Efficiency of Waste Heat Boiler,

HRSG
The efficiency E of a waste heat boiler is obtained as follows:
E = ( energy absorbed by steam and water or other fluids)/(exhaust gas flow
× enthalpy at entering temperature + fuel input if any on LHV basis)
EXAMPLE
the energy absorbed by steam–water in the superheater, evaporator, and economizer of the HRSG
= 10.73 MM kcal/h; exhaust gas flow = 110,000 kg/h at 550°C. Exhaust gas analysis is % volume
CO2 = 3, H2O = 7, N2 = 75, and O2 = 15.
The efficiency E = 10.73 × 106/(110,000 × 140.8) = 0.68 or 69%.
NOTE : For un fired boiler the fuel input=0.
Typical kalina waste heat boiler
 FOULING
• Exhaust gas contains high dust content, rapping( in electrostatic precipitation) mechanisms
are used for cleaning the boiler tubes to prevent the dust from settling.
• Cleaning is determined by operating experience
• A higher gas velocity helps to lower fouling as the dust can get carried away with the flue gas,
while too high a gas velocity can also lead to erosion of tubes due to the presence of ash
particulates
CALCULATION OF FOULING FACTOR
• In order to estimate the actual fouling factor in a fouled boiler, one should have the field data
such as the gas flow, temperature at inlet and exit, and the steam-side duty.
• The U may be computed from the Q, A, and ∆T values.
•In this equation, hi, ho may be estimated from tables
•ffi is known.
•The only unknown is ffo, the outside fouling factor, which may be computed
at various loads or periods of time
 SPECIFYING WASTE HEAT BOILER
• While developing specifications for waste heat boilers, consultants and plant engineers should have in mind the
following points regarding thermal design and performance aspects.
• 1. The type of boiler is based on several aspects discussed earlier. While these are general guidelines, experience
is the key. Though steam and gas parameters often dictate the type, whether fire tube or water tube,
• 2. The process that generates the hot flue gas should be described and the resulting nature of the waste gas
stream. With clean gas, finned tubes can be used, but if it is a dusty gas with high fouling tendency, plain tubes
have to be used with a high fouling factor.
• 3. If the flue gas has particulates that can cause slagging of salts, then the melting temperatures of the ash
should be determined in a laboratory and results conveyed to the boiler company. If the flue gas temperature
entering the boiler is higher than the ash melting temperature, then the front end of the water tube boiler
should be carefully designed with wide-spaced plain tubes followed by single-spaced tubes. Fire tube boilers are
better avoided as the tubes will be difficult to clean if slag forms on the tube sheet refractory or over tubes.
Superheater if required is preferably located after a furnace section and screen tubes to avoid fouling and
corrosion, and provision should be made for cleaning the tube bundles. If dust content is high, then erosion of
tubes is likely, and gas velocities in the boiler must be low on the order of 8–12 m/s. With clean flue gas such as
gas turbine exhaust or flue gas from incineration of gases or fumes, gas velocity is limited by gas pressure drop
considerations and can be even in the range of 20–40 m/s.
• 4. Desired steam purity should be mentioned, particularly if steam generated is used in a gas or steam turbine.
• 5. The extent of optimization required and the cost of fuel, electricity, and steam should be indicated, particularly
with large gas flow units. Simply stating that energy recovery should be maximized is not adequate. If Supplier A
cools the gas stream to, say, 250°C and supplier B to 200°C, the plant must know how to evaluate the options.
Also the difference in gas pressure drop should be evaluated and annualized.
• 6. If steam for deaeration is taken from the boiler, then it should be so mentioned as it will affect the superheater
size. Similarly, if import steam is likely to be superheated in the waste heat boiler, it should be specified as it will
affect the superheater size and cost.
• 7. Flue gas analysis including any sulfur compounds must be specified as it affects the
economizer or air heater if used; the minimum feed water temperature to be used is also
determined by corrosion considerations. The exit gas temperature or efficiency of energy
recovery is affected by the feed water inlet temperature, and hence, all these issues are
interlinked.
• 8. Flue gas flow should be clearly stated in mass units such as kg/s or lb/h and not in volumetric
units as this can lead to some differences in the estimation of gas density and mass flow. The
energy balance or duty recovered is dependent on mass flow of flue gas, and any
misunderstanding in its value can lead to differences in boiler duty and size.
