Flue Gas system

Air pre Heater

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 Presentation Plan
Air heaters
Types of air heaters
Materials Used
Sealing arrangement for air heaters
Air heater Performance
Performance tests

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 AIR PRE HEATER
APH is the last heat
exchanger in the
boiler flue gas
circuit. To achieve BYPASS SEAL RADIAL SEAL
maximum boiler
efficiency
maximum HOT END AXIAL
SEAL
possible useful
heat must be
removed from the
gas before it
leaves the APH.
However certain
minimum
temperature has COLD END HOT INTERMEDIATE
to be maintained
in the flue gas to
prevent cold end
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corrosion
 Air Pre-Heater-functions
An air pre-heater heats the combustion air where it is
economically feasible.
The pre-heating helps the following:
Igniting the fuel.
Improving combustion.
Drying the pulverized coal in pulverizer.
Reducing the stack gas temperature and increasing the
boiler efficiency.
There are three types of air heaters:
Recuperative
Rotary regenerative
Heat pipe
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 Advantages by use of APH
Stability of Combustion is improved by use of hot air.
Intensified and improved combustion.
Permitting to burn poor quality coal.
High heat transfer rate in the furnace and hence lesser heat
transfer area requirement.
Less un-burnt fuel particle in flue gas thus combustion and
efficiency is improved.
Intensified combustion permits faster load variation and
fluctuation.
In the case of pulverized coal combustion, hot air can be
used for heating the coal as well as for transporting the
pulverized coal to burners.
This being a non-pressure part will not warrant shut-down of
unit due to corrosion of heat transfer surface which is
inherent with lowering of flue gas temperature.
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 Types Of Air Preheater

Recuperative
Regenerative
Plate type Airheater
Steam Air Preheater
Langsdorm type
Rothemuhle type
Tri sector Air Heater

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 Tubular Air Heaters
(Recuperative)

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 Tubular Air Pre-Heater

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 Design Parameters
Tubes are generally arranged in staggered pattern.
Steel tubes of Dia: 37 63 mm.
Transverse pitch: S1/d = 1.5 1.9
Longitudinal pitch: S2/d = 1.0 1.2
The height of air chamber:1.4 4.5 m.
Gas and Air flow velocity : 10 16 m/s.
Plate Recuperators:
Instead of tube, parallel plates are used.
The gas passage is 12 16 mm wide.
The air passage is 12 mm wide.

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 Regenerative air pre heater

BYPASS SEAL RADIAL SEAL

HOT END AXIAL

SEAL

COLD END HOT INTERMEDIATE

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 Rotary Plate (Regenerative)
type Pre-Heater

Rotates with a low speed : 0.75 rpm.

Weight : 500 tons.
This consists of : rotor, sealing apparatus, shell
etc.
Rotor is divided into 12 or 24 sections and 12 or 24
radial divisions.
Each sector is divided into several trapezoidal
sections with transverse division plates.
Heat storage pales are placed in these sections.

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 The Material used in APH for
heat storage
Material used Cold end in the basket is a special type of
steel (corten steel (trade name)) which has high resistance
to the low temperature sulphur corrosion, thus prolonging
operational life.
In the hot end mild steels are used

The optimal geometric shape is usually corrugated and

sizes are determined based on design modelling and
experimental data. The turbulence of air and gas flow
through the package increases the heat transfer rate.

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 Stationary-Plate Type Air Pre-Heater

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 Stationary-Plate Type Air Pre-Heater

The heat storage elements are static but the air/gas flow
section rotates.
The storage plates are placed in the stator.

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 Trisector air Heater

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 Heating Elements

Hot End Baskets

Hot Intermediate Baskets

Cold End Baskets

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 TYPES OF SEALS

RADIAL SEAL (HE & CE)

AXIAL SEAL
CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL
ROTOR POST SEAL
SECTOR PLATE STATIC SEAL

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 PERCENTAGE AIR LEAKAGE
OF TOATAL LEAKAGES

1. HE Radial seal leakage - 62.21%

2. CE Radial seal leakage - 11.98%
3. Axial seal leakage - 08.78%
4. By pass or circumferential seal leakage - 0.87%
5. Center post seal leakage - 3.17%
_______________________________________________
Total percentage = 87.01%

Entrapped leakage = 12.99%

TOTAL = 100%

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 RADAIAL SEALS &
SECTOR PLATE
RADIAL SEALS AND SECTOR PLATES ARE
LOCATED AT THE HOT AND COLD ENDS OF THE AIR
PREHEATER. THE RADIAL SEALS ARE ATTACHED
TO THE DIAPHRAGMS, WHICH SEPARATE THE
INDIVIDUAL ROTOR COMPARTMENT.
PURPOSE: - THE PURPOSE OF RADIAL SEALS IS
TO REDUCE THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR LEAKAGE
FROM THE AIR TO THE GAS SIDE BETWEEN THE
DIAPHRAGM AND THE SECTOR PLATE

