B A B C O C K & WILCOX CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED-BED BOILER

An Overview o f B & W C F B Boiler Technology

The Babcock & Wilcox circulating fluidized-bed (CFB) boiler is designedfor high reliability and availability with low maintenance, while complying with stringent emission regulations B&W's CFB technology is unique and includes a simple U-beam particle separator design. This is the result of extensive research and development and commercial operating experience. B& W and its joint venture companies have sold more than 38 fluidized-bed projects of which 10 are atmospheric circulating fluidized-bed boilers.

CFB PROCESS
H o w the B & W CFB Internal Circulation Boiler Works

In a circulating fluidized-bed boiler, a portion of combustion air is introduced through the bottom of the bed. The bed material normally consists of fuel, limestone and ash. The bottom of the bed is supported by water-cooled membrane walls with specially designed air nozzles which distribute the air uniformly. The fuel and limestone (for sulfur capture) are fed into the lower bed. In the presence of fluidizing air, the fuel and limestone quickly and uniformly mix under the turbulent environment and behave like a fluid. Carbon particles in the fuel are exposed to the combustion air. The balance of combustion air is introduced at the top of the lower, dense bed. This staged combustion limits the formation of nitrogen oxides (NO). The bed fluidizing air velocity is greater than the terminal velocity of most of the particles in the bed and thus fluidizing air elutriates the particles through the combustion chamber to the U-beam separators at the furnace exit. The captured solids, including any unburned carbon and unutilized calcium oxide (CaO), are reinjected directly back into the combustion chamber without passing through an external recirculation. This internal solids circulation provides longer residence time for fuel and limestone, resulting in good combustion and improved sulfur capture.

CFB Steam Generator

The CFB boiler is arranged with a single furnace having full-height/partial depth straight-tube division wails with or without steam-cooled wing wails. The furnace and particle separator enclosure walls are composed of water-cooled membrane tubes. The superheater enclosure is a combination of steam-cooled and water-cooled membrane tubes. Feedwater enters the unit at the economizer inlet, flows through the economizer banks in the convection pass to the outlet header, and then to the steam drum feedwater inlet. Water in the drum passes through

large downcomers and multiple supply tubes to feed the enclosure walls and division walls. Steam-water mixtures from the various circuits flow through headers and riser tribes back to the drum. Saturated steam is routed from the drum to the superheater enclosure side wails (if supplied) and then to the primary superheater located in the convection pass. Steam then travels to the inlet headers of the superheater wing walls (if supplied) in the furnace. Steam passing through the wing walls is collected and routed back to the secondary superheater through spray attemperators. The steam passes through the secondary superheater and discharges to the outlet terminal adjacent to the boiler.

CFB BOILER MAJOR SYSTEMS

Circulating Fluidized-Bed Furnace

The furnace design has been developed from B&W's 30 years of experience with fluidized-bed technology. The mechanics of fuel and limestone feed, air distribution, start-up system, refractory, bed drains, watercooled walls, etc., are based on research and development and commercial operating units. The CFB furnace operates as an extended fluidized bed of solid particles. Most of these entrained solids recirculate within the furnace or are captured by the primary impact separator (U-beams) at the furnace exit and are returned internally to the bottom of the furnace. Combustion.air is admitted to the furnace as follows: Primary air Secondary air through a bubble cap air distributor in the furnace bottom. through nozzles and material injection points at two levels in the lower furnace. The region of the furnace below the lower secondary air level is called the primary zone. The circulating fluidized bed forms two distinct regions: Dense bed in the primary zone { 14 ft/s (4.25 m/s)}. Dilute bed in the middle and upper furnace { 19.7 ft/s (6 m/s) }.

The transition between these two regions is gradual, and operating experience indicates low erosion potential. The solids densities in the dilute bed and transitional regions of a circulating-bed combustor are relatively high. This results in higher rates of gas-solids reactions for combustion, sulfur capture and heat transfer between the bed and the furnace walls. The furnace height is selected to maximize carbon burnout and sulfur capture. B&W operates higher solids densities compared to other suppliers to optimize sulfur capture and heat transfer.

The material separated by the U-beam primary separator at the furnace exit is returned to the lower furnace by gravity, falling as a curtain along the rear furnace wall. In the lower furnace, these solids are reentrained by primary and secondary air and carried back to the furnace exit. This intensive furnace backmixing provides uniform distribution and optimum residence time. Finer solids not collected by the primary separator are carded by gases through the convection pass, are collected by the secondary separator, and are recirculated to the lower furnace.

