Air & Draft

system
November 25,

PMI Revision 00

Presentation Plan

Various auxiliary equipments in a boiler

Need for Draft System
Primary and secondary air system in Boiler and their fans
Other fans in a boiler
Basic of fans: Fan Types and selection
Fan laws and factors affecting fan performance
Performance curves

November 25,

PMI Revision 00

Arrangement of Boiler Auxiliaries

November 25,

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Need of Draft System

Combustion
Air

Boiler

Flue Gases

Air needed for combustion

Flue are needed to be evacuated
Losses due to flow need to be overcome
November 25,

PMI Revision 00

How to select a fan

Air or Gas flow -Kg/hr
Density (function of temperature and
pressure)
System, resistance (losses)
Major Fans in Boiler Draft System
PA Fans
FD Fans
ID Fans

November 25,

PMI Revision 00

PRIMARY AIR/MILL SEAL AIR

SYSTEM
Ambient air is drawn into the primary air
ducting by two 50% duty, motor driven axial
reaction fans.
Air discharging from each fan is divided into
two parts, one passes first through a air preheater then through a gate into the P.A bus
duct. The second goes to the cold air duct.
The mix of both is used to carry the
pulverized coal to the boiler.
November 25,

PMI Revision 00

Components of PA Fan
Suction Bend With volume Measurement
instruments
Fan housing with Guide Vanes
Main Bearings (Anti Friction)
Rotor with impeller with adjustable blade
with pitch control
Guide vane housing with guide vanes
Diffuser with pressure measurement
instruments
November 25,

PMI Revision 00

SECONDARY AIR SYSTEM

Ambient air is drawn into the secondary air system by
two 50% duty, motor driven axial reaction forced draft
fans with variable pitch control.
Air discharging from each fan passes first through a air
preheated then through a isolating damper into the
secondary air bust duct.
The cross over duct extends around to each side of the
boiler furnace to form two secondary air to burner
ducts.
At the sides of the furnace, the ducts split to supply air
to two corners. Then split again to supply air to each
of nineteen burner/air nozzle elevations in the burner
box.

November 25,

PMI Revision 00

Burner Box Dampers

Coal/Air Dampers
Secondary Air Dampers
Oil/Secondary Air Dampers
Bottom Tier Secondary Air Damper
Over Fire Damper

November 25,

PMI Revision 00

Primary and Secondary air

System in the Boiler

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Axial Fans FD Application

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Induced Draft System

There are three induced draught fans per
boiler, two operating and one standby
In 500 MW fans are single-stage, doubleinlet centrifugal fans. Principal fan elements
of the fan are:
Housing
Inlet dampers
Rotor with Bearing
Shaft Seal
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ID Fan
The rotor consists of shaft and assembled impeller and runs
in two sleeve bearings that are arranged outside of the
housing.
The impeller consists of a centre disc and two cover discs
that are reinforced by forged rings. The bent blades are
welded into position between the impeller discs.
The blades are protected by screwed - on wear plates.
The shaft is of hollow design. The fan shaft has been rated
so that max. operating speed is below the critical speed.
Impeller and shaft are connected by means of a flange. This
screwing is protected by wear plates.
The fan housing is sealed by means of two-part labyrinth
seals.
Bearings are lubricated with oil.

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Other Fans in The System

Ignitor Air Fan: Provide combustion air to the
ignitors. Take suction air from the atmosphere and
supplies air to the ignitor wind box.
Scanner Air Fan: Supplies cooling air to flame
scanners. Normally there are two fans taking suction
from FD Fan discharge duct.
Mill Seal air fan: Seal air fans provide air for the
sealing of Mill bearing. Suction is from cold Primary
air and pressure is boosted up to maintain the
differential pressure

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AIR AND FLUE GAS PATH TYPICAL 500 MW BOILER

PRIMARY

SCAPH-A

PAPH-A

TO MILLS

PA FAN -A

ECO BYPASS

TO ESP

AA205

SCAPH-A
SECOND

SAPH-A

AEROFOIL

AA203

AA202

FD FAN -B

HOT PA HDR

AA205

AA201

SAPH-B

AA204

AEROFOIL

BIPLANE DAMPER

AA202

ECO BYPASS

TO ESP

PAPH-B

DIVERTER DAMPER

HOT SEC. AIR

FLUE GAS
PNEUMATICALLY O/P
KNIFE EDGE GATE
MOTOR O/P LOUVER
DAMPER

SCAPH-B

COLD PRIM AIR

HOT PRIMARY AIR

FD FAN-A

PRIMARY

COLD SEC. AIR

AA203
SCAPH-B
SECOND

SA HDR
HOT

ECONOMISER-3

ECONOMISER -2

ECONOMISER -1

HORIZONTAL S.H

RE HEATER

PLATEN S.H

COMBUSTION
CHAMBER

DIVISION
PANELETTE S.H

AA201
AA204

TO MILLS
PA FAN -A

PNEUMATICALLY O/P
LOUVER DAMPER

November 25,
MOTOR O/P GATE

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Scheme of Air and Gas

Path

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ID Fan at Location

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Variation of Pressure in Boiler

