Vocational Training Report

ENERGY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF BOILER

AND ITS’ IMPROVEMENT
Under the guidance of
Mr. Naveen Kr. Gupta
AT
HINDALCO CAPTIVE POWER PLANT, RENUSAGAR
801.57 MW
Submitted By-
ANIRUDDHA GANGULY
Driptor
Roll No-15702616004
Registration no-161570120003
B.Tech (Power Engineering)

This project has been submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of

B.TECH in POWER ENGINEERING under MAKAUT, WB
HINDALCO Captive Power Plant 801.57MW,
RENUSAGAR

Vocational Training Period: 26th June to 26th July, 2018

 Acknowledgement

This project is not a solo endeavor. A great many people have contributed to the successful completion of
this project. We would like to mention some noteworthy contributors.

 Mr. Hem Raj TTMDC HEAD for allowing us this opportunity of training.

 Ms. Sumant Kumar Sir who made it extremely convenient for us to training here.

 Our project guide Mr. Naveen Kumar Gupta Sir, who took time out of his busy schedule and helped
us understand the nuances of a thermal power plant and the different practical considerations.

 Mr. Supriyo Das Sir for allotting us with operators promptly for locale visits and for providing us
with relevant data to form the basis of our calculations in the project.

 The entire team of Renusagar thermal power plant operators whose involvement has been
instrumental in us getting to know the power plant. Their patience and persistence was extremely
important for our project.

We are extremely grateful to the above and all other employees at Captive Power Plant, Renusagar who in
no small way have helped us complete this project that we had undertaken. We shall always remember them
with gratitude and sincerity.

Thank you all for your continued cooperation and patience.

 COMPANY PROFILE
Hindalco Industries Limited, metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is the
industry leader in aluminium and copper. With a consolidated turnover of US$18 billion,
Hindalco is the world’s largest aluminium rolling company and one of Asia’s biggest
producers of primary aluminium. Its state-of-art copper facility comprises a world-class
copper smelter and a fertiliser plant along with a captive jetty. The copper smelter is among
the world’s largest custom smelters at a single location.
In India, the company’s aluminium units across the country encompass the gamut of
operations from bauxite mining, alumina refining, coal mining, captive power plants and
aluminium smelting to downstream rolling, extrusions and foils. Today, Hindalco ranks
among the global aluminium majors as an integrated producer and a footprint in 10
countries outside India.

Hindalco has been accorded Star Trading House status in India. Its aluminium is accepted
for delivery under the High-Grade Aluminium Contract on the London Metal Exchange
(LME), while its copper quality is also registered on the LME with Grade A accreditation.

HISTORY
The Hindustan Aluminum Corporation Limited was established in 1958 by the Aditya Birla
Group. In 1962 the company began production in Renukoot in Uttar Pradesh making 20
thousand metric tons per year of aluminum metal and 40 thousand metric tons per year of
alumina. In 1989 the company was restructured and renamed Hindalco.

DIFFERENT POWER PLANTS OF HINDALCO INDUSTRIES

1.Renusagar Power Plant. A 801.57 MW (10 generating units of various capacities) captive
power plant which is about 40 km from Renukoot, Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh.
2. Hirakud Captive Power Plant. A 467.5 MW captive power plant located at Hirakud,
Sambalpur DistrictOdisha. This plant supplies power to Hirakud smelter of Hindalco
Industries.
3.Utkal Alumina Captive Power Plant. A 90 MW captive power plant located at Doraguda,
Rayagada District Odisha. This plant supplies power to Utkal Refinery of Hindalco
Industries.
4. Aditya Captive Power Plant. A 900 MW captive power plant located at Lapanga,
Sambalpur District Odisha. This plant supplies power to Aditya smelter of Hindalco
Industries.
5. Mahan Hindalco Industries Ltd. a 900 MW captive power plant and alumina smelter
located in Bargawa 20 km from Singrauli.
Renusagar power division is a division of Hindalco Industries Ltd for Generating &
supplying uninterrupted Power exclusively to the interact Alumina Plant at Renukut. The
total installed capacity of plant is about 801.57M.W & comprises of 10 T.G. & 11sets of
boilers.
Renusagar power plant is one of the most efficiently operating at a plant load factor of
around 102-103%.

MISSION
To pursue creation of values at all levels of plant operation for our Customers,
Stakeholders, Employee and Society, at large.

