Boilers & Steam System

By: Madan Karki

Madan Karki
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 Boiler & Steam System

1. Maintain clean fire-side and water-side boiler heat transfer surfaces for min. stack loss
2. Install Moisture Separators & Drain Module before header
3. Insulate Condensate Piping
4. Install Removable Insulation on Valves and Fittings
5. Ensure appropriate Fuel Preheating
6. Steam Utilization Pressure
7. Provide centrifugal separator on fuel line for better efficiency, less downtime & long lives of Pumps.
8. Data Capture thru Logbooks
9. Use a Vent Condenser for Flash Steam Recovery
10. Provide Air Vents
11. Minimize Short Cycling Losses by tuning the fuel firing rate.
12. Improve Condition of Bottle Washer
13. Optimize Oxygen Scavenging
14. Switchover to continuous blow-down from intermittent one
15. Install an Automatic Blow-down Control Systems
16. Recover Heat from Boiler Blow-down
17. Check size & type of steam trap with respect to the application & load.
18. Develop Steam Trap database. Conduct Routine Maintenance. Test all traps annually at least.
19. Use DM water instead of soft water to minimize blow down, priming & foaming.
20. Establish boiler efficiency – maintenance program.
21. Explore the potential to use backpressure micro-turbines in the steam system.
22. Assess quantity of steam generated & used
23. Optimize Boiler Control System
24. Assess Steam Distribution & Condensate Recovery pipework
25. Blowdown non-condensables
26. Close burner air and/or stack dampers when the burner is off to minimize heat loss up the stack.
27. Install VFD for boiler FD fan.
28. Relocate Combustion Air Intake Location
29. Check the effectiveness of turbulators. Install efficient turbulators.
30. Explore the possibility of using the boiler with repaired shell as Condensing Economizer.
31. Install Air-Preheater utilizing one of the waste heat recovery.
32. Check the slope of heating coils of heat transfer equipment. Provide slope to heating coils to remove
condensate.
33. Recover heat from De-superheater
34. Check the efficiency of burner. Upgrade the burner for low NOX & high combustion efficiency (low
excess air required).
35. Steam vs. Hot water in Bottle washer.
36. Upgrade existing boilers to Condensing Boilers for higher efficiency.

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 Boiler & Steam System
Existing System

» A FO fired 3 TPH capacity, Forbes Marshall Make Smoke tube type boiler has been just installed.

Observations & Suggested Actions for Improvement:

1. Maintain clean fire-side and water-side boiler heat transfer surfaces

When the boiler is operating at 1:4 turn down ratio, the exhaust flue gas temperature should have been
very less, but on the contrary it was recorded as 237C, which is very high. Recommended flue gas
temperature is 150C to 175C. Soot deposition on the fireside may be the reason for higher flue gas
temperature. The plant personnel informed that the soot cleaning is being done once in six months,
which is not appropriate. For FO fired boilers, the recommended soot cleaning frequency is once a week.
Clean soot, fly-ash & slag on fire side weekly. Every 22oC increase in stack temperature = 1% efficiency
loss, 3 mm of soot = 2.5% fuel increase. A good deposit control program is necessary to do this.
2. Check Steam Quality. Install Moisture Separators & Drain Module before
header

No moisture separator before the boiler house main header has been provided to segregate the carry-over
has been provided. It is causing contaminated carry-overs getting carried to the digester equipments.
Install moisture separator with thermodynamic trap at boiler outlet and just before plant header.

Steam of 100% quality contains no liquid water; wet steam contains liquid droplets. Generating wet
steam in your boiler can cause many system problems, including:
a. inefficient process heat transfer;
b. equipment failure by water hammer;
c. equipment failure by corrosion and erosion; and
d. steam trap failure by overloading.
Some typical causes for creation of wet steam and boiler carryover are:
a. wide swings in boiler water level;
b. reduced operating pressure;
c. boiler overload; and
d. poor boiler total dissolved solids (TDS) control.

A critical step to ensuring generation of high-quality steam is to measure the quality of steam leaving your
boiler; this is typically done using steam calorimeters.

It is recommended to install a moisture separator and a drain module just after the boiler and before the
main header to remove the water carryover. But, it was not found in the new boiler of the unit. Why we
shall install a moisture separator before the header is explained in below paragraphs.

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 By incorporating moisture separator in the system, the carryover due to priming & foaming is removed
from the steam eliminating potential water hammering and contamination of product and condensate. It
will improve the quality of steam with subsequent improvement in efficacy of heat transfer process.
Condensate removal from steam mains & header by TD traps will eliminate the possibility of water
hammering by removing the condensate formed in the mains, thereby improving the heat transfer &
process efficiency.

In addition to carry over, the condensation formed on the steam mains shall also be removed for safety as
well as energy conservation reasons. As soon as steam has left the boiler, some of it gets condensed to
replace the heat being lost through the pipe wall. Insulation will naturally reduce the heat loss, but the
heat flow and the condensation rate remain as small but in finite amounts. If appropriate action is not
taken, the condensate will accumulate on the piping mains. The condensate will form droplets on the
inside of the pipe wall, and these can merge into a film as they are swept along by the steam flow.

The water will also gravitate towards the bottom of the pipe, and so the thickness of the film will be
greatest there. Steam flowing over this water film can raise ripples, which can build up into waves. If this
build up continues, the tips of the waves will break off, throwing droplets of condensate into the steam
flow. The result is that the heat exchange equipment receives very wet steam, which reduces heat transfer
efficiency and the working life of control valves. Anything that will reduce the propensity for wet steam
in mains or branch lines will prove beneficial. A separator will remove both droplets of water from pipe
walls and suspended mist entrained in the steam itself. The presence and effect of water hammer can be
eradicated by a separator in a steam main, and can often be a cheaper alternative than altering pipe work
to overcome this phenomenon.

3. Insulation of Condensate Piping. Carry out insulation survey in the entire

hot & cold surfaces. Insulate or re-insulate cold and hot tanks, piping and
ducting.

Insulate condensate recovery piping as it is not insulated at many places. Conduct insulation survey in
rest of the areas with Infra-Red Gun. Ideally the outside temperature of insulated surface shall not be
more than Ambient Temperature + 5C. If the temperature is above this, then they can be the potential
candidate for replacement. One area which needs special mention here is the steam piping at the rear of
the Bottle Washer.

