An integrated theoretical fouling model for convective heating surfaces in coal-fired boilers

Particulate fouling on convective heating surfaces in coal-fired power plant boilers could lead to significant efficiency deterioration and frequent unit outages. In this paper, a new integrated particulate fouling model is presented by considering the combined suspended particles deposition and the fouling removal processes. A pre-deposited medium, rather than the tube wall, is taken as the target surface, while considering its internal microstructure, surface morphology and mechanical properties. To understand the processes of particle deposition and removal in inertial impaction, three fouling criteria are proposed in this paper by defining critical sticking angle and critical velocities. Some influential parameters, such as the interfacial adhesion energy and the fouling porosity, were studied, which revealed good prediction precision of the fouling model. Based on the fouling model presented in this paper, a computation fluid dynamics simulation was implemented to reconstruct the distribution of particulate fouling and the characteristic of fouling growth on economizer tubes.     

Computational study of fouling deposit due to surface-coated particles in coal-fired power utility boilers

Fouling deposits due to surface-coated particles have been calculated using computational fluid dynamics techniques. The sticking probabilities of the surface-coated particles are also evaluated on the basis of an energy balance. The sticking probabilities of the deposit surface are also included in the prediction of the deposition occurring through the multiple impaction of particles with the deposit surface. The sticking probability of an impacting particle is expressed in terms of such parameters as particle viscosity, surface tension, impact velocity, impact angle and the thickness of the sticky layer on a particle. Particulate behavior around a tube in cross-flow was studied using the Lagrangian approach. Three important parameters, i.e. impact velocity, impact angle, and particulate concentration, were used in the prediction of deposition rate. The computational predictions were found to be in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Monitoring and prediction of fouling in coal-fired utility boilers using neural networks

This paper describes a systematic approach to predict ash deposits in coal-fired boilers by means of artificial neural networks. The approach is of a “grey box” nature, decomposing the problem into logical parts, and avoiding the use of sophisticated data. Although it is relative to the specific fuel and equipment, the prediction is very detailed and can be used on-line; it accounts not only for the deposition rate, but also for short-term cleaning occurrences, thus simulating a complex and chaotic time-evolution. The model is developed with the aid of a case-study, that of the fouling of a furnace, as detected by heat flux meters. Provided that an adequate amount of heat transfer measurements can be gathered, the procedure can be used to simulate the evolution of boiler heat absorption under realistic conditions of deposition. Applications include obviously new possibilities for automatic control of the equipment, as well as the optimization of operating set points to maximize thermal efficiency, such as the sequence and operation of on-load cleaning devices. It is thought that the method developed would be applicable to other instances of fouling or equipment degradation exhibiting similar behavior, specially with respect to on-line corrective measures.     

Remediation of ash problems in pulverised coal-fired boilers

This paper reports the control methods for mitigating fouling and slagging in brown coal-fired power utilities. Two control methods were investigated, i.e. wet pretreatment of coal and the use of mineral additives. By the first technique, samples of brown coal were treated with aluminium solutions to adjust the levels of Na, Al and Cl. The effect of cleaning was tested under closely controlled conditions in the range of 1000–1400°C. At a gas temperature of 1250°C, the deposition behaviour of treated and raw coals were compared using a deposition probe maintained at temperatures of 500, 600, 700 and 800°C. The second technique involved experiments with mixtures of candidate mineral additives and sodium compounds at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1400°C.

Experiments showed that both the methods were effective in reducing ash-related problems. Between 1000 and 1400°C, the quantity of condensable salts generated was found to depend only on the amount of sodium in coal. With the wet method, aluminium reduces the sodium level and thus fouling by ion exchange. The stickiness of sodium silicates from this coal was also shown to be reduced by aluminium. Deposition model calculations based on sticking probability also indicated that Al-treated coals result in less ash deposition on boiler surfaces. Experiments with mineral additives showed that sodium could be captured by clay minerals, particularly kaolin. For Victorian brown coal-based power station boilers, 10–20 μm kaolin making up 2–3 wt.% of the feed was estimated to effectively reduce the ash problems.     

