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Optimization of sootblowing frequency to improve boiler performance and reduce combustion pollution

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Abstract

In a conventional coal-fired boiler combustion of coal causes buildup of soot, ash, and slag in the heat transfer surfaces, which reduces the heat transfer as well as operating efficiency. To achieve a high operating efficiency and improving heat transfer in boiler pressure parts, sootblowing is an important phenomenon in boiler operation. Boiler operators are typically provided with little or no information about the fouling status of heating surfaces or with much guidance regarding how to optimize sootblowing operations even if there are some indications like metal temperature, sprays. This raises the requirement of sootblowing optimization strategy to determine which portions of the boiler to clean and on what schedule. The objective of this study is to develop a sootblowing optimization system that uses thermodynamic model and artificial neural networks model to predict the effectiveness of heating surfaces. In addition, the system utilizes an optimization algorithm to refine the search for the optimal sequence of sootblower frequency and achieve boiler performance targets.

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Abbreviations

A :

Area (m2)

d :

Diameter (m)

h :

Enthalpy (kJ/kg)

K :

Heat transfer coefficient (kW/m2 K)

L :

Length (m)

m :

Mass flow (kg/s)

Nu:

Nusselt number (−)

Pr:

Prandtl number (−)

P:

Price (Rs)

p :

Pressure (kg/cm2)

Q :

Heat flow (kW)

Re :

Reynolds number (−)

T :

Temperature (°C)

ε :

Heating surface effectiveness (−)

α :

Heat transfer coefficient (kW/m2 K)

ΔT m :

Log mean temperature difference (K)

λ :

Heat conduction coefficient (kW/K)

FURN:

Furnace

PCYL:

Per sootblowing cycle

REH:

Reheater

SHDP:

Super heater divisional panel

SHPL:

Super heater Platen

SB:

Sootblowing

STM:

Steam

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steag Energy Services India Pvt. Ltd., A-29, Sector-16, Noida, 201301, UP, India

    Lalatendu Pattanayak & Sai Prem Kumar Ayyagari

  2. Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Programme Area, Faculty of Engineering, Institut Teknologi Brunei, Tungku Gadong, P.O. Box 2909, Brunei Muara, Brunei Darussalam

    J. N. Sahu

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  1. Lalatendu Pattanayak
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  2. Sai Prem Kumar Ayyagari
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  3. J. N. Sahu
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Correspondence to J. N. Sahu.

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Pattanayak, L., Ayyagari, S.P.K. & Sahu, J.N. Optimization of sootblowing frequency to improve boiler performance and reduce combustion pollution. Clean Techn Environ Policy 17, 1897–1906 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-015-0906-0

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