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 AXIAL SEALS AND
SEALING PLATES

AXIAL SEALS MINIMIZE LEAKAGE PASSING

RADIALLY AROUND THE ROTOR SHELL. THE AXIAL
SEALS ARE MOUNTED ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE
ROTOR SHELL AND SEAL AGAINST THE AXIAL SEAL
PLATES MOUNTED ON THE AIR PREHEATER
HOUSING.

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AXIAL SEAL DIAPHRAGM

COG RIM PIN

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 AXIAL
SEAL
PLATE AXIAL SEAL INSPECTION DOOR
TURN-BUCKLE

ADJUSTABLE
BOLT

JACK BOLT
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 Axial Seal Arrangement
Curved axial sector plate adjustable from
outside
Seal strips are attached to the rotor.
The thickness of seal strips :
6 MM straight strips in Russian.
2.5 mm thick and bend backward in
BHEL.

BHEL APH has better accessibility of axial

seal adjustment as compared to Russian
design
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 CIRCUMFERENTIAL
SEALS
THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALS PREVENT
AIR AND GAS FROM BYPASSING THE
HEATING SURFACE THROUGH THE SPACE
BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND THE HOUSING
SHELL. THEY ALSO PREVENT AIR AND GAS
FROM FLOWING AXIALLY AROUND THE
ROTOR.

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 CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL-
RUSSIAN
CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL

H.E. DIAPHRAGM
2.5MM RADIAL SEAL H.E. ROTOR FLANGE
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 ROTOR FLANGE AXIAL SEAL

CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEAL ADJUSTABLE BOLT

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 CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALS
ACTUATING MECHANISM-
RUSSIAN
Actuating Bolt

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 ROTOR POST SEALS
ROTOR POST SEALS PREVENT LEAKAGE
BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE ROTOR POST AND
THE AIR PREHEATER HOUSING.
THE STATIC SEALS PREVENT LEAKAGE BETWEEN
THE HOT & COLD END SECTOR PLATES AND THE
HOT AND COLD END CENTER SECTIONS.

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 SECTOR PLATE STATIC SEAL
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HE ROTOR POST SEAL00 34
 DIAPHRAGM

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CE ROTOR POST SEAL
 AIR SEAL HOUSING
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 ROTOR POST SEAL
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 THICKNESS OF RADIAL SEAL
STRIPS

RUSSIAN MODEL : 6 MM

BHEL DESIGN : 2.5 MM

SOFT SEAL : 0.1 MM

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 FLEXIBLE / SOFT
SEALS
THE FLEXIBLE SEALS WAS DEVELOPED TO
REDUCE NORMAL LEAKAGE CAUSED BY THE
THERMAL EXPANSION OF THE ROTOR WHILE THE
UNIT IS OPERTAING. THE ROTOR EXPANSION
OPENS UP AREAS OF DIRECT AIR TO GAS
LEAKAGE THAT CAN BE GREATLY REDUCED BY
INSTALLING FLEXIBLE SEALS.
MERIT : - SOFT SEAL IS SET TO A NEGATIVE
CLEARANCE IN COLD CONDITION, AND WHICH
WILL EXTEND IN THE HOT CONDITION TO
OPERATE AS A STANDARD PROXIMITY SEAL.
DEMERIT : - SINCE THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE OR
CONTACT
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WEAR
Revision 00LIFE IS VERY LOW. 39
 COST OF SOFT
SEALS

RADIAL SOFT SEAL HE/ SET :- 1 LAC

RADIAL SOFT SEAL CE/ SET :- 0.95 LAC
AXIAL SOFT SEAL/ SET :- 0.4 LAC

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 MODULAR APH - BHEL

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 RADIAL SEAL

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 BY PASS SEAL
RUSSIAN

BY PASS SEAL RUSSIAN

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 APH PERFORMANCE
Boiler efficiency decreases generally on account of APH performance
degradation. This also affects ESP, ID & FD fan loadings & at times
unit capability

Factors affecting APH performance

Excess air level / No of Mills in service
Primary Air to Secondary Air ratio
Moisture in coal/ Air ingress level
Performance of upstream ash evacuation system
Procedure for cleaning, soot blowing & regular maintenance etc.

