Jr.

of Industrial Pollution Control 34(1)(2018) pp 1825-1832

www.icontrolpollution.com
Review Article

A REVIEW OF INDIRECT METHOD FOR MEASURING THERMAL

EFFICIENCY IN FIRE TUBE STEAM BOILERS

AHMAD MAHMOUDI LAHIJANI1*, ERIS.E. SUPENI2 AND FATEMEH KALANTARI2

1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang,
Selangor, Malaysia.

2
Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture, University Putra Malaysia,
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

(Received 11 December, 2017; accepted 27 March, 2018)

Key words: Fire tube boiler, Boiler efficiency, Heat loss method

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the efficiency analysis of fire tube steam boilers according to pertinent parameters
is presented. For this purpose the key parameters on efficiency of steam boilers and specially
fire tube steam boiler have been investigated. There are two method for measuring the
efficiency in steam boilers, direct method (input-output method) and indirect method (heat
loss method). The errors in direct method make significant change in efficiency thus indirect
method is more accurate method for measuring the efficiency. The indirect method is the
focused method in this study, therefore various type of losses be evaluated. The amount
of increasing of efficiency by reduce different losses be assumed. An important advantage of
this method is that the errors in measurement do not make significant change in efficiency.

INTRODUCTION potential hazardous impact to the environment

(Brooks, 2010; Einstein, et al., 2001).
Energy supply is an essential input for daily human
necessities and activities, particularly for industrial Steam boiler is a closed container in which the water
growth. The increasing demand for energy supply is boiled into steam at required pressure. Similarly
results for additional capacity for power worldwide to the engine of a car, the oil central heating boiler
particularly in steam generation (Brooks, 2010). Steam generates sufficient heat to warm itself up. The volume
generators and heat recovery boilers are common of water increases about 1600 times as it is boiled
practice for power generation and process plant into steam, producing energy that is as powerful as
industries. However, the increasing fuel and energy gunpowder. Therefore, this strong energy makes
costs have led various efforts to improve energy boiler a dangerous part of equipment and must be
generation and utilization, and thus simultaneously handled carefully (Ortiz,, 2011). From 200 B.C. to
minimizing the environmental pollution and harmful date, various improvements were made that helps us
gas discharge (Durkin, 2006). Steam systems consume to classify steam boilers efficiently. One of the ways
huge amount of energy worldwide as it serve an to categories steam generating boilers is the method
important role for delivering thermal energy into of generation of steam and its consumption. The two
multiple fields ranging from heavy industries to common applications of boilers are the industrial
commercial-residential systems. The main component steam generators and power generation boilers.
of any steam system is the boiler. However, most Besides, they can also be classified as both fire and
boilers are very expensive to operate and possess water-tube (Durkin, 2006; Hasanuzzaman, et al., 2011).

*Corresponding authors email: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