VISION
To be one of the best operated and maintained Captive Power Plant, with enviable Plant
Load Factor to supply uninterrupted power to Hindalco Renukoot at lowest cost.

VALUES OF HINDALCO

 INTEGRITY - Honesty in every action.

 COMMITMENT- Deliver on the promise
 PASSION- Energized action
 SEAMLESSNESS –Boundary less in letter and spirit
 SPEED- One step ahead always

SOME MORE IMPORTANT DATA

 Number of Boiler - 11
 Number of Turbine - 10
 Number of Generator - 10
 Number of Transmission line - 10
 Switch Yard - 132KV
 Generating Voltage - 10.5KV-11 KV
 Self-Consumption - 8-9% of the 801 MW
Around 70-72MW
 Hindalco Renusagar
Unique Features
 First captive power plant for an Aluminum Industry in India.

 Commission way back in 1967 with 2 units, each of 67.5 MW.

 Present Installed capacity of 801.57 MW with 10 Turbo Generating sets.

 1st Power plant having a spare Boiler(1981) to avoid generation loss in case of
outage of unit Boilers

 Consistently operation at power load factor(PLF) above 93.75% in July 2018

Raw Materials
Fuel
 COAL - The coal required in this Power Plant is about 1600 tons/day in each unit i.e
almost 16000tons/day in the total 10 units. The coal is supplied from JINGURDA
coal mines and NCL (Northern coalfield limited)

Transportation
 ROPE WAY- By the rope way approximately 8000 tons of coal is carried per day.
 ROAD WAY-By the road way approximately 8000 tons of coal is carried per day.

Water
 The total water supply for the entire power plant is from RIHAND DAM.
 TG sets Commissioned No of boilers Commissioned on
on
T.G No-1 04.10.1968 Boiler No -1 17.06.1967
T.G No- 2 09.09.1967 Boiler No -2 21.11.1967
T.G No-3 02.11.1981 Boiler No -3 08.061982
T.G No-4 09.04.1983 Boiler No -4 01.02.1983
T.G No-5 31.03.1989 Boiler No -5 18.09.1981
T.G No-6 23.03.1997 Boiler No -6 06.05.1991
T.G No-7 27.03.1998 Boiler No -7 28.03.1997
T.G No-8 31.03.1998 Boiler No -8 27.03.1998
T.G No-9 29.11.2002 Boiler No -9 31.03.1998
T.G No-10 31.03.2003 Boiler No -10 31.03.2003

TG commissioned on BOILER commissioned on

Different Units of Hindalco Power Plant Renusagar

Unit Number Capacity Year of
installation
UNIT 1 78MW 1968
UNIT 2 78 MW 1967
UNIT 3 80 MW 1981
UNIT 4 80MW 1983
UNIT 5 76MW 1989
UNIT 6 80MW 1997
UNIT 7 80MW 1998
UNIT 8 80MW 1998
UNIT 9 89MW 2003
UNIT 10 89MW 2003
 ENERGY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
OF BOILER
Introduction
Performance of the boiler, like efficiency and evaporation ratio reduces with time, due to
poor combustion, heat transfer fouling and poor operation and maintenance. Deterioration
of fuel quality and water quality also leads to poor performance of boiler. Efficiency testing
helps us to find out how far the boiler efficiency drifts away from the best efficiency. Any
observed abnormal deviations could therefore be investigated to pinpoint the problem area
for necessary corrective action. Hence it is necessary to find out the current level of
efficiency for performance evaluation, which is a pre requisite for energy conservation action
in industry.

Purpose of the Performance Test

To find out the efficiency of the boiler
• To find out the Evaporation ratio

The purpose of the performance test is to determine actual performance and efficiency of the
boiler and compare it with design values or norms. It is an indicator for tracking day-to-day and
season-to-season variations in boiler efficiency and energy efficiency improvements.

Performance Terms and Definitions

Reference Standards
British standards, BS845: 1987
The British Standard BS845: 1987 describes the methods and conditions under which a boiler should
be tested to determine its efficiency. For the testing to be done, the boiler should be operated under
steady load conditions (generally full load) for a period of one hour after which readings would be
taken during the next hour of steady operation to enable the efficiency to be calculated.
The efficiency of a boiler is quoted as the % of useful heat available, expressed as a percentage of the
total energy potentially available by burning the fuel. This is expressed on the basis of gross calorific
value (GCV).
This deals with the complete heat balance and it has two parts:
Part one deals with standard boilers, where the indirect method is specified
•
• Part two deals with complex plant where there are many channels of heat flow. In thiscase, both the
direct and indirect methods are applicable, in whole or in part.

