HEAT RATE-THE PULSE RATE OF POWER

PLANT
PDMV Prasad ,
P Koteswara Rao
Truth is ever to be found in simpliit!"Sir #s$$
Ne%ton&
The following are the facts which make the understanding on heat rate
simple and make engineers feel the practicality and ensure team preparation
for achieving what is possible
!perating "eat Rate depends on three signi#cant factors$ %iring &oiler range
coal, maintaining high 'oading factor and !perating the plant at design
parameters
"eat rate in simplicity is ratio between heat input and energy output There
are four de#nitions
( )nit heat rate$ * "eat input to boiler + gross electrical generation
, -et unit heat rate$ * "eat input to boiler+net electrical generation
./u0 consumption must be subtracted from gross generation1
2 /ctual unit heat rate $*Total heat input to boiler+ actual net
generation of the period . 3ncluding fuel burnt in unit o4ine
period1
5 Design unit heat rate$ * Design heat rate is the heat rate anticipated
at the design parameters at speci#c load like M6R .ma0imum
continuous rating1, V7! .valve wide open operation1 etc with
design e8ciencies of e9uipments
-ow let us e0amine the order of signi#cance in a power plant operation and
performance
( 'egal compliance , 'ife of the plant 2 !utput of the plant 5
:8ciency
%irstly legal and environmental compliance is very important for continuing
operations ;econdly life of plant e9uipment is very important for it to live
design e0pected life and thus capable of producing power for its life time
Thirdly output is very important for sustaining operations and ensuring
accomplishment of purpose of plant :8ciency comes in fourth position and
it will decide how well a power unit is performing in converting coal energy to
electrical energy This order is written for guidance %or e0ample, if life of
plant is going to decrease by operations as derived from e8ciency lessons
then higher life is to be preferred %or e0ample, if a reheater coil outlet metal
temperature is going high reheater spray is to be given even if reheater
temperature is going to reduce below design temperature ;ubse9uently
problem is to be studied why such phenomenon is taking place in the unit
Design "eat rate broadly depends on Rankine cycle <parameters of the unit
and Design of e9uipments and capacities
"eat rate deviation occurs due to some or more of the following :9uipment
degradation + ageing, Parameter deviations, Process Deviations and change
in input conditions like fuel, 67 water etc
RAN'#NE ()(LE
3n selection of the unit various options are available which are dependent on
Rankine 6ycle with variety of sets of parameters
The higher the temperature and pressure parameters of main steam and
reheat steam the higher the cycle e8ciency The #0ed cost of unit on per M7
basis increases as higher parameters are chosen due to usage of costlier
metals for withstanding higher parameters ;o once design parameters are
selected the heat rate limit is getting decided
Design of e9uipments and capacities make the selected rankine cycle
reality The turbine e8ciency and condenser design, the boiler e8ciency of
heat absorption and converting into steam etc achieved by designers and
manufacturers decide the performance of e9uipment The designs are
supposed to achieve the Rankine 6ycle parameters, output etc
The lapses in design cannot be covered up by operations on the plant 3n
design the heat rate is not a static #gure and not a constant for the unit 3t is
dependent on at what load unit is operating Design heat rate value is for
(==> load operation !nce designs are completed and e9uipments are
supplied there is very little that can be done after unit is commissioned
Knowing about cycle parameters and design of e9uipments is very important
to operate e9uipment correctly for getting primarily longer life and
secondarily design heat rate
'oading factor decides the upper limit of heat rate once a unit is in operation
%or a selected design set of parameters a unit gives power at di?erent heat
rates at di?erent loads
Sl&
No
Oper$tion
*
W
*S
Press
ure
Ste$
m
Flo%
Turbin
e He$t
R$te
+oiler
E,ie
n!
Unit
He$t
R$te
*P$ TPH
-($l.-
Wh /
-($l.-
Wh
( V7!