1
2
3
4
5
6

FD Fan Inlet
FD Fan Outlet
Airheater Inlet
Airheater Outlet
Windbox Pressure
Furnace
Superheater Platen Inlet

7
8
9
10
11
12
13

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Reheater Inlet
LTSH Inlet
Economiser Inlet
Airheater Inlet
E.P. Inlet
I.D. Fan Inlet
I.D. Fan Outlet

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Basics on Fans

November 25, 2015

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Difference between fans, blowers

and compressors
As per ASME the specific pressure, i.e, the ratio of the discharge
pressure over the suction pressure is used for defining the fans,
blowers and compressors as highlighted below :

Equipment
Fans
Blowers
Compressors

November 25,

Specific Ratio

Pressure rise (mmWg)

Up to 1.11

1136

1.11 to 1.20

1136 2066

more than 1.20

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Typical centrifugal fan

operation

November 25,

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Fan types

Axial fan

Centrifugal fan
November 25,

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Centrifugal Fan: Types

Paddle Blade
(Radial blade)

November 25,

Forward Curved
(Multi vane)

PMI Revision 00

Backward Curved

23

Axial Flow Fan: Types

Tube Axial

November 25,

Vane Axial

PMI Revision 00

Propeller

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Fan Types and Efficiencies

Peak Efficiency
Range
Airfoil, backwardly curved/inclined 79-83
Modified radial
72-79
Redial
69-75
Pressure blower
58-68
Forwardly curved
60-65
Axial fan
vanaxial
78-85
Tubeaxial
67-72
Propeller
45-50
Centrifugal Fans

November 25,

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Axial-flow Fans
Type

Characteristics

Centrifugal Fans
Typical
Applications

Type

Characteristics

Typical
Applications

Prope
ller

Low pressure, high

flow, low efficiency,
peak efficiency close
to point of free air
delivery

Aircirculation,
ventilation,
exhaust

Radial

High pressure,
medium flow,
efficiency close to
tube-axial fans, power
increases continuously

Various industrial
applications, suitable
for dust laden, moist
air/gases

Tubeaxial

Medium pressure,
high flow, higher
efficiency than
propeller type, dip in
pressure-flow curve
before peak pressure
point.

HVAC,
drying ovens,
exhaust
systems

Forwardcurved
blades

Medium pressure,
high flow, dip in
pressure curve,
efficiency higher than
radial fans, power
rises continuously

Low pressure
HVAC, packaged
units, suitable for
clean and dust laden
air / gases

Vaneaxial

High pressure,
medium flow, dip in
pressure-flow curve,
use of guide vanes
improves efficiency

High pressure Backward

applications
curved
including
blades
HVAC
systems,
exhausts

High pressure, high

flow, high efficiency,
power reduces as flow
increases beyond
point of highest
efficiency

HVAC, various
industrial
applications, forced
draft fans, etc.

Same as backward
curved type, highest
efficiency

Same as backward
curved, but for clean
air applications

Airfoil type

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System characteristic
curve

November 25,

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November 25,

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System curve

November 25,

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Fan Laws
Flow ? Speed

Q1 N 1

Q2 N 2

Pressure ? (Speed)2

SP1 N 1

SP 2 N 2

Varying the RPM by 10% Varying the RPM by 10%

decreases or increases air decreases or increases the
delivery by 10%.
static pressure by 19%.

Power ? (Speed)3

kW 1 N 1

kW 2 N 2

Varying the RPM by 10%

decreases or increases the
power requirement by
27%.

Where Q flow, SP Static Pressure, kW Power and N speed (RPM)

November 25,

PMI Revision 00

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Fan static pressure

Fan Static Pressure SP = SP (Fan outlet) SP (Fan inlet)
SP (Fan outlet) Static pressure at fan outlet, mm WC
SP (Fan inlet) Static pressure at fan inlet, mm WC

SP = 0.05 (-10)
= 10.05 mm W.C.

November 25,

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Speed vs Power
% Speed

% Power

100

100

90

73

80

51

70

34

60

22

50

13

November 25,

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Flow control
Damper - Most Popular
Variable Speed Drive
Recirculation
Damper

100

Power

VFC

75
50

VFD

25

Ideal

25

November 25,

50

Flow

75

PMI Revision 00

100

33

Impact of speed
reduction

November 25,

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Use of VSD: Boiler ID fan

case study

November 25,

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Use of VSD: Boiler ID fan

case study (contd.)

November 25,

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November 25,

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November 25,

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November 25,

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THANK YOU

November 25,

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