Combining support vector regression and cellular genetic algorithm for multi-objective optimization of coal-fired utility boilers

Support vector regression (SVR) was employed to establish mathematical models for the NO_x emissions and carbon burnout of a 300 MW coal-fired utility boiler. Combined with the SVR models, the cellular genetic algorithm for multi-objective optimization (MOCell) was used for multi-objective optimization of the boiler combustion. Meanwhile, the comparison between MOCell and the improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) shows that MOCell has superior performance to NSGA-II regarding the problem. The field experiments were carried out to verify the accuracy of the results obtained by MOCell, the results were in good agreement with the measurement data. The proposed approach provides an effective tool for multi-objective optimization of coal combustion performance, whose feasibility and validity are experimental validated. A time period of less than 4 s was required for a run of optimization under a PC system, which is suitable for the online application.     

Long-term operation optimization of circulating cooling water systems under fouling conditions

Fouling caused by excess metal ions in hard water can negatively impact the performance of the circulating cooling water system(CCWS) by depositing ions on the heat exchanger’s surface. Currently, the operation optimization of CCWS often prioritizes short-term flow velocity optimization for minimizing power consumption, without considering fouling. However, low flow velocity promotes fouling. Therefore,it’s crucial to balance fouling and energy/water conservation for optimal CCWS long-term opera...     

Fouling propensities of blended coals in pulverized coal-fired power station boilers

This paper presents the experimental results on the fouling propensity of five pairs of blended coals (19 coals and blends) tested in the Australian Coal Industry Research Laboratory (ACIRL) furnace. The results showed that the coal D has the highest fouling propensity among tested coals and blends. A parameter, growth rate (mm/h), is used to numerically rank the fouling propensity based on photos of fouling deposits taken over a period of test time. The growth rate correlates the fouling propensity better than the build up rate or the fouling coefficient. Five empirical fouling indices are examined against the fouling propensities of the above 19 coals and blends, and another 10 coals and blends previously tested in the Energy and Environmental Research Cooperation (EER) furnace. The linear correlation between the flue gas exit temperature/initial deformation temperature (FGET/IDT(ox.)), a measure of the overall heat transfer in the furnace, and the Na₂O, g/GJ, is proved to be a good tool for predicting the fouling propensity of coals. There is also a relationship between the FGET and the growth rate.     

燃煤工业锅炉烟气中SO2控制技术的研究进展

介绍了煤炭燃烧硫污染物的产生及危害,并分别从煤炭燃烧前脱硫、炉内脱硫以及烟气脱硫等方面介绍了SO2控制技术的研究进展,重点介绍了煤炭燃烧后烟气脱硫技术的研究现状和一些新技术发展应用情况。     

煤质特性对燃煤电厂炉型选择的影响

对某新建电厂拟用煤种的煤质特性进行了分析,发现设计煤种、校核煤种Mt都超过了31%,采用煤粉炉炉型时,选择中速磨制粉系统应特别慎重;设计煤种具有轻微结渣、中度沾污倾向,校核煤种具有严重结渣、高度沾污倾向,设计、校核煤种分别属于中等结渣和易结渣煤种;设计、校核煤种属低挥发分褐煤,热值均较低。以煤质特性为基础,从燃料水分、灰渣特性、挥发分和发热量、煤灰CaO含量等方面对电厂锅炉炉型进行了选择。结果表明:与煤粉炉相比,循环流化床(CFB)锅炉对煤种适应性更强,可大幅降低燃用煤种的结焦风险,且低负荷稳燃特性良好;CFB锅炉+干法脱硫除尘一体化的布置方式可充分利用灰中CaO,节约脱硫用石灰石耗量,降低投资。最后通过对CFB锅炉的优势分析,说明其具有燃料适应性好、负荷调节范围广、清洁高效燃烧和运行周期长等优点,对于设计、校核煤种来说,CFB锅炉是更好的选择。     

Further study of the gas temperature deviation in large-scale tangentially coal-fired boilers

Gas temperature deviation in upper furnace is an important but a less reported issue in large-scale tangentially fired boilers, since they endanger largely boilers operation. Simulations are conducted in this paper to study the deviation. Perfect agreement between the simulation results and key boiler design values and available site operation records indicates that the calculations are reliable. Based on the simulations, effect of some factors, including residual airflow swirling at furnace exit, super-heaters panels, coal particle trajectories and their combustion histories, on temperature deviations are studied in details. The most important cause and how it affects the temperature deviation are located. Two new methods, a nose on front-wall and re-arranged super-heater panels, are put forward unprecedentedly to alleviate the deviations.     

