Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
1‐D DYNAMIC SIMULATION STUDY OF
OXYGEN FIRED COAL COMBUSTION IN
PILOT AND LARGE SCALE CFB BOILERS
Jeno Kovacs (jeno.kovacs@fwfin.fwc.com)
Mikko Salo (mikko.salo@fwfin.fwc.com)
Foster Wheeler Energia Oy
Finland
Jouni Ritvanen
Timo Hyppänen
LUT Energy, Lappeenranta University of Technology
Finland
Matias Hultgren
University of Oulu
Finland
Antti Tourunen
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Finland
Presented at Coal Gen Europe
Warsaw, Poland
February 14‐16, 2012
1‐D DYNAMIC SIMULATION STUDY OF OXYGEN FIRED COAL COMBUSTION IN
PILOT AND LARGE SCALE CFB BOILERS
Jouni Ritvanen, Jeno Kovacs*, Mikko Salo*, Matias Hultgren***, Antti Tourunen**,
Timo Hyppänen
LUT Energy, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland, ritvanen@lut.fi
*Foster Wheeler Energia Oy, Varkaus, Finland, jeno.kovacs@fwfin.fwc.com
**VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Jyväskylä, Finland, antti.tourunen@vtt.fi
*** University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, hultgrma@paju.oulu.fi
Abstract: In the present work, 1‐D dynamic simulation of an oxygen fired circulating fluidised
bed combustor (CFBC) is presented. A typical pilot scale CFBC system with furnace, cyclone,
and solids return system is modelled using a transient simulator. All the CFBC modules are
divided into ideally mixed 1‐D elements in the horizontal direction, and balance equations
for mass and energy are solved against time. A combined energy equation for gas and solid
phase is used to solve the element temperature. Hydrodynamics, combustion characteristics,
and heat transfer inside the modules are calculated using semi‐empirical correlations. The
main objective of the simulator is to investigate the dynamic behavior of CFBC system in
oxy‐combustion mode. In addition, the model frame allows the utility scale transient
oxy‐combustion studies. Within this study, the 1‐D dynamic model was validated against the
test results in oxy‐combustion mode. As a result, the model outputs indicate good
agreement with the measured data. The developed dynamic model was also applied for the
study of the commercial scale oxy‐combustion CFB boiler dynamics.
Keywords: oxy‐combustion, fluidised bed, transient simulation
INTRODUCTION
The size of the circulating fluidised bed (CFB) boiler for coal combustion has multiplied during recent
decades. The modern‐day big CFB is a once‐through boiler with supercritical steam properties to keep
the boiler efficiency as high as possible. Up‐scaling and CCS technologies have created challenges for the
design side due to the material issues and new implemented technology. The dynamics of the hot‐loop
and steam cycle has started to play a vital role in the control of CFB boilers. The modern‐day demand is to
control the fluidised bed systems with high efficiency also in transient situations, and the dynamic
modelling approach is the tool to investigate such situations. Currently, the role of the dynamic modelling
of CFBs with higher efficiencies and in oxy‐combustion is growing rapidly.
In the past, dynamic models have also been developed for CFB processes and CFB based power
plants (Bark & Basu 1997; Muir et al. 1997; Chen et al. 2001; Hyppänen et al. 1993, 1996; Kettunen et al.
2003). Currently, the updated capabilities of the simulator are being utilised in the design of the controls
of large scale CFB boilers. A special interest is in the control system development and transient analysis of
the supercritical OTU CFB boilers and Flexi‐BurnTM oxy‐combustion CFB boilers.
DESCRIPTION OF MODELLING APPROACH
The studied CFB process consists of a fast fluidised bed riser and solids return system after the riser.
The different process modules are divided into ntot 1‐D elements in the vertical direction. Time
dependent balance equations for mass and energy are written for each element. Each element has been
treated as an ideally mixed control volume. Solid and gas phases are calculated separately using the
same average temperature for both of the phases. Modules can be either adiabatic or the prescribed
insulation thickness and surface temperature can be determined. There is also an option for additional
internal heat exchangers. The set of time dependent equations is solved using ordinary differential
equation solver (ODE) in the Simulink/Matlab system.