Uninsulated steam distribution and condensate return lines are a constant source of wasted energy.
Insulation can typically reduce energy losses by 90% and help ensure proper steam pressure at plant
equipment. Any surface over 120°F should be insulated, including boiler surfaces, steam and condensate
return piping, and fittings. Insulation frequently becomes damaged or is removed and never replaced
during steam system repair. Damaged or wet insulation should be repaired or immediately replaced to
avoid compromising the insulating value. Eliminate sources of moisture prior to insulation replacement.
Causes of wet insulation include leaking valves, external pipe leaks, tube leaks, or leaks from adjacent
equipment. After steam lines are insulated, changes in heat flows can influence other parts of the steam
system.

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Insulation Optimization Software Available The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association
has developed a software package (3E Plus) that determines the optimum thickness for a wide variety of
insulating materials. Outputs include the simple payback period, surface heat loss, and surface
temperature for each specified insulation thickness. 3E Plus is available at no cost on ITP’s Best Practices
Web site at [Link]/industry/bestpractices.

Use Insulating Jackets Removable insulating jackets are available for valves, flanges, steam traps, and
other fittings. Remember that a 6-inch gate valve may have more than 6 square feet of surface area from
which to radiate heat.

It is very important to ensure that steam system are well insulated, economic insulation thickness for the
system components is determined and system insulation reviews are performed to identify exposed
surfaces that should be insulated and/or unrestored or damaged insulation.

Effective insulation - on piping, valves, fittings, and vessels - serves many important purposes. Insulation
keeps steam energy within the system to be effectively used by processes, it can reduce temperature
fluctuations in the system, it can reduce space conditioning requirements, and it can reduce the potential
for personnel burns.

Lagging of steam pipe work is not simply a means of conserving fuel. It reduces the heat losses, which
produce condensate inside the line. This water is picked up by the steam and the plant gets a low quality
supply. Even good lagging needs protection to maintain it in an efficient condition. Most types of lagging
make use of the poor rate of heat transfer through air. The materials used are composed of millions of
microscopic air cells which form an effective barrier to escaping heat. However, if these air cells become
waterlogged or crushed, they will lose their ability to insulate and the lagging becomes useless. For this
reason, it is essential to protect lagging once it has been fitted and it is particularly important to water
proof any lagging on lines which run out of doors.

While on the subject of reducing heat losses by lagging, it is as well to remember that another source of
unnecessary heat loss is redundant piping. When a piece of process plant is removed, all too often the
line serving it is plugged off in such a way that it remains fully charged with steam. This can be very
wasteful and should be avoided by removing all redundant pipe work.

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4. Install Removable Insulation on Valves and Fittings

During maintenance, the insulation that covers pipes, valves, and fittings is often damaged or removed and not
replaced. Pipes, valves, and fittings that are not insulated can be safety hazards and sources of heat loss. Removable
and reusable insulating pads are available to cover almost any surface. The pads are made of a noncombustible
inside cover, insulation material, and a noncombustible outside cover that resists tears and abrasion. Material used
in the pads resists oil and water and has been designed for temperatures up to 1,600°F. Wire laced through
grommets or straps with buckles hold the pads in place.

Applications

Reusable insulating pads are

commonly used in industrial
facilities for insulating flanges,
valves, expansion joints, heat
exchangers, pumps, turbines,
tanks, and other irregular surfaces.
The pads are flexible and vibration-resistant and can be used with equipment that is horizontally or vertically
mounted or that is difficult to access. Any high-temperature piping or equipment should be insulated to reduce
heat loss, reduce emissions, and improve safety. As a general rule, any surface that reaches temperatures greater
than 120°F should be insulated to protect personnel. Insulating pads can be easily removed for periodic inspection
or maintenance, and replaced as needed. Insulating pads can also contain built-in acoustical barriers to help control
noise.
Energy Savings
The table below summarizes energy savings due to the use of insulating valve covers for a range of valve sizes and
operating temperatures. These values were calculated using a computer program that meets the requirements of
ASTM C 680—Heat Loss and Surface Temperature Calculations. Energy savings is defined as the difference in heat loss
between the uninsulated valve and the insulated valve operating at the same temperature.
Availability
Insulation supply companies are located regionally; this expedites delivery and helps meet site-specific job
requirements. Most supply companies can take measurements on-site to ensure the best fit on irregular surfaces. For
customized applications, manufacturers can provide instructions regarding the installation and removal of
insulating pads.
Noise Control Benefits - Specify insulating pads that contain built-in barriers for noise control.
Insulation for Steam Traps
Effectively insulate inverted bucket traps with removable and reusable snap-on insulation. Thermostatic traps and
disk traps should be insulated according to manufacturers’ specifications to ensure proper operation. Before
removal of all or any existing insulation material, check for asbestos in accordance with Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
Suggested Actions
 Conduct a survey of your steam distribution system to identify locations where removable and reusable insulation
covers can be used.
 Use removable insulation on components requiring periodic inspections or repair.

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5. Ensure appropriate Fuel Preheating: FO shall be preheated to 110 C before the burner
for proper atomization of the fuel on the diffuser plate. In the pre-heaters provided to both the boilers,
no temperature meter was provided to monitor the fuel temperature ex-oil pre-heater.

6. Steam Utilization Pressure: In the unit, steam is generated at 9 bars and conveyed to the
plant, which is good. But steam shall be consumed at lowest possible pressure, for which we need to
install pressure regulating valves at steam digesters and set the pressure according to the process
requirement. One PRV can be seen installed on the way to plant, but there is no pressure gauges
installed, which means it is not being used. It further means that the steam is being used at much higher
pressure than required causing losses and efficiency in the system. Install Pilot Operated Pressure
Reducing Valve at consumption points like bottle washer, syrup maker etc so as to reduce the steam
pressure to lowest possible as per the process.

The temperature requirements of the different processes are different and hence so are the steam
pressure accordingly. As these devices are not used effectively in the system so far in the system, there
exist ample potential of heat saving by controlling the steam pressure effectively. Pressure reduction by
pilot operated pressure reducing valve will provide a uniform pressure to downstream equipments
irrespective of any fluctuations in load. While reducing the line pressure to a set pressure, the quality of
steam will be improved, this will further improve efficacy of process and heat transfer.

