FUNCTION

Required for Ash Evacuation & Its disposal

The following table shows an overall outline of daily coal usage

and daily ash generation in BBGS

Budge Budge Generating Station

3 * 250MW

Tons

Bottom Ash
Tons
Fly Ash
Tons

11000 4400

660

3740

INDIAN COAL
Generally high ash content.
Larger amounts of ash to be handled.
Inconsistent Quality.
CHALLENGES OF ASH HANDLING
Indian coal presents high ash content generally which tends to be inconsistent.
Design of the system has to adequately cover anticipated variations and be
capable of handling the worst scenario.
System has to be environmentally friendly.
System has to be reliable with least maintenance problems.
System has to be energy efficient.

TYPE OF ASH AND DUST HANDLING PLANT

The type of plant installed at a power station to handle ash and

dust is determined by the method of final disposal that is, whether it is to
be removed from the station in road or rail vehicles, in either a wet or
dry condition, or pumped in the form of a slurry to a disposal area,
or by a combination of both methods.

In areas where such as disused gravel or clay pits or low lying land
are available for ash and dust disposal and are up to a distance of about
two miles from the power station both furnace bottom ash and dust
mixed with water can often be pumped to the point of disposal, and this
method can be the cheapest of all. For greater distances, up to about six
miles, only the dust is pumped; the furnace bottom ash is removed from
the power station site in vehicle.

There are two main reasons for not pumping the furnace bottom
ash over long distances: first, because it requires to be transported at a
higher velocity than dust, and secondly, its abrasive qualities can cause
excessive wear on the pipeline.

TYPES OF ASH :

Bottom Ash ( from BAH, Air

heater & Eco hoppers )

Fly Ash ( from ESP Hoppers )

Evacuation system

Bottom ash is removed through clinker

grinders by water jetting, vacuum system

Fly ash is removed from ESP Hoppers

through LEAN PHASE or DENSE PHASE
SYSTEM

PRESENT TREND OF
FLY ASH
EVACUATION IN
MODERN THERMAL
POWER PLANTS

Dense Phase Pneumatic Pressure Conveying

System
The Dense Phase Pneumatic Pressure Conveying Systems
uses low volume, medium pressure air stream and relies on
a continuously expanding volume of air pushing cohesive
slugs of material along the pipe.
This system uses a transfer vessel/pump tank to feed the
material into the conveying line. It is a batch system with
plugs of material separated by cushions of air. Average
conveying velocities are low between 2 to 5 m/sec.
The material air ratio is in the range of 20 - 100 to 1

Dense Phase Pneumatic Pressure Conveying

System
Using positive pressure they generally utilize a blow tank to collect the material
before
being transferred into the pipeline in batches.
With dense phase systems, a controlled use of both air pressure and volume pushes
the batch of material from the blow tank and into the pipeline in a plug flow form.

THE OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE

The systems normally have dual operatability either through the timer or level probe
which is installed in the collecting hopper.
As soon as the ash level reaches a fixed level in the collecting hopper, the level
probe senses its presence, it allows the system to initiate a conveying cycle.
The inlet valve opens to allow the ash to gravitate into the conveying vessel, till it
closes automatically.
On closure of the valve, the conveying vessel gets pressurized and the material
resistance helps pressure build up which conveys the material through pipe in the
destination silo. When conveying is complete which is sensed by the control system,
air supply to the system is stopped and system is ready for the next cycle.
The total system is made automatic by use of level probes in destination silo(s) to
control the transfer of material. Flexibility in the system allows to opt from single
transfer of material from one point collection to single reception hopper or a multipoint
collection.
The system is flexible enough and programmable and automatically operated
through a PLC based Central Control Panel.

INFLUENCE OF VELOCITY ON EROSION

COMPATIBILITY
The Dense Phase Pneumatic Conveying
system is flexible enough and compatible
with all size and type of boilers
Whether Boiler is from 3 MW to 600 MW,
Water tube or Fire tube,
CFB, PFB, Stoker fired,
Coal, Coke, Lignite, Rice Husk, etc.