ASME Standard: PTC-4-1 Power Test Code for Steam Generating Units
This consists of
Part One: Direct method (also called as Input -output method)
• Part Two: Indirect method (also called as Heat loss method)

Indian Standard for Boiler Efficiency Testing

Most standards for computation of boiler efficiency, including IS 8753 and BS845 are designed for spot
measurement of boiler efficiency. Invariably, all these standards do not include blow down as a loss in
the efficiency determination process.
Basically Boiler efficiency can be tested by the following methods:
1) The Direct Method: Where the energy gain of the working fluid (water and steam) is compared
with the energy content of the boiler fuel.
2) The Indirect Method: Where the efficiency is the difference between the losses and the energy
input.
 The Direct Method Testing
Description
This is also known as 'input-output method' due to the fact that it needs only the useful output (steam) and
the heat input (i.e. fuel) for evaluating the efficiency. This efficiency can be evaluated using the formula:

Boiler Efficiency= Heat Output/Heat Input

Merits and Demerits of Direct Method:

Merits
Plant people can evaluate quickly the efficiency of boilers
• Requires few parameters for computation
•• Needs few instruments for monitoring

Demerits
Does not give clues to the operator as to why efficiency of system is lower
• Does not calculate various losses accountable for various efficiency levels
•• Evaporation ratio and efficiency may mislead, if the steam is highly wet due to water carryover

The Indirect Method Testing:

Description
The efficiency can be measured easily by measuring all the losses occurring in the boilers using the
principles to be described. The disadvantages of the direct method can be overcome by this method,
which calculates the various heat losses associated with boiler. The efficiency can be arrived at, by
subtracting the heat loss fractions from 100.An important advantage of this method is that the errors in
measurement do not make significant change in efficiency.
Thus if boiler efficiency is 90%, an error of 1% in direct method will result in significant change in
efficiency. i.e. 90±0.9 = 89.1 to 90.9. In indirect method, 1% error in measurement of losses will result
in
Efficiency = 100 – (10 ± 0.1) = 90 ± 0.1
=89.9 to 90.1
The various heat losses occurring in the boiler are:
(The following losses are applicable to liquid, gas and solid fired boiler)

L1– Loss due to dry flue gas

L2– Loss due to hydrogen in fuel (H )
L3– Loss due to moisture in fuel (H 2O)
L4– Loss due to moisture in air (H 2O)
L5– Loss due to surface radiation, 2convection and other unaccounted.
L6-loss due to unburnt fuel in ash
(The following losses are applicable to solid fuel fired boiler in addition to above)

Boiler efficiency by Indirect Method = 100 - (L1+L2+L3+L4+L5+L6)

Measurements Required for Performance Assessment Testing

The following parameters need to be measured, as applicable for the computation of boiler efficiency and
performance.

a) Flue gas analysis

1. Percentage of CO or O flue gas 4. Condensate return

2 2 in 5. Combustion air
2. Percentage of CO in flue gas
6. Fuel
3. Temperature of flue gas
7. Boiler feed water
b) Flow meter measurements for
d) Pressure measurements for
1. Steam
1. Fuel
2. Fuel
2. Steam
3. Combustion air, both primary and
3. Feed water
secondary
4. Condensate water
4. Draft
5. Combustion air

c) Temperature measurements for e) Water condition

1. Flue gas 1. Total dissolved solids (TDS)

2. Steam 2. pH
3. Makeup water 3. Blow down rate and quantity

The various parameters that were discussed above can be measured with the instruments that are given
in Table.
 TYPICAL INSTRUMENTS USED FOR
BOILER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT.

Instrument Type Measurements

Flue gas analyzer
Temperature indicator
Draft gauge
Portable or fixed % CO , O and CO
2 2
Thermocouple, liquid in Fuel temperature, flue gas
Glass temperature, combustion
air temperature, boiler
surface temperature, steam
temperature
Manometer, differential Amount of draft
Pressure used or available

TDS meter Conductivity Boiler water TDS, feed water

TDS, make-up water TDS.

