Analysis of Boiler Fouling and Boiler Cleaning Methods at the Commerce Refuse-to-Energy Facility

Author(s):  
Matthew A. Eaton

Waste-to-energy boiler fire-side fouling is a major operational issue for many facilities, including the Commerce Refuse-to-Energy Facility. The Commerce Refuse-to-Energy Facility is a 350 ton per day, mass burn waterwall facility that began operation in 1987. Fouling occurs throughout the convection sections with the highest differential pressure occurring across the generating bank. Flue gas differential pressures and temperatures have been tracked and analyzed at the facility for approximately ten years during various operating conditions. It has been determined that the rate of increase of the differential pressure across the generating bank is correlated with flue gas temperature and the extent of fouling. Several different cleaning methods have been used to clear the convection zone of ash deposits, including off-line hydroblasting, on-line hydroblasting, on-line explosives cleaning, sootblowers and sonic horns. Better understanding of the fouling trends and evaluation of cleaning methods has led the facility to use a combination of on-line hydroblasting and explosives cleaning and off-line hydroblasting. The facility is now able to operate one year between planned outages, compared to ten weeks during the initial operation of the facility. Additional savings have also been achieved by reducing induced draft fan load, and possibly a reduction in tube wastage.

Author(s):  
Brandon Billings ◽  
Greg Rodia ◽  
Ryan Scavone ◽  
Marc Tirkschleit

Clyde Bergemann Power Group (CBPG) and Covanta Niagara, a Waste-to-Energy facility (WTE) plagued by boiler cleanliness issues, have collectively worked to implement a Shower Clean System (SCS) trial in Boiler 3’s second pass. The SCS’s cleaning concept is designed to traverse down through the roof of the boiler into a narrow open pass using a custom design water spray nozzle to clean the water walls. A SCS trial assembly was operated at the facility from July 27, 2010 to September 1, 2010. A total of 16 cleaning cycles were performed. During this trial period, on average, the second pass outlet flue gas temperature saw a 62 degrees Fahrenheit (degF) reduction after a cleaning event was performed. Based on years of SCS operating experience, CBPG determined a cleaning event should not be initiated if the temperature rise in the second pass is less than 30 degF. This insures that the second pass would not be over cleaned causing material stress to the water walls. In order to estimate the proper cleaning frequency for Niagara’s permanent SCS, an average second pass fouling rate was calculated. Using the fouling rate and the minimum allowable flue gas temperature rise, a cleaning frequency was estimated. Based on the trial results, the recommended operating frequency of the permanent SCS at Covanta Niagara will employ the Umbrella nozzle in the second pass twice per day or once per shift (12 hours). This recommendation is based on observations of the six week operating trial of the SCS and is subject to change based on myriad variables such as waste characteristics and first pass outlet flue gas temperatures. Typical boiler operation at Niagara utilizes industrial cleanings once per week to extend its boiler runtime. During the six week trial the SCS helped reduce the total number of industrial cleanings necessitated to keep the boiler online. Once a permanent SCS is implemented and used daily, there could be significant benefits to boiler runtime without having a total dependence on industrial cleanings. Becoming more reliant on the SCS to maintain lower boiler flue gas temperatures will result in less costs associated with online boiler cleaning and potentially less damage to the third pass convective surface from less high pressure water washing.


2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Vladan Ivanovic

The calculation of the furnace in the industrial and power boilers is the most important and the most responsible part of the thermal calculation, and it has important influence on the rationalization of energy consumption. In the paper one-dimensional zonal method of the furnace thermal calculation of steam boilers is presented. It can successfully define disposition of flue gas temperature and specific thermal load of screen walls with height of the furnace in case of uneven deposits distribution which vary in size and quality. Its greatest use is for comparing furnace performance under various operating conditions.