In the typical Thermal Power Plant, Dense Phase offers

solutions for :
Conveying of fly ash from Economiser, Air Heater and ESP collecting hoppers to
intermediate silo(s) or directly to main silo.
Conveying of bed ash from collecting hoppers to intermediate silo(s)/BA Silos.
Conveying of ash from intermediate silo(s) to main silo installed outside the
boundary of the plant for truck/bulker loading ensuring elimination of
truck/bulker movement within the premises of power plant area.
Long distance conveying of fly ash from the power plant silo(s) to the fly ash
user premises, where the manufacturing facilities are installed, adjacent to that
particular power plant.
Handling the lime stone powder, sand dry gypsum, etc.
Handling of dry / wet coal and coal mill rejects.

H.P. JETTERING
LINE

SEAL THROUGH (LP WATER/SERVICE

WATER)

OVERFLOW
LINE
WEIR
BOX

FEED
GATE
S

BOTTOM ASH HOPPER

HOPPER MAKE-UP (L.P. WATER)

H.P. JETTERING LINE

B
FROM HP PUMP
FROM SURGE TANK

ECENTRIC
CRUSHER

BOTTOM ASH CONVEYING

FROM SETTILNG TANK
BOTTOM ASH CONVEYING

L.P. WATER
MAKE UP

L.P. RETURN
LINE

1A

DEWATERING BIN

OVERFLOW
TRANSFER
TANK

EMERGENCY
OVERFLOW
TO PLANT
DRAIN

OVER FLOW LINE

1B

CENTRAL
DECANTER
LOWER
DECANTER

STRAINERS
FOR WATER
SUCTION

1C
OVERFLOW
TRANSFER
PUMP

LP MAKE UP
WATER

DECANT
WATER
TRANSFER
TANK

FROM ASH SUMP

LOAD IN TRUCK

MAKEUP

OVERFLOW
LINE
TO
DRAIN

TO VARIOUS L.P. WATER SUPPLY

POINTS

SETTLING
TANK

RECIRCULATION
LINE
LP PUMPS

SURGE
TANK

1A
1B
1C
DECANT WATER
TRANSFER PUMPS

TO
PLANT
DRAIN

1A
SLUDGE
PUMPS

1B

TO
DEWATERING
BIN.

1A

1A
SLUDGE
PUMPS

1A
1B

BOTTOM ASH CONVEYING

SYSTEM

1B
HP
PUMPS

1B

ESP : ELECTROSTATIC
PRECIPITATOR

What is Electrostatic Precipitator?

ELECTROSTATIC
PRECIPITATOR (ESP) IS THE
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
THAT REMOVES THE DUST
PARTICLE AND SMOKE
THROUGH THE EFFECTIVE
FILTRATION PROCESS

Principles of Electrostatic precipitator

Electrostatic precipitation is a method of dust collection that
uses electrostatic forces, and consists of discharge wires and
collecting plates. A high voltage is applied to the discharge
wires to form an electrical field between the wires and the
collecting plates, and also ionizes the gas around the discharge
wires to supply ions. When gas that contains an aerosol (dust,
mist) flows between the collecting plates and the discharge
wires, the aerosol particles in the gas are charged by the ions.
The Coulomb force caused by the electric field causes the
charged particles to be collected on the collecting plates, and
the gas is purified. This is the principle of electrostatic
precipitation, and Electrostatic precipitator apply this principle
on an industrial scale. The particles collected on the collecting
plates are removed by methods such as (1) dislodging by
rapping the collecting plates, (2) scraping off with a brush, or
(3) washing off with water, and removing from a hopper.

Dust collection efficiency and electrical

resistivity of dust

The dust collection efficiency of Electrostatic

precipitator is affected by the electrical
resistivity of the dust collected.
In the normal resistivity area, the dust
collection efficiency is high, so dust collection
is stable. Most of the aerosols handled by
Electrostatic precipitator are in this electrical
resistivity area.
Particles in the low-resistivity area lose their
charge as soon as they arrive at the collecting
plate, so they are re-entrained in the dust
collection area, and the dust collection
efficiency is greatly reduced. (Re-entrainment)

Contd.

The dust collection efficiency in the high-resistivity

area reduces as the electrical resistivity of the dust
increases. Also, partial discharge occurs within the
dust layer collected on the collecting plates, and as a
result flashovers frequently occur, the applied voltage
is reduced, and the discharge current is reduced. If
the electrical resistivity of the dust is further
increased, the discharge current increases abnormally,
and the applied voltage is reduced (back corona
phenomenon). The moving-electrode type
electrostatic precipitator we developed is suitable for
high-performance collection of high-resistivity dust.