Since the temperature of saturated steam is determined by its pressure, control of pressure is a simple but
effective method of accurate temperature control. Reducing steam pressure will also cut down the loss of
flash steam. Since the majority of reducing valve problems are caused by the presence of moisture of dirt,
a steam separator and strainer with fine mesh screen shall be provided before a PRV.

7. Provide centrifugal separator for proper Fuel Filtration: In the unit, basket filters
have been provided to filter FO before the oil pre-heater. In addition, plant personnel are not aware of
the mesh size provided on the basket filter. It is strongly recommended that one should have 200 size
(mesh per inch) mesh in the Basket Filter. In addition, it is strongly recommended to install Centrifugal
separator in the fuel line after the basket filter. This will purify the fuel such that there will be marked
improvement in fuel efficiency as well as life of fuel pump.

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8. Data Capture thru Logbooks Boiler Room Log entry do not capture Exhaust flue gas
temperature, feed water temperature, oil pressure, blow down etc. These are very important parameters,
& must be captured invariably.

Identify key steam operational parameters that one should monitor and ensure that it is adequately
measured & captured. One Can't Monitor/Manage if it is not metered. Measurement of key steam system
parameters assists you in monitoring your system, diagnosing potential system problems, and ensuring
that system improvements continue to provide benefits to your operations.

In addition, following data must be also captured.

» Steam Production Rate (to obtain total steam production)

» Fuel Flow Rate (to obtain total fuel consumption)
» Feed-water Flow Rate
» Makeup Water Flow Rate
» Blow-down Flow Rate
» Chemical Input Flow Rate

The unit has installed new boiler with Effimax along with steam & fuel flow meters. With this, one can
monitor the boiler from the distant control room, but as remote operation.

9. Use a Vent Condenser to Recover Flash Steam Energy

When the pressure of saturated condensate

is reduced, a portion of the liquid “flashes”
to low-pressure steam. Depending on the
pressures involved, the flash steam contains
approximately 10% to 40% of the energy
content of the original condensate. In most
cases, including condensate receivers and
deaerators, the flashing steam is vented and
its energy content lost. However, a heat
exchanger can be placed in the vent to
recover this energy. The following table
indicates the energy content of flash steam
at atmospheric pressure.

Distilled Water Recovery - A useful rule of thumb is that every 500 lb/hr of recovered flash steam
provides 1 gallon per minute of distilled water. Materials Considerations Depending on the specific
application, the vent condenser materials can be either all stainless or mild steel shell with copper tubes.
For deaerator vent condensing, a stainless steel heat exchanger is recommended to avoid corrosion due to
the high concentrations of gases. Mild steel can be used for receiver tank vent condensing.

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 Though condensate has been recovered and taken to deaerator tank, flash steam is not utilized and
thrown away. Hence, it is recommended here to recover flash steam which is available at each condensate
collection tank and continuous blowdown pit. The schematic of the recovery scheme is reproduced here,
which is self-explanatory.

Suggested Actions
 Inspect vent pipes of receiver tanks and deaerators for excessive flash steam plumes.
 Reexamine deaerator steam requirements.
 Eliminate remaining flash steam energy loss with a vent condenser.
 Consult manufacturers for materials specifications, as well as size and cost recommendations for the
vent condenser.

10. Provide Air Vents - No air vents have been provided. Install air vents at the places as
recommended in the proposed steam circuit.

Air vents installed at the pipelines will remove air with subsequent improvement in heating time of the
process, reduction in insulating effect and improved accuracy of the process.

11. Minimize Boiler Short Cycling Losses:

Suggested Actions
 Determine the efficiency and operating cost of each of your boilers and adopt a control strategy for maximizing
overall efficiency of multiple boiler operations. (See page 2.)
 Avoid short cycling by purchasing a burner with a high turndown ratio, or by adding a small boiler to your boiler
house to provide better flexibility and high efficiency at all loads.

Boiler “short cycling” occurs when an oversized boiler quickly satisfies process or space heating demands, and
then shuts down until heat is again required. Process heating demands can change over time. Boilers may have
been oversized for additions or expansions that never occurred. Installing energy conservation or heat recovery
measures may also reduce the heat demand. As a result, a facility may have multiple boilers, each rated at several
times the maximum expected load.

Boilers used for space heating loads are often oversized, with their capacity chosen to meet total building heat
losses plus heating of ventilation and infiltration air under extreme or design-basis temperature conditions. No
credit is taken for thermal contributions from lights, equipment, or people. Excess capacity is also added to bring a
facility to required settings quickly after a night setback.

Cycling Losses
A boiler cycle consists of a firing interval, a post-purge, an idle period, a pre-purge, and a return to firing. Boiler
efficiency is the useful heat provided by the boiler divided by the energy input (useful heat plus losses) over the
cycle duration. This efficiency decreases when short cycling occurs or when multiple boilers are operated at low
firing rates.

This decrease in efficiency occurs, in part, because fixed losses are magnified under lightly loaded conditions. For
example, if the radiation loss from the boiler enclosure is 1% of the total heat input at full-load, at half-load the
losses increase to 2%, while at one-quarter load the loss is 4%. In addition to radiation losses, pre- and post-purge
losses occur. In the pre-purge, the fan operates to force air through the boiler to flush out any combustible gas
mixture that may have accumulated. The post-purge performs a similar function. During purging, heat is removed
from the boiler as the purged air is heated.

Example

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 A 1,500 horsepower (hp) (1 hp = 33,475 Btu/hr) boiler with a cycle efficiency of 72.7% (E1) is replaced
with a 600 hp boiler with a cycle efficiency of 78.8% (E2). Calculate the annual cost savings.
Fractional Fuel Savings = (1 – E1/E2)
= (1 – 72.7/78.8) x 100
= 7.7%
If the original boiler used 200,000 MMBtu of fuel annually, the savings from switching to the smaller
boiler (given a fuel cost of $8.00/MMBtu) are:
Annual Savings = 200,000 MMBtu x 0.077 x $8.00/MMBtu = $123,200

Multiple Boiler Operations

The most efficient boilers should be brought on-line as loads increase, with less-efficient units taken off-
line first as loads drop. Subject to emissions, operations, or firing rate limits, shift loads from a boiler
where steam production is expensive to one where it is less expensive.