1826 LAHIJANI ET AL.
Water-tube boiler contains tubes filled with water having lower fuel cost (Wulfinghoff, 1999).
and the tubes inscribed by combustion. The water-
Burner /Boiler Compatibility
tube boiler profits are listed as steam generated with
lower unit weight-per-pound, increment in steam The item “packaged boiler” is often being exploited
pressure with lesser time, better flexibility, and a by vendors despite having its boiler assembled
more ability to function at higher rates of steam to burner manufactured by different vendors
generation (Patro, 2016). This kind contains of two respectively (Kuprianov, 2005). True packaged
main drums, in which the upper one is known as boiler/burner designs will have a single unit of
steam drum and the beneath one is known as mud burner and boiler manufactured together and will
drum. Both of them are linked to down-comer tubes take accounts into its furnace geometry, radiant and
and riser tubes depicted (Saidur, et al., 2010). convection heat transfer characteristics, and verified
burner performance in the specific boiler package
Fire-tube boilers consist of tubes surrounded with
(Hasanuzzaman, et al., 2011; Kuprianov, 2005).
water by which allow the passage of combustion
Therefore, the manufacturing of a packaged unit will
gases (Vasquez, et al., 2007). Moreover, the benefits
assure the proven and verified performance of that
are the simpler in both fabrication and process
particular unit (Saidur, et al., 2010).
(Krishnanunni, et al., 2012). The disadvantages
of fire-tube boilers would be longer procedure in Repeatable Air/ Fuel Control
steam generating, and capable of quick response The boiler efficiency also takes accounts into the
to load alterations (Hasanuzzaman , et al., 2011; capability of the burner in providing suitable air to
Krishnanunni, et al., 2012). The fire-tube boiler fuel combination (Kuprianov, 2005; Morgan, et al.,
consists of tubes surrounded with fluid that helps to 1986; Morgan, et al., 1987). Boiler with remarkable
channel fire or hot fuel gases from the burner. The efficient would be able to provide proper air to
boilers trunk is mostly comprised by pressure vessel fuel mixture throughout the firing rate without the
and fluid. Mostly, water using for circulated fluid need for complex set-up and adjustments (Shah
either in the heating purposes or making the steam and Adhyaru, 2011). With advancements in control
for following process (Brooks, 2010). technology, good boiler efficiency can be achieved
The present paper shows indirect method (heat loss through consistent, repeatable burner control
method) is the most accurate method to determine (Kuprianov, 2005).
boiler efficiency; In addition the main parameters Heating Surface
that have a drastic effect on boiler efficiency are
identified. It can be represented in square feet per boiler
horsepower that shows how hard the vessel is
Efficiency in Steam Boiler working. Customarily, fire-tube boilers are designed
The idea of energy conservation was one of the most with five square feet of heating surface per boiler
interested themes in designing boiler. However, horsepower. This standard was developed by
designing a boiler with good energy saving require Cleaver-Brooks to achieve high efficiency and
meticulous concerns on its Boiler Efficiency (Durkin, improving the life expectancy of the boiler (Brooks,
2006). For example, it is important to take not that all 2010). With advancements in computational fluid
fire-tube boilers have their own sets of key differences dynamics modeling, fire-tube boiler designs are now
(Hasanuzzaman, et al., 2011). Therefore, tangible capable to deviate from the standard in achieving
design considerations could be incorporated into greater efficiency. Currently, fire-tube boiler can
the boiler in providing boiler with high efficiency be designed to achieve similar or greater efficiency
output. Investigating some basic design differences with heating surface as minimum as four square feet
between deferent boilers would provide valuable without compromising the vessel life expectancy
perceptions (Afgan, et al., 1996). (Bujak, 2008).
Number of Boiler Passes Vessel Design
These passes can be defined as how many times the Despite the design of pressure vessel being
hot ignition gasses transfer across the device (Bujak, strictly regulated by ASME code requirements;
2008). The stack temperature of a 4-pass boiler is various adjustments can be made to improve
lower compared to boilers with less boiler passes the boiler efficiency without disregarding the
with similar basic design and operating conditions. code requirements. Such pressure vessel design
Therefore, the 4-pass boiler would provide better adjustments includes having appropriate water
efficiency in heat-transfer coefficient as well as circulation, lower internal stresses, and providing
 A REVIEW OF INDIRECT METHOD FOR MEASURING THERMAL EFFICIENCY IN FIRE TUBE
STEAM BOILERS
1827

