BOILER INTRODUCTION

Introduction The use of steam can be traced back as far as 56 A.D when it provided the mysterious motive power of Greek temple altar statues after the sacred fires had been lit. The Egyptians may have used it even earlier for the same purpose but it was not until 1712 that any development of industrial nature has took place. In those pioneer days of Boiler development the life of an operator was not without dangerous because explosion was frequent This led to the development of steam generators and also the establishment of the excellent codes of safety, which we know today Boiler clarification Boilers can be found in a variety of different designs, which can be lead to a large no of boiler clarification 1 The relative location of combustion and water space 2 The method of water circulation Under the first heading the boilers are divided into two general groups 1 Fire tube Boiler 2 Water tube boiler Fire tube boilers are so named because the combustion gases flow through tubes and tubes are surrounded by water Fire tube boilers are principally used in small heating in industrial plants and as locomotive and portable boilers. In these installations the pressure is low and steam demands are relatively small. These are not used where superheated steam is necessary for operation Advantages 1 Simplicity of construction 2 Requires less attention to firing because of large volume of steam space and large quantity of contained water which permit relatively wide fluctuations of combustion rate without rapid changes in pressure

3 Impure feed water is less objectionable, because at the lower temperatures under which the these boilers operate scale formation are less hard and dense as the large quantity of water results in lower concentration of scale forming salts 4 Ease of examination, repair and cleaning because of large space within boiler Some of the disadvantages are 1 Excessive weight per unit weight of steam generated 2 Excessive time required to raise steam 3 Inability to respond quickly to varying changes in steam requirements due to large water volume Water tube boilers A water tube boiler is a steam generator unit in which water and steam circulate through a series of drum and tubes, while the gases of combustion pass over the outside of these steam and water containing elements. The advantages of this type are 1 Less weight per unit of power generated 2 Less time required to raise the steam 3 Greater flexibility for responding load changes due to relatively small quantity of contained water 4 Greater ability to operate at higher rates of steam generation due to more complete and rapid circulation of water to carry heat away from heating surfaces Water tube boilers range in capacity from small, low-pressure heating units generating few thousand kgs of steam per hour to large power station boilers operating in the super critical pressure region and serving turbo generator in the hundreds of MW range According to the methods of water circulation Water tube boilers are classified according to the method of water circulation of contained water. They are 1 Natural Circulation 2 Forced circulation

a) b) c)

Controlled Once through Combined

Theory of circulation Water must flow thro the heat absorption surface of the boiler in order that it be evaporated into the system. This circulation can be either natural or forced. In natural circulation units thermal forces create circulation. Pumps are used in forced circulation. The tubing on these units on adequate circulation to prevent over heating, which may result in failure. In drum type units (natural and controlled circulation) the water is circulated from the drum thro the generating circuits and back to the drum where steam is separated and directed to the superheater. The water leaves the drum thro the down comers at a temperature slightly below the saturation. Hear absorbed is latent heat of vaporization creating a mixture of steam and water .The ratio of the weight of the steam to the weight of the water in the mixture leaving heat absorption is called Circulation Ratio Steam is generated as water at saturation contacts the hot tube metal and boils .The bubbles of steam must be displaced by water in the mixture to keep the inner tube surface wet all the times. This maintains proper heat transfer and keeps the tubes from overheating. This process is known as Nucleate Boiling. If the inner tube surface becomes coated by a blanket of steam it will result in high metal temperature and possible damage to the tubes. This is known as Film Boiling or Departure of nucleate boiling (DNB) There must be always be enough mass flow to pick up heat transferred thro the tube which depend on the firing rate and location of the circuit. The inner tube also be continuously wetted. A minimum circulation ratio of 4 to 5 and a minimum velocity of 1 to 2 m/s is required. The velocity provides turbulence, which keeps the steam and water mixed thus deterring the formation of steam blanket on the tube surface. Natural Circulation The density of water is greater than density of the steam. Therefore the weight of the water in the downcomers at lower than saturation

temperature is more than the weight of the steam water mixture rising in generating circuit. The difference acts to produce circulation. Drum Riser A Down comer B

The water and steam in leg A will rise because of the heat derived from the furnace. This will be replaced by a downward flow from leg B that is not heated. The distribution and amount flow depends on the heat absorbed in each circuit. Each flow path to be carefully designed so that the mass flow, velocity and circulation will be sufficient to protect it . The pressure drop thro the circuit cant be greater than the thermal force available at the predicted heat absorption and design flow. This is a limiting factor in any natural circulation boiler. The circulation system for a natural circulation boiler comprises of the drum, down comers, furnace water walls and connecting pipes at the top of the furnace. The feed water from the economiser enters the drum and mixes with the water in the drum and finds its way thro the downcomer into the bottom header of the furnace water walls. The heat released from the combustion of the fuel in the furnace absorbed by the water walls and utilised in evaporation of all or a large percentage of water supplied to the boiler. The steam generated and substantial quantity of accompanying water is discharged into the top headers of water walls and passed thro the riser

tubes to the boiler drum. Here the steam is separated and accompanying water together with the incoming feed water is returned to the water walls through the downcomers. The circulation ratio will be around 6 to 10 for a power boiler and 20 to 50 for industrial boiler. As the pressure approaches critical pressure 217 KSC and a temperature 375 deg C the density difference between steam and water decreases. This means less force for circulation. Also as pressure increases the latent heat of vaporization decreases. So more flow is necessary to thro the circuit to maintain proper circulation ratio .This requires the use of larger diameter tubes to reduce circuit resistance but limits the boiler designer with respect to unit configuration As a result units gets bigger but capacity is limited .For natural circulation units go above 156 KSC drum pressure and 350 MW Forced circulation At very high pressures the difference in density between steam and water becomes progressively less and a point is reached where natural circulation is too low. To overcome this forced circulation is employed which uses pumps to speed up the circulation of water. Forces or at least assisted circulation is essential at pressure of 163KSC and above but there are some incidental advantages, which are a) Boiler size is lower than a natural circulation boiler of similar capacity because more heat can be absorbed with less tube area. b) Tube sizes can be reduced. This is very important at high pressures since tube wall thickness must be sufficient to contain the pressure but must not be thick otherwise heat transfer thro the tube wall will be restricted. The disadvantage of the forced circulation is that some operational and maintenance difficulty may arise with the pumps. Boiler classifications according to the end use are 1 Utility boilers 2 Industrial Boilers

Utility Boilers. This produce steam for power generation. For overall plant economy utility boilers are required to produce steam at high pressure and steam temperature

Glossary Terms
Sensible Heat The heat added to or taken from a substance, which produces change in temperature of the substance. This change in temperature can be measured by means of thermometer Latent Heat The heat added or taken from a substance, which produces a change of state of substance such as water to steam to water. This heat cant be measured by a thermometer because temperature remains constant during the period of change. Total heat Total heat is sensible heat plus latent heat Saturation temperature and saturation pressure The temperature at which a liquid boils under a given pressure is called the saturation temperature and the corresponding pressure is called saturation pressure. Wet Steam Steam containing particles of water in suspension Saturated Steam Steam, which is Heat Saturated or has taken up full quota of latent heat and therefore contains no moisture or suspended unevaporated water. Superheated steam Steam to which more heat has been added than was necessary to make it saturated and which is above the boiling point of water at the particular pressure used

Compiled by B.P.Sadanand