Use automatic controllers that determine the incremental costs (change in steam cost/change in load) for
each boiler in the facility, and then shift loads accordingly. This maximizes efficiency and reduces energy
costs. If possible, schedule loads to help optimize boiler system performance. Powerhouses containing
multiple boilers that are simultaneously operated at low-fire conditions offer energy-saving opportunities
for using proper boiler allocation strategies.

Boiler Downsizing

Fuel savings can be achieved by adding a smaller boiler sized to meet average loads at your facility, or by
re-engineering the power plant to consist of multiple small boilers. Multiple small boilers offer reliability
and flexibility to operators to follow load swings without over-firing and short cycling. Facilities with large
seasonal variations in steam use operate small boilers when demand drops rather than operating their
large boilers year-round.

During the survey too frequent modulation of nozzles were observed. In addition, the attendant seems to
have no idea about occurrence of frequency of modulation and this data is not captured anywhere. This
again means the boiler is not tuned. This discrepancy has occurred due to capacity mismatch of the
boiler; i.e. capacity of the boiler (3 TPH) is much more than the actual steam demand (1 TPH), i.e. 3
times. Hence, start/stop frequency of the boiler is very high, which causes loss. To avoid this loss, it is
recommended to reduce the fuel firing rate, so that boiler runs continuously without frequent start &
stop. This will also reduce flue gas temperature at the exit & consequently reduce the stack loss.

12. Improve Condition of Bottle Washer

Following were observed at the rear side of the Bottle Washer:
A. Steam piping is not insulated. The valves do not have hand-wheel and huge steam leakage was observed
through valve glands.
Steam leaks can result from failures associated with such things as improper piping design, corrosion
problems, and joint and valve seal failures. In high-pressure industrial steam systems, energy costs
associated with steam leaks can be substantial. Identifying and repairing steam leaks is essential to
properly balancing your steam system.
Recommend immediate attention of maintenance team to:

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 a. Repair leaks immediately
b. Have a regular surveillance programme for identifying leaks at pipelines, valves, flanges and joints.
c. Replace the flanged joints which are rarely opened in old plants by welded joints.
Steam leaks are a source of energy loss and must be avoided. It is estimated that a 3 mm diameter hole on a
pipeline carrying 7kg/cm2 steam would waste 33 kL of fuel oil per year. Steam leaks on high-pressure mains are
prohibitively costlier than on low pressure mains.
B. The tank that holds hot water for washing the bottles is open & occurring huge heat loss.
Suggested Actions
 Conduct a survey to determine the number of open vessels that contain heated liquid within your plant. For
each tank, determine the operating schedule, liquid temperature, ambient temperature, and square feet of
exposed area.
 Estimate the annual heat loss from the uncovered tanks and determine the potential annual fuel cost savings.
 Evaporation and heat losses can be reduced by lowering the liquid temperature, reducing the exposed liquid
area, minimizing flow of air over the tank, or installing an insulated cover.
 Obtain cost estimates for
insulated covers. Install covers
when they are economically
justified.

Cover Heated, Open Vessels

Open vessels that contain heated
liquids often have high heat loss
due to surface evaporation. Both
energy and liquid losses are reduced by covering open vessels with insulated lids. The table below provides an
estimate of the evaporative heat loss per square foot (ft2) of uncovered vessel surface area for various water and
dry ambient air temperatures. It is assumed that the ambient air is dry with no wind currents. A fan pulling air
over the uncovered tank could more than double the heat losses.
Example
A rinse tank is 4 feet (ft) wide and 10 ft long. It is maintained at a constant temperature of 170°F. Determine the
evaporative heat loss from the tank if the ambient temperature is 75°F.
Area of Evaporating Surface = 4 ft x 10 ft = 40 ft2
Total Heat Loss for Uncovered Liquid Surface = 1,566 Btu/hr-ft2 x 40 ft2 = 62,640 Btu/hr
Cover the Tank with an Insulated Top
Assume that the rinse tank is heated during two shifts per day, five days per week, and 50 weeks per year. What are
the annual energy savings that may be obtained by covering the tank? What is the heating cost reduction in a plant
where the cost of steam is $10.00 per million Btu ($10.00/MMBtu)? Assume that covering the rinse tank with an
insulated lid effectively reduces the heat losses from the liquid surface to a negligible value.
Annual Energy Savings = 62,640 Btu/hr x 2 shifts/day x 8 hr/shift x 250 days/yr = 250 MMBtu
Annual Heating Cost Reduction = 250 MMBtu/yr x $10.00/MMBtu = $2,500
Heat Loss Detail
 Eliminating internal heat gains will also result in electrical energy savings if the open tanks are located within a
conditioned space.
 Heat losses are a strong function of both wind velocity and ambient air humidity. A wind velocity of 3 miles per
hour will more than double the rate of heat loss from a tank.

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 Radiation heat transfer is a secondary source of tank surface heat losses. Radiation losses increase from 90
Btu/hr-ft2 at a liquid temperature of 110° F to 290 Btu/hr-ft2 at 190° F.

13. Optimize Oxygen Scavenging

From my experience, Manual dosing of oxygen scavenger and anti-scalant is useless and just waste of
money. It shall be done by Metering Pump only. Otherwise it shall not be done.

14. Switchover to continuous blow-down from intermittent one.

Intermittent type Manual Blow-down is being practiced in the unit on ad-hoc basis without monitoring TDS level
of boiler drum.
Optimizing the blow-down rate can substantially reduce energy losses, as the temperature of the blown-down liquid
is the same as that of the steam generated in the boiler. Minimizing blow-down will also reduce makeup water and
chemical treatment costs.
As water evaporates in the boiler steam drum, solids present in the feed water are left behind. The suspended solids
form sludge or sediments in the boiler, which degrades heat transfer. Dissolved solids promote foaming and
carryover of boiler water into the steam. To reduce the levels of suspended and total dissolved solids (TDS) to
acceptable limits, water is periodically discharged or blown down from the boiler. Mud or bottom blow-down is
usually a manual procedure done for a few seconds on intervals of several hours. It is designed to remove
suspended solids that settle out of the boiler water and form a heavy sludge. Surface or skimming blow-down is
designed to remove the dissolved solids that concentrate near the liquid surface. Surface blow-down is often a
continuous process.

