluid leakage can be classified in to two categories.
i)
ii)

Pressure Leakage: due to part of higher-pressure gas stream passing

through the sealing system mixes with low-pressure fluid stream.
Carry over leakage: When a part of gas stream trapped in void volumes of
the rotor element is carried to the other gas stream during rotation. The
carry over leakage can occur in both the direction.

It has been idealized that the air leakage flows only at faces of the regenerator rotor.
The intermixing of the fluid occurs only at the outside the matrix. Air is at higher-

pressure side. The fluids have a perfect gas behavior. !

Fig. 1. Regenerator model with fluid bypass and carryover.
A regenerator leakage model having finite fluid bypass and carryover leakage is
shown in Fig 1. Let the total mass flow leakage rate from the high-pressure airside to
low-pressure gas side is WP . It is assumed that the amount of fluid by pass at the air
(cold) inlet side and gas (hot) inlet side will be nW p . Where n is a fraction indicating
leakage distribution at cold and hot end. Let the mass of air contained in the matrix
void volume and carried over to the gas (hot) side during one rotation is Wa and the
hot fluid carry over is Wg . The pressure leakage and carry over factors Xp, and carry
over leakage factors Xa and Xg are defined as
Xp =

Wg
Wa
WP
, Xa =
, Xg =
Wa
Wa
Wa

(1)

The fractional carry over factors X a and X g can be calculated as [5]:

Xa =

aC p ,a + V * *
(
)Cr
wCw 1

(2)

Xg =

g C p , g + V * * *
(
)Cr C
wCw 1

(3)

The effectiveness is calculated using Galerkin method [6] for solving balanced,
symmetric counter flow regenerator effectiveness.
= Cr

1 + 72 24{B 2[ R1 A1 90( N1 + 2 E )]}

1 + 92 24{B 6[ R A 20( N 3 E )]}

(4)

Where
B = 33 134 + 30(5 6 )
R = 2 [34 5(35 46 )]
= 3 [33 5(34 + 45 126 )]
= 4 [24 3(5 + 6 )] + 352
E = 246 252 326 + 2345 34
N1 = 4 [4 2(5 + 6 )] + 252
A1 = 3 [3 15(4 + 45 126 )]
R1 = 2 [4 15(5 26 )]
Vi (
i =

2 NTU O
, 2 NTU O )
Cr*
(2 NTU O )i 1

Where i=2,3,4....6...

y n
Vi ( x, y ) = exp[( x + y )] n Cm 1 ( ) 2 I n (2 xy )
x
n = m 1

(5)
(6)

eq. (4) is valid for C*=1 and (hA)*=1.

The effectiveness of unbalanced regenerator can be calculated as follows:
Computing NTU o ,m and Cr*,m for an equivalent balanced regenerator from the specific
value of NTU o , C * and Cr* as
NTU o , m =

*
r ,m

2 NTU oC *
1 + C*

(7)

2Cr*C *
=
1 + C*

(8)

Then the equivalent balanced regenerator effectiveness r is calculated using NTU o,m ,
Cr*,m for NTU o and Cr* in equation (4). The actual regenerator effectiveness is then
calculated using equation.
r (C *2 1)
1 exp{ *
}
2C (1 r )
=
(C *2 1)
1 C * exp{ r *
}
2C (1 r )

(9)

The performance evaluation is normally done either to verify venders specification or

to determine the performance in off design condition. The objective of the
performance evaluation is to determine fluid outlet temperatures heat transfer rate and
pressure drop of both the streams. The method given in Shah [5] has been used to
calculate heat loss, pressure drop and outlet temperatures of air and gas streams.

Correlation for Heat Transfer and friction factor

For heat transfer coefficient average Nusselt number Vs Reynolds number plot for 30o
undulation angle [7] has been taken and a fit to a polynomial curve fit equation.
Nu av =-10.3E-03 +14E-03 Re-4.8363E-06 Re2 +9.2369E-10 Re3 -5.724E-14 Re4 -4.1538E-19 Re5 (10)

For corrugated undulated surface geometry combination and inclination angle 30o, the
correlation is [7]
f = 26.57 Re0.722 for Re range 1300 - 3000

(11)

f = 2.203Re 0.411 for Re range 3000 - 10000

For notched plate geometry of cold end elements correlations given in shah [5] has
been used to calculate colburn j factor and friction factor f.

Physical properties of fluid

The heat transfer rate and fluid pumping power are dependent upon the fluid thermo
physical properties. Hence it is essential that the fluid properties to be calculated
accurately at each section corresponding to the temperature. Fluid properties required
for analysis are density, specific heat, viscosity, thermal conductivity and Prandtl
number. Correlations [8] have been used to calculate thermal conductivity (K) &
viscosity ( ) of flue gas as follows, depending upon the volumetric constituent of
flue gas.
p
1 pK
(12)
K = ( i i i + 1/ i i )
2

Ki P

Where Ki & pi are the thermal conductivity & partial pressure of individual
constituent of mixture, and i are correction factors to account for molecular kinetic
theory of gases.

 = 1/

i pi
)
i P

(13)

Where, i is viscosity of individual constituent of mixture, and i are correction

factors. The curve fit equations of thermo physical properties of constituent of gases
and other working fluids taken from Yaws [8].