@5
2 (@@A ,=,B
(C22,
D BAB ,,=(BB
, T M6R
@=
= (@@A (B@@
(C52=
@ BA ,,225=
2
'!/D
B=>sliding
5B
= (5B, (5@D
(CABA
( BA@ ,,DBB=
5
'!/D
@=>sliding
2@
= (((( (=CC
,=D,B
A B@B ,2@D=@
D
'!/D
5=>sliding
,5
= A5( AD,
,(C=(
C B@@ ,D,C=C

/t this time it is also to be noted that in our country general tari? conditions
cover up to @D> deterioration from design heat rate which happens at @=>
loading factor The loading factor is so important that a super critical unit
operating at A=>loading factor will be no better than a subcritical unit
operating at (==> loading factor !nce a power unit is established coal
input to plant, distributing capacities and customers indirectly decide loading
factor This has inEuence on achievable heat rate
(OAL 0(1 #N +O#LER F#R#N0 RAN0E
"ere it is pertinent to mention that the 9uantity of coal to be #red for full
load is a function of coal 9uality ie, F6V &ut it does not mean that boiler
can accommodate limitless 9uantity of coal Eow to meet load demand &oiler
is designed for a given range of coal between worst coal and best coal The
boiler heat loading, heat absorption patterns, Eue gas velocity patterns etc
are designed in between the best and worst coal range Fenerally the boiler
and au0iliaries are designed for &M6R condition with worst coal The
minimum amount of coal that can be #red is corresponding to the best coal
and the ma0imum amount is decided by the worst coal Therefore it is
always advisable to #re coal within the range .in between worst and best
coals1 "owever if the moisture content is more than design moisture, then
by coal 9uantity, e9uivalent to the di?erence in moisture can be increased
%or e0ample if a boiler is designed for ,,C TP" with worst coal at (D>
moisture and the actual moisture is say (B>, then without e0ceeding the
boiler heat loading we can feed 2> more coal, ie ,2D TP" provided that
margins e0ist in mills, fans, :;P etc
OPERAT#N0 AT NEAR 2ES#0N PARA*ETERS
The last but most important controllable parameters come under Goperations
at design parametersH Please refer /nne0ure at the end for appreciating
importance of operating at design parameters %or deviation in parameters
like main steam pressure, main steam temperature, reheat steam
temperature, condenser vacuum etc heat rate deteriorates ;o design
margins are essential for achieving condenser vacuum in all the life time ;o
condenser on line tube cleaning system is very important The other
parameters are already limited due to consideration of long life of e9uipment
due to metallurgy considerations
The !IM :mployees of power plant shall ensure parameters at design value
as far as possible by appropriate operations suitable to the unit %or e0ample
&urner tilt, ;" R" gas dampers operation, R" spray, ;" spray, soot blowing
etc The mapping of more than D= parameters of design and actual in
operating unit and comparing them continuously will give guidance for
operations %or e0ample, even the best boiler manufacturers can not design
soot blower fre9uency of operation or even the blowers to be operated 3t
depends strongly on soot formation after combustion depending on coal
7henever soot is formed these blowers need to be operated at the re9uired
fre9uency ;pray indications are guiding factors / power unit Js continuous
long run operations broadly indicate whether operations are matching to
plant e9uipment :very parameter and every e9uipment has itJs own
importance and has itJs own inEuence on heat rate ;o the mapping of
parameters and continuous monitoring and controlling bring out the best
possible heat rate of the unit The maintenance works like steam leakage
arresting, maintaining heaters availability, soot blowerJs availability, high
energy drains passing elimination etc are of high importance in reaching the
targeted performance of heat rate ;ome maintenance works are long term
planning oriented like "3P turbine module e8ciency, 'P turbine module
e8ciency etc which can be restored at best to design values in long time
overhauls
AU3#L#AR) POWER (ONSU*PT#ON AN2 NET HEATRATE
The net unit heat rate is an e8ciency measure considering the au0iliary
power consumption 3n a unit if au0iliary power consumption is reduced the
output to customer increases for the same fuel input to the unit ;ince the
tari? covers normative consumption any performance better than normative
