PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF BOILER

EFFICIENCY
N. Jashuva1 Smt.G.V.NAGAMANI2
1. Department of mechanical engineering, Global College of Engineering Kadapa, A.P., India.
2. Assoc.Professor&Head , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Global College of
Engineering, Science & Technology, Kadapa, A.P., India

Abstract: performance preventive measures for corrosion of heating elements has been
studied, and also air heater leakage, corrected gas outlet temperature and finally gas
efficiency has been calculated .Air pre-heater is a heat transfer surface in which air
temperature is raised by transferring heat from other media such as flue gas .Hot air is
necessary for rapid combustion in the furnace and also for drying coal in milling plants. So
an essential boiler accessory which serves this purpose is air pre-heater. The air pre-heater
are not essential for operation of steam generator, but they are used where a study of cost
indicates that money can be saved or efficient combustion can be obtained by their use. The
decision for its adoption can be made when the financial advantages is weighed against the
capital cost of heater in the present paper we have taken up the operation and performance
analysis of LJUNGSTROM AIRPREHEATER27VITM 1900 of 2x210 MW capacity Rayalaseema
Thermal Power Plant, Kalamala and compare with Rothemuhle air pre-heater.
Key words: Thermal power plant, energy, air pre heater, Rothemuhle air pre-heater

1. INTRODUCTON

Figure 1: 3-D View of Ljungstrom Air pre-heater

The Ljungstrom air pre-heater is more widely used than any other type of heat exchanger
for comparable service. The reasons for this world wide acceptance are its proven
performance and reliability, effective leakage control, and its adaptability to most, any fuel
burning process. It is both designed and built to operate over extend periods with durable,
uninterrupted service. Simplicity of design also makes it easy and economical to maintain
while in operation and at scheduled outages.
2. IMPROVEMENT IN THERMAL PERFORMANCE
Leakage Reduction: The seal setting done under better supervision should reduce the
leakage. Seals are to be set, not only to be fitted.
Soft Touch Seal: A new concept has been developed to minimize the seal leak. As an
introduction, this ‘Soft Touch Seal’ is provided for hot end radial seal only. This can be
extended to axial seal also. Soft touch seal has flexile end that cannot escape air from one
basket to another basket. That can be reduces the percentage of air leak to flue gas. Heat
transfer is effectively utilized from flue gas to Primary Air and Secondary Air.
Double Sealing: In double sealing an additional radial and axial seals are introduced along
with the existing seals. This will reduce the overall leakage y 1.5% to 2% recently even triple
seals have been introduced.
Double Sealing is adapted in the recent design. For old air pre-heaters, this can be
retrofitted. This modification will call for the change of all baskets dimensions

Figure 2: Incorporation of soft touch seal Figure 3: View of soft touch seal Diaphragm
Plate Protection Sheets: In the conventional air pre-heater, the hot end of the diaphragm
plate is exposed to the gas flow. Due to erosive ash particles, the diaphragm plate edges
erode fast. In course of time, the erosion extends to the radial seal fixing hole, thereby
distributing the fixing and setting of radial seals. The diaphragm plate edge can e
protected by the erosive resistant cover plates with the change of seals, these protective
sheets also can be changed.

Figure 5: Before and After sealing

Figure 4: Installation of soft touch seal

 Cast ‘T’ Bar: Currently rolled ‘T’ bars are used for bypass sealing. This rolled ‘T’ has more
variation in the radius. After setting it gives more leakage through bypass seal. Whatever
correction is made at site could not control the radius variations. The cast ‘T’ bars keep the
radius with controlled dimension, thus reducing the leakage across bypass seals.

Figure 7: Reducing gaps by

Figure 6: Insertion of diaphragm protection sheets casted T-Bars
Change of Profile for cold end Baskets: In old air pre-heaters, the cold end baskets are
provided with 1.2 mm thick elements of NF6 profile. For Indian operating conditions, this
can be changed to 0.8 mm DU profile. This will increase the heat transfer area, thereby
reducing the flue as outlet temperature. It is calculated that by changing the profile as
0
suggested, the as outlet temperature will decrease by 4 C, that means 0.2% improvement
in efficiency. This change has already been incorporated in the current design. Still some
of the air pre-heaters are operating with cold end NF6 profile. This can be changed.
New Profiles: A highly efficient element profiles are available to improve the thermal
performance. Case Study-I is presented to show the performance changes with the
introduction of new profiles. With the introduction of new profile, the gas outlet
0
temperature can be achieved to 135.6 C.