Author(s):  
Thomas S. Honeycheck ◽  
Gregory H. Gesell ◽  
Mark C. Turner

Abstract The SEMASS Resource Recovery Facility (SEMASS) is a processed refuse fuel (PRF) waste-to-energy plant serving much of Southeastern Massachusetts. Units 1 and 2 at the plant were designed with spray dryer absorbers (SDAs) and electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). A review of historical data from the plant indicated that in order to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Municipal Waste Combustor (MWC) Rule (40 CFR Part 60, Subpart Cb), which is known as the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT), improved emission performance would be required from the flue gas cleaning system on Units 1 and 2. A pilot test program was conducted which led to the installation of COHPAC, or COmpact Hybrid PArticulate Collector units (i.e. flue gas polishing devices) downstream of the ESPs on these two combustion trains. The COHPAC units were successfully started up in June, 2000. In addition to these modifications, it was determined that further control of mercury emissions would be required. A system to inject powdered activated carbon into the flue gas was added to the plant. This paper describes that carbon injection system. A comparison between test data obtained at SEMASS is made with predictions based upon the EPA testing at the Ogden Martin Systems of Stanislaus, Inc. Municipal Waste Combustor Facility near Crows Landing, California and the EPA testing at the Camden County Municipal Waste Combustor in Camden, New Jersey. These are waste-to-energy plants, the former utilizing an SDA and a baghouse while the latter contains an SDA followed by an ESP. In addition, the effect of carbon injection location upon mercury reduction was investigated. The results of that study are also included.


Author(s):  
Ram Tewari ◽  
Sandy Gutner

Broward County (the County), which is located on the southeast coast of Florida, is currently faced with an ash management and metals recovery decision. The County has two mass burn resource recovery plants and they process a combined total of approximately 1.65 million tons of MSW. The ash residue from these two facilities is currently landfilled. At one facility, the South Broward Waste-to-Energy Facility (the South County Facility), ferrous was being recovered at the ash monofill using mobile equipment, as the plant was not equipped with metals recovery equipment. But as market prices dropped, so did the ferrous metals recovery. This has adversely affected the useful life of the ash monofill, owned by the County. The County is looking for a cost–effective alternative for an on–line metals (ferrous and non–ferrous) recovery system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 03056
Author(s):  
Su Pan ◽  
Pengfeng Yu ◽  
Linbo Liu ◽  
Jing Han ◽  
Xiao Shen

In order to solve the problem of abnormal rise of the differential pressure of the revolving air preheater on 300MW unit, we analysed the causes of abnormal rise of the differential pressure of the air preheater and evaluated performances of control measures, through historical data mining and on-site inspection of the unit. The results show that, with the gradual decrease of environment temperature with the decrease of the exhaust gas temperature, the ashes in flue gas are bound by acid liquid produced by condensation of flue gas, and the adhesion areas of the ammonium bisulfate produced in the denitration process are enlarged. However the original set ash blowing pressure can no longer satisfy the requirements of the air preheater, giving rise to the differential pressure of the air preheater on both sides to rise. The reason of the higher differential pressure of the unilateral air preheater is that the large ammonia injection amount, leading to the increases of ammonia escape of the denitrification system. So the side of the air on preheater ammonium bisulfate type blockage is more serious. After the Measures of Adjusting distribution coefficient of ammonia supply valve on both sides, increasing the dust blowing frequency and pressure of the air preheater, the differential pressure of air preheater on both sides are close to the consistent. The decrease amplitude of the differential pressure of the air preheater on 280MW is about 300-500Pa.


Author(s):  
Ayoola T. Brimmo ◽  
Mohamed I. Hassan Ali

Abstract In the aluminum production industry, metal furnaces are operated by diffusion flame over the metal surface to maintain the aluminum metal at the set point temperature for alloying and casting. Heat is transferred from the flame and its exhaust gases to the metal surface via radiation and convection. The exhaust gases leaves through the furnace’s chimney carrying a significant amount of waste heat to the atmosphere. Furnace efficiency could be improved by enhancing the heat transfer inside the furnace. In this study, a validated full-scale 3-D CFD model of a natural gas fired aluminum furnace is developed to investigate the effect of flue gas ventilation configurations and burner operating conditions on the heat transfer inside the furnace. Onsite measurements are carried out for the fuel and airflow rates as well as flue gas temperature. Four flue ventilation configurations are considered with eight furnace’s operation modes. The flue-gas’s waste-heat varies from 49–58%, with the highest value occurring at the high-fire operating mode. This indicates a significant room for improvement in the furnace performance. Results suggest that a symmetrical positioning of the exhaust duct favors effective exhaust gas circulation within the furnace and hence, increases hot-gases’ heat-transfer effectiveness inside the furnace. These results provide some guidelines for optimal aluminum reverberatory furnace designs and operation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 595-598 ◽  
pp. 271-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florimonde Lebel ◽  
Christophe Rapin ◽  
Jean François Mareche ◽  
Renaud Podor ◽  
Xavier Chaucherie ◽  
...  