Insufficient blow-down may lead to carryover of boiler water into the steam, or the formation of deposits. Excessive
blow-down will waste energy, water, and chemicals. The optimum blow-down rate is determined by various factors
including the boiler type, operating pressure, water treatment, and quality of makeup water. Blow down rates
typically range from 4% to 8% of boiler feed water flow rate, but can be as high as 10% when makeup water has a
high solids content.

15. Install an Automatic Blow-down Control Systems

To reduce the levels of suspended and total dissolved solids in a boiler, water is periodically discharged or
blown down. High dissolved solids concentrations can lead to foaming and carryover of boiler water into
the steam. This could lead to water hammer, which may damage piping, steam traps, or process
equipment. Surface blowdown removes dissolved solids that accumulate near the boiler liquid surface and
is often a continuous process.
Suspended and dissolved solids can also form sludge. Sludge must be removed because it reduces the heat-
transfer capabilities of the boiler, resulting in poor fuel-to-steam efficiency and possible pressure vessel
damage. Sludge is removed by mud or bottom blowdown.
During the surface blowdown process, a controlled amount of boiler water containing high dissolved
solids concentrations is discharged into the sewer. In addition to wasting water and chemicals, the
blowdown process wastes heat energy, because the blowndown liquid is at the same temperature as the
steam produced—approximately 366°F for 150-pounds-per-square-inch-gauge (psig) saturated steam—and
blowdown heat recovery systems, if available, are not 100% efficient. (Waste heat may be recovered
through the use of a blowdown heat exchanger or a flash tank in conjunction with a heat recovery system.
Advantages of Automatic Control Systems
With manual control of surface blowdown, there is no way to determine the concentration of dissolved
solids in the boiler water, nor the optimal blowdown rate. Operators do not know when to blow down
the boiler, or for how long. Likewise, using a fixed rate of blowdown does not take into account changes
in makeup and feedwater conditions, or variations in steam demand or condensate return.
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An automatic blowdown-control system optimizes surface-blowdown rates by regulating the volume of
water discharged from the boiler in relation to the concentration of dissolved solids present. Automatic
surface-blowdown control systems maintain water chemistry within acceptable limits, while minimizing
blowdown and reducing energy losses. Cost savings come from the significant reduction in the
consumption, disposal, treatment, and heating of water.
How it Works
With an automatic blowdown-control system, high- or low-pressure probes are used to measure
conductivity. The conductivity probes provide feedback to a blowdown controller that compares the
measured conductivity with a set-point value, and then transmits an output signal that drives a
modulating blowdown release valve.

Conductivity is a measure of the electrical current carried by positive and negative ions when a voltage is
applied across electrodes in a water sample. Conductivity increases when the dissolved ion concentrations
increase.

The measured current is directly proportional to the specific conductivity of the fluid. Total dissolved
solids, silica, chloride concentrations, and/or alkalinity contribute to conductivity measurements. These
chemical species are reliable indicators of salts and other contaminants in the boiler water.

Applications

Boilers without a blowdown heat-recovery system and with high blowdown rates offer the greatest energy-
savings potential. The optimum blowdown rate is determined by a number of factors, including boiler
type, operating pressure, water treatment, and makeup-water quality. Savings also depend upon the
quantity of condensate returned to the boiler. With a low percentage of condensate return, more makeup
water is required and additional blowdown must occur. Boiler blowdown rates often range from 1% to
8% of the feedwater flow rate, but they can be as high as 20% to maintain silica and alkalinity limits when
the makeup water has a high solids content.

Price and Performance Example

For a 3TPH steam boiler, decreasing the required blowdown rate from 8% to 6% of the feedwater flow
rate will reduce makeup water requirements by approximately 70 kg/hr. Annual energy, water, and
chemicals savings due to blowdown rate reductions for a sample system are summarized in the table
below. In many cases, these savings can provide a 1 to 3 year simple payback on the investment in an
automatic blowdown control
system.

The complete system consists of

a low- or high-pressure
conductivity probe, temperature
compensation and signal
conditioning equipment, and a blowdown-modulating valve. Some systems are designed to monitor both
feedwater and blowdown conductivity from multiple boilers. A continuous conductivity recording
capability might also be desired. The total cost of the automatic blowdown system is dependent upon the
system operating pressure and the design and performance options specified.

Recommended Practices

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The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has developed a consensus on operating practices
for boiler blowdown. Sections VI and VII of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code describe
recommended practices. The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code can be ordered through the ASME
Web site at [Link].

Suggested Actions

• Review your blowdown and makeup water treatment practices; compare them with American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) practices.
• If a continuous-blowdown system is in place, determine the savings an automatic blowdown-control
system could attain. Install conductivity monitoring and automatic blowdown control equipment if the
proposed project meets your cost-effectiveness criteria.
• Determine the energy savings and cost-effectiveness from using a heat exchanger to recover energy from
the blowdown and preheat boiler makeup water. Blowdown heat-recovery systems may be economical for
boilers with blowdown rates as low as 500 lb/hr.

These systems optimize surface blow-down by regulating water volume discharged in relation to amount of
dissolved solids present. Conductivity, TDS, silica or chlorides concentrations, and/or alkalinity are
reliable indicators of salts and other contaminants dissolved in boiler water. A probe provides feedback to
a controller driving a modulating blow-down valve. An alternative is proportional control — with the blow-
down rate set proportional to the makeup water flow.

From manual blow-down, it is not possible to ensure minimization of loss and upkeep of boiler health,
either of them will suffer for sure. Hence, automatic blow-down system shall be installed.

Cycles of Concentration

“Cycles of concentration” refers to the accumulation of impurities in the boiler water. If the boiler water
contains 10 times the level of impurities in the makeup water, it is said to have 10 cycles of concentration.

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16. Recover Heat from Boiler Blow-down

Heat can be recovered from boiler blow-

down by using a heat exchanger to preheat
boiler makeup water. Any boiler with
continuous blow-down exceeding 5% of
the steam rate is a good candidate for the
introduction of blow-down waste heat
recovery. Larger energy savings occur with
high-pressure boilers. The following table
shows the potential for heat recovery from
boiler blow-down.