Figure 8: Change of profiles Figure 9: New profiles

3.1 Profits Gained After Overhauling

A) Cost saving per hour:.Fuel saving= 115.3 - 113 = 2.3 T/Hr

2. Assuming coal cost as= Rs 2000 per MT
3. Cost saving per hour= 2000 X 2.3 = Rs 4600
4.Cost of fuel saving per year= 4600X24X365 = Rs 40, 29,600
 B) Cost benefit due to fan loading:

1.Total fan loading before overhauling = 1300 amps

2.Total fan loading after overhauling = 1141 amps
3. Total saving in current = 159 amps
4. Power saved = 1.73 X 3.3 X 159 X 0.86 = 782.00KWhr = 0.782MWhr
5.Energy saved per year = 6,850,320
6.Power cost = Rs 2.60 per unit
7.Saving per year = 6850320 X 2.60 = Rs 1,78,10,832
C) Total savings per year
= 4,02,96,000 + 1,78,10,832
= Rs 5,81,06,832

5. COMPARING LJUNGSTROM WITH ROTHEMUHLE

Calculations of Ljungstrom air pre-heater
The method determines air pre-heater as per this procedure is the volumetric method this
is an empirical approximation of air heaters leakage with an accuracy of + / - 1%.
(O 2 gl −O2 ge)
AL = ×0.9
×100 21 −O2 gl
Collected Data:
AL – Air heater leakage
O2gl – Percentage of O2 in gas entering air heater: 3.5
O2ge – Percentage of O2 in as leaving air heater: 5.0
0
Secondary air (SA) leaving air heater = 299 c
0
Primary air (PA) leaving air heater = 304 c

Calculations:
(5.0 −3.5)
Air leakage AL = ×0.9 ×100 = 8.437 %
21 −5.0
Gas Side Efficiency:

T
(Tgl −Tae ) +T
= AL ×C pa gl
(100 ×C pg
gnl
)

Collected Data:
Tgnl – Gas outlet temperature corrected for no leakage.
Cpa – The mean specific heat between temperature T ae and Tgl = 1.023 KJ /
kg0k Cpg - The mean specific heat between temperature T gl and Tae = 1.109
0
KJ / kg Tae – Temperature of air entering air heater = 40 c
 0
Tge – Temperature of gas entering air heater = 331 c
0
Tgl – Temperature of gas leaving air heater = 154 c
Calculations:

T
(Tgl −Tae )
= AL ×C pa +Tgl
(100
gnl
×C
pg )

(154 − 40) 0
T
gnl = 8.437 ×1.023× +154 = 162.87 c
(100 ×1.109)
Air heater Gas side efficiency:
(T
ge
−T
ngnl ) 331−162.87
Gas side efficiency GSE = ×100 = ×100 = 57.77%
T −T
( ge ae ) 331 −40

X- Ratio: Ratio of heat capacity of air passing through the air heater to the heat capacity of
flue gas passing through the air heater.
X-Ratio (Xr.) = Gas Side Efficiency / Air Side Efficiency

Air Side Efficiency (SA & PA): Ratio of air temperature gain across the air heater corrected
from no leakage to the temperature head.

Air Side Efficiency = (Tal −Tae ) ×100

(T ge −T ) ae

Collected Data:
0
Tae – Temperature of air entering air heater = 40 c
0
Tal – Temperature of air leaving air heater = 302 c
0
Tge – Temperature of gas entering air heater = 331 c
Calculations:

Air Side Efficiency =

(Tal −Tae ) ×100 =
(302 − 40) ×100 = 90.03%
( T
ge
−T
ae ) (331 − 40)
X-Ratio (Xr.) = Gas Side Efficiency / Air Side Efficiency X r = 57.77 = 0.641
90.03
Gas leaving temperature without leakage Tgl =Tge − X r (Tal −Tae )
0
= 331 – 0.641 (302 – 40) = 163.05 c
Pre heater Air side efficiency (SA & PA):

Air side efficiency (SA & PA)=

(Tge −Tae )
×100 =
(331−163.05)
×100 = 57.71%
(Tge −T
ae ) (331−40)
Secondary Air Side Efficiency:
Collected Data:
Tae – Temperature of air entering air heater = 340c
Tal – Temperature of air leaving air heater = 2990c
 Tge – Temperature of gas entering air heater = 3310c
Calculations:

Air Side Efficiency =

(Tal −Tae ) ×100 =
(299 −34) ×100
= 89.22%

( T
ge
−T
ae ) (331 −34)

X-Ratio (Xr) = Gas Side Efficiency / Air Side Efficiency

57 . 77
Xr = 89 . 22 = 0.647
Gas leaving temperature without leakage
0
Tgl = Tge – Xr (Tal – Tae) = 331 – 0.647(299 – 34) = 159.54 c

Primary Air Side Efficiency:

