Slagging in Steam Generators

Root Cause Analysis

 Possible Cusses of Slagging in Boiler
Slagging

Design Coal/Ash Combustion Bottom Ash

Adequacy Analysis (third optimisation Evacuation
check party)

Desktop Study Walk Interview Field Field

using propriety Coal Ash Down Operating Processes
Plant Settings Mesure
software Check Data
Experts ments
Design Actual Design Actual
Furnace Combustion
Sizing System
design

• EPRS • Any chemical additive?

• Burner • Sio2 • Flame Shape
loading • Proximate • Any specific operation
nozzle Analysis • Al2O3 • Peep hole observation
(NHI/EPRS) trigger?
design • Ultimate • Fe2O3 • Flame color
• Plan Area • SADC • Why only one unit?
loading Analysis • CaO • Flame Front
design • Thermogravi • Time taken for
(NHI/Plan • MgO • Bottom Ash Quality
• Ash metric restoration for each
Area) • Phosphorus (unburnt carbon) outage?
Slagging analysis
• Burner • In situ Secondary Air
potential • HardGrove • Chlorides • Time between
zone Heat (low/med. Damper openings and
Index (HGI) • Sodium detection of Slagging
Release /high) comparing with control
• Potassium build up and actual unit
Rate room stoppage
• Burner Heat • Initial • Mapping slag location, if
Release Deformation • Any SOP/duration
any
Rate Temp (IDT) • Any specific location?
• FEFGT measurement
• FEGT (IDT- • Hemispherical • Which soot blower are
through Pyrometer
50 oC) Temp (HT) most effective?
• Fire ball position
• Fusion Temp. • Water Cannon
feedback?
 Decision Tree for Reducing Slagging

Design No
Need
Adequacy Modification

Optimise
Yes
Combustion

AND
Reduced
Slagging

Optimise Soot
blowing Yes
Frequency and Copper oxy Chloride
steam Chemical
Coal/Ash
parameters Additive
Characteristics No

OK Options
 Operating Data
• Mill Combination, Burner Tilt
availability and position, Variation of
burner tilt
• Ms Pressure/Temp/Flow.
• Feed water inlet Pressure/Temp/Flow.
• Superheat/Reheat spray flow
• Total/Secondary/Primary Air flows
• Steam pressure and temperature at
inlet and outlet of primary/Secondary
SH/RH inlet & outlet
• Left/Right steam temperature
differential
• Survey of metal temperature of the
hottest tubes
• Mill air flows, outlet temps, fineness etc.
• Flue gas temp. at various locations
• Condenser Vacuum
• HP heaters in service?
• Sec air dampers opening for all elevations
viz. A, AB, B, BC, C……;
• Is SADC in auto?
• Over Fire Air (OFA)damper Position
• Wind box pressure
• Soot blowing frequency, steam temp,
pressure
• Change in parameters before and after soot
blowing (SH/RH spray, Flue gas temp at eco
outlet etc)
 Field settings
• Ratio of primary air/secondary air
• Total air flow
• Burners
• Secondary dampers
• Over fire dampers
• Any special biasing to cater to high Fe2O3 and coal flow imbalance
• Measurement of coal flow through each pipe using pitot traverse
• What is the flow imbalance through each pipe (restrict upto 5%)
• Coal pipe orifice condition-when last inspected?
• Auto loops in manual mode
• Burner internal study and to confirm if there is any bluff body
 Field Measurements

• Flue Gas Exit Gas Temperature (FEGT) using pyrometer or

High Velocity Thermocouple (HVT)
• Ash deposit mapping
• Primary/secondary air flows
 Processes
• Coal Sampling
• Ash sampling
• Bottom Ash Measurement
• Iso-kinetic Sampling instruments for coal flow
• Dirty pitot tube
• Rotor probe
 Combustion Optimisation Parameters

• Try various combinations of SADC and settings to

get optimum flame shape
• Flame front: 16”-18” from burner tip
• Minimum Unburnt carbon in bottom ash
• Explore SADC biasing option to cater for high
Fe2O3
• Restrict coal flow unbalance to 5%
• Ensure operation at rated parameters
• Explore using water cannons
• Avoid exceeding design heat loadings