Flow meter As applicable Steam flow, water flow, fuel

flow, air flow

Test Conditions and Precautions for Indirect Method Testing

The efficiency test does not account for:

Standby losses - Efficiency test is to be carried out, when the boiler is operating under a steady
•
load. Therefore, the combustion efficiency test does not reveal standby losses,
which occur between firing intervals.
Blow down loss- The amount of energy wasted by blow down varies over a wide range.
•
• Soot blower steam - The amount of steam used by soot blowers is variable that depends on the type of
fuel.

Auxiliary Power Consumption - The combustion efficiency test does not account for the energy
•
usage by auxiliary equipment’s, such as burners, fans, and pumps.
 Boiler Efficiency by Indirect Method: Calculation Procedure and Formula
In order to calculate the boiler efficiency by indirect method, all the losses that occur in the boiler must
be established. These losses are conveniently related to the amount of fuel burnt. In this way it is easy
to compare the performance of various boilers with different ratings.

Conversion formula for proximate analysis to ultimate analysis

%C = 0.97C+0.7(VM+0.1A) – M(0.6 – 0.01M)

%H2 = 0.036C+0.086(VM – 0.1A) – 0.0035M 2(1 – 0.02M)

%N2 = 2.10 – 0.02VM

Theoretical (stoichiometric) air fuel ratio and excess air supplied are to be determined first for computing
the boiler losses. The formula is given below for the same.

Mass of dry flue gas =mass of actual air supplied +1-(M+9H2)

 1. Heat loss due to dry flue gas :

This is the greatest boiler loss and can be calculated with the following formula:
m x C x (Tf - Ta )x 100
L1 = p
GCV of fuel
Where,
L
= % Heat loss due to dry flue gas
M1 = Mass of dry flue gas in kg/kg of fuel
Combustion products from fuel: CO + SO + Nitrogen in fuel +
=
Nitrogen in the actual mass of air supplied
2 +
2 O in flue gas.
(H O/Water vapor in the flue gas should not be2considered)
2

C = Specific heat of flue gas in kCal /kg°C

p
T
= Flue gas temperature in °C
Tf
= Ambient temperature in °C
a

2. Heat loss due to evaporation of water formed due to H in fuel (%)

2
The combustion of hydrogen causes a heat loss because the product of combustion is water. This water is
converted to steam and this carries away heat in the form of its latent heat.
L = 9 * H2 * {584 + Cp (Tf – Ta )} *100
2 GCV of fuel
Where,

H = kg of hydrogen present in fuel on 1 kg basis

C2 = Specific heat of superheated steam in kCal/kg°C
Tp = Flue gas temperature in °C
Tf = Ambient temperature in °C
a .
584 = Latent heat corresponding to partial pressure of water vapour

3. Heat loss due to moisture present in fuel

L3 = M * {584 + CP (Tf - Ta)*100
GCV of fuel
Where,
M = kg moisture in fuel on 1 kg basis
CP = Specific heat of superheated steam in kCal/kg°C
Tf = Flue gas temperature in °C
Ta = Ambient temperature in °C
584 = Latent heat corresponding to partial pressure of water vapour
Moisture entering the boiler with the fuel leaves as a superheated vapour. This moisture loss is made up of
the sensible heat to bring the moisture to boiling point, the latent heat of evaporation of the moisture, and
the superheat required to bring this steam to the temperature of the exhaust gas. This loss can be calculated
with the following formula.
 4. Heat loss due to moisture present in air
Vapor in the form of humidity in the incoming air, is superheated as it passes through the boiler. Since this
heat passes up the stack, it must be included as a boiler loss.
To relate this loss to the mass of coal burned, the moisture content of the combustion air and the
amount of air supplied per unit mass of coal burned must be known.
The mass of vapor that air contains can be obtained from psychometric charts and typical values are
included below:

Kilogram water per

Dry bulb Wet bulb
Relative humidity(%) kilogram dry
temperature(°C) temperature(°C)
air(Humidity ratio)
20 20 100 0.016
20 14 50 0.008
30 22 50 0.014
40 30 50 0.024

L = AAS * humidity factor * CP * ( Tf - Ta) * 100

4
GCV of fuel
Where,
AAS = Actual mass of air supplied per kg of fuel
Humidity factor = kg of water/kg of dry air
Cp = Specific heat of superheated steam in kCal/kg°C
Tf = Flue gas temperature in °C
Ta = Ambient temperature in °C (dry bulb)

5. Heat loss due to incomplete combustion:

Products formed by incomplete combustion could be mixed with oxygen and burned again with a further
release of energy. Such products include CO, H2, and various hydrocarbons and are generally found in the
flue gas of the boilers. Carbon monoxide is the only gas whose concentration can be determined
conveniently in a boiler plant test.

