1.
ENERGY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF BOILERS
1.1 Introduction
Performance of the boiler, like efficiency and evaporation ratio reduces with time, due to poor
combustion, heat transfer fouling and poor operation and maintenance. Deterioration of fuel
quality and water quality also leads to poor performance of boiler. Efficiency testing helps us to
find out how far the boiler efficiency drifts away from the best efficiency.
Any observed abnormal deviations could therefore be investigated to pinpoint the problem area
for necessary corrective action. Hence it is necessary to find out the current level of efficiency
for performance evaluation, which is a pre requisite for energy conservation action in industry.
1.2 Purpose of the Performance Test
To find out the efficiency of the boiler
To find out the Evaporation ratio
The purpose of the performance test is to determine actual performance and efficiency of the
boiler and compare it with design values or norms. It is an indicator for tracking day-to-day and
season-to-season variations in boiler efficiency and energy efficiency improvements
1.3 Performance Terms and Definitions
1.4 Scope
The procedure describes routine test for both oil fired and solid fuel fired boilers using coal, agro
residues etc. Only those observations and measurements need to be made which can be readily
applied and is necessary to attain the purpose of the test.
1.6 The Direct Method Testing
1.6.1 Description
This is also known as ’input-output method’ due to the fact that it needs only the useful output
(steam) and the heat input (i.e. fuel) for evaluating the efficiency. This efficiency can be
evaluated using the formula:
1.6.2 Measurements Required for Direct Method Testing
Heat input
Both heat input and heat output must be measured. The measurement of heat input requires
knowledge of the calorific value of the fuel and its flow rate in terms of mass or volume,
according to the nature of the fuel.
For gaseous fuel:Agas meter of the approved type can be used and the measured volume should
be corrected for temperature and pressure. A sample of gas can be collected for calorific value
determination, but it is usually acceptable to use the calorific value declared by the gas suppliers.
For liquid fuel: Heavy fuel oil is very viscous, and this property varies sharply with
temperature.
The meter, which is usually installed on the combustion appliance, should be regarded as a rough
indicator only and, for test purposes, a meter calibrated for the particular oil is to be used and
over a realistic range of temperature should be installed. Even better is the use of an accurately
calibrated day tank.
For solid fuel: The accurate measurement of the flow of coal or other solid fuel is very difficult.
The measurement must be based on mass, which means that bulky apparatus must be set up on
the boiler-house floor. Samples must be taken and bagged throughout the test, the bags sealed
and sent to a laboratory for analysis and calorific value determination.
In some more recent boiler houses, the problem has been alleviated by mounting the hoppers
over the boilers on calibrated load cells, but these are yet uncommon.
Heat output
There are several methods, which can be used for measuring heat output. With steam boilers, an
installed steam meter can be used to measure flow rate, but this must be corrected for
temperature and pressure. In earlier years, this approach was not favoured due to the change in
accuracy of orifice or venturi meters with flow rate. It is now more viable with modern flow
meters of the variable-orifice or vortex-shedding types.
The alternative with small boilers is to measure feed water, and this can be done by previously
calibrating the feed tank and noting down the levels of water during the beginning and end of the
trial. Care should be taken not to pump water during this period. Heat addition for conversion of
feed water at inlet temperature to steam, is considered for heat output.
In case of boilers with intermittent blow down, blow down should be avoided during the trial
period. In case of boilers with continuous blow down, the heat loss due to blow down should be
calculated and added to the heat in steam.
STEAM TURBINE TEST RIG
AIM:
Conduct the test on Steam Turbine, and determine the quality of steam, work
done and isentropic efficiency of the steam turbine and effectiveness of the condenser.
DESCRIPTION:
The test rig consists of a steam turbine coupled to an alternator both mounted on a
suitable base plate. Steam from the boiler passes through a flow meter and to the turbine.
Suitable taps area provided to sample the steam and determine the quality and to measure its
pressure and temperature. A main valve is used to control the flow rate from the boiler. The
output shaft of the turbine is coupled to the alternator. A tachometer is provided to measure the
turbine speed. Electric bulbs are used to absorb the electrical power produced by the alternator.
Exhaust steam from the turbine is let to the atmosphere or to a condenser using the exhaust
valves. A separate centrifugal pump is provided to circulate the cooling water through the
condenser
1. Separating and throttling calorimeter:
This consists of three parts, the separator, the throttling chamber and finally the
condenser. In the separator moisture is mechanically separated from steam sample and is
collected in a reservoir. In the throttling part, steam is allowed to expand through a small orifice
into a chamber that is close atmosphere pressure. In the condenser, cooling water is circulated
continuously and steam from the throttling chamber is condensed
In the throttling chamber, the excess of heat liberated due to throttling serves first to evaporated
any moisture present and then to superheat the steam at a lower pressure. With the aid of the
steam tables, from the observed pressure and temperature the percentage of moisture. In the
original sample can be calculated. Since the limit of the throttling calorimeter is only about 5%
moisture at 10 bar, for steam containing greater moisture, the separating calorimeter also has to
be used. The water separated here is collected periodically and its quantity measured. The
quantity of steam that passes into the throttling chamber is determined by measuring the
condenser or alternatively, by using Napier’s rule.