Dense Bed in the Primary Zone

The primary zone design provides for uniform distribution and intensive mixing of primary combustion air and bed solids supplied by material feed systems and recirculated from the primary and secondary separators. The cross section of the primary zone is reduced relative to the upper furnace to promote good mixing and turbulence and to ensure solids entrainment throughout the boiler load range. The high rate of mass transfer in the primary zone provides intense combustion and calcination/sulfation reactions. The substoichiometric conditions in the primary zone promote conversionof fuel nitrogen compounds to elemental nitrogen, thus reducing NO x formation.

DiLute Bed in the Middle and Upper Furnace

The middle and upper sections of the CFB furnace are designed for the following: sufficient residence time for fuel burnout and sulfur capture, high solids inventory for improved heat transfer rates and sorbent reaction surface, heat transfer surface of the enclosure walls, in-furnace division, and wing wails, and good mixing of secondary air and combustion products.

AIR AND GAS SYSTEMS

Air from the primary air fan or forced draft fan (single fan option) is heated by a steam coil air heater and flows across a partitioned section of the tubular air heater. It is then directed to a water-cooled windbox at the bottom of the furnace. This windbox is divided into many compartments across the width of the unit, with dampers to control the flow of primary air to each compartment. A portion of the primary is also admitted to the furnace through the fuel chutes. A duct burner is installed in each main primary air feed duct to facilitate boiler start-up. Air from the secondary air fan or forced draft fan is heated by a steam coil air heater and passes through the secondary section of the tubular air heater. This secondary air flows to the distributing nozzles located across the width of the furnace on both the front and rear wails. Dampers vary the proportions of the secondary air to the front and rear distributing nozzles.

A portion of the secondary air is admitted to the furnace through overbed burners. The flue gas with entrained solids leaves the furnace through the U-beam primary particle separator, and passes through the convective heat recovery pass to the secondary separator. The flue gas with any remaining fine particles continue through the air heater. Most of these remaining fine particles are removed at the baghouse or electrostatic precipitator (ESP).

SOLIDS SEPARATION SYSTEM

The solids separation systems is a key element of any CFB boiler design, influencing both capital and operating costs. The separation system affects the solid inventory in the furnace, which impacts furnace temperature control (furnace heat transfer), carbon burnout and limestone utilization. The B & W CFB boiler uses a two-stage solids separation system: Primary particle separators - U- beams Secondary particle separator system- multi-cyclone dust collector (MDC) or ESP

The Primary Particle Separator (U-Beams)

B & W uses an impact for primary particle collection, which is different from hot cyclones commonly used for CFB boilers. B&W's impact separator is unique in CFB boiler design. Impact separators have been used for several decades to separate particles greater than 100 microns. The dust laden gas stream impinges on the staggered vertical arrangement of U-beam channels. B & W has conducted considerable research and development on impact separators on the Cold Model Test Facility at B&W's Alliance Research Center. Geometrical correlations have been developed based on operating variables such as gas velocity; solids loading, number of channel rows, and particle size. These relationships have been applied successfully to B&W's commercial CFB boiler designs. B & W primary solids collector consists of two (2) rows of U-beams located within the furnace at the gas exit and four (4) additional rows of U-beams located immediately downstream of the in-furnace U-beams. Solids collected by the front two rows discharge downward directly to the furnace along the rear wall. Solids collected by the rear rows of U- beams discharge into a hopper integral to the furnace rear wall and return by gravity to the furnace through openings distributed across the width of the unit. These U-beams are made of stainless steel. Individual U-beams are in the form of channels six inches (152 ram) wide by seven inches (178 mm) deep. Two bolts through the water cooled roof suspend each beam, protected by an enclosure. Dynamic (gas and solids) stresses, static (dead load) stresses, design temperatures and material creep strength are used to design the U-beams. A pan at the lower end of each U-beam holds the U-beam in alignment and accommodates horizontal and vertical thermal expansion. These pans also form a gas barrier at the bottom discharge end of the beams to prevent gas bypassing and improve particle collection. B&W's operating experience with U-beams has

been very successful. The U-beams have maintained geometry and structural integrity with no erosion. Erosion potential is low due to the chromium oxide scale that forms on stainless steel at furnace operating temperatures. Lower gas velocity through the U-beam and design with all impact angles at 90 degrees are also favourable. The U-beam supports have maintained their original condition over time.