When CO is obtained in ppm during the flue gas analysis

 CO formation (M ) = CO (in ppm) x 10–6 x M x 28
co f
Mf = Fuel consumption in kg/hr

L5 = Mco x 5744*

* Heat loss due to partial combustion of carbon

Heat loss due to radiation and convection:

The other heat losses from a boiler consist of the loss of heat by radiation and convection from
the boiler casting into the surrounding boiler house.
Normally surface loss and other unaccounted losses is assumed based on the type and size of the boiler
as given below

For industrial fire tube = 1.5 to 2.5%

For industrial watertube boiler = 2 to 3%
For power station boiler = 1 to 2%

6.Heat loss due to unburnt fuel in ash:

Small amounts of carbon will be left in the ash and this constitutes a loss of potential heat
in the fuel. To assess these heat losses, samples of ash must be analyzed for carbon content. The
quantity of ash produced per unit of fuel must also be known.
ash collected per kg of fuel*GCV of ash*100/GCV of fuel

BOILER EFFICIENCY CALCULATION

Here in the plant we have been given two sets of data for which we have to calculate efficiency. The first
data given is of design one and the second data taken is of actual condition when unit 8 of the plant was
running at full load.

DATA GIVEN FOR CALCULATION OF DESIGN EFFICIENCY

%O2 in flue gas= 3.2

Average temperature of flue gas= 146 oC
Humidity of air= 0.0204 kg/ kg of dry air

FUEL ANALYSIS
% of ash = 42
% of carbon content = 21
% of volatile matter = 19
% of moisture = 15
Ash generation 0.30 kg/kg of fuel
GCV of ash 210kcal/kg
GCV of coal = 3300 kcal/ kg
Fly ash: Bottom ash = 80:20

Conversion of Proximate Analysis to Ultimate Analysis

%C= 0.97*21+ 0.7(21+ 0.1*42) – 15*(0.6-0.01*15) = 30.85%
%H2=0.036*19+ 0.086(19-0.1*42)-0.0035*152(1-0.02*15) = 0.903%
%N2=2.1-0.020*19 = 1.72%

Theoretical air required = 11.6*30.85 + [34.8(0.903-(3.2/8))+4.35*1]/100

% Excess air
Actual air required
Mass of dry flue gas
= 3.79 kg/kg of fuel
= 3.2/(21-3.2)*100
= 17.97%
= (1+0.1797)*3.79
= 4.47kg/kg of fuel
= 4.47+1-(0.15+9*0.00903)
= 5.34 kg/ kg of fuel

 Heat loss due to dry flue gas

L1 = [5.34*0.23(146-29)*100]/3300 = 4.35%

 Heat loss due to formation of water from H2 In fuel

L2 = 9*0.903*[584+0.45(146-29)]*100/3300 = 1.56%

 Heat loss due to moisture in fuel

L3 = 15*[584+0.45(146-29)]*/3300 = 2.89%

 Heat loss due to moisture in air

L4 = 4.47*0.0204*0.45(146-29)*100/3300 = 0.145%

 Heat loss due to in complete combustion

This loss is considered to be negligible.

 Heat loss due to convection and radiation and other unaccounted losses

This loss is considered 2% .

  Heat loss due to unburnt fuel in ash
0.3*210*100/3300=1.9%
Rated efficiency of boiler = 100-(L1+L2+L3+L4+L5+L6)
= 100-(4.35+1.56+2.89+0.145+2+1.9)
=87.15%
DATA GIVEN FOR CALCULATION OF ACTUAL EFFICIENCY
Although, the indirect method is applicable at full load only. Therefore, the data taken for
calculation was from unit 8 on 16 july,2018. The unit was generating 80MW on that day.