Suggested Actions
As an intermittent manual blow-down
system is being practiced in the unit, first
make it a continuous blow-down system,
either manually or fully automatic,
coupled with heat recovery.
Blow-down Energy Recovery

Blow-down waste heat can be recovered

with a heat exchanger, a flash tank, or
flash tank in combination with a heat
exchanger. Lowering the pressure in a
flash tank allows a portion of the blow-
down to be converted into low-pressure
steam. This low-pressure steam is most
typically used in deaerators. Drain water
from the flash tank is then routed through
a heat exchanger. Cooling the blow-down
has the additional advantage of helping to comply with local codes limiting the discharge of high-
temperature liquids into the sewer system.

17. Check size & type of steam trap with respect to the application & load.

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18. Steam Trap Routine Maintenance & Monitoring

This is extremely important, but from the interaction with Plant personnel, it was clarified that not much
is being done. Steam traps play three important functions:
a. prevent steam from escaping from the system before the heat is utilized;
b. remove condensate from the system; and
c. Vent non-condensable gases.
Poor steam trap selection, testing, and maintenance can result in many system problems including water
hammer, ineffective process heat transfer, steam leakage, and system corrosion. An effective steam trap
selection and maintenance program is often an excellent investment with paybacks of less than half a year.

The Steam Trap Maintenance Program shall include the following activities:
a. Maintaining A Steam Trap Database
b. Proper Trap Selection For Application
c. At Least Annual Testing Of All Traps
d. Repairing/Replacing Defective Traps
A. Develop a steam trap database, Location, Trap ID, capacity, type etc
B. From the database, analyze whether the traps provided are appropriate in terms of type & capacity.
C. Testing of steam traps
− Visual: Visual testing of the flow or variation of flow of steam traps makes use of sight glasses, sight
checks, test tees and three-way test valves. This method works well with traps that have an on/off
cycle or low flows. This method becomes less viable when the flow, and thus the volume of water
and flash steam, is high
− Sound: Sound testing makes use of ultrasonic leak detectors, mechanics stethoscopes, screwdriver or
a metal listening rod. These methods use the sound created by flow to determine if the trap is
functioning properly. This method works well with traps that have an on/off cycle or low flows, but
not so well with traps with varying and/or high flows
− Temperature: Temperature testing makes use of infrared guns (see Monitoring Equipment chapter),
surface pyrometers, temperature tapes, and temperature crayons. These equipment measure the
discharge temperature on the outlet side of the trap, with high temperatures indicating leaks and low
temperatures indicating blocked, undersized, or faulty traps.
− Integrated: Spirax Sarco mentions the development of an integrated steam trap testing device due to
the limitations of the above methods. This consists of a sensor, fitted inside the steam trap, which is
capable of detecting the physical state of the medium at that point by conductivity.
D. Routine maintenance, which depends on the type of trap and its application.

− Replacement of internals. The renewal of internal parts of a steam trap makes good sense. The body
will generally have as long a life as the plant to which it is fitted and it is only the internal parts which
wear, depending on system conditions. There are obvious advantages in replacing these internals

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 from time to time. It depends on the ease with which the new parts can be fitted and the reliability
and availability of the refurbished trap.

− Replacement of traps. On occasions, it will be easier and cheaper to replace traps rather than repair
them. In these cases it is essential that the traps themselves can be changed easily. Flanged
connections provide one solution, although the flanged trap is more expensive than the equivalent
screwed trap. Mating flanges are an additional expense.
19. Use DM water instead of soft water to minimize blow down, priming &
foaming.
An effective steam system Water Treatment Program:
a. It reduces the potential for waterside fouling problems in your boilers;
b. It is critical to minimizing boiler blowdown and the resulting energy losses;
c. It will reduce the generation of wet steam; and
d. It greatly reduces the potential for corrosion problems throughout your steam system.
Most effective water treatment programs include both mechanical (filtration, softening, and deaeration)
and chemical treatment. Problems in this area can lead to significant plant productivity issues related to
equipment failure and downtime - be sure to consult with a chemical treatment specialist on an ongoing
basis.

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20. Establish boiler efficiency – maintenance program

Establish and carry out a comprehensive steam system maintenance program. Major areas of
maintenance that will provide year-after-year benefits to operations include:
a. steam traps;
(CO2SO2N2,O2,)
b. boiler performance; Steam Output H2O , CO, Ash

c. water treatment; 1. Dry Flue gas loss

2. H2 loss
6. Surface loss 3. Moisture in fuel
d. turbines, piping, heat exchangers, 4. Moisture in air
pumps, motors, and valves; and 5. CO loss
C,H,S,
e. system insulation. moisture,ash 7. Fly ash loss
The following losses are applicable to Fuel Input, 100%
Boiler Flue gas sample
liquid, gas and solid fired boiler
• L1- Loss due to dry flue gas loss Air- N2,O2
(sensible heat)
Water

8. Bottom ash loss

• L2- Loss due hydrogen in fuel (H2) Blow down

• L3- Loss due to moisture in fuel (H2O)

Efficiency = 100 – (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8) (by In Direct Method)
• L4- Loss due to moisture in air (H2O)
• L5- Loss due to carbon monoxide (CO)
• L6- Loss due to surface radiation and convection heat loss
The following losses are applicable to solid fuel fired boiler in addition to above
• L7- Unburnt losses in fly ash (Carbon)
• L8- Unburnt losses in bottom ash (Carbon)
• Boiler Efficiency = 100 – (L1+L2+L3+L4+L5+L6+L7+L8)

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 Efficiency Computation: Measure following parameters

• Flue Gas Analysis • Water conditions (TDS) • Temperature

– % CO2 in flue gas – Feed water – Steam
– % O2 in flue gas – Boiler drum /Blow down – Makeup water
– % CO in flue gas – Blowdown quantity – Condensate return
– Flue gas temperature – Blowdown frequency – Feed water
– Condensate – Combustion air
Instruments: – Makeup water – Fuel
– Flue gas analyzers – Wet bulb & dry bulb
– Temperature probes • Flow

– Infrared pyrometer – Fuel. • Auxiliary power consuming equipment

– Draft gauges – Steam. – Feed water pumps
– Pressure gauges – Feed water. – ID fans
– Flow meters – Condensate – FD fans
water.
– Electrical power analyzer – Fuel handling, etc
– Combustion air.
– TDS meters
– Flue gas.
• Pressure
– Steam
– Fuel
– Boiler feed pump
– Combustion air
• Primary air
• Secondary air