B&W CFB Boiler Impact Separator Offers Several Advantages

U-beam separators, an integral part of the top- supported boiler, are easy to install and repair. No high temperature flue gas expansion joints or refractory-lined ducts are required. Building volume is reduced. The uniform, low velocity gas flow across the width of the boiler at the furnace exit reduces the erosion potential in the upper furnace and the collectors. There is no thick refractory to limit start-up and load change rates. Maintenance costs are lower because of less refractory.

Secondary Particle Separator System

The secondary separator is a conventional multi-cyclone dust collector or the first pass of the ESP. The small diameter low temperature collecting cans in the MDC allow for higher fine particle collection efficiencies. The two stage particle separation system with high efficiency secondary separation provides overall collection efficiencies well in excess of 99.7%. This allows the B&W CFB to achieve the higher furnace densities and uniform vertical temperature profile in the furnace. B&W's commercial units with in-furnace U-Beams typically have furnace temperature variations along the furnace height of only about 25F (14C) at full load. The MDC or first pass ESP helps manage inventory on especially low ash input fuels such as a low ash and low sulphur coal. It also enhances calcium utilization and carbon burnout of fine material. The convection pass is designed to accommodate the solids recirculation around the MDC or ESP loop. The U-Beams capture substantially all material above 300 microns and almost all material above 200 microns. This results in dust loadings through the convection pass which range from as low as 0.05 lb (0.023 kg) to 0.025 lb (0.1 lkg) per pound (0.4536 kg) of flue gas. B&W's experience with convective heating surface performance has been excellent. Convection pass tube erosion is minimized due to lower flue gas velocity [30 to 40 ft/s (9.1 to 12.2 m/s)] and in-line tube arrangements. The MDC or ESP solids hopper is located at a high elevation, which allows use of an air assisted, gravity return recycle system from the secondary collector. This system uses rotary valves with low pressure drop to control solids flow. A small volume of fluidizing air from the primary air fans allow the material to move back into the furnace through multiple return points across the width of the furnace rear wall.

Bed temperature control is enhanced by using solids inventory located underneath the multicyclone dust collector or as a separate hopper in the case of first pass ESP collection. When the furnace temperature increases above the target, bed material from the particle storage is transferred to the furnace by increasing the recycle flow rate from the multi-cyclone or the hopper. The increased inventory of circulating material enhances furnace heat transfer, thus reducing bed temperature. Inversely, when the bed temperature decreases, the inventory of circulating solids in the furnace is reduced by slowing down the recycle rate from the MDC or the ESP hopper, and circulating material is transferred to storage. This control method is used both during constant load operation and during load change to improve the load following capability and provide a wider turn-down ratio. The current design of the B&W two-stage particle seParation system exceeds the performance of a standalone cyclone-based CFB system, providing higher overall collection efficiency. Design features of the convection pass, multi-cyclone dust collector and dust collector recycle provide an economical system which also reduces erosion potential and auxiliary power consumption.

Bed Drain and Cooling System

Bed ash is purged from the furnace to control bed solids inventory and remove oversized material that may enter the fuel. Material exits the furnace through bed drains. These solids are at bed temperature and must be cooled prior to handling. Water-cooled screws or fluidized-bed coolers are used to cool the material and control the rate of material drained. It is desirable to minimize the amount of material drained from the furnace because the high temperature at which it is drained results in a sensible heat loss. Strict control of fuel size decreases the amount of material that must be drained through the bed drains by reducing the amount of oversized material that enters with the fuel. Solids exiting the water-cooled screws pass through a screen which removes material greater than 2000 microns. The screened solids then enter the ash removal system. With fluidized-bed coolers, particles less than 350 microns are injected back into the furnace.

Convective Heat Recovery System

The vertical pendant type superheater designed for a CFB boiler is unique and non-drainable. The design provides metal temperature protection during start-up. A vertical pendant superheater is located after the four (4) rows of external U-beams. Superheater erosion potential is considerably reduced due to very low gas velocities. Uniform gas distribution is ensured to the superheater for better performance. The superheater sections are encased with either steam-cooled or water -cooled walls. The economiser is designed with bare tubes enclosed in a carbon steel casing. Economiser surface is arranged in-line to avoid ash build-up between the tube banks. Economiser surfaces are designed very conservatively due to varying convection pass dust loadings and to accommodate a range of fuel ash content. B&W's operating experience indicates that sootblowers are not required.

