Boiler

Performance
What is a boiler?

A boiler is a steel pressure vessel in which

water under pressure is converted into
steam by the application of combustion. It
follow the principle of a heat exchanger
which uses radiant heat and hot flue
gases, liberated from burning fuel, to
generate steam and hot water for heating
and processing loads. Typical components
are the Boiler Drums and Generating
Tubes.
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engineering-knowledge-general/marine-boilers/boiler-basics/
What is a Steam Generator?

It is a system designed to
produce the steam requirement
of a process. The components
are:
• Boiler
• Furnace
• Water Walls
• Superheater
• Economizer
• Reheater
• Air Preheater
• Fuel-burning Equipment
 Boiler Heat Balance

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Equations:
Q useful = 𝑚s hs − hf
𝑚s = amount of steam generated, lb/hr
hs = enthalpy of outgoing steam, BTU/lb
hf = enthalpy of incoming feed water, BTU/lb
Q combustion = 𝑚f HHV
𝑚f = amount of fuel burned, lb/hr
HHV = high heating value, BTU/lbfuel
Quseful
Boiler Efficiency, ηbo =
Qcomb

Example: ηbo = 60%, means 60% of fuel energy was absorbed by fluid & 40% are losses
 Types of Boilers
Fire-tube boilers Characteristics:
• Relatively inexpensive
• Easy to clean Fire Tube Boiler
• Compact in size
• Available in sizes from 600,000 btu/hr to
50,000,000 btu/hr
• Easy to replace tubes
• Well suited for space heating and
industrial process applications

Disadvantages of fire-tube boilers include:

• Not suitable for high pressure applications
250 psig and above
• Limitation for high capacity steam
generation
 Types of Boilers
Water-tube boilers Characteristics:
• Are available in sizes far greater than a fire- Water Tube Boiler
tube design , up to several million pounds-
per-hour of steam
• Are able to handle higher pressures up to
5,000 psig
• Recover Rate is faster than fire-tube boiler
• Have the ability to reach very high
temperatures

Disadvantages of the water-tube design include:

• High initial capital cost
• Cleaning is more difficult due to the design
• No commonality between tubes
• Physical size may be an issue
Operating Pressures of Boilers in lb/in2:

Steam Generation in lb/hr:

Elementary Water-Tube Boiler Heating Surface of a Boiler
(pp. 213-216) 𝑄 = 𝑈𝐴𝜃 = 𝑚𝑠 ∗ ℎ𝑓𝑔
Natural-circulation of water
𝑈×𝜃
(prevents overheating) 𝑚s = ×𝐴
ℎ𝑓𝑔

Where:
Q = heat transfer rate
= BTU/hr-ft2 of projected area
A = projected area
= width * length * No. of tubes
Where
Outside Diameter, 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
width = , ft
12
 Boiler Ratings
Power Test Code of ASME recommends that the steam generator output be
expressed in terms of:
a) Amount of heat absorbed by the feedwater, BTU/hr or kJ/hr.
b) Actual evaporation at a given pressure and temperature or quality,
lb/hr or kg/hr
Illustration: 𝒎𝒔 amount of steam produced or delivered by the
steam generating unit, lb/hr or kg/hr.
Note: “No Steam Loss” in the boiler: 𝒎𝒔 =𝒎𝒘
𝒎𝒘 amount of feedwater entering, lb/hr or kg/hr.
𝒉𝒔 enthalpy of steam under the condition existing at
the steam generator, kJ/kg or BTU/lb
𝒉𝒇 enthalpy of liquid or feedwater entering the
steam generator, BTU/lb or kJ/kg.
ASME Evaporation Unit (AEU)

BTU kJ Illustration:
AEU = 𝑚s hs − hf , or
hr hr

Previous to the adoption of ASME Evaporation Units (AEU),

steam boilers are rated as follows:

Developed Boiler Horsepower (Dev. Bo. HP)

Is the amount of heat needed to convert 15.65 kg/hr
(34.5 lb/hr) of feedwater into steam “from and at”
100°C (212°F) at atmospheric pressure 101.325kPa
absolute (14.7psia).
Useful Heat from fuel fired = Heat absorbed by the feedwater
Q useful = 𝑚s hs − hf but: hs = hg

Q usefu𝑙 = 𝑚s hg − hf hfg = hg − hf
Q useful = 𝑚s hfg hg = hf + hfg
where:
kJ BTU
hfg@at 100°C = 2,257 𝑎𝑛𝑑 hfg@at 212°F = 970.3
kg 𝑙𝑏
therefore,
SI Units English Units
QA = 15.65 kg/hr (2257 kJ/kg) QA = 34.5 lb/hr (970.3 BTU/lb)
= 35,322 kJ/hr = 33,475.35 BTU/hr

This amount of heat is equal to 1 Dev. Bo. HP

For any condition:
BTU
𝑚s hs −hf hr
1. Dev. Bo. HP = , BTU → English Unit
33,475.35
hr−Dev.Bo.HP
kJ
𝑚s hs −hf hr
Or Dev Bo. HP = , kJ → SI Unit
35,322
hr−Dev.Bo.HP