• 9. Emission regulations and limits on CO, NOx, SOx, if any, should be stated in the specifications
itself so the boiler can be designed appropriately and cost estimation can be reasonably
accurate.
• 10. Any cycling requirements should be stated upfront as this has an impact on tube failures and
method of welding tubes to headers, drums, and use of refractory in the boiler. Also if the gas
flow and inlet gas temperature are likely to fluctuate, then this should be discussed with the
boiler supplier. A large screen section and a furnace will help dampen the effect of these
fluctuations.
• 11. Feed water used for steam temperature control should be demineralized and preferably
have zero solids. If not, a sweet water condenser system as described in Chapter 3 may be
required adding to the cost of the boiler.
• 12. The type of casing for the boiler is important whether refractory lined
 PARAMETER FOR THERMAL DESIGN
• The information that should be provided to the boiler supplier by the end user :
• 1. Waste flue gas flow (kg/s), gas inlet temperature (°C), and gas analysis at various loads or modes of operation.
• 2. Flue gas pressure, kPa, and maximum allowable gas pressure drop in the boiler, mm wc.
• 3. Flue gas analysis in % volume CO2, H2O, N2, O2, SO2, CO, HCl, CH4, SO2, SO3, H2S.
• 4. Ash or dust content, mg/Nm3.
• 5. Ash analysis and melting temperatures.
• 6. Describe the process of generating flue gas and its nature:
• a. Dirty and slagging in nature.
• b. Whether dusty, sticky in nature or not, or clean.
• c. Corrosive, erosive.
• d. Is the exhaust gas flow and temperature fluctuating or steady. If so, provide a time versus gas flow,
temperature curve.
• 7. Steam pressure, kPa, steam temperature desired, °C, feed water temperature, °C.
• 8. Is steam temperature control required? If so, range of load and acceptable range of steam temperatures.
• 9. Any export or import steam requirements? Where is steam for deaeration taken from?
• 10. Feed water chemistry and analysis. Desired steam purity. Where is steam used in a turbine or for process?
• 11. Space limitations.
• 12. NOx, CO, UHC, SOx levels at inlet to boiler and desired values at boiler exit.
• 13. Cost (or credit) of additional 25 mm wc pressure drop, 10 kW fan power consumption, 100 kW duct burner
fuel consumption, credit for 5% additional steam generation.
• 14. If a liquid/fluid is heated by flue gas, the liquid/fluid flow, inlet and exit temperatures desired, pressure and
thermal and transport properties such as specific heat, viscosity, and thermal conductivity at inlet and exit
temperatures as well its molecular weight/density.
 INSULATION CALCULATION
• Heat loss by radiation and convective heat loss is
given by :
• where
• ta, tc, t are the ambient, casing, and hot surface
temperatures, °C
• V is the wind velocity, m/min
• K is the thermal conductivity of insulation, W/m K
• d is the pipe outer diameter, m
• L, Le are thickness of insulation and its equivalent
thickness
• The h value is modified into constants for
easier and faster calculation.
• Conductive heat transfer for plane surface
• q= KA(DT/DX)
• Example 6.5
• Determine the thickness of insulation to limit the
casing temperature to 93°C when ambient is 27°C,
wind velocity V = 80 m/min, casing emissivity = 0.15. K
= thermal conductivity of insulation = 0.05 W/m K. The
pipe diameter is 0.3 m and is at 426°C.
• Applying radiative and convective heat transfer formula
ANS = 883.7
• STEADY FLOW (CONDUCTION = CONVECTION +
RADIATION)
• 883.7 = 0.05(426 − 93)/Le or Le = 0.019 m (0.74 in.).
One may use look-up tables to find out the thickness-
based d and L. For large diameters, Le will be nearly
same as L. Here, L = 0.01905 m
• Example 6.7
• A horizontal flat surface is at −12.2°C. Ambient temperature
is 27°C and relative humidity is 80%. Determine the thickness
of fibrous insulation that will prevent condensation of water
vapor on the surface. Use K = 0.04 W/m K. Wind velocity
may be neglected. Use emissivity of 0.9 for casing.
• The surface must be above the water dew point to prevent
the condensation of water vapor. From steam tables, the
saturated vapor pressure is 0.51 psia. At 60% relative
humidity, the vapor pressure = 0.6 × 0.51 = 0.408 psia. This
corresponds to a saturation temperature of 73°F from steam
tables. So we must select the thickness of insulation so that
it is above 23°C (73°F).
• Ans : 43mm