Gas Phase
The gas phase consists of six gas components, namely O2, N2, CO2, SO2, H2O, and volatiles. For each
gas component j at element i, the mass fraction w is solved using the general time dependent mass
balance
dw j m& i , j ,in − m& i , j , out + ri , j
=
dt mg , i
(1.)
where mg , i is the total gas mixture mass in the element i and ri, j is the source term of the gas
component j from chemical reactions. The total gas mixture mass mg ,i is solved using the ideal gas
approach. In the gas phase, the following heterogeneous chemical reactions are considered for the
volatiles
C(g) + O 2 (g) → CO 2 (g) (2.)
S(g) + O 2 (g) → SO 2 (g) (3.)
H 2 (g) + 0.5O 2 (g) → H 2 O(g) (4.)
The overall reactivity of the volatiles ri , vol is used, with the mass fractions of carbon, sulfur, and
hydrogen in the volatiles, based on the fuel proximate and ultimate analyses, to define reaction rates for
the reactions (2.), (3.), and (4.). The solid char reaction is defined as follows
C(s) + O 2 (g) → CO 2 (g) . (5.)
The reaction rates for char and the volatiles are solved using semi‐empirical correlations.
Heterogeneous reactions are taken into account by the mass source and sink terms in the mass balance
equations for solids and gases.
Solid Phase
The solid phase is modelled using vertical density profiles for the total solid material and char. The
total solid phase density is modelled using an empirical correlation profile to describe the hydrodynamics
of the fast fluidised bed. The vertical density profiles are modelled using the correlation provided by
Johnsson and Leckner (1995).
Temperature
In order to solve the time dependent temperatures of the elements, the energy equation of
gas‐solid suspension is written
dU i
= ∆Econv,i + ∆Edisp,i + ∑ S y ,i − ∑ Qsurf ,i . (9.)
dt y surf
where ∆Econv,i , ∆Edisp,i , Si , and Qi represent convective flows of solids and gas mixture, energy
dispersion due to solids mixing, energy source from chemical reactions, and heat transfer rates,
respectively. Convective flows are divided into gas and solid phases and treated separately. The following
assumptions are made: phases have the same temperature, the specific heat of solid c p , s is constant,
and both phases are incompressible. The convective flows are as follows
where the radiative and convective heat transfer coefficients, α rad ,i and αconv,i , respectively, are
calculated based on the semi‐empirical correlations. The radiative heat transfer coefficient α rad ,i is
calculated based on the local H2O and CO2 concentrations in the flue gas. The final form for the time
dependent element temperature is
PILOT SCALE CFB BOILER
A pilot‐scale CFB combustor with a fuel power of 50‐100 kW in the oxy mode was investigated in this
study. The height of the riser is 8.0 m and the inner diameter is 167 mm. The combustor is equipped with
several seeparately con ntrolled, eleectrically heaated and waater/air cooled zones inn order to control
c the
process coonditions (foor example O2 level, temmperature, and load) and d to create combustion conditions
that betteer resemble those obtaained in largge‐scale industrial boileers. The bed d temperatu ure can be
controlled and heat traansfer measured by diffeerent water ccooled tube‐‐spiral type h heat exchanggers and by
three conttrollable watter cooled tu ubes in the b bed area. The was controlleed with a Siemens PCS7
e CFB pilot w
automatio on system, to o which all th he measurem ment data w was collected. Bed materiial (bottom aash) can be
sampled and
a dischargged continuo ously or perriodically abo
ove the grid
d by a botto
om ash screw and the
circulationn material saample can bee taken beloow the primary cyclone and from th he loop seal.. There are
four ports along the combustor frreeboard areea for gas an nd solid mateerial samplin ng. Fly ash saamples can
be taken ffrom the seccondary cyclo one, gas coo oler, and bagg house filter. The combustor is equipped with
extensive temperaturee and pressu ure measureements. The flue gas coomposition iss measured using FTIR
spectromeeter and trad ditional on‐lin ne gas analyssers.