easier access for examination and There are two the aforementioned can be assumed for both stack
types of fire-tube boilers, which are the dry back or losses and the radiation and convection losses, too.
wetback. Particular type of fire-tube boiler can be Therefore, the values obtained can be used to calculate
identified through its reversal (turnaround) chamber the heat balance efficiency (Krishnanunni, et al., 2012;
or the posterior portion of combustion chamber. The Van and Jager, 2001). An important advantage of
combustion chamber channels the fuel gasses from this method is that the errors in measurement do not
the furnace to second-pass tubes, providing heated make significant change in efficiency. Thus if boiler
water within the boiler (Huang, et al., 1988). efficiency is 90%, an error of 1% in direct method
will result in significant change in efficiency. i.e. 90
Effective Components in Efficiency of Steam Boiler
± 0.9 = 89.1 to 90.9. In indirect method, 1% error in
The efficiency of boiler as prescribed by ASME measurement of losses will result in Efficiency = 100
heat balance method includes the stack losses and - (10 ± 0.1) = 90 ± 0.1 = 89.9 to 90.1
convection and radiation losses (Kaag, 2000). The
Deferent Losses and their Causes in the Steam
major factor that could significantly affect the boiler
Boiler
efficiency is the basic boiler design. A particular
boiler design can be produced to be more efficient L1: Caused by dry flue gas (sensible heat)
with some creativity in calculating the efficiency, as
L2: Hydrogen in fuel (H2)
there is room for interpretation for its calculation.
(Fig. 1) shows the fire tube boiler gas flow. The L3: Moisture in fuel (H2O)
following are the key factors to understanding L4: Moisture in air (H2O)
efficiency calculations (Bujak, 2008).
L5: Carbon monoxide (CO)
1. Temperature of the fuel gas
L6: Surface radiation, convection and other
2. Convection and radiation losses unaccounted
3. The temperature of ambient air L7: Fly ash (carbon)
4. Excess air L8: Bottom ash (carbon) (Brooks, 2010; Hasanuzzaman,
5. The specification of fuel (Brooks, 2010). et al., 2011; Krishnanunni, et al., 2012)

INPUT-OUTPUT METHOD Efficiency of Examined Boiler (3000 kg/hr)

A proportion of the output to input of the boiler In this case the parameters of fire tube boiler that use
is determined the Input-Output efficiency diesel as fuel in the stable condition be measured.
measurement technique. Besides, this method is Since the fuel is diesel, the fly ash and bottom ash
assumed by measuring through instrumentation losses are zero. The following parameters need to
and the calculated data obtained will be utilized be measured, as applicable for the computation of
to calculate the fuel-to-steam efficiency. This boiler efficiency and performance:
computation for fuel-to-steam efficiency contains the Flue gas analysis
division of the output to its input and then multiplied
by 100 (Shah and Adhyaru, 2011). 1. Percentage of CO2 or O2 in flue gas

HEAT LOSS METHOD 2. Percentage of CO in flue gas

The Heat Balance efficiency can be measured by 3. Temperature of flue gas

considering the temporal losses totally. Moreover, Flow meter measurements for
1. Fuel
2. Steam
3. Feed water
4. Condensate water
5. Combustion air
Temperature measurements for
1. Flue gas
Fig. 1 Fire tube boiler gas flow (Ortiz, 2011).
 1828 LAHIJANI ET AL.
2. Steam   EA     60.30  
1 + 
=   ∗ Theoretical air =
1 +  26.0266 kg / kg of coal
  ∗16.2357 =
  100     100  
3. Makeup water
(3)
4. Condensate return
Step 4: Estimation of all losses
5. Combustion air
L1: Dry flue gas loss (sensible heat).
6. Fuel
 m ∗ CP ∗ (T f − Ta ) ∗100  (4)
7. Boiler feed water L1 = 
GCV of fuel
Pressure measurements for
=m Mass of (CO2 + SO2 + N 2 + O2 ) in fuel gas + N 2 in air we are sup plying
1. Steam (5)
2. Fuel
 0.92 ∗ 44 0.015 ∗ 64 7.9 ∗ 32 26.0266 ∗ 77 
m 
= + + 0.005 + + =  25.9828kg / kg of fuel
3. Combustion air, both primary and secondary  12 32 100 100

4. Draft =L1
[=
(25.9828) ∗ 0.23 ∗ (226 − 30) ∗100]
11.7131%
10000
Water condition
L2: Heat loss due to evaporation of water formed due
1. Total dissolved solids (TDS) to hydrogen in fuel (H2).
2. pH 9 ∗ H 2 ∗ {584 + C p ∗ (T f − Ta )} (6)
=L2   ∗100
3. Blow down rate and quantity GCV of fuel

