TECHNO-COMMECRIAL COMPARISON BETWEEN

AFBC - Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustion boilers (Bubbling Bed)

CFBC - Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion boilers (Circulating Bed)

FOR

1 x 110 TPH Steam generation capacity

85 Ata steam pressure & 510C Superheat steam temp.
Feed water temp. 190C at Economizer inlet.
Coal of 3800 Kcal/kg GCV having 10% Moisture & 45% Ash.

BASIS (ASSUMED)

Landed cost of coal - Rs. 1200 per Te.

Cost of power for Auxiliary power consumption - Rs. 3.0 per unit.
No. of operating hours in one year - 8000 Hours
 Item / Parameter AFBC CFBC Difference Remarks
Operating Cost
Efficiency ( Indicative ) 2 % lower than CFBC 2 % higher than 2% Unburnt carbon loss is 2 % lower in
AFBC case of CFBC
Diff. Coal consumption per hour ( kg) 447 Based on efficiency
Cost of coal per year in Rs. lacs Rs. 45.79 lacs Coal @ 1200 Rs. Per Te. & 8000
per year hours in one year.
Indicative Power consumption of ID, FD & 5 to 6 times of boiler 7 to 8 times of CFB consumes FD fan head is higher in case of
SA fans in ( KW ) capacity boiler capacity 2 % higher CFBC
power than
AFBC
Diff. Cost of auxiliary power consumption Rs. 52.80 per Power @ 3.0 per unit.
per year year
Diff. Operating cost per year ( Fuel + Rs. 7.01 lacs The operating cost of AFBC &
Power) per year CFBC is not much different.
Other technological differences
Sulfur capture % in furnace by limestone Lower Higher
addition
NOX emission - typical 200 ppm 100 ppm
Particulate emission ESP is provided to ESP is provided to ESP inlet dust
meet emission norms meet emission load is higher in
norms case of CFBC.
Fuel size required 100 % less than 6 mm 100 % less than 6
mm

Fuel flexibility Very poor fuels like Very poor fuels

high ash coal, lignite, like high ash coal,
washery rejects can be lignite, washery
burnt. rejects can be
burnt.

Boiler Startup By oil or charcoal By oil

Startup time upto full load 3 to 4 hours 6 to 7 hours
Soot blowers Not required Not required Because of lower combustion temp
around 850 C

.
 Item / Parameter AFBC CFBC Difference Remarks
Fuel feeding system Either underbed or Overbed Overbed feeding is recommended
overbed or both in heavy rain fall area for AFBC.
Boiler height Appx. 22 to 25 meters. Apr. 42 to 44
meters
Inbed evaporator coils Provided to keep the There are no inbed
bed temp. below coils. Temp. is
desired level controlled by
higher heat `X`
coefficient, which
is achieved by
increasing the
solids density in
the furnace shaft.
Space requirement Space
requirement is
not very
different for
AFBC or
CFBC.
Control & instrumentation Simple Simple CFBC requires
Few additional
controls loops
than AFBC
Boiler capacity on Indian high ash coal. Can be offered upto Can be offered
140 to 150 TPH from 50 or 60
maximum. TPH to any high
capacity say 300
TPH or more.
Installation cost of boiler Lower Higher CFBC
installation cost
of only boiler is
Apr. 50 to 60 %
higher than
CFBC
Delivery & commissioning schedule < 18 months < 22 months