Factors affecting the boiler efficiency

• Loading on the boiler
• Inefficient combustion - excess air or incomplete combustion
• Heat loss in dry flue gas losses vary from 8 to 35% depending upon
a. The fuel d. Loading
b. Type of furnace e. Burner, etc.
c. Flue gas (temperature, quantity )

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 • Heat loss due to combustible in ash could be 2-5%. Possible causes for high losses are
– Poor air distribution
– To thick fire bed
– Uneven bed thickness
– Less residence time given to coal particle over the combustor, etc
• Blow down heat losses
» Combustible elements is fuel
– C + O2 => CO2 : 8044 kcal/kg of C
– 2H + O2 => 2H2O : 28922 kcal/kg of H
– S + O2 => SO2 : 2224 kcal/kg of S
» Combustion air requirement
Element, kg O2, kg Air required, kg
Carbon 2.67 11.60
Hydrogen 8.00 34.78
Sulfur 1.00 4.34
» Air required for one kg of fuel with following composition
Element, % wt O2, kg Air required, kg
Carbon 85.50 2.27 9.87
Hydrogen 12.00 0.96 4.17
Sulfur 1.50 0.015 0.07
Ash 1.00 0.00 0.00
TOTAL 100 3.25 14.10

At least once a year, inspect the following important Steam Plant Operational Equipment:
 Inspect burner couplings, burner linkages, and damper linkages. Clean burners, nozzles, strainers, etc.
 Boiler Plant Equipment - boiler, deaerator, feedwater tank, chemical treatment equipment, blowdown
equipment, economizer, combustion air preheater, insulation, etc.
 Distribution System Equipment - piping (including design), steam traps (types, sizes, locations), air
vents, valves, pressure reducing stations, insulation, etc.
 End Use System Equipment - turbines, piping (including design), heat exchangers, coils, jacketed
kettles, steam traps (types, sizes, locations), air vents, vacuum breakers, pressure reducing valves,
insulation, etc.
 Recovery System Equipment - piping (including design), valves, fittings, flash tanks, condensate pumps,
condensate meters, insulation, etc.
21. Explore the potential to use backpressure turbines in the steam system.

In the unit, steam is being generated at 9 bar, which is good to have a good quality dry steam. The steam
pressure requirement at utilization point is very low, which means there is a need of PRS for reducing the
pressure thereby further improving the steam quality but with the loss of fluid power.

In many steam systems, pressure reducing valves (PRVs) are used to provide steam at pressures lower than
generated from the boiler. A potential opportunity for improving a steam system is to minimize the flow
of steam through PRVs. One opportunity for doing this is to install backpressure turbines in parallel
with PRVs in your steam system; in this way you can provide the low-pressure steam required and
generate electricity or shaft power that can be utilized. A detailed economic analysis must be performed
to evaluate this type of opportunity.

22. Assess quantity of steam generated & used

Determine how much steam you use, and how much it costs to generate this steam. Steam generation
needs to be measured with accurate, well maintained and calibrated flow measurement devices and
reconciled by a rigorous steam balance. The steam balance should be done on a regular basis to confirm
that the flow measurements are good. Understand how much steam is used per unit of product produced.
You can use this information to compare with other information—within your company and by your
competition—to determine where there might be opportunities for improvement of your steam
operations.

23. Optimize Boiler Control System

Optimize excess air in your boiler to increase steam generation efficiency. An often stated rule of thumb
is that boiler efficiency can be increased by 1% for each 1.5% reduction in excess air or 40°F reduction
in stack gas temperature. Good measurements of fuel flow and air flow are required to do this, as well
as good stack gas analysis. Optimize your boiler control system to optimize steam generation efficiency.
Before you do this, make sure that the logic diagrams actually reflect what is wired into the system and
that all the components of this system make sense and work.

24. Assess Steam Distribution & Condensate Recovery pipework.

Ensure that steam mains are properly laid out, sized, adequately drained, and adequately air vented.
Ensure that Distribution System piping is correctly sized to produce the appropriate system pressure
drops. Ensure that distribution system piping is adequately supported, guided, and anchored, and that
appropriate allowances are made for pipe expansion at operating temperatures.

Ensure that the condensate piping is adequately sized. Condensate piping has to accommodate two-
phase flow (liquid and vapor). The vapor portion of the condensate stream is more voluminous than
the liquid portion. In general, condensate piping must be sized to handle the flash and blow-through
steam rather than just the liquid portion. Condensate piping that is sized for the liquid portion only
will be grossly undersized.

25. Blowdown non-condensables

Blowdown of non-condensables from condensing equipment is critical. If non-condensables are not
removed from condensing applications, the condensing equipment will quickly cease to function. The
rule of thumb is that for every 1% of non-condensables there is in steam, the heat transfer coefficient
decreases by 10%.

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26. Close burner air and/or stack dampers when the burner is off to
minimize heat loss up the stack.

Provide a damper on the stack or breaching duct, which is operated pneumatically and interlocked with
burner. When the burner is off on modulation, this damper shall be closed.

27. Install VFD for boiler FD fan.

The boiler is equipped with 3 nozzles. Based on pressure, 0, 1, 2 or 3 nozzles will be in operation. The
damper setting of the fan is provided for each of condition. Instead of the damper, if VFD is provided to
the fan, then there will be considerable energy saving, which will get paid back within a year.

28. Relocate Combustion Air Intake Location

The combustion air intake can be relocated to the top of the boiler house to use heated air and save
energy. Installation of a duct to the top of the boiler house increases the average air temperature by
around 10C.

29. Check the effectiveness of turbulators. Install efficient turbulators.

30. Explore the possibility of using the boiler with repaired shell as
Condensing Economizer.

31. Install Air-Preheater utilizing one of the waste heat recovery.

32. Check the slope of heating coils of heat transfer equipment. Provide
slope to heating coils to remove condensate.

Flooding of heat transfer equipment with condensate reduces the surface available for heat transfer
between the steam and the product to be heated. This may be caused by improper design or installation of
coils. Coils should always be designed and installed such that there is a continuous downward slope from
the heat exchanger steam connection to the steam trap to eliminate pockets of condensate forming in low
spots of the coil causing the following problems:

» Coil flooding and reduced heat transfer

» Water hammer caused by slugs of condensate being forced through the system with the resultant
possibility of equipment damage.