Results and Discussion

To validate the design model performance prediction computer programs run for
various loading conditions for Air Pre heaters of a typical 500 MW by varying
leakage distribution at cold end and hot end from 30 % to 70 %. The input data at off
design conditions like flow rate, fouling, chocking of the air pre heater baskets,
leakage distributions etc. are not available. Hence it is very difficult to evaluate the
performance of air pre heater at off design conditions. However the effect of various
parameters likes leakage, fouling, chocking of elements and change in flow and
change in inlet air or gas temperature can be analyzed using this performance
evaluation program.
Leakage drift and its effect on air pre heater performance
Leakage is an unavoidable feature of regenerative air pre heater. Air pre heaters are
designed with a certain percentage of leakage. Leakage drift is increase in leakage
over a period of time due to deterioration of sealing system. The effect of leakage
with variation in leakage distribution at hot and cold end for primary air pre heater of
a typical 500 MW power plant are shown in Table 1. In this analysis flow parameters
for BMCR are taken and air outlet flow from air pre heater has been kept constant.

Leakage
fraction at
CE
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7

% Leakage

6
8
10
12
14
16
6
8
10
12
14
16
6
8
10
12
14
16
6
8
10
12
14
16
6
8
10
12
14
16

Outlet Temperature
o
C
Gas
Air
152.49
277.90
151.35
276.46
150.18
274.97
148.99
273.44
147.77
271.87
146.47
270.31
152.10
278.39
150.82
277.15
149.50
275.87
148.17
274.54
146.81
273.18
145.40
271.81
151.72
278.88
150.28
277.84
148.82
276.77
147.34
275.66
145.84
274.51
144.314
273.337
151.33
279.38
149.74
278.55
148.13
277.68
146.50
276.79
144.86
275.86
143.20
274.90
150.94
279.88
149.19
279.25
147.43
278.60
145.65
277.93
143.86
277.23
142.06
276.51

Heat Transfer rate

MW
Actual
Loss
33.69
4.28
32.46
5.92
31.18
7.61
29.84
9.37
28.44
11.19
26.99
13.09
33.77
4.21
32.56
5.82
31.31
7.49
30.00
9.22
28.63
11.01
27.21
12.87
33.84
4.14
32.67
5.72
31.44
7.36
30.16
9.06
28.83
10.82
27.437
12.651
33.91
4.07
32.77
5.62
31.58
7.23
30.33
8.90
29.03
10.63
27.67
12.43
33.99
4.00
32.87
5.52
31.71
7.10
30.50
8.74
29.23
10.44
27.90
12.20

Effectiveness
%
Ideal
Actual
71.71
63.638
70.95
60.011
70.16
56.389
69.35
52.775
68.52
49.167
67.68
45.581
71.71
63.772
70.95
60.196
70.16
56.625
69.36
53.058
68.52
49.496
67.68
45.949
71.72
63.907
70.95
60.383
70.17
56.862
69.36
53.344
68.53
49.83
71.72
46.323
71.72
64.043
70.96
60.571
70.17
57.102
69.37
53.634
68.54
50.169
67.69
46.707
71.72
64.179
70.96
60.761
70.18
57.344
69.38
53.928
68.55
50.513
67.70
47.1

Table 1. Primary APH performance data with variation in leakage & its distribution.

Air Pre heater Performance Improvement

In some of the air pre heaters space is provided to permit the addition of extra element
at a latter stage if under performance is observed. But many under performing air
preheaters are not equipped with this provision of additional space. In such air
preheaters performance can be improved by substituting old element with new
element profile of better thermal performance. In NTPC (India) air pre heaters are
provided with Double Undulated, Corrugated Undulated elements at hot end and
Notched plate at cold end. However now a day many more element profiles with
better thermal performance & with higher undulation angle are available.
The performance evaluation program can be used to predict the performance of air pre
heaters with change in element profile or element height. This can also help in
selecting a particular element profile for the air pre heater while going for
performance improvement. The performance evaluation program output has been
shown in Table 2 for a typical primary air pre heater with same element profile
(Double Undulated) at both hot & cold end. It is observed that modifying element
profile yields appreciable temperature rise in air side without much rise in pressure
drop. This temperature rise will be much pronounced if economizer by pass is open
and high temperature flue gas is allowed to pass through the APH.

SN
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Performance Parameter
Gas outlet temperature
Air out let temperature
Gas side Pressure drop
Air side pressure drop
Actual Heat transfer rate
Heat loss rate
Effectiveness of APH

Unit
(oC)
(oC)
(mmwc)
(mmwc)
MW
MW
%

Existing
Prediction
146.8
278.3
88
96
31.3
7.7
56.2

Modified
Prediction
139.1
287.8
109
124
32.57
6.5
58.43

Change
-8.5
10.2
21
28
1.27
1.2
2.23

Table 2. Performance Parameter after Modification

Conclusion
The regenerator leakage model has been briefly discussed in this paper. The
Performance of rotary regenerator with leakage and its distribution at hot & cold end
has been analyzed. It is observed that leakage at cold end does not contribute to any
heat loss but it only dilutes the flue gas outlet temperature. The effectiveness of a
regenerator considerably reduces due to increase in leakage, especially if leakage is
more at hot end.
The performance improvements of existing non-performing air preheaters are
discussed in brief. The performance improvement by improving element profile at
cold end of an existing air preheater has been presented. With the change in element
profile at cold end airside temperature can be increased up to 10 oC and gas side
temperature can be reduced up to 8.5 oC.
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1.

2.
3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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