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Fire tube boilers have been used throughout the world for over a century and have been one of the
mainstays behind process steam applications and industrial heating plants. The performance & life of boiler
depends on hardness of water, total dissolved solids (TDS), residual sulphite, residual Phosphate in water.
Dissolved solids deposited on the surface of boiler tube reduces rate of heat transfer from hot gases to
water/steam, as thermal conductivity of dissolved solids is very less. In this research paper, weight &
deflection due to dissolved solids are evaluated by using reverse osmosis (RO) water & soft water
alternatively as feed water for fire tube boiler. A result shows that weight & deflection are reduced by using
RO water for boiler.
During experimental investigation, 4 mm thick layer of dissolved solids is observed by using soft water for
boiler, whereas 0.5 mm of thin layer of dissolved solid is observed for RO water. As the thickness of
dissolved solid layer is less in case of reverse osmosis water, hence resistance to heat flow from hot gases
to water/steam is less. It resulted in increase of rate of heat transfer from hot gases to water. Also the
chances of crack formation is reduced. Analysis result shows that using RO water for boiler weight &
deflection are drastically reduced.
1 INTRODUCTION
Fire tube boiler used for experimentation is located at M.B. Sugars & Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Malegaon, Dist.
Nashik (Maharashtra State), India. Schematic diagram of fire tube boiler is shown in figure. 1
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Journal of applied science in the thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
Vol. 2, No. 2/2008, ISSN 1802-9388
It is a horizontal, multitubular and two pass packaged type boiler that uses wood as fuel. There are 147 tubes
in first pass and 143 tubes in second pass. Combustion of fuel takesplace in furnace, hot gases flows
through boiler tube and water is contained in shell. Heat transfer takesplace from hot gases to water/steam.
Evaporative capacity of boiler is 4500 kg/hr.
2 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION
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Journal of applied science in the thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
Vol. 2, No. 2/2008, ISSN 1802-9388
1 PH 10.5 11.5 12 11
2 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Less than 3500 31600 ppm 1680 ppm
3 Residual Sulphite 30-40 NIL 40 ppm
4 Residual Phosphate 30-40 10 ppm 40 ppm
5 P-Alkalinity Less than 300 4600 ppm 40 ppm
6 Total Alkalinity Less than 700 5800 ppm 130 ppm
By using soft water as feed water for boiler, analysis report shows that, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and
alkalinity of blow down water are found very higher than desired range. To reduce corrosion and scaling
tendency, it is necessary to maintain the percentage of residual sulphite and phosphate within desired range.
Using soft water for boiler, residual sulphite and phosphate are found very low or nil. Scale formation on the
surface of boiler tube reduces the rate of heat transfer from flue gases to water. It causes overheating
of boiler tube and initiates crack formation. Figure 2 shows crack on surface of 1 st pass boiler tube. A failure
of boiler tube results in increase of blow down percentage. It resulted in production loss. Also for production
of 4500 kg/hr steam, fuel consumption is more by using soft water for boiler. Hence Reverse Osmosis (RO)
plant is installed at site for safe, efficient and prolongs working of fire tube boiler.
3 ANALYSIS
By using soft water as feed water for boiler, 4 mm (average) thick dissolved solid layer is observed over
boiler tube during experimental investigation (see table 1).
Weight W acting on the surface of boiler tube due to dissolved solids:
W =V w ds , (1)
where V - means volume of water containing dissolved solids,
wds - means weight density of dissolved solids in water.
Calculated weight W is 10.98 N (See Weight analysis in appendix 1).
3.2 Weight Analysis (by using reverse osmosis water for boiler)
By using RO water as feed water for boiler, 0.5 mm (average) thin dissolved solid layer is observed over
boiler tube during experimental investigation. Calculated weight is 1.28 N (See Weight analysis in appendix 2).
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Journal of applied science in the thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
Vol. 2, No. 2/2008, ISSN 1802-9388
5ML3
= , (2)
384 EI
Deflection magnitude at Center is calculated to 1.45 mm. Calculation see in appendix 3.
3.4 Deflection Analysis (By using reverse osmosis water for boiler)
Deflection Analysis (By using reverse osmosis water for boiler) is calculated to 0.169 mm and it's calculation
is shown in appendix 4.
4 RESULTS
Table 3: Result Table
Using soft water for boiler Using RO water for boiler
Weight due to dissolved solids 10.98 N 1.28 N
acting on boiler tube
Deflection of boiler tube due to 1.45 mm 0.169 mm
deposition of dissolved solids
Blow down percentage 40 3
Total dissolved solids in boiler 31600 ppm 1680 ppm
water
REFERENCES
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Cylinders Immersed in a Fluidized Bed. Journal of heat transfer, 984 / vol. 128, October 2006.
[2] GHOSH, S., CHOI, J.: Modeling and Experimental Verification of Transient/Residual Stresses and
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[3] JASON, M., PORTER, M., LARSEN, M., E., WESLEY, J., B., HOWELL, J., R.: Metaheuristic
Optimization of a Discrete Array of Radiant Heaters. Journal of heat transfer, October 2006, vol. 128/
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[4] JANI, S., SAIDI, M., H., MOZAFFARI, A., A.: Second Law Based Optimization of Falling Film Single
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[6] KUNDU, B., DAS, P., K..: Performance Analysis and Optimization of Annular Fin with a Step Change in
Thickness Journal of heat transfer, June 2001, Vol. 123 /601.
[7] Welding Technology Institute of Australia, Cracking in Fire Tube Boiler, TGN-PE-03, March 2006.
[8] MULL, T., V., HOPKINS, M., W., WHITE, D., G.: Numerical Simulation Models for a Modern Boiler
Design.
[9] Ken Ogiso, Assessment of Overall Cooling Performance in Thermal Design of Electronics Based on
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[10]ZHEN-HUA LIU, JIE YI: Augmentation of Laminar Forced Convective Heat Transfer of an Oil Flow in an
Enhanced Tube by EHD Effect Journal of heat transfer, February 2004, Vol. 126 /131.
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Journal of applied science in the thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
Vol. 2, No. 2/2008, ISSN 1802-9388
APPENDIX 1
Figure A1-1: Dissolved solids deposited on boiler tube using soft water
2 2
V = D2 D0 L , (A1-2)
4
w ds =w , (A1-3)
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Journal of applied science in the thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
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APPENDIX 2
APPENDIX 3
Deflection Analysis (By using soft water for boiler)
Dissolved solids deposited on the surface of boiler tube acts uniformly distributed load (assumption) on the
boiler tube. Due to this boiler tube deflects.
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Journal of applied science in the thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
Vol. 2, No. 2/2008, ISSN 1802-9388
5ML3
Deflection magnitude at Center = (A3-1)
384 EI
D 4o Di4
I= (A3-2)
64
where W - means weight acting on boiler tube due to dissolved solids W = 10.98 N,
L - means length of boiler tube L = 1.082 m,
M - means moment M = W L = 10. 981 . 028=11. 28 Nm,
E - means modulus of elasticity of tube material E = 200 109 N/m2 ,
I - means mass moment of inertia,
Do - means outer diameter of boiler tube D0 = 0.0761 m,
APPENDIX 4
Deflection Analysis (By using reverse osmosis water for boiler)
W - means Weight acting on boiler tube due to dissolved solids W = 10.28 N
L - means Length of boiler tube L = 1.082 m
M= 1 . 281 . 082=1 .38 Nm (A4-1)
by putting M, L, E and I in equation A3-1, = 0.000169, m = 0.169 mm