%O2 in flue gas= 2.5

Average temperatre of flue gas= 154 oC
Humidity of air= 0.0204 kg/ kg of dry air

FUEL ANALYSIS
% of ash= 40
% of fixed carbon= 17.5
% of volatile matter= 16
% of moisture= 12
Ash generation 0.49kg/kg of fue
GCV of ash 200 kcal/kg
GCV of coal= 3400 kcal/ kg
Fly ash: Bottom ash= 80:20
Conversion of proximate analysis to ultimate analysis

%C = 0.97*17.5+ 0.7(16+ 0.1*40) – 12*(0.6-0.01*12) =25.215%

%H2 = 0.036*17.5+ 0.086(16-0.1*40)-0.0035*122(1-0.02*12) = 1.27%
%N2 = 2.10-0.020*16 = 1.78%

Theoretical air required = 11.6*25.21+ [34.8(1.27-(2.5/8))+4.35*1]/100 = 3.30kg/kg of fuel

% Excess air = 2.5/ (21-2.5)*100 = 13.51%

Actual air required = (1+0.1351)*3.3 = 3.74 kg/kg of fuel

Mass of dry flue gas = 3.74+1-(0.12+9*0.0127) =4.505 kg/kg of fuel

 Heat loss due to dry flue gas

L1 = [4.505*0.23(154-29)*100]/3400 = 3.81%

 Heat loss due to formation of water from H2 In fuel

L2 = 9*1.27*[584+0.45(154-29)]*/3400 = 2.15%

 Heat loss due to moisture in fuel

L3 = 12*[584+0.45(154-29)]*/3400 = 2.25%

 Heat loss due to moisture in air

L4 = 3.74*0.0204*[0.45(154-29)]*100/3400 = 0.126%

 Heat loss due to incomplete combustion

This loss is considered to be negligible
  Heat loss due to convection and radiation and other unaccounted losses
L5 This loss is considered 2%

 Heat loss due to unburnt fuel in ash

L6 0.49*200*100/3400=2.88%

Actual efficiency of boiler = 100-(L1+L2+L3+L4+L5+L6)

= 100-(3.81+2.15+2.25+0.126+2+2.88)
= (100-12.21)% =86.79%

RATED/DESIGN Vs ACTUAL LOSSES

LOSS DESIGN(%) ACTUAL(%)
1. Heat loss due to dry flue gas 4.35 3.81
2. Heat loss due to formation of
1.56 2.15
water from H2
3. Heat loss due to moisture in
2.89 2.25
fuel
4. Heat loss due to moisture in air 0.145 0.126
5. Heat loss due to convection
and radiation and other 2 2
unaccounted losses
6. Loss due to unburnt fuel in ash 1.9 2.88

Total Losses 12.854 13.21

Boiler Efficiency 87.146 86.79

The above analysis shows that there is a large deviation in heat loss due to dry flue gas from design value.
Also, the flue gas exit temperature is very high as compared with the design value. The main reason behind
the large dry flue gas is due to high excess air and high FGET.

Impact of excess air on efficiency

With boiler combustion, if some excess air is not added to the combustion process, unbalanced fuel, soot,
smoke, and carbon monoxide exhaust will create additional emissions and surface fouling. Too much
excess air can lower boiler efficiency, increases stack losses and disturbs flame stability. So, a balance
amount of excess air must be sent to furnace. Research has shown that 15% excess air is the optimal
amount of excess air to introduce into the boiler combustion process.
Benefits of controlling excess air :
 Controlling excess air to an optimum level always results in the reduction in flue gas losses. Also,
for every 1% reduction in excess air, there is approximately 0.6% rise in efficiency. Below we
represent the graph showing the percentage of heat loss with variation of excess air.

 Reducing excess air offers an opportunity to save energy. Operating a heating system with an
optimum amount of excess air will minimize heat loss via the flue gases. Too much excess air results
in heat loss due to excessive flue gas flow, thus lowering the overall efficiency.

 Properly controlling excess air reduces flame instability and other boiler hazards.

 Greater excess air also leads to high NOX emissions which are very harmful for environment. In the
data, we found that excess oxygen is 5.21% which is optimum for NOx emission.
.
Controlling of excess air

 Control of air fuel ratio to the burners – this strategy focuses on reducing the excess flow of
combustion air to the burner while maintaining the required air fuel ratio for complete combustion
of the fuel.

 Control or reduce of air leaks – this strategy involves blocking leaks in the envelope of the furnace
that allows ambient air to be drawn into the system due to negative pressure within the system.

 By using continuous oxygen analyzer – by using oxygen analyser with a local readout mounted
draft gauge, by which the operator can adjust air flow. The same continuous oxygen analuzer can
have a remote controlled pneumatic damper positioner, by which the readouts are available in the
control room. This enables an operator to remotely control a number of firing systems
simultaneously.