consumption will result in substantial savings The #rst level of achievement
shall be running only the minimum au0iliaries re9uired to be running and
only for re9uired time More e8cient drives will give less au0 consumption
which reEects in net heat rate, please note that the features of design like
cooling towers design 3D6T+-D6T , motor driven boiler feed pumps+turbo
driven boiler feed pumps are factored in tari? systems The cost of better
e8cient technology is factored in #0ed cost and in return on #0ed cost
recovery, the accepted ine8cient operating technology is factored in
variable cost so that variable cost covers the cost of design /ny
performance better than design plus tolerance is bene#t to plant and any
performance beyond tolerance limit has negative inEuence /u0
consumption is strong function of loading factor The design au0
consumption is a percentage #gure for unit operating at rated load The fans
and pumps are designed for high performance at full load 3n the unit
operating at partial load these e9uipments consume power
disproportionately at higher levels, so au0 consumption will be higher
Reducing number of outages will not only reduce speci#c oil consumption but
also au0 consumption considerably
HEAT RATE (AL(ULAT#ON S*ETHO2S
( Direct "eat Rate , 'oss method 2 Parameter deviation method
2iret he$t r$te method uses coal 9uantity consumed, F6V and units
generated 6oal 9uantity consumed is accurately measured by gravimetric
feeders within the speci#ed accuracy F6V is measured by sampling coal at
bunker inlet or feeder inlet however the coal overtime in a day also is not
homogeneous due to various blending operations in coal yard
;ometimes coal is directly sent into bunkers without storage in open stock
yards and sometimes it is stored for a longtime in stock yard where coal
loses calori#c value due to smoldering #res 7ater is sprayed to control
smoldering Rains in rainy season will increase moisture in coal %eederKs
weighment increases with moisture in coal due to rains The moisture in coal
will take away part of useful heat while Eowing through boiler There will be
losses due to wind and transportation ;o total coal weighment does not
e0actly match with the coal received by power station ;o 6:R6 provides for
=,> loss of coal 9uantity for pithead power stations and =B> for non*pit
head stations F6V of sampled coal also will not match with F6V of
dispatched coal from mines due to deterioration in the coal yard ;o heat
rate based on as received F6V will be higher in k6al+k7h when compared to
as #red F6V based heat rate .;o 6:R6 norms on as #red F6V1 ;o it can be
concluded that performance assessment of power station reEected by heat
rate of #red coal and not of receipt coal
Fross heat rate by loss method is calculated from turbine heat rate and
boiler e8ciency found by loss method The loss method heat rate depends
on measured F6V and on high accuracy PF test instrumentation for
evaluating turbine heat rate The big advantage is that the calculation is on
unit basis ie$ for ( kg of coal This eliminates any inaccuracies in Eow
measurements /ir and gas 9uantities are determined on theoretical basis
.;tochiometry1 and from laboratory analysis of the fuel This is more
accurate than the #eld Eow meters ;ince each loss is separately calculated
it is easy to identify problem areas This method is used to demonstrate
e9uipment performance capabilities under de#ned conditions by e9uipment
suppliers to e9uipment customers This is special testing method universally
standardiLed for handing over of the e9uipment to customers with assuring
performance
6ontrolling of parameters at design values will bring best performance out of
the e9uipment installed in the plant ;o parameters devi$tions method is
considered as the best method for operating the plant e8ciently
:9uipmentKs e8ciency determination tests will help in maintaining the
e9uipment over long periods of time Regarding calori#c value of coal Eowing
into the boiler at the instant ,a fair Mudgment can be given by operation
department by considering the coal Eow .tons+hour1being #red for achieving
the targeted load and they will vary the coal Eow to reach targeted load
within boiler operation range ;imilarly automation also assesses calori#c
value and adMusts automatic response for calori#c value changes from time