Ultimate Analysis of Boiler (%) = 9 ∗ 0.16 ∗ {584 + 0.45 ∗ (226 − 30)}

L2  = ∗100 9.6797%
10000
Carbon = 92, Hydrogen = 16, Nitrogen = 0.5, Oxygen
= 1.9, Sulphur = 1.8, Moisture = 0.5 L3: Heat loss due to moisture present in fuel (H2O).
GCV of fuel (diesel) = 10000 kCal/kg, Fuel firing rate  M ∗ {584 + C p (T f − Ta )}
= 2637.341 kg/hr, Surface Temperature of boiler = L3   ∗100 (7)
GCV of fuel
82ºC, Surface area of boiler = 90 m2, Humidity = 0.015
kg/kg of dry air 0.005 ∗ {584 + 0.45 ∗ (226 − 30)} ∗100 
L3  = 0.0336%
10000
Wind speed = 3.7 m/s
L3: Heat loss due to moisture present in air (H2O).
Flue Gas Analysis of Boiler (%)
Flue gas temperature = 226ºC, Ambient temperature  AAS ∗ humidity ∗ C p ∗ (T f − Ta )} ∗100  (8)
L4   (8)
= 30ºC GCV of fuel
CO2% in flue gas by volume = 11.4, O2% in flue gas [ 26.0266 ∗ 0.015 ∗ 0.45 ∗ (226 − 30) ∗100] = 0.3443%
by volume = 7.9 L4
10000
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
L6: Heat loss due to surface radiation, convection and
Calculation of Efficiency of Boiler other unaccounted.
The following steps need for calculation of efficiency: The radiation losses happen when the heat transfers
Step 1: Find the theoretical air requirement. from the side walls of the boiler to the outside.
   O2   Moreover, they are not altering and are considered
(11.6 ∗ C ) + 34.8 ∗  H 2 −

  + (4.35 ∗ S ) 
8 
(1) to be 1% as per BS 845.
   (kg / kg of fule)
= (1)
100
   1.9    Step 5 Calculate boiler efficiency by indirect method.
 (11.6 ∗ 92) + 34.8 ∗  16 −   + (4.35 ∗1.8) 
 8 
=   16.2357( kg / kg of fule)
Efficiency = 100 − ( L1 + L2 + L3 + L4 + L6 ) (9)
100

Step 2: Find the percent excess air supplied (EA). Efficiency =

100 − (11.7131 + 9.6797 + 0.0336 + 0.3443 + 1)
( O2 ∗100 )  7.9  Efficiency = 77.2293%
= = 100 60.3053%
 21 − 7.9  ∗= (2)
(21 − O2 )
The Relationship between Efficiency and Fuel
Step 3: Find the actual mass of air supplied.
One of the key factors that affect the efficiency is the
 A REVIEW OF INDIRECT METHOD FOR MEASURING THERMAL EFFICIENCY IN FIRE TUBE
STEAM BOILERS
1829