Therefore, an important factor when planning
Electrostatic precipitator is the electrical resistivity of
the dust to be collected

COMPONENTS USED IN
ELECTROSTATIC

Emitting electrodes
Collecting plates
440V 50HZ 3 AC supply
High voltage transformer
Rectifier
Insulators
ESP Hooper
DERM
CERM
Hopper

Technical specifications

Gas flow rate (m3/s)

Gas temperature at ESP inlet (c) 148
Dust concentration at inlet (gm/Nm)
Efficiency 99.939%
Pressure drop across the precipitator (in mmwc) 25
Velocity of gas in ESP 0.72 (m/s)
total number of collecting plates per boiler/Pass/Field 11400/2850/305
Nominal height of collecting plates in meters 15
Type of emitting electrodes Spiral with hook Size (diameter in mm) 2.7
Total number of Emitting electrodes per boiler/Pass/Field 9900/2475
No. of hoppers/boiler 160
Capacity of hopper 8 hour storage
Coal Ash Content 42%
Concentration/Emission 50 mg/NM3

Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio, which relates the length

of an ESP to its height, is an important
factor in reducing rapping loss (dust reentrainment). When particles are rapped
from the electrodes, the gas flow carries
the collected dust forward through the
ESP until the dust reaches the hopper

Impacts of Flue Gas temperatures

The operation of precipitator at gas

temperature below acid due point ( <
120C) results in :
a. Failure of emitting electrodes due to stress
corrosion cracking.
b. Corrosion of terminals.
c. Collection of wet ash on the electrodes
leads to formation of hard- to- rap layers of
ash.
d. Difficulty in removal of wet ash from the
hoppers.

Specific Collection Area:- The

specific
collection area (SCA) is defined as the
ratio of collection surface area to the
gas flow rate into the collector. It is an
important determinant of collection
efficiency
Charge Ratio The duty cycle or the
charge ratio is defined as the ratio of
the number of ON cycle to the sum of
the ON and OFF cycle The charge ratio
can be varied in the range 1:1 to 1:159,
which is necessitated to tackle the high
resistivity of fly ash encountered in
precipitators in India

BACK CORONA

A term that signifies that the ash layer on

the collector surface has reached a level
of RESISTIVITY that produces a flow of
positive IONS back towards the negative
high voltage discharge electrode. Most
commonly observed back corona
conditions result in SPARKOVER and a
reduction of POWER INPUT.

COLLECTION EFFICIENCY
The weight of dust collected per unit
time divided by the weight of dust
entering the precipitator during the same
unit time expressed in percentage. The
computation is as follows:

Efficiency =(ESP inlet Kg/Hr) (Dust out
let Kg/Hr) X 100 / (Dust in let Kg/Hr)

The basic formula describing ESP

performance is the Deutsch equation, giving
the outlet dust concentration, Cout, as
function of the inlet concentration (Cin), gas
flow (Q) and precipitator collecting area (A):
Cout = Cin exp[- A/Q]

Contd.
The collection efficiency () of a precipitator is
given by an empirical formula.
(WkSCA)1/2 = 1 e
where Wk has the dimension of velocity and
is known as migration velocity
SCA is specific collecting electrode area. =
Total projected collecting area
Gas flow rate

Contd.

This equation indicates that higher collection

efficiency can be obtained by increasing the size
of the precipitator or increasing the total
collecting surface area,

The migration velocity, Wk is influenced by

the electrical power input, electrical resistivity of
the dust particles, dust burden, grain size
distribution, temperature. This value various from
15 cm/sec. to 50cms/sec. Depending on the
collection efficiency requirement, specific
collecting electrode area may vary from 50 to
120 m2/m3/sec.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS of ESP

The major fundamental parts of the electrostatic
precipitator consist of the following :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Casing
Hoppers
Gas distributor screen
Collecting system
Emitting system
Rapping mechanism for collecting system
Rapping mechanism for emitting system
Insulator housing

Casing

Should have flexibilty to withstand designed

pressure, temperature & wind load
Problem free precipitator operation requires
that the electrode contained in and
supported by the casing remain perfectly
aligned. Therefore excessive flexing of the
casing must be avoided . The casing design
philosophy is to minimise distortion rather
than using the maximum allowable stress in
the steel
To provide for heat expansion, the casing is
supported by roller bearing supports

HOPPER
The hoppers are of pyramidal type. The valley
angle of the hoppers (angle between hopper
corner and horizontal) is never less than 55o and
often more to ensure easy dust down to the feed
out flange.