The efficiency of Waste-to-Energy (W-t-E) boilers is affected by fireside corrosion of the heat exchangers that involve unexpected shutdown of facilities for repairs and limit the increase of steam conditions used to produce electricity. The parameters governing fireside corrosion are various and mechanisms are very complex, nevertheless, they are relatively well documented in the literature. In this paper, a laboratory-scale corrosion pilot, which reproduces MSWI boilers conditions, is described. The specificity of our approach includes simultaneous simulation of the temperature gradient at flue-gas/tube interface, the velocity of flue-gas and ashes. Corrosion rates obtained on Tu37C carbon steel at a metal temperature equal to 400°C and a flue gas temperatures of 650°C and 850°C (1100 ppm HCl, 110 ppm SO2 and synthetic ashes free of heavy metals) are respectively around 1.6 2m/hour and 5.6 2m/hour. Preferential metal loss, attributed to erosion-corrosion phenomena, is also observed at low flue-gas temperature (T=650°C) on the face exposed at 90° to the flue-gas. The analysis of corrosion scales demonstrates the reproducibility of results and the reliability of corrosion mechanisms determined from experiments, with degradation observed similar to superheater tubes from EfW facilities. Thus, the corrosion pilot developed can be used as an accurate simulator of the environment encountered in MSWI.


Author(s):  
Ken Robbins ◽  
Ken Huard ◽  
John King

The Maine Energy Recovery Company is a refuse derived fuel (RDF) waste to energy facility that began commercial operation in 1987. The facility consists of an RDF production operation, two B&W boilers which produce 210,000 lb/hr of steam at 650 psig/750F with a design Furnace Exit Gas Temperature of 1700 F, and a 22 MW steam turbine generator. Since startup, the facility has suffered fireside erosion/corrosion of the waterwalls, superheater, and generator bank hot side sections. Through the years, Maine Energy has made various operational and design changes in order to improve combustion and overall boiler availability. While combustion has improved as evidenced by improved emissions, reduced supplemental fuel usage, and lower ash production, superheater availability has suffered. At the same time reliability of the waterwall and generating bank components have improved. This paper will present a history of Maine Energy’s efforts to improve its superheater availability including a summary of the tube wastage rates for various superheater alloys, as well as Maine Energy’s plans for its superheaters.


Author(s):  
Shang-Hsiu Lee ◽  
Marco J. Castaldi

In order to clarify the effects of HCl concentrations on corrosion rates of commercial tubing in Waste-to-Energy (WTE) boilers, a corrosion test was made by altering the HCl concentration from 0 to 1000ppm, together with simulated flue gas composition. Three commercial tubing SA178A, SA213 T11 and NSSER-4 samples were investigated under a well controlled thermal gradient where the gas temperature was at 700°C and metal temperatures ranged from 480 to 580°C. The duration of each test was 100 hours. The posttest analyses included observations of surface morphology and elementary composition analysis of corrosion products by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The corrosion rates were acquired by measuring the mass loss of samples after the test. The results showed that the addition of HCl to the flue gas increased the corrosion rates of test samples, but the relation between the HCl concentration and corrosion rate was not linear. The HCl effects on corrosion rates were more prominent when its concentration changed from 0 to 500ppm. In addition, the HCl effects were promoted by the increase of metal temperature in particular when metal temperature was over 560°C.


Author(s):  
Mark P. Schwartz ◽  
Thomas M. White

For NAWTEC10, Messrs. Schwartz and White published and presented a paper on the retrofit of City of Tampa’s 1000-TPD, four-unit McKay Bay Facility. The original facility was constructed in 1967, as an incinerator. The first retrofit of the plant to a waste-to-energy facility occurred in 1985, and the 1999–2002 retrofit (chute to stack) enhanced the facility to current day technologies and environmental standards. This paper reviews both administrative and technical issues for the final project closeout, and describes several construction and operational improvements made in order to improve safety and optimize performance at the plant. Technical items include a remedy for excessive vibrations, addition of an ash conveyor ventilation system, successful use of boiler on-line concussion blasting, and addition of lower boiler furnace cameras.


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