Heating Surface Area

2. Rated Boiler Horsepower =
K
This Rated Bo. HP is the manufacturers rating based on heating surface area.
where
For Fire Tube: For Water Tube:
English Unit: K = 12 ft2/HP K = 10 ft2/HP
SI Unit: K = 1.12 m2/HP K = 0.93 m2/HP
 Dev.Bo.HP
3. % Rating = × 100
Rated Bo.HP
If rating is not given, let it be 150-400%. Use 200%
4. Equivalent Evaporation (E.E.) – Is the kilogram (pounds) of steam per hour which
would have evaporated “from and at” 100°C (212°F) if the same amount of heat had
been absorbed under observed conditions.
 Let: EE = 𝑚SE
Q A observed = Q A equivalent

𝑚s hs − hf = 𝑚SE h𝑠 − h𝑓
@1000 𝐶 @1000 𝐶

𝑚s hs − hf = 𝑚SE hg − hf
@1000 𝐶

𝑚s hs − hf = 𝑚SE hfg
@1000 𝐶
Note: 𝑚s hs − hf is heat absorbed by the working substance
Where: hfg at 100°C = 2,257 kJ/kg → SI Unit
hfg at 212°F = 970.3 BTU/lb → English Unit
Solving for 𝑚SE :
𝑚s hs −hf 𝑙𝑏
𝑚SE = , → English Unit
970.3 hr
𝑚𝑠 hs −hf kg
or; 𝑚SE = , → SI Unit
2,257 hr
5. Factor of Evaporation (F.E.) – Is the ratio of heat absorbed by 1 kilogram (1
pound) feedwater under observed boiler condition and to that absorbed by 1
kilogram (1 pound) feedwater “from and at” 100°C (212°F) and at atmospheric
pressure of 101.325 kPaabs. (14.7 psia)
1 hs − hf
F. E. =
1 hfg
hs − hf
= → English Unit
970.3
or
hs − hf
= → SI Unit
2257
𝑚s hs −hf 𝑚s hs −hf
Hence from eq. of 𝑚SE = or
2257 970.3
𝑚SE = 𝑚S (F. E. )
6. Overall Boiler Efficiency, ηbo

heat absorbed by feedwater

ηbo = × 100%
heat given−off by fuel fired

𝑚s hs −hf
= × 100%
𝑚f ×HHV

𝐵𝑇𝑈
Dev.Bo.HP×33,475.35𝐻𝑃−ℎ𝑟
ηbo = 𝐵𝑇𝑈 × 100% → English Unit
ωf ×HHV; ℎ𝑟
𝑘𝐽
Dev.Bo.HP×35,322𝐻𝑃−ℎ𝑟
ηbo = 𝑘𝐽 × 100% → SI Unit
𝑚f ×HHV;ℎ𝑟
Where:
𝑚f = fuel consumed, lb/hr or kg/hr
HHV = high heating value, BTU/lb or kJ/kg
Example
Coal with HHV of 6,700 kcal/kg is consumed at the rate of 600 kg/hr in a
steam generator with a rated boiler horsepower of 200 bo hp. The feedwater
temperature is 80°C and sat. steam generated is at 11 kg/cm2 abs. The
developed boiler horsepower is 305 hp.
Find:
1. Heating Surface Area
2. mS
3. AEU
4. % Rating
5. F.E
6. mse
7. % over-all
1 Dev. Bo. Hp = 15.65 kg/hr (2257 kJ/kg) = 35,322 kJ/hr
Or
1 Dev. Bo. Hp = 34.5 lb/hr (970.3 BTU/lb) = 33,475.35 BTU/hr
 Solution:
𝑚𝑠 (hs−hf)
𝐻.𝑠 2. Dev. Bo. Hp = kJ
1. Rated Bo. Hp = ; 35,322 hr−Hp
𝑘

Where:
HS = (200) (1.12)
= 224m2 - (fire tube) Ρboiler = 11 kg/cm2 = 1078.735 kPa

hf@ 80°C (feed water) = 334.91 kJ/kg

HS = (200) (0.93)
= 186m2 - (water tube) hs = hg @ 1078.735kPa (sat. steam) = 2279.962 kJ/kg

then:
kJ
305 hp 35,322
hr − hp
𝑚s =
kJ
2779.962 − 334.91
kg
ms = 4,407.4 kg/hr
 ℎ𝑠−ℎ𝑓
3. AEU = ms (hs – hf) 6. mSE = ms ( )
𝑘𝐽 2257
= (Dev. Bo. Hp) (35,322 ) = (ms) (F.E.)
ℎ𝑟−ℎ𝑝
𝑘𝐽 = (4,407.4) (1.08)
= (305 hp) (35,322 )
ℎ𝑟−ℎ𝑝
= 4,760 kg/hr
= 10,773,210 kJ/hr
Ws hs−hf
4. % Rating =
Dev.Bo.Hp
=
305
𝑥 100 7. % over-all = = 100%
mf HV
Rated Hp 200
= 152.5% kJ
10,773,210hr
= kg kcal kJ 𝑥 100%
600 6700 x 4.186
hr kg kcal
5. Factor of Evaporation
hs−hf
F.E =
2257 = 64.021%
2779.96−334.9
=
2257
= 1.083