Modification of boiler operating conditions for mercury emissions reductions in coal-fired utility boilers

US EPA's studies have determined that mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants pose significant hazards to public health and must be reduced. Coal-fired power plants represent a significant fraction of the anthropogenic emissions of mercury into the atmosphere. Mercury emissions are impacted by factors such as coal type, boiler operation, fly ash characteristics and type of environmental control equipment installed on the unit. Field data show a wide variation in the fraction of mercury that is emitted in the gaseous phase, as elemental and oxidized mercury vapor, and as particulate-bound mercury. Oxidized mercury is a preferable species because is less volatile at stack temperatures, water-soluble, and tends to interact with mineral matter and char, and cold-end air pollution control devices. There is also evidence that boiler-operating conditions could be used to influence mercury behavior in the boiler, since they affect the thermo-chemical conditions for mercury formation and reduction. However, operation of boiler control settings, which result in mercury removal benefits, should also consider the tradeoff between mercury reduction and other emissions (for example, NO_x and CO), the level of unburned carbon in the fly ash, unit efficiency and the performance of particulate control equipment.This paper reports fieldwork performed to investigate the feasibility of affecting mercury emissions from coal-fired plants by manipulating boiler control settings. Full-scale testing was performed at two units. One of the units is equipped with a back-end train that includes a rotary air preheater followed by two electrostatic precipitators in series. The other unit is equipped with hot and cold precipitators and a tubular air preheater. A strategy for mercury control by selectively manipulating boiler control settings, if used in combination with other control measures such as sorbent injection, should provide a cost-effective option for mercury control.     

湿法脱硫装置对燃煤锅炉PM2.5排放特征的影响

采用二级稀释采样方法对1台电厂煤粉炉、1台电厂CFB锅炉和2台工业层燃炉配备的WFGD前后烟气中PM_2.5进行现场采样。采用ELPI分析PM_2.5的数量及质量浓度粒径分布;通过SEM分析PM_2.5的显微结构,通过XRF、ICP-OES和离子色谱法分别对PM_2.5中次量、痕量元素及水溶性离子含量进行测定。研究结果表明,相比于WFGD前,煤粉炉和CFB锅炉WFGD后PM_2.5质量浓度减少,而层燃炉WFGD后PM_2.5质量浓度增加。WFGD后PM_2.5中存在大量块状、层状、片状、细小柱状和球形颗粒聚合体的结构,浆液成分及脱硫产物的附着会使PM_2.5的外观形貌特征发生显著变化。脱硫后由于脱硫浆液的参与,PM_2.5中Ca、S及相应Ca²⁺、SO₄^2-含量显著增加,Si和Al的含量下降;气相的As、Se和Hg也会发生不同的化学变化从而进入PM_2.5。湿法脱硫过程中浆液会捕集烟气中颗粒物,但脱硫浆液成分及脱硫产物会经由干化作用直接形成颗粒或与原有颗粒经碰撞聚合形成新颗粒。     

强制对流传热的换热表面结垢特性实验研究

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the fouling process of calcium carbonate on the heat transfer surface, during forced convective heat transfer. The dynamic monitoring apparatus of fouling resistance was set up for the present experiments. The fouling behavio（s were examined under different factors including fluid velocity, hardness,alkalinity, solution temperature, and wall temperature. Asymptotic fouling curves varying with time were obtained. The fouling rate and asymptotic fouling resistance increased and the induction periods were shortened with the fluid velocity decreasing, hardness andalkalinity increasing, and solution temperature and heat transfer surface temperature increasing. Thecomponents of fouling that formed on the heat transfer surface included crystallization fouling and particulate fouling. The thermal performance parameter of fouling,ρfhf, varied from 380 to 2600 kg·W·（m^4·K）^-1, increasing with growing velocity and decreasing solution temperature, hardness or alkalