Fireside'Ceramic'Coatings'improve'

boiler'reliability'and'performance'
A'new'generation'of'sprayed9on'ceramic'coatings'are'being'used'to'prevent'boiler'
fouling'and'corrosion'

Edward&J.&Lloyd,&Founder&and&President&Fireside&Coatings,&Jacksonville&Florida&U.S.A.&

August&2014&

As&they&strive&to&minimize&electricity&costs,&some&coal&fired&utilities&have&found&it&necessary&
to&switch&fuels.&Consequently,&some&utilities&are&finding&they&are&firing&coals&that&have&much&
higher&ash&properties.&In&many&cases,&this&has&led&to&increased&problems&with&slagging&and&
fouling.&&

Incidents&of&severe&slag&build&up&in&the&furnace&and&fouling&in&generating&and&convection&
sections&have&become&common.&This&condition&has&resulted&in&reduced&generating&capacity&
for&many&US&plants.&

In&an&effort&to&reduce&slagging&and&fouling&increased&sootKblowing&and&water&cannon&usage&
have&become&common.&These&efforts&have&accelerated&tube&erosion&and&corrosion.&
Increased&water&canon&usage&can&also&induce&high&thermal&stresses&resulting&in&cracking&and&
tube&failure.&&

Another&prevalent&issue&is&fireside&corrosion.&Historically&waterwall&corrosion&and&associated&
tube&failures&have&been&ranked&seventh&or&eighth&in&the&overall&loss&of&boiler&availability.&The&
industry&has&witnessed&increased&levels&of&waterwall&corrosion&since&low&Nox&burners&were&
first&installed&over&30&years&ago.&A&primary&mechanism&that&causes&fireside&corrosion&is&
sulfidation&due&to&the&presence&of&a&sub&stoichiometric&environment&adjacent&to&the&tube&
walls.&Reducing&environments&lower&the&melting&temperature&of&deposits&and&produced&
hydrogen&sulfide&which&is&considered&to&be&more&corrosive&than&sulfur&dioxide&that&
predominates&under&oxidizing&conditions.&&

Optimizing&a&coal&fired&utility&boiler&is&an&expensive&time&consuming&and&ongoing&process.&As&
environmental&regulations&and&fuel&costs&rise,&overall&operating&efficiency&will&become&more&
important.&

Fireside&Coatings&(sprayedKon)&ceramic&coatings&are&currently&being&used&extensively&in&the&
power&generation&industry&providing&industrial&maintenance&options&that&improve&
equipment&availability&and&performance.&

Based&on&years&of&boiler&operations&and&maintenance&experience,&Fireside&Coatings&has&
designed&and&formulated&specific&ceramic&coatings&that&address&corrosion,&erosion,&fouling&
and&slagging&in&coal&and&biomass&fired&power&boilers.&
Technology.'

INITIAL&PRODUCT&DEVELOPMENT:&
&
After&several&years&of&materials&testing&and&laboratory&evaluation&the&Fireside&
Coatings&technology&was&field&tested&for&over&a&three&year&period&in&coal&fired&
boilers&in&the&U.S..&
&
Goal:&Evaluate&coating&bond&strength,&corrosion/erosion&resistance&and&service&life.&
Determine&the&long&term&stability&of&the&dual&properties&of&high&emissivity&and&high&
thermal&conductivity.&&
&
Results:&After&successful&field&tests&were&completed.&The&next&step&was&to&apply&the&
ceramic&coating&to&the&generating&section&of&a&coal&fired&utility&boiler.&&
&
Some&parameters&considered&in&developing&the&specific&ceramic&coating&for&coal&
fired&units&were:&
1.! Operational&boiler&tube&temperature&
2.! Operating&history&of&the&unit.&Wastage&rates,&operational&issues,&etc.&
3.! Fuel&being&burned&
4.! Alloy&metallurgy&
5.! Combustion&byproducts&
6.! Thermal&shock&and&bond&strength&requirements&
7.! Application&thickness&requirements&
8.! Stability&of&coatings&properties&

Several&of&the&parameters&and&areas&of&concern&during&development&of&the&ceramic&coating&
technology&were:&

1.! An&increase&in&the&coatings&corrosion&resistance&can&decrease&both&emissivity&and&
thermal&conductivity.&Thus,&the&increased&heat&transfer&benefit&of&the&coating&is&
reduced&or&eliminated.&
2.! A&ceramic&coating&that&will&increase&the&heat&transfer&of&the&tubing&(in&a&naturalKgas&
or&fuelKoilKfired&boiler)&will&not&have&the&same&service&life&in&a&coal&or&waste&burning&
boiler&experiencing&more&erosion.&
3.! In&some&areas&of&the&boiler&where&direct&flame&impingement&may&occur,&a&ceramic&
coating&with&a&low&emissivity&and&greater&insulating&properties&is&of&greater&value.&
This&formulation&is&to&protect&the&metal&boiler&tubing&from&excessive&temperatures&
and&metallurgical&corrosion.&

Each&specific&Fireside&ceramic&formulation&was&designed&to&produce&a&coating&with&
exceptional&thermal&qualities&that&form&both&a&chemical&and&mechanical&bond&to&the&
substrate.&&&
These&specially&formulated&ceramics&provide&a&non&porous&protective&surface&that&will&
eliminate&chemical&reactions&(oxidation&and&carbonization)&and&will&reduce&surface&scale&and&
oxidation&that&insulate&and&result&in&less&efficiency.&

ADDITIONAL'COATING'REQUIREMENTS'

The&ceramic&coating&must&also&have&the&following&attributes:&

Application'process.''The&ceramic&coating&must&be&a&waterKsoluble,&room&temperature,&
sprayKapplied,&multiple&pass&coating&system&which&will&enable&a&quick,&easy&and&pinhole&free&
protective&surface&layer&application.&This&type&of&application&process&will:&

1.! Allow&an&application&rate&that&will&reduce&or&eliminate&any&extra&down&time.&
2.! Eliminate&initial&heating&required&in&some&highKtemperature&application&process&that&
produces&bond&and&porosity&problems&associated&with&other&ceramic&coating&
technologies.&
3! Provide&a&ceramic&coating&that&will&be&forgiving&to&application&requirements&in&boiler&
environments&during&outages.&Be&nonKreactive&and&chemically&neutral.&This&helps&to&
prevents&the&build&up&of&corrosive&combustion&byKproducts&on&the&ceramic&surface&
layer.&
4! Prevent&diffusion&of&carbon,&oxygen,&sulfur&and&other&gaseous&contaminants&into&
the&process&metal&tubing.&This&results&in&reduced&corrosion&and&allows&the&boiler&
tubing&to&maintain&its&designed&metallurgical&properties&and&mechanical&strength.&

Bond/cure/firing'requirements.&To&be&effective&the&postKapplication&requirements&of&the&
ceramic&coating&such&as&bonding,&curing&or&firing&of&the&ceramic&coating&must&be&done&during&
initial&startup&of&the&boiler&or&production&unit.&This&eliminates&additional&costs&and&downtime&
associated&with&special&curing&requirements.&

Environmental'concerns.&The&ceramic&coating&is&designed&to&be&nonKsolvent,&
environmentally&sound,&non&toxic&and&non&flammable.&These&requirements&are&due&
to:&
1.! Existing&environmental&laws.&
2.! Personal'safety.&The&application&takes&place&in&an&enclosed&space&where&
breathing&toxic&solvents&or&materials&and&the&potential&for&a&solvent&vapor&
explosion&are&of&great&concern.&

Temperature'range.&Fireside&Coatings&are&formulated&to&be&thermally,&mechanically&and&
chemically&stable&on&different&alloys&and&at&metal&temperatures&up&to&1,800&deg.&F.&

Atmosphere.&Fireside&ceramic&coatings&are&stable&in&both&oxidizing&and&reducing&
atmospheres.&

Thermal'shock'resistance/bond'strength.&The&thermal&shock&resistance&and&bond&strength&
of&the&ceramic&coating&is&such&that&the&tubing&can&be&heated&to&its&maximum&operating&
temperature&and&cooled&to&room&temperature&without&any&cracking,&spalling&or&bond&losses.&
Natural9gas9fired'boilers'or'process'units.&The&operation&of&a&naturalKgasKfired&process&unit&
is&a&clean&burning&operation&with&no&slagging&and&minimal&scale&and&corrosion&formation&on&
the&process&tubing.&Due&to&these&operational&parameters,&the&ceramic&coating&for&this&
application&doesnt&need&superior&chemical&resistance&this&enables&the&ceramic&coating&to&be&
custom&formulated&for&this&type&of&application&with&the&highest&emissivity&and&thermal&
conductivity&possible.&This&provides&an&increase&in&heat&transfer&of&the&tubing.&Areas&of&
concern&in&this&type&of&operation&that&might&require&special&attention&or&properties&of&the&
ceramic&coating&may&include:&

