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ENER GY

ENERGY
SOUR CE
SOURCE
A Newsletter published by
ESI Inc
Inc.. of Tennessee
for Industrial Steam and Power Users

Spring 1999
A Case Study: Fraser Papers Solves Sludge Problems
By: Brian E. Taylor, Project Manager, Fraser Papers, Inc.
Steve Frost, Project Manager, ESI

Introduction
Fraser Papers contacted ESI to perform a preliminary engineering evaluation for the
installation of a bubbling fluidized bed boiler at their West Carrollton, Ohio Paper
Mill. This preliminary evaluation evolved into an EPC contract for installing a
complete sludge handling system and bubbling fluidized bed boiler fired with coal
and paper mill sludge. The Fraser Papers West Carrollton Mill is comprised of a
recycled pulp deinking operation, four paper machines, and a finishing plant which
yields approximately one hundred dry tons per day of sludge.
The Problem
Fraser Papers was faced with the continual problem that all paper mills have to battle,
what do you do with the sludge produced by your process? In todays climate of
stricter environmental regulations and shrinking available landfill space, there is a
need to find creative ways to dispose of paper mill sludge. Fraser Papers anticipated
the critical need to reduce the amount of sludge that they were sending to a landfill
day after day.
Technology Selection
To determine how to handle their sludge problem, Fraser surveyed the industry to
determine the best available technology for the task. This search resulted in the
selection of the bubbling fluid bed boiler technology.
A bubbling fluidized bed boiler has many advantages when burning fuels with high
ash and moisture contents such as paper mill sludge. First, it utilizes sand as a
thermal heat sink in the bottom of the unit where the fuel is introduced. The sand is
heated to over 1550F. This hot mass evaporates the moisture and quickly ignites the
fuel. Unlike a conventional grate-fired boiler, this heat sink allows the boiler to be
very forgiving when fuel conditions change. Secondly, bubbling fluidized bed boilers
are inherently low NOx and CO producers. This is true because combustion
temperatures are much lower than that of conventional grate-fired boilers. Thirdly,
bubbling fluid bed boilers have excellent fuel and air mixing due to the injection of
high-pressure combustion air in the bed area. The result is low unburned carbon
losses and high combustion efficiencies.
Previously, Fraser was utilizing coal to produce the majority of the steam from their
existing boilers. The high heating value of coal would complement the relatively low
heating value of the sludge; therefore, it was selected as the other primary fuel. In
order to give the boiler the maximum flexibility, natural gas and #2 fuel oil start-up and
load burners were installed.
The next step in the process was to determine the overall scope and cost of the
project and to select the bubbling fluidized bed boiler manufacturer. ESI was selected
to perform an initial engineering study resulting in a budget and scope which
enabled the project to be funded. This study included obtaining and evaluating
proposals from most of the major fluidized bed boiler manufacturers. For this project,
Babcock and Wilcox was ultimately selected as the vendor of choice. A schematic of
the bubbling fluidized bed boiler used at Fraser is shown in Figure 1.
Continued on Page 2

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ENERGY SOURCE 1
The Project
The project can best be described as a series of challenges which afforded all those
involved ample opportunity for creative thought. A few of the more difficult
challenges are discussed in this article.
Site Preparation
There were many challenges that were unique to the Fraser Papers site. First, there
was not enough land available to build the facility in a new green field structure.
Second, the process was spread out on either side of a main, active Conrail line.
Third, the decision was made early in the project that the new boiler would have to
be operated by the same personnel that were presently operating the existing
boilers. These factors led to the decision to remove two antiquated existing coal-
fired boilers and auxiliary equipment in order to make room for the new boiler.
Consequently, great precautions and planning went into the construction process
in order to keep the mill on-line. The construction schedule required that the roof of
the boiler house be removed for four months during the late winter to allow for the
construction of the new boiler in the building. Restrictions of the site caused ESI to
utilize an 86-ton tower/gantry crane to set the equipment into the existing building.
Figure 2 shows the crane setting the 48,000 pound steam drum sixty-five feet inside
the existing building.

Figure 1. Bubbling Fluidized Bed Boiler Schematic.

ENERGY SOURCE 2
Sludge Handling
Getting sludge to the boiler proved to be a
project in itself. First, sludge is pumped over
600 feet from the wastewater treatment
facility to the new dewatering plant. The
dewatering plant consists of two Andritz
screw presses capable of taking the sludge
from 95% moisture down to less than 50%
moisture. To enable the presses to perform
properly, it is necessary to add polymer and
flocculate the sludge. After the sludge is
pressed, it is conveyed to the boiler through
a series of stainless steel screws and drag
chains.
Flue Gas/Ash Handling
Since Fraser is located in the heart of
downtown West Carrollton, clean-up of air
emissions is a sensitive issue. To accomplish
this, the boiler is equipped with a baghouse
which is recognized as one of the best
technologies available for particulate clean- Figure 2. Setting of the 48,000 pound steam
drum utilizing an 86-ton tower/gantry crane.
up. Even though the bubbling fluidized bed
boiler is a low NOx producer, a Selective
Non-Catalytic Reduction system which uses ammonia injection was added to further
reduce the NOx emissions. The bubbling bed temperature control methodology is
ideal for the calcination and sulfation scrubbing of sulfur dioxide (SO2). The sorbent
for SO2 emissions control for the Fraser unit is provided by the calcium carbonate
inherent to the sludge fuel.
Problems were experienced with the ash handling system during the start-up of the
boiler. Most of these problems were due to the physical behavior of the ash. Initially,
the ash would not flow out of the baghouse hoppers into the pneumatic conveying
system without a larger than normal amount of aeration. If the ash remained in the
hoppers for any prolonged duration, the baghouse hoppers would bridge. To solve
this problem, multiple air cannons were installed on each baghouse hopper. After
this installation, all the ash conveying problems were alleviated.
Controls and Instrumentation
While the bubbling fluidized bed boiler itself is a relatively simple device, the control
of the various fuel preparation systems, fuel metering and conveying systems, and
emission controls systems is quite complex. To perform this task, a new generation
distributed control system located in the old boiler house was selected. The control
system allows the operators to monitor all the new equipment spread out over the
ten-acre site. ESI set up the system to handle the numerous variations in sludge
flow, sludge moisture, and auxiliary fuels, while maintaining compliance with the
emissions standards.
Conclusion
The boiler and all the associated equipment were started up in the fall of 1998. The
boiler project has been quite a success, with Fraser Papers currently burning all the
paper mill sludge they produce. This has resulted in a positive impact to Fraser
financially due to the reduction in landfill cost. It has also become a positive for the
community since Fraser has reduced its environmental emissions, and significantly
reduced its landfill contribution. This spring, all performance and EPA compliance
testing will be performed.