Effect of flue gas exit temperature on boiler efficiency :-

For every 220C increase in flue gas exit temperature, the efficiency is reduced by 1% with an increase in
dry flue gas loss. The following graph shows the relationship between the change unit heat rate and change
in APH outlet temperature which is indirectly the temperature of the flue gas.

From above we see as the APH outlet temperature increases the unit heat rate increases which means the
boiler efficiency decreases.

Methods of reducing flue gas exit temperature :-

 While reducing excess air only moderately reduces dry flue gas, the effect on reducing dry flue gas
loss is greater because reducing dry gas also reduces the flue gas temperature.
 Flue gas temperature can also be reduced by exposing more heat exchanger surface to the flue gas
and ensuring that the heat transfer surfaces of the boiler are clean.
 It can also be controlled by periodic servicing of the heating element (Basket) of APH.
Impact of improper insulation on efficiency:
Heat loss through the boiler piping works and valves leads to poor efficiency. The boiler insulation
should be assessed and replaced where it is insufficient or showing signs of degradation. This can
result in 10% additional saving heat.

Impact of scaling and soot losses

In coal fired boiler, soot builds up on tubes and act as an insulator to heat transfer. Any such
deposit should be removed on a regular basis. Elevated stack temperature may result in excessive
soot build up.
Also same result occurs due to scaling on the water side .High exit temperature at normal excess air
indicates poor transfer performance. This occurrence can cause gradual buildup of gas and water
side deposits. So periodic off-cleaning of radiant surface, boiler tube banks, economizers and air
heaters may be necessary to remove stubborn deposits.

Blowdown heat recovery

Blow down of boilers to reduce sludge and solid contents allow heat to go down to the drain. The
amount of blowdown should be minimized by following a good water treatment program.Installing a
heat exchanger in the blowdown line can be used for preheating the boiler make up water and
feedwater.Heat recovery is most suitable for continuous blowdown operations which in turn
provides the best water treatment program.
Burner control
Optimization of performance of burner increases boiler efficiency as it helps in efficient combustion
and reduces quantity of unburnt carbon.

Ten Steps to Improve the Boiler Efficiency

Boiler Efficiency is of prime importance to the process plants. Improving the boiler efficiency even slightly
can cut down the fuel bills significantly. Improvement in boiler efficiency can be achieved if certain steps
are followed. This articles defines a simple ten step plan which will ensure an improved boiler efficiency.

1. Monitor Feedwater Quality

The quality of boiler feedwater affects the overall boiler performance and hence the boiler efficiency. Poor
feedwater quality increases the TDS levels in the boiler drum. Increased TDS calls for more blowdown
which results in increased blowdown losses and lower boiler efficiency. If the TDS level is not brought
down in the approved limits, it leads to water carryover which results in poor operational efficiency of the
steam system.

Monitoring and maintaining the feedwater quality helps efficient operation of the boiler.

2. Boiler Sizing

The first step to ensure high boiler efficiency is selecting a correctly sized boiler. If the boiler is over sized,
it will result in frequent on-off. Every time a boiler shuts down and re-starts, boiler efficiency comes down
drastically.
3. Blowdown Control and Heat Recovery from Blowdown

In order to maintain the TDS level within specified limits, we need to drain out water from boiler drum with
higher salt concentration and replace it with fresh water. Draining out the water from boiler drum results
in loss of energy as the water inside will be hot and pressurized. Manual blowdown is rarely accurate and
results in either under or over blowdown. Over blowdown brings down the boiler efficiency. Instead of
depending on manual blowdown, implementing a blowdown control system will certainly help. At the same
time, heat from blowdown water should be recovered by using a blowdown vessel.

4. Furnace Draft Tuning

Pressure inside the boiler furnace should be tuned properly (-2 to -5 mm of water column for small boilers)
to get a good boiler efficiency. If the pressure falls below -5, it will result in increased unburnt losses and
will bring down the boiler efficiency. This makes furnace pressure draft tuning an essential adjustment to
improve the boiler efficiency.