Fuels can be fed into the co
ombustor through two separated
s fu
uel containers. Fuel containers are
mounted on the scales in order to determine the mass flows of fuels.
f Limesttone, sand, and other
additives ccan be fed in
nto combusto or to the sam uels, or into the circulating material lloop below
me level as fu
the primarry cyclone.
Flue gas
g recirculaation system m has been built
b up for oxygen commbustion testts. Oxygen combustion
c
tests can be carried out
o also with g recirculattion system contains a
h bottled O2 and CO2 gases. Flue gas
recirculatio
on fan with fflow measurrement and ccontrol equip pment. Afterr the recirculation the fan n flue gas is
divided intto the primaary and secondary gas lin nes. The floww rate is meaasured in the primary gaas line, and
both of thhe lines havee their own fflow controlling valves. TThe oxidant gas can con nsist of air, N
N2, O2, CO2,
and recirculated flue gas, or it caan be a mixtture of these
e. The gas iss divided intto the primaary gas fed
through thhe grid and the secondary gases feed up to thrree differentt levels of th he combusto or. The gas
compositio ons can be adjusted indeependently fo or primary and secondarry gases.
Simulation
n Results
The 1
1D dynamic h hot‐loop mo evious section was tested
odel describeed in the pre d and validatted against
the small‐‐scale pilot process meeasurement data. Seve eral test exp
periments h
have been completed,
c
including air/oxy com mbustion looad step annd ramp chhanges. Fig. 1 demonsstrates the ramp test
experimen nts in the oxyy mode.
Figure 1. Ramp testt series in oxy combustion with
different ramp speedd and load levvels
Durin
ng the simu ulation expeeriments, th he collected process in nput variables – fuel, limestone,
primary/seecondary oxidant flows –– were supp plied as inputts for the mo odel. The main variable to test the
performan nce of the hot‐loop was the flue gass O2 content. The simulation result of the 30% ramp load
change is shown in Figg. 2. The fluee gas O2 con ntent was aro ound 3% at tthe beginnin ng of the ram mp test due
to some performance
p e specificatio
ons. The model could suuccessfully mimic
m the reeal process behavior
b in
both staticc and dynamic sense.
Fiigure 2. Peerformance of the flue
e gas O2 content
c in oxy
ombustion during ramp load change..
co
INDUSTRIAL SCALE C
CFB BOILER
R
Foster Wheeler iss developing its supercrittical circulatiing fluidised bed (CFB) b
boiler technoology based
TM
on Flexi‐B
Burn techn h allows botth the air and oxy com
nology which mbustion mo odes. The prrocess flow
diagram iss illustrated in
n Fig. 3.
TM
diagram of a large‐scale FFlexi‐Burn
Figure 3. Prrocess flow d supercritical CFB boiler.
Flexi‐BurnTM offerrs the flexibiility to bringg CCS or CCSS‐readiness to
t new poweer plants, ass well as to
existing pllants as a reetrofit option
n. The overaall concept of
o firing morre fuel and generating more
m gross
power in tthe oxy‐fuel mode is desscribed in m more detail in n Hack et al. (2008). Thee process design values
are presented in Table 1. Table 2 shows the analyses of the fuels considered in the study. The design fuel
is a mixture of Spanish anthracite and petcoke (70% / 30% on a weight basis) with a lower heat value of
23.4 MJ/kg (as‐rec.) and ash content of 23.8 % (d.m.). An oxygen purity of about 97 vol‐% was used, and
the oxygen temperature was 170 °C after the preheating with the heat recovered from the gas stream to
the CPU.
Table 1. CFB process values.