Key Features / Benefits of B & W CFB Boilers

Technology is suitable to bum a wide range of fuels, or opportunity fuels with less expensive fuel preparation. (Fuels burned in B & W CFB boilers are high ash-waste coal, high sulfur coal, lignite, pet. coke, anthracite culm, wood waste, etc.)

Use state-of-the-art CFB technology to achieve lower emissions levels. (Sulfur capture is >90 % and NO x emission is <100 ppm)

Provides higher reliability, operability, availability with lower maintenance. B & W's CFB boiler has one-fifth of the total refractory of the hot cyclone CFB boiler. B & W CFB boiler availability is frequently more than 95%. Boiler building volume is considerably reduced because most of the U-beams are located inside the furnace. Building volume is reduced by 20 to 30% when compared to the cyclone-based CFB boiler design. Boiler design allows wider load swings, with high turn-down (approximately 5:1) without auxiliary fuel support. Auxiliary power consumption by B & W CFB boilers is relatively lower compared to cyclonebased CFB boilers. B & W CFB boilers do not require high pressure blowers. B & W CFB boilers have .625 in. (15.9 mm) thin refractory. Therefore, virtually no limitation on start-up (usually less than 6 hours to reach full load) U-Beam flue gas velocity is around 26 ft/s (8 m/s). The flue gas and solids are uniformly distributed and at that gas velocity, there is virtually no erosion in the furnace roof or the U-Beam materials; compare this to the hot cyclone design, which has experienced significant erosion at the cyclone entrance [66 to 85 ft/s(20 to 26 m/s)], the furnace roof, cyclone vortex finder [98 ft/s ( ~ 30 m/s)] and the cyclone barrel. B & W bubble cap nozzles are well designed, and at low load not much solids backsifting is experienced. No sootblowers are required in the convection pass. This eliminates maintenance and forced outages. Two-stage solids collection provides better performance, especially carbon burnout, sulfur capture, and better heat transfer. The solids collection efficiency is greater than 99.7%.

FUEL, LIMESTONE, AND SAND HANDLING SYSTEMS

Fuel Feed System

The fuel flows from fuel storage bunkers located in front of the boiler to gravimetric feeders. Each gravimetric feeder dischargers into a gravity feed chute. Air is injected at the base of each feed chute to ensure a positive flow of fuel into the furnace. Fuel is fed into the primary zone of the CFB furnace. The injection points are distributed across the width of the furnace for uniform fuel feed. Furnace depth is designed for proper fuel mixing within the bed.

Limestone Feed System

The limestone flows from the storage silo located adjacent to the boiler into gravimetric or volumetric feeders which meter the quantity of limestone entering the unit. The feeders discharge via the feed chutes into the primary zone of the furnace.

Inert Bed Material Feed System

When a fuel with a low ash and low sulfur content is used, it may be necessary to provide supplemental inert solid bed material such as sand to maintain inventory in the circulating bed. Increased limestone feed rate in most cases is not economical because, without substantial sulfation, limestone consumption is high. Excess limestone, when calcined produces soft lime which breaks down quickly to very fine particles that passes to the baghouse with little effect on the bed inventory.

EMISSIONS
Sulfur Capture

Sulfur capture in the CFB process is achieved by adding limestone. The limestone is normally in the form of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) with impurities of magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), plus aluminium and iron oxide. When the limestone is added into the circulating fluidised bed at high temperature [1550 to 1650 F (843 to 899 C)], the CaCO 3 undergoes endothermic reactions to become CaO and CO 2. Fuel sulfur oxidizes to become SO 2. In the presence of oxygen, the CaO reacts exothermically with SO 2 to form CaSO4 (calcium sulfate), thus capturing the sulfur. The calcium sulfate is in the form of solid material, which can be drained from the bed. The reactions are :

CaCO 3 - - - - --> CaO + CO 2 (endothermic reaction)

CaO + 1/2 0 2 + SO 2 --> CaSO 4 (exothermic reaction)

Sulfur capture is influenced by various factors such as fuel properties. Sulfur content, calcium to sulfur molar ratio, limestone reactivity, furnace temperature, gas and solids residence time, and limestone particle size.