All hoppers have gas baffles.


The upper portion of the two adjacent
hoppers have a reinforced bridge to support the
hoppers across the precipitator width.


To ensure free flow of ash into disposal
system lower portions of the hoppers are
provided with electrical heaters with
thermostatic control.

GAS DISTRIBUTION SCREEN

The gas velocity in the precipitator is
approximately 1/10th of the velocity in the
ducting the precipitator. It is therefore
essential that the precipitator has
arrangements to give an even gas
distribution over its entire cross sectional
area.

The screens are of modular design and hang
within a framework in the precipitator
casing inlet

COLLECTING SYSTEM

The G profiled collecting electrode is based on the

concept of dimensional stability. The upper edge of
collecting plates are provided with hooks, which are
hung from support angles welded to the roof structure.
The lower edge of each plate has a shock receiving
plate, which is securely guided by the shock bar
arrangement.
The collecting plates are made of 1.6 mm steel plate
and shaped in one piece by roll forming. Rigidity is the
main purpose for the special design of the collecting
plate edges.
In order to assure the most rigid construction,
taller collecting plates (10m) are connected to one
another by transverse guides, thereby preventing any
swinging tendencies.

EMITTING SYSTEM
The emitting framework is thoroughly braced
and forms a rigid box-like structure. The frame
is assembled adjusted and welded to its final
position inside the casing.The emitting
electrodes are spiralized from semi-hard
stainless steel wire. The spiral electrodes are
sent to the erection site as closely wound
coils with one hook mounted at each end. At
the erection, the coils are stretched and
attached by means of a special stretching
device between top and bottom holders in
each stage of the framework

RAPPING MECHANISM FOR COLLECTING SYSTEM

Each collecting plate has a shock receiving plate an

its lower end. The plates in one row of each field
are interfaced to one another by these shock
receiving irons resting in slots in the shock bar thus
maintaining the required spacing. Tumbling
hammers, which are mounted on a horizontal shaft
in a staggered fashion, with one hammer for each
shock bar. As the shaft rotates slowly each of the
hammers in turn overbalances and tumbles, hitting
its associated shock bar. The shock bar transmits
the blow simultaneously to all of the collecting
plates in one row because of their direct contact
with the shock bar

RAPPING SYSTEM FOR EMITTING ELECTRODES

During electrostatic precipitation, a fraction of the

dust will be collected on the emitting electrodes
and the corona will gradually be suppressed as the
dust layer grows. It is therefore necessary to rap
the emitting electrodes occasionally. This rapping is
done with a rapping system employing Tumbling
Hammers, which are mounted on a hammers hit
specially designed shock beams to which the
intermediate part of the emitting frame of each
dust is attached. In this manner the shock energy
generated by the hammers is transmitted to the
emitting electrodes.

Types of Discharge elctrodes

Types of Discharge elctrodes

Collecting Electrode rapping Mechanism.

Gas Distribution Plate

Erosion in Gas Distribution plate

The flue gas from a coal fired thermal power station contains fine particles
of ash with size varying from 80 microns to less than 5 microns.
Ammonia injected into flue gas in the presence of sulfur trioxide and flue
gas moisture reacts to form ammonia compounds, principally ammonium
sulfate and bisulfate compounds. These particles nucleate on sub micron
particulate in the gas stream and help to agglomerate and increase ash
particle size. The ammonia also reacts with acidic ash to facilitate
absorption of sulfur trioxide. The resulting ammonium bisulfate is a sticky
compound and is believed to help agglomerate the ash and improve the
ash cohesivity. Another observed effect is an increase in the flow of ions,
electrons and charged particulate in the interelectrode space, or space
charge. The lower ash resistivity enables the ash to more readily release its
charge to the collecting plate, reducing the electrostatic holding force. The
reduced holding force allows more ash to re-entrain into the gas stream
when the collecting plates are rapped. The improvement in ash cohesivity
from dual conditioning reduces rapper re-entrainment by agglomerating
ash on the collecting plates. The lower resistivity particulate readily reentrains into the gas stream.