Parameter Unit Air mode Oxy mode
Load % 90 100
Main steam flow kg/s 211 235
Fuel input, LHV MW 657 713
Flue gas mass flow kg/s 294 86
Flue gas mass flow, total kg/s 294 333
Recirculated mass flow kg/s ‐ 247
O2 in oxidant (wet) mol‐% 20.7 23.5
Flue gas O2 (dry) % 4.2 4.5
Table 2. Fuel analyses.
Components Spanish anthracite Petcoke
Ultimate analysis (wt%, dry)
C 59 86
H 1.9 3.7
N 0.95 1.7
O 3.0 1.2
S 1.1 6.0
Proximate analysis (wt%)
Moisture 8.3 6.6
Ash (dry basis) 34 1.4
Volatiles (dry basis) 7.0 11
Heat value (MJ/kg)
LHV (as received) 19.9 31.6
Simulation Example
The hot‐loop model was tested also in a large‐scale plant simulation environment. Applying plant
simulator is the most effective way to evaluate the dynamic performance of the designed plant, and
based on those results, to suggest modifications to the engineering design. Furthermore, the simulator is
the platform for the control/automation design. Performances such as black‐outs, fast load changes, and
trips can be demonstrated only in the simulator during the design phase.
Various dynamic tests have been carried out, such as the load ramp, load step changes, the switch
between the air and oxy combustion mode, and the thermal inertia test. The thermal inertia test was
completed as a load change from 40% to 90% MCR both in the air and oxy combustion mode. There was
no control action applied on the output values. As an example, the main flue gas properties (mass flow,
temperature, O2, CO2, and H2O) are shown in Fig. 4.
The flue gas mass flow performed similarly in both combustion modes due to the similar input mass
flows. The flue gas temperature had also a similar transient behavior. However, the air combustion
showed some 4‐5% smaller time constant (to reach 66% change); which is in good accordance with the
theory.
The flue gas emissions present a large difference between the air and oxy mode. In both cases, the
initial flue gas O2% was set to be significantly higher than at the full load due to operational
requirements. The flue gas O2 content approached the final value faster and with some overshoot in the
oxy mode; also the final CO2 level was reached in a faster manner, due to the recirculated flue gas flow.
In contrary, the flue gas moisture content has shown a remarkably slower transient behavior in the oxy
mode.
Figure 4. Response of flue gas properties due to load change (thermal inertia test) in both air
and oxy combustion mode.
CONCLUSIONS
A simulation model for a Flexi‐Burn CFB unit has been built using general transient mass and energy
balances with empirical correlations. The empirical correlations and the simulation model have been
validated using previous experience and plant scale measurements. A pilot scale oxy‐combustion
reference case has been studied, and a comparison of the numerical simulation with the measurements
has been introduced with high correspondence. Building up a dynamic simulation model has shown its
value in the analyses of experimental results. When investigating physical phenomena such as
combustion or heat transfer process more deeply, the validation of physical models by a dynamic
simulation tool has provided valuable information and understanding of the dynamic characteristics and
relationships between the dynamic phenomena. In addition, the analyses of dynamic tests can reveal
important behavior patterns of the process which can be utilised also in stationary design models.
As a result of this study, Flexi‐Burn CFB system dynamics can be further studied and optimal control
systems can be developed for oxy‐combustion. Different control system approaches can be tested using
the simulator to achieve higher efficiencies also in transient situations.
NOTATION
Symbols: ρ density kg/m3
ntot number of elements ‐ α heat transfer coefficient W/m2K
w mass fraction ‐
m& mass flow rate kg/s Subscripts
m mass kg i element
r reactivity kg/s j gas component
h elevation from bottom m y reaction
a decay factor ‐ g gas phase
K decay factor ‐ s solid phase
P perimeter m vol volatile
v velocity m/s bed furnace bottom bed
kbf back flow ratio ‐ wl wall layer
U internal energy J surf surface
E energy flux W conv convection
S Source term W disp dispersion
Q Heat transfer W rad radiation
cp specific heat J/kgK
h enthalpy J/kg
q heat value J/kg
Greek letters
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