fuel specification. For example, higher hydrogen combustion gases temperature in the exhaust of the
content in gaseous fuels will produce more water boiler. During an efficiency calculation or guarantee,
vapor during combustion (Kulatilaka, 1993). checking the temperature of the flue gas comes to
However, the exchange of water phases in the mind. This process should be close enough to reality.
combustion process uses energy and having higher However, near or less than the saturation temperature,
water vapor loss during fuel firing would result in the equipment should be in a condition that vary
lower efficiency (Wienese, 2001). One of the most in an effective way affect flue gas temperature
important parameters of the fuel is Gross Calorific positively (Payne, et al., 2007). Therefore, the flue
Value (GCV) that shows the amount of heat made gas temperature can be confirmable in existing
by the inflammation under steady and standard applications only if the efficiency value obtained is
conditions. accurate. However, it should be always confident of
the stack temperature (Einstein, et al., 2001).
The fuel that used in current experiments is Diesel;
the gross calorific value (GCV) of this diesel is 10000 The flue gas temperature has an important effect on
kCal/kg. For analyzing this values in examined the efficiency of the steam boiler with analysis this
boiler, MATLAB software used to illustrate the graph. data obtained from the boiler by using MATLAB;
(Fig. 2) shows the efficiency of the boiler in different (Fig. 3) shows the effect of different flue gas
GCV’s the point that mentioned in the curve belong temperature on efficiency of examined boiler. The
to the current fuel (diesel); besides, it illustrates the decreasing in flue gas temperatures is due to the use
efficiency of the boiler (10000, 77.24), other fuels that of additional equipment in Boiler. These equipment
used in boilers have GCV’s from 3000 up to 11000. such as economizer, turbulator, deaerator, and water
By simulating under these conditions, the different softener, decline the flue gas temperature to about
efficiencies according to the different fuels can be 100 °C and has a remarkable effect on improving the
obtained, these efficiencies are not match with the efficiency of boilers by 7 percent (Wulfinghoff and
real condition because the efficiency by solid fuels Donald, 1999).
have effected by some parameters such as fly ash and
The Relationship between Efficiency and Ambient
bottom ash, but this simulation is helpful for analysis
Temperature
the effect of GCV’s on the efficiency according to the
formulas. Another effective factor on efficiency is the ambient
temperature. A change in ambient temperature with
The Relationship between Efficiency and Flue Gas
40-degree variation is affective for the boiler efficiency
Temperature
by 1% or more (Schuster, et al., 2009). Therefore, it is
Flue gas or stack temperature determined as the important to check the utilized air conditions when

Boiler 1
80

75 X: 1.001e+04
Y: 77.26
70

65

60
Efficiency

55

50

45

40

35

30
3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000
GCV of Fuel
Fig. 2 Efficiency in different GCV of fuel.
1830 LAHIJANI ET AL.
reviewing an efficiency guarantee or calculation. Any placed outside regardless of the boiler design
utilization of ambient temperature at higher than (Fig. 4). Therefore, it is essential to calculate the
80° F value, would not be consistent with standard efficiency at lower ambient conditions to determine
engineering practice (Yaverbaum, 1979). However, the actual fuel usage (Wang, et al., 2011; Wang, et al.,
the actual efficiency will be lower if the boiler is 2008; Rego-Barcena, et al., 2007).

Boiler 1
79

78.5

78

77.5 X: 226
Efficiency

Y: 77.23

77

76.5

76

75.5
200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250
Flue Gas Temperature (degC)
Fig. 3 Efficiency by different flue gas temperature.

Boiler 1
79

78.5

78

X: 30
77.5 Y: 77.23
Efficiency

77

76.5

76

75.5

75
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Ambient Temperature (degC)

Fig. 4 Efficiency by different ambient temperature.

 A REVIEW OF INDIRECT METHOD FOR MEASURING THERMAL EFFICIENCY IN FIRE TUBE
STEAM BOILERS
1831

CONCLUSION environmental performance of steam boilers.

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 9(5) :
In this paper indirect method (heat loss method) is
474-498.
explored for boiler calculation of boiler efficiency.
The indirect method is the most accurate method Mimura, T., et al., Development of energy saving
to determine boiler efficiency. In this method, the technology for flue gas carbon dioxide recovery in
parameters that effect on efficiency be measured and power plant by chemical absorption method and
steam system. Energy Conversion and Management,
different types of losses be calculated. Three of the
1997. 38: p. S57-S62.
most effective parameters are flue gas temperature,
ambient temperature, and the fuel type. The heat loss Morgan, P.A., Robertson, S.D. and Unsworth, J.F.
method shows reduce the flue gas temperature and (1986). Combustion studies by thermogravimetric
increasing the ambient temperature have a significant analysis: 1. Coal Oxidation. Fuel. 65(11) : 1546-1551.
effect on improving the efficiency of steam boiler; in Morgan, P.A., Robertson, S.D. and Unsworth, J.F.
addition the fuels with higher gross calorific value (1987). Combustion studies by thermogravimetric
are effective on the increasing the efficiency in fire analysis: 2. Char Oxidation. Fuel. 66(2 ): 210-215.
tube steam boilers. Ortiz, F.G. (2011). Modeling of fire-tube boilers.
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