2. Condenser
The condenser is a two pass shell and tube type heat exchanger. Coolant water is supplied to
the condenser by a separate pump. An Orifice meter is provided to measure the coolant flow
rate, Thermometers are provided at inlet and outlet to measure the temperature rise of the
coolant through the condenser.
3. Alternator
The alternator coupled to the turbine is a 2 KVA, 3000 rpm alternator. The output of the
alternator is connected to a set of electric bulbs to provide the loading. A panel board with
ammeter, Voltmeter and bulbs to provide a constant minimum load are provided to measure the
alternator output. A panel mounted digital tachometer is connected to the alternator to monitor
the turbine speed.
FORMULA USED:
CALORIMETER CALCULATIONS:
P1 and T1 – Pressure and Temperature in separating chamber
P2 and T2 – Pressure and Temperature in Throttling chamber
m – be the mass flow rate of steam sampled by the calorimeter
mt – be steam throttled to the throttling chamber
ms – be moisture separated in separating chamber
h1 is the enthalpy at P1 and T1 and h2 is the enthalpy at P2 and T2
X1 is the steam quality in separating chamber
(Note: steam condition 1 is normally wet and 2 is superheated due to the throttling- h f1 and hf2 are
obtained from saturated steam tables and h2 from superheated steam tables)
We have the following relations
m=mt +ms ----------------------1
h2= h1=hf1+x1hfg1 ----------------------2
X1 = (h2-hfg1)/hfg1 ----------------------3
For steam throttled through an orifice,
Mass flow rate = 51.4 P A Ibs/hour (Napler’s Rule) -----------------------4
(Where P is the pressure in Psia and A is orifice area in Sq.m)
For an orifice of d mm dia, flow rate into the throttling chamber
mt=0.4 P1 d2 kg/hour (P1 – kg/[Link]) ------------------------------5
for 2.5 dia orifice ms=2.5 P1 kg/hour (P1 – kg/[Link]) ----- -----------------------5A
Alternatively, mt is determined directly by measuring the condenser from the calorimeter
and condenser. If t is the sampling time in minutes and mc is the quantity of water collected in
the separating chamber in cc.
ms=(mc x 60) / (t x 1000) kg/hour -------------------------------------------6
mw be total moisture in steam sample
mw = [ms + (1-X1)mt] --------------------------------------------------7
steam quality X = [1-mw/(ms+mt)]× 100 % ---------------------------------------8
Po, To X are inlet steam pressure, Temperature and quality, Corresponding enthalpy and
entropy ho and So are determined from stables.
ho=hf0 + X hfg0
So=Sf0 + X Sfg0
For isentropic expansion to exit pressure PE, SE=S0 and hence,
Exit steam quality XE is determined from the relation.
XE = (S0 – SfE)/SfgE - -----------------------------------------9
Isentyropic enthalpy drop is
hs=const = h0 –(hfE + XE hfgE) --------------------------------------10
(hfE + XE hfgE = hE is the exit enthalpy for isentropic expansion)
Isentropic Work:
W = M (hs=const) kcal/hr
= M ((hs=const)/642.2HP ---------------------------------------11
= M (hs=const)/ 860.6 KW ------------------------------------11A
Here, M is the steam flow rate which is obtained by measuring the condensate from the
condenser.
Calculation of Output Power
Voltmeter Reading = V Volts
Ammeter Reading = A Amps
Alternator Out Power = V x A / 1000 KW ------------------------------12
Steam turbine output = Alternator output / 0.7 KW
Where, 0.7 is the assumed alternator efficiency = V x A / 1000 x 0.7 KW---------13
Calculation of Isentropic efficiency of turbine:
Isentropic efficiency =Turbine Power / Isentropic work --------------------14
Calculation of condenser effectiveness
Coolant water flow:
The orifice meter has been calibrated
Orifice meter pressure gauge reading 1 = OP1 kg/[Link]
Orifice meter pressure gauge reading 2 = OP2 kg/[Link]
Difference in pressure = (OP1 - OP2) kg/[Link]
OP = 10 × (OP1 - OP2) m of water.
Coolant water flow rate Q = 0.00204 × (OP) 1/2 m3 / sec
Coolant water mass flow rate = MC = 60.000 × Q kg/min -------------------------15
Coolant water inlet temperature = TC1 ºC
Coolant water exit temperature = TC2 º C
Heat removed by coolant water H = MC × (TC1 - TC2 ) Kcal /min. -----------------16
Heat exchanger effectiveness of condenser = (TC1 - TC2 ) / (TE - TC1) -------------17