ENERGY SOURCE 3
How Clean Is Your Steam?
By: Jack Brown, Mechanical Engineering Manager, ESI

How clean is your steam? If you know your boiler plants steam quality and steam
purity, then you already have the answer to this question. However, do you know
what causes and effects are involved with these steam characteristics?
First, lets define these parameters.
Steam quality is a measure of the amount of free moisture being carried by the
steam.
Steam purity is the measure of solid, liquid, or vapor steam contamination.
Obviously, the impurities in the steam at the boiler outlet have to come from the
boiler water. Therefore, the amount of impurities in the steam is related to and limited
by the amount of impurities in the boiler water. Impurities that are contained in the
steam are the result of carryover. There are basically two types of carryover:
mechanical and vaporous.
Mechanical carryover involves the entrainment of small boiler water droplets in the
steam. These droplets have the same solids concentration as the boiler water.
Therefore, the amount of impurities in the steam contributed by mechanical
carryover is the product of the boiler water impurities times the steam moisture
content. Factors related to the boiler which affect mechanical carryover are: design
generating rate, design pressure, arrangement of riser tubes and downcomer tubes,
circulation rate, and the type and condition of mechanical moisture separation
equipment. The design generating rate is associated with steam drum water surface
area (drum size). A drum that is too small for the designated generating rate will be
so turbulent that moisture carryover will occur. Design pressure is also a factor
related to drum size and turbulence (steam density and volume change). Proper
design and arrangement of riser tubes, downcomer tubes, and internal baffles, along
with the appropriate circulation rate are essential to insure predictable circulation
patterns which result in a stable and consistent water level. ESI has recorded front-
to-back steam drum water level variations of 16" when these items were not
appropriately designed. Moisture separation equipment will vary depending on
operating conditions and the required steam quality. It can be as simple as a wet pan
at the boiler outlet, or can incorporate multiple separators and baffles. Obviously,
these devices must be kept in good condition to operate properly.
Vaporous carryover is self-explanatory since it is the contamination of steam with
vapors. These are normally the vapors of boiler water salts and typically occur only
in the higher pressure-temperature boilers. This type of carryover can be difficult to
control. The most straightforward approach is to lower the solids concentration in
the boiler water.
The ABMA maximum recommended total solids concentration (in boiler water) to
the boiler operating pressure is presented in Table I. Operation of the boiler below
these limits should eliminate foaming and the associated high carryover rate except
under conditions of high boiler water alkalinity when foaming might occur at a lower
level.
Equipment and operating problems associated with carryover include deposits in or
on: (1) nonreturn and stop valves, (2) control valves, (3) turbine blades,
(4) turbine governor valves, (5) superheaters and other downstream systems and
components. Turbine blade deposit efficiency losses alone can be as high as 5%,
and deposits on valves often cause sticking or erratic motion.
Continued on Page 5

ENERGY SOURCE 4
Test methods for quality and purity are defined in ASME Performance Test Code
19.11 and most commonly include: (1) sodium tracer, (2) electrical conductivity (for
dissolved solids), (3) throttling calorimeter (direct determination of quality), and (4)
gravimetric (for total solids).

Table I. ABMA Maximum Recommended Concentration Limits in the Water of an Operating Boiler

DRUM TOTAL TOTAL


TOTAL
OPERATING DISSOLVED SILICA SUSPENDED
ALKALINITY
PRESSURE SOLIDS (PPM SiO2) SOLIDS
(PPM )
(PSIG) (PPM ) (PPM )
0-300 3500 700 150 15
301-450 3000 600 90 10
451-600 2500 500 40 8
601-750 10 0 0 200 30 3
751-900 750 150 20 2
901-1000 625 125 8 1

Every plant should assess their system requirements regarding steam quality and
purity. With a properly selected and designed boiler that is properly operated and
maintained, these levels should be attainable throughout the life of the unit. Your
plant water treatment specialists (chemical supplier) should be able to answer more
specific questions about your facility.
This article was written in response to a question by Gary Myers, Utilities
Superintendent at Bayer Corporation in Orange, Texas. If you have any technical
questions that you would like addressed in the ENERGY SOURCE, please contact
Deanna Melvin at 770/427-6200 or through e-mail at energysource@esitenn.com.

DILBERT reprinted by permission of the United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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ENERGY SOURCE 5

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