If heat transfer performance is below expectations, and if steam traps appear to be functioning properly,
pocketing within the coils should be investigated.

33. Recover heat from De-superheater - De-superheat the refrigerant vapor (hot gas) leaving
the compressor. The superheat can be recovered for process (e.g. bottle washer) or make-up water pre-
heating for steam/hot water boiler. Because the temperature of the hot gas is higher than the
condensing temperature, the superheat can be used where lower temperature latent heat can not.
Care must be taken in the design of the refrigerant piping system to ensure proper return of liquid
refrigerant and oil from the de-superheater.

34. Check the efficiency of burner. Upgrade the burner for low NOX & high
combustion efficiency (low excess air required).

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35. Explore upgrading existing boilers to Condensing Boilers for higher
efficiency.

Condensing Technologies - 2 Measures Option:

» Condensing Boilers
» Condensing Stack Economizer (Retrofit to
boiler)
A flue gas condenser reduces the temperature of the
boiler exit gas below the dew point of the water
vapor in the gas, thereby recovering latent heat from
the flue gas. An efficiency improvement of 10% can
be achieved by this.

Economizer Types/Configurations
A. Conventional Feed Water Economizers
B. Condensing Economizers - Open, Direct Contact
C. Condensing Economizers - Closed, Direct Contact
D. Condensing Economizers - Non Contact

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Page 25 of 29
 EFFICIENCY INCREASES DUE TO FLUE GAS CONDENSATION
Combines the following:
1. Additional latent heat gain from condensate
2. Lower flue gas loss:
▪ The flue gas temperature is lower because the sensible and latent heat is almost
completely transferred to the boiler water
3. Lower radiant standby losses:
▪ Due to lower boiler water temperatures
Conventional System:
Standard feed water economizer reduces boiler stack temperatures to about 150C, and is designed to
avoid condensation of the flue gas on the chimney.

 Specific heat (Cp) of flue gas = 0.25 kCal/kg °C

 For combustion, typical excess air = 15%
 Typical efficiency = 80% based on GCV
 Flue gas dew point = 129°C
 Flue gas is 11.5% water (by wt.)
 Typical exit flue gas is 80°C above saturated steam temperature (for boilers, without super-heaters).
The normal combustion process of FO combines hydrogen and oxygen chemically to form water, which is
instantly vaporized by the heat of combustion. This process absorbs approximately 11.5% of the total heat
released by the fuel and it is normally lost to the atmosphere with the boiler exhaust gases.

CONDENSING HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS

The Condensing Economizer ends this loss!

 Incoming cold fluid enters the heat exchanger

 The tube & fin temperatures are below gas dew point and cause the vapors to condense out.
 The flue gas and heated liquid are not in contact (indirect contact heat exchange) with each other
and the water remains pure.
Factors Influencing Effectiveness of Condensing Technology

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 By heating cold process liquids with hot boiler
exhaust gases, the condensing economizer
recovers both sensible and latent heat energy.

 As the hot exhaust passes over the proprietary

designed condensing economizer finned tubes, so
much energy is exchanged that the gases are
cooled beyond the point where the water vapor
condenses out, releasing the heat it took to
vaporize it initially.

 The phase change from vapor to liquid recovers

approximately 540 kcal of energy for every kg of
water condensed. The condensing economizers
can cool the boiler exhaust gas down to within
3°C of the incoming water. Heat transfer and boiler efficiency results are typically 93% - 99%. A
condensing economizer improves heat recovery by recovering energy well below the dew point of the
flue gas.

Condensing Economizers
Water Issues
Unlike Feedwater Economizers, Condensing
Economizers can have 1 or 2 “Water Side
Surfaces”
- Condensate from flue gas
- Water stream absorbing heat from the flue

Condensate from the flue is predominantly a product

of combustion:

CH4 + 2O2 + 7.52N2 →CO2 + 2H2O + 7.52N2 +

heat
~300mL / 1000 m3 Natural Gas

Depending on the type of condensing economizer, this condensate can be classified as:

Page 27 of 29
 Dilute Condensate
 Concentrated Condensate

Condensing Economizers - Water Issues

Non Contacting & Closed-Direct Economizers: Produce Concentrated Condensate
-Flue gases dissolve into the condensate, creating acids:

-Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Forms Nitric & Nitrous Acid

-Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Forms Cabonic Acid
-Sulphur (oil fuels) Forms Sulphuric & Sulphurous Acid

-Chloride (Cl-) & Flouride (F-) Form Acids & accelerate corrosion

Open Direct Contacting Economizers:

Produce Dilute Condensate
- Flue gases dissolve into the condensate,
however this volume of water is diluted into
the heat sink volume, minimizing the
corrosive forces

Condensing Economizers- Waterside

Reactions
Concentrated Condensate

- Water treatment cannot be realistically

applied inside the economizer, therefore materials selection (Metallurgy) is very important for economizer
success

- Non-contacting economizer condensate can be neutralized with alkaline chemicals, or boiler blowdown,
prior to being discharged to drain

- Closed, Direct contact economizer condensate and process water requires ongoing pH neutralization
and controlled volume bleed, to prevent corrosion of downstream equipment

Condensing Economizers - Waterside Reactions

Dilute Condensate
- Water quality inside economizer is closer to that of the heat absorbing stream, Ie. Makeup water.
Typically oxygen corrosion potential dictates metallurgy selection. Proper softening/dealkalization is
required to prevent mineral fouling inside economizer

- pH neutralization may still be required after the economizer with an automatic control system, to
prevent damage to downstream equipment, Ie. Deaerator

-When natural gas is used as the fuel, contaminants from combustion are minimal

Pre-treatment and Chemical Treatment

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All Condensing Economizer Types: Vulnerable to mineral
scale, requires upstream softening (minimum)
Closed Direct Contact: Build of up acidic contaminants,
requires downstream
pH Neutralization
-May also require microbiocide treatment
-Usually requires a controller
Mild steel rarely used for economizer which eliminates the Water Treatment System – Open Direct & Non Contact

necessity for oxygen removal upstream. However, standard

boiler water treatment is applicable downstream.

Condensing economizer may provide ideal feedwater

temperature optimum Reverse Osmosis (RO) operation.

Water
Treatment
Diagram –
Closed Direct

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