Collected Data:
0
Tae – Temperature of air entering air heater = 46 c
0
Tal – Temperature of air leaving air heater = 304 c
0
Tge – Temperature of gas entering air heater = 331 c
Calculations:

Air Side Efficiency =

(Tal −Tae ) ×100 =
(304 −46) ×100 = 90.52%
T −T
( ge ae ) (331−46)
X-Ratio (Xr) = Gas Side Efficiency / Air Side Efficiency

57 . 77
Xr = 90 . 52 = 0.638
Gas leaving temperature without leakage
0
Tgl = Tge – Xr (Tal – Tae) = 331 – 0.638(304 – 46) = 166.39 c

Pre heater Primary Air side efficiency:

(Tge −Tae )
(331−166.39)
Primary Air side efficiency = ×100 = ×100 = 57.75%

(Tge −Tae ) (331−46)

Calculations of Rothemuhle Air Pre-Heater:

Collected data:
AL – Air heater leakage
O2gl – Percentage of O2 in gas entering air heater: 3.5
O2ge – Percentage of O2 in as leaving air heater: 7.0
0
Air leaving air preheater = 295 c
7.0 −3.5
Air leakage (AL) = ×0.9 ×100 = 22.5%
21 −5.0
Gas Side Efficiency:

(Tgl −Tae )
T
gnl = AL ×C pa +Tgl
(100 ×C pg )

Collected Data:
Tgnl – Gas outlet temperature corrected for no leakage.
0
Cpa – The mean specific heat between temperature Tae and Tgl = 1.023 KJ / kg k

Cpg - The mean specific heat between temperature 0

Tgl and Tae = 1.109 KJ / kg
Tae – Temperature of air entering air heater = 40 c
0
Tge – Temperature of gas entering air heater = 331 c
0
Tgl – Temperature of gas leaving air heater = 175 c
Calculation:

T
(Tgl −Tae )
= AL ×C pa +Tgl
(100
gnl
×C
pg )

(175 − 40) 0
T
gnl = 22.5 ×1.023× +175 = 203 c
(100 ×1.109)
Air heater Gas side efficiency:
−T
Gas side efficiency GSE =
(Tge ngnl ) ×100 =
331 − 203 ×100 0
= 43.92 c
(Tge −T
ae ) 331 − 40

Air Side Efficiency (SA & PA):

Ratio of air temperature gain across the air heater corrected from no leakage to the
temperature head.
(Tal −Tae )
Air Side Efficiency = ×100
(T ge −T
ae
)

Collected Data: 0
Tae – Temperature of air entering air heater = 40 c
0
Tal – Temperature of air leaving air heater = 295 c
0
Tge – Temperature of gas entering air heater = 331 c
Calculation:
(T −T ) 295 − 40

Air Side Efficiency = al ae ×100 = ×100=87%

T −T
( ge ae ) (331 − 40)

X-Ratio (Xr) = Gas Side Efficiency / Air Side Efficiency =

43.92
Xr = = 0.5
87.62

Gas leaving temperature without leakage Tgl = Tge– Xr (Tal – ae)

0
= 331 – 0.5(295– 40) = 203.5 C
Pre heater Air side efficiency (SA & PA):

Air side efficiency (SA & PA) =

(Tge −Tal ) ×100 (331 − 203.5) ×100 = 43.8%
=
(Tge −Tae ) (331 − 40)
From this comparison air leakages in Rothemuhle are higher than Ljungstrom and air side,
gas side efficiencies are less in Rothemuhle
 46
Ljungstrom APH Rothemuhle APH
66 44
65
42
64
40
63

Efficiency
38
Efficiency

62
Y-Values
61 36
60 Y-Values
34
59

58
32

57 30
290 300 310 320 330 340 240 250 260 270 280 290 300
Air outlet Temperature
Air outlet Temperature
 Figure 11: Pre heater Air side efficiency
CONCLUSIONS
 The Thermal performance of the air preheater is improved
 Load on the fans are reduced thus power consumption is reduced and cost is reduced
 Fuel consumption is also reduced, thus fuel is saved and cost is reduced
 By comparing Rothemuhle with Ljungstrom air leakages are more, gas side efficiency
and air side efficiencies are less in Rothemuhle air pre-heater
 The Thermal performance of the Ljungstrom air pre-heater is better than Rothemuhle
REFERENCES

1968.
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Press, USA, 1994.
th
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Wiley & Sons Inc., USA, 2002.
3 Shah, R.K., Sekulic, D.P., “Fundamentals of Heat Exchanger Design”, John Wiley &
Sons Inc., Canada, 2003.
4 Juangjandee, P. and Sucharitakul, T., “Performance Evaluation of Cross-Flow Heat
th
5 Exchanger in Coal-Fired Power Plant under Particulate Condition”, 18 Conference of
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