to time in a day !4ine calori#c value measurements in labs for the coal
received in power station will help in coal customer con#dence in the coal
supplied by coal mines
;o, conclusively it can be said that team work of !IM can try to get highest
possible performance of the unit by microscopic identi#cation parameter
wise and improving it to meet the heat rate design value Please note that
coal based power technology had been in continuous development all over
the world in the last (,D years, hence operating better than design heat rate
is almost impossible
The heat rate evaluation methods are direct heat rate method .with as #red
F6V1 best suited for commercial purposes "owever it has high uncertainty
due to less accuracy in coal F6V measurement .(>appro01 and coal Eow
measurement .=,D> to =D>1The tari? systems take as #red F6V
measured value and estimate coal consumption for giving reimbursement of
coal purchase This is based on heat rate norm of the unit which is presently
(=@D times design value generally F6V measurement accuracy is less
however it has facility of cross checking at di?erent times by di?erent
agencies for con#dence Mass Eow measurement by gravimetric feeders is
measurement with integration in time continuously ;o cross checking is not
generally possible e0cept Eow rate calibration /ny water sprayed for coal
#re 9uenching in the yard can increase mass measurement in feeders This
will reduce coal combustion heat to boiler also ;o direct heat rate measured
value can increase This does not mean #nancial loss because coal stock
remains in the yard 7hile stock reconciliation mass balancing is generally
done %or mass loss norm is provided as =,>to =B> "ere it is important to
note that there is no compensation norm for coal 9uality degradation in the
coal stock yard 3t is by e0perience learnt that coal coming from the mines
which directly reaches the bunkers gives better heat rate than the coal used
after stocking two months in the yard The thumb rule for coal #ring is, the
fresh coal received must reach coal bunkers #rst for #ring in the boiler
The heat rate by parameters deviation method is the best method for
controlling the process, understanding the maintenance re9uired for the
e9uipment on day to day basis and to achieve best performance from the
plant This method assumes machines e8ciency at guaranteed value
(ON(LUS#ON
This write up on heat rate is for engineers for beginning of a continuous
Mourney and for overview of heat rate /s sir 3saac -ewton wrote one will #nd
truth in simplicity, for better contribution for heat rate from any engineer
needs identi#cation of self with any parameter and continuously try to meet
design performance Many books and codes can be referred for in depth
understanding of every e9uipment performance ;o in simplicity it can be
concluded that operational parameters maintaining will be responsibility of
operation department through automation and maintaining e9uipments
e8ciency is responsibility of maintenance departments Thus heat rate in
simplicity a team performance of men and machines
ANNE3URE
A& HEAT RATE 2E1#AT#ONS W#TH PARA*ETER 2E1#AT#ONS
(1 M/3- ;T:/M PR:;;)R: * (5D5 k6al+k7h for ( Mpa
,1 M/3- ;T:/M T:MP:R/T)R: * =2B k6al+k7h for (
=
6
21 R:":/T ;T:/M T:MP:R/T)R: * =2B k6al+k7h for (
=
6
51 V/6))M < ;tandard < BCD= Kpa
BC Kpa < ,A(D k6al+k7h
BB Kpa < 5@D5 k6al+k7h
BA Kpa < @=(, k6al+k7h
B@ kpa < AD@2 k6al+k7h
BD kpa <BC,( k6al+k7h
C2BD Kpa < 3mprovement of 25C( k6al+k7h
D1 ;)P:R":/T:R ;PR/N * 4,B k6al+k7h %!R (= T!-;
@1 R:":/T:R ;PR/N * =(B k6al+k7h %!R ( T!-
A1 M/K: )P * =(@ k6al+k7h %!R (TP"
B1 6!-D:-;:R ;)&6!!'3-F < =BC k6al+k7h %!R (
=
6
C1 "P" ":/T:R TTD D:V3/T3!- < (B k6al+k7h %!R (
=
6
(=1"P" ":/T:R D6/ D:V3/T3!- < =,D k6al+k7h %!R (
=
6
((1"P ":/T:R *( !)T !% ;:RV36: < ,2 k6al+k7h
(,1"P ":/T:R *, !)T !% ;:RV36: * (A k6al+k7h
(21"P ":/T:R *2 !)T !% ;:RV36: * (A k6al+k7h
(51"P+3P T)R&3-: 6N'3-D:R :%%363:-6N 5 kcal+ >
(D1:O6:;; /3R 3- &!3':R < A k6al+k7h
(@16!/' M!3;T)R: < ,*2 k6al+k7h
(A1&!3':R :%%363:-6N < ,, k6al+k7h
(B1)-&)R-T 6/R&!- + > * (= < (D k6al+k7h
+& (OST OF HEAT RATE LOSS
He$t R$te #nre$se b! 5 -$l.-%h
Total Feneration in a day at C= > P'% P (55 0 =C 0 (=
@
k7h P
(,C@==== k7h
;o total e0tra coal consumed per day Q 52== k6al+kg F6V P 2=(2 MT
;o cost of this e0tra coal per day Q Rs @===+MT P Rs (B=B(
6ost per month P (B=B( 0 2= P Rs 6&7 L$s P*&