Direct'flame'impingement.&If&flames&impinge&on&an&area,&resulting&in&additional&ware,&
corrosion&and&scale&formation,&a&low&emissivity&and&low&thermal&conductivity&ceramic&coating&
may&be&necessary.&Such&a&coating&would&reduce&the&metal&process&tubing&temperature&to&
below&the&metals&designed&operating&temperatures.&

Superheater'sections.&Due&to&excessive&temperatures&in&this&section&of&the&process&unit,&a&
ceramic&coating&with&higher&temperature&limitations&and&more&refractoriness&is&required.&

REVIEW'OF'A'COAL'FIRED'BOILER'FIELD'APPLICATION'AND'RESULTS'

Equipment.&&&&&480&megaKwatt&CE&tangential&fired&boiler&&

Fuel.&&&&&&High&sulfur&eastern&bituminous&coal&

Reason'for'ceramic'coating'application.&&&&&&Severe&fouling&and&water&wall&corrosion&

Areas'ceramic'coated.''Pendent&platen,&nose&arch&and&reheater&inlets&to&prevent&severe&
fouling&build&up.&Total&area&8,400&square&feet.&

Furnace&water&walls&starting&at&the&lower&slope&and&upwards&to&the&tops&of&the&burner&
corners&on&all&four&walls&applied&to&prevent&tube&loss&due&to&reducing&atmosphere&corrosion.&
Total&area&13,000&square&feet.&

Ceramic'application:&&&A&ceramic&coating&system&was&applied&consisting&of&two&compatible&
but&different&formulations.&&These&coatings&were&applied&as&a&composite&system.&&

After&proper&tube&surface&preparation,&the&first&ceramic&coat&(XP61)&was&applied&as&a&
corrosion/erosion&resistant&barrier&.006&thick.&The&XP61&coating&has&very&high&bonding&
characteristics&and&is&resistant&to&corrosion&and&erosion&from&soot&blowing&and&fly&ash&
velocities.&The&XP61&base&coating&was&both&chemically&and&mechanically&bonded&to&the&
prepared&tube&surfaces.&

The&top&coat&(XP61KS)&was&applied&to&reduce&slagging&and&prevent&fowling&of&the&upper&
sections&of&the&boiler&while&providing&added&corrosion&protection.&The&XP61KS&ceramic&
coating&was&applied&.005&thick&and&forms&a&chemical&bond&to&the&base&XP61&ceramic&coating&
to&form&an&impervious&composite&barrier.&

Both&ceramic&coatings&applied&have&high&emissivity&values&greater&than&0.85.&
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Application'results.''After&the&ceramic&application&was&completed&and'after&four&months&of&
operation&the&boiler&was&shut&down&due&to&a&refractory&issue&in&the&lower&furnace.&At&that&
time&the&pendent&platens,&nose&arch,&and&reheater&inlets&were&clean&and&free&from&fowling.&

The&water&wall&tubes&were&also&inspected&and&showed&no&signs&of&corrosion.&The&boiler&has&
been&on&line&now&for&over&three&years&and&the&inspection&results&continue&to&show&no&upper&
furnace&fouling&or&water&wall&corrosion&in&the&coated&areas.&

CONDITION&OF&PENDENT&REHEAT&ASEMBLIES&AFTER&3&MONTHS&OF&OPERATION&

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XP61KS&CERAMIC&COATING&APPLIED&TO&PENDANT&REHATER&TUBES&TO&PREVENT&
FOULING&
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PHOTO&OF&PENDANT&REHEATER&ASSEMBLIES&ONE&HOUR&AFTER&BOILER&SHUT&
DOWN.&PHOTO&TAKEN&FOUR&MONTHS&AFTER&CERAMIC&COATING&APPLICATION&

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THE&LOWER&FURNACE&WALLS&WERE&COATED&TO&PREVENT&CORROSION&AND&
SLAGGING&
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The&customers&return&on&investment&was&realized&by:&

1.! Higher&heat&absorption&in&the&coated&areas.&
2.! Reduced&erosion&and&tube&stress&associated&with&soot&blowing.&
3.! Significantly&less&time&required&to&clean&the&elements&in&order&to&gain&boiler&entry,&
especially&during&forced&outages.&
4.! No&forced&outages&due&to&fowling.&
5.! Reduced&cost&to&clean&the&boiler&during&outages.&
6.! Reduced&damage&to&lower&slope&due&to&falling&slag&deposits.&
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