NO

Reduction

Low NO emissions are a major benefit of CFB boilers. When burning fuel in CFB boilers, approximately x 50 to 70% of the combustion air flow enters through the grid as primary air. The substoichiometric amount of air suppresses volatile nitrogen oxidation to NO x by creating a fuel-rich zone in the fuel devolatilization region. The secondary air is added further above the lower reducing zone. Since the fuel nitrogen is already transformed into molecular nitrogen, formation of NO x above this zone is controlled. The relatively low combustion temperature [1550 to 1650 F (843 to 899 C)] also helps reduce NO x formation. NO emissions in CFB boilers are influenced by various factors including nitrogen and volatile matter in x the fuel, furnace temperature, excess air, bed stoichiometry and limestone feed rate. Additional NO xreduction (say 40 to 60% of the CFB process NOx) can be achieved by injecting ammonia (NH3) either before or after the U-beams. The factors influencing additional NO x reduction are NH3/NOx molar ratio, initial NO x Concentration, furnace temperature, degree of NH 3 mixing and gas residence time.

CO Emissions

CO emissions from a CFB boiler are generally very low. The formation of CO is due to incomplete combustion and is a function of many parameters such as bed temperature, excess air, type of fuel, nonuniform fuel distribution, overfire air/gas mixing, and gas residence time in the furnace.

TBW CFB Boiler Operability Strength

Key Features
1. . Excellent turndown without auxiliary fuel (up to 5:1). All internal primary solids recycle and gravity feed secondary solids recycle with FD fan or PA fan air. High solids collection efficiency with two stages (>99.8%). The entire CFB unit has thin refractory installed.

Key Benefits
1. . Reduced operating costs at low load operation. Reduced auxiliary power consumption compared to using high pressure blowers. Increased combustion efficiency and reduced operating cost. Reduced start up time and reduced operating costs. (Hot cyclone with thick refractory has prolonged start up).

3. 4.

4.

Lower Maintenance/ Higher Reliability

Key Features
. All-internal primary solids recycle system (U-beams) within a furnace.

Key Benefits
1. Avoid high maintenance thick refractory (ex :hot cyclone) Avoid forced outage concerns due to thick refractory failure, and special teams required to reinstall refractory. Reduced erosion potential due to low gas velocities. (Highvelocity gas/solids entering cyclone leads to erosion). TBW's CFB had no erosion maintenance on U-beams after several years of operation. Reduced superheater erosion potential. Avoid maintenance and forced outage on convective surface failures caused by sootblowers

Lower velocities in the furnace, furnace exit, U-beams, and superheater

2.

No sootblowers required in the convection pass

3.

Circulating Fluidized-Bed Boiler Experience (B&W, AE&E, B&W JV)

Customer
Ultrapower Ultrapower Sithe Energy Lauhoff Grain Co. Ebensburg Power Co. Pusan Dyeing Co. Thai Petrochemical Ind. Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd. Southern Illinois University Los Angeles County Sanitation District (3 boilers)

Plant Location
West Enfield, Maine USA Jonesboro, Maine USA Marysville, California USA Danville, Illinios USA

Capacity Ib/hr (t/hr)

220,000 (100) 220,000 (100) 164,000 (74.3) 225,800 (102.4)

Fuel
Wood wastes & wood chips Wood wastes & wood chips Wood wastes Bituminous coal High ash waste coal Coal & heavy oil Coal lignite, oil & gas High ash coal

Start-Up Date
1986 1986 19"86 1989 1990 1991 1994 1995 1996 --

Ebensburg, 465,000 Pennsylvania USA (211) Pusan Republic of Korea Rayong, Thailand Renukoot, India Carbondale, Illinois, USA Carson, California, USA 176,370 - (80) 286,600 (130) 231,480 (105) 120,000 (54.4) 48,000 (21.8)

Coal, petroleum coke & natural gas Sewage sludge

Our Branch Offices :

MUMBAI
Dhanraj Mahal, 2nd floor, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg, Near Gateway of India, Colaba, Mumbai 400 039 Tel. : 91-22-2045391, 2045324 Fax. : 91-22-2040859

CHENNAI 610, Anna Salai, Chennai 600 006 Tel; : 91-44-8271891, 8272007 Telex : 041-7886 TMAX IN Fax. : 91-44-8277401

NEW DELHI 9, Community Centre, Basant Lok New Delhi 110 057 Tel. : 91-11-6145319, 6145326 Telex : 031-72013 TMAX IN Fax. : 91-11-6148679

Circulating Fluidized-Bed Boiler Experience