5. Excess Air

Excess air increases the enthalpy losses and as a result, the boiler efficiency goes down. For proper
combustion of fuel inside the furnace, certain amount of air (oxygen) is required. If sufficient quantity of air
is not supplied, the carbon present in the fuel is incompletely oxidized to carbon monoxide and less amount
of heat is released which brings down the overall efficiency of the fuel. On the other hand, if the excess air
is more than required, this air absorbs the energy by absorbing the heat from combustion and this energy is
lost along with the flue gases which again brings down the boiler efficiency. Monitoring stack oxygen
levels and controlling them within the required band is essential for high boiler efficiency.

6. Fuel Quality

Quality of fuel is of prime importance as far as boiler efficiency is concerned. Just as an example, if fuel
has high moisture content, the enthalpy losses taking place will be much higher and as a result, the boiler
efficiency will come down. In case of solid fuel fired boilers, drying the fuel before combustion can avoid
enthalpy losses and hence improve the boiler efficiency.

7. Tube Cleaning

Over the period, soot deposition takes place on the fire side of the boiler tubes and scaling on the water
side. The layer of soot/scales acts as insulator and brings down the heat transfer rate. As a result, the hot
gases pass away without actually transferring the heat to the water. Cleaning boiler tubes periodically
removes all the soot and scales and improves the efficiency of the heat transfer and results in improved
boiler efficiency.

8. Online Monitoring of Boiler

Boilers do not operate at the rated efficiencies all the time. The operating practices play an important role
in determining the real time boiler efficiency. Using an online efficiency monitoring system for boilers can
give insights about actual real-time efficiency and can generate suggestions to improve the boiler efficiency
based on that.
9. Boiler Automation

Boiler automation results in efficient and safe boiler operation. Many times, manual operation leads to
following operating practices that bring down the boiler efficiency. Boiler automation ensures that boiler
operates only in the safest and most efficient way and hence significantly improve the boiler efficiency.

10. Heat Recovery from Exhaust

Flue gases coming out from the boiler contain considerable amount of heat energy due to their hot
temperature. This energy from the hot flue gases can be recovered and used to heat feedwater. This system
improves the boiler efficiency. If the sulphur contents of the fuel are high, there might a risk of dew point
corrosion and hence, the heat should be recovered to a certain extent only.

CALCULATION FOR OPTIMUM PROFIT

Above described are the various methods of controlling excess air and reducing flue gas exit temperature.
Let us assume that by implementing above methods we can reduce the flue gas exit temperature by 100C.
Below shown is the effect of cost of production for 100C fall in flue gas temperature.

Since, for every 10C rise in APH flue gas outlet temperature after 130.6 leads to wastage of 1.3
kcal/kwh/0C. As the actual flue gas exit temperature is 142.150C.
Therefore, for 100C rise in flue gas exit temp 1.3 kcal/kwh *10 amount of energy is lost which equals to 13
kcal/kwh amount of energy.

In generating 1 kw power, 13kcal of energy is wasted in one hour.

Therefore, for generating 600MW the amount of energy wasted is
13*600*1000 = 7800000 kcal/h

Dividing it with the GCV of coal we get the amount of extra coal required in generating that much power in
one hour

=7800000/3000 = 2600kg/h =2.6 ton/h

Let us take the cost of 1 ton coal is Rs 2000.

Multiplying the above result with the cost of one tone of coal gives the amount of extra investment in one
hour which is equal to

= 2.6 *2000

= Rs 5200

In one month = 5200*24*30 = Rs 37,44,000

In one year = 37,44,000*12 = Rs 4,49,28,000

Above we see the amount of money which can be saved by reducing the flue gas exit temperature by 100C.
 CONCLUSION

The efficiency of boiler decrease with time as components and system degrades with
age and use. Good operation and maintenance practices can slow down the loss in
efficiency but older power plants will not be as efficient as newer plants with more
technological advance and newer systems. But simply replacing old power plants with
newer plants is rarely cost effective as the relative increase in power output seldom
justifies the cost. According to several of the studies summarized in the report, the
major improvement would likely result from major retrofits in technology.
This internship was an amazing hands-on experience in thermal power plant
operations and helped us augment our theoretical knowledge with the practical
applications as well as come to face with other real-life problems faced in the day to
day working of a power plant. The exposure gained during this experience is truly
priceless and we would be open to more such experiences, if given the opportunity.
 REFERENCES:

 PRACTICAL BOILER OPERATION ENGINEERING AND POWER PLANT

BOOK BY AMIYA RANJAN MALLICK
 www.google.co.in
 www.hindalco.com