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 APH PERFORMANCE

Higher than expected leakage would decrease the flue

gas exit temperature, resulting in false sense of
improved working.
Higher inlet flue gas temperature is rather rare, but this
could be one reason for high exit temperature.
Optimum flue gas temperature is required for effective
ESP performance
Unequal temperature at air heater exit should be
investigated.

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 FLUE GAS EXIT TEMP AT
APH OUTLET
FLUE GAS TEMP AT AH OUTLET IS INDICATIVE OF HEAT
LEAVING THE UNIT .THIS IS LOWERED ON ACCOUNT OF
AH LEAKAGES.

FGET TO BE MEASURED AT A LOCATION SLIGHTLY

AWAY FROM AIR HEATERS.

NO OF TEMPERATURE SENSOR PROVIDED SHOULD

COVER THE DUCT ADEQUATELY.

CORRECTED TEMP SHOULD BE USED FOR

COMPARISION.

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 Typical Oxygen Levels at
APH Inlet / Outlet
Oxygen in Flue Gas at AH A Inlet / Outlet Oxygen in Flue Gas at AH B Inlet / Outlet

10 12 10 10

8 10 8 8

Outlet O2 %
Inlet O2 %

Outlet O2
8

Inlet O2
6 6 6
6
4 4 4
4
2 2 2 2
0 0
0 0
A B C D E F
A B C D E F
Probe
Inlet O2 Outlet O2 Inlet O2 Probe Outlet O2

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 CO2 measurement is preferred due to high
absolute values; In case of any measurement
errors, the resultant influence on leakage
calculation is small.
Air Leakage Weight of air passing from air side to gas side; This
leakage is assumed to occur entirely between air inlet and
gas outlet

Hot End / Cold End / Entrained Leakage

Calculation Empirical relationship using the change in

concentration of O2 or CO2 in the flue gas

= CO2in - CO2out * 0.9 * 100

CO2out
= O2out - O2in * 0.9 * 100 = 5.7 2.8 * 90
(21- O2out) (21-5.7)
= 17.1 %

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 PERFORMANCE
DEGRADATION OF APH

Seal Leakage
Erosion
Corrosion
High Press Drop Across APH
APH Fire

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 APH Performance Test
APH Leakage

Gas Side Efficiency

X-Ratio

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 GAS SIDE EFFICIENCY
= (Temp drop / Temperature head) * 100

X- RATIO = T (gas in) T (gas out) (no lkg)/ T(air out)

T (air in)

Air Leakage = CO2in - CO2out * 0.9 * 100

CO2out

= O2out - O2in * 0.9 * 100

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(21- O2out)
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 FG TEMP (Corr.) Vs BLR EFF & GAS SIDE EFF

86.2 66

65

GAS SIDE EFFICIENCY (%)

86
BOILER EFFICIENCY (%)

64
85.8
63
Boiler Efficinecy

85.6 62
Gas Side Efficiency
61
85.4
60
85.2
59

85 58
150 155 160 165 170 175 180
CORRECTED FLUE GAS TEMP (Deg C)
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 X Ratio
Ratio of heat capacity of air passing through the air heater
to the heat capacity of flue gas passing through the air
heater.
= Wair out * Cpa
Wgas in * Cpg

= Tgas in - Tgas out (no leakage)

Tair out - Tair in

Say AH leakage 17.1%, Gas In Temp 333.5 C, Gas Out

Temp 133.8 C , Air In Temp 36.1 C, Air Out Temp 288 C

X ratio = (333.5 150.5) / (288 36.1) = 0.73

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 X-Ratio depends on
moisture in coal, air infiltration, air & gas mass flow rates
leakage from the setting
specific heats of air & flue gas
X-ratio does not provide a measure of thermal
performance of the air heater, but is a measure of the
operating conditions.
A low X-ratio indicates either excessive gas weight
through the air heater or that air flow is bypassing the air
heater.
A lower than design X-ratio leads to a higher than
design gas outlet temperature & can be used as an
indication of excessive tempering air to the mills or
excessive boiler setting infiltration.
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 Flue Gas Exit Temperature

Flue Gas Exit Temperature is corrected for inlet air temperature

X1 = Reference Air Temp * (Gas Temp In Gas Temp Out) +

Gas Temp In * (Gas Temp Out - Air Temp In)
X2 = Gas Temp In - Air Temp In

EGTcor. = X1/ X2
= 35 * (345-143.9) + 345 (143.9 41.6) / (345 41.6)
= 139.5 C

EGT Corrected for inlet air temp and for AH leakage

= AL * Cpa * (EGTcor - Tair in) + EGTcor
Cpg * 100
= [13.7* (139.5 41.6)] / 100 + 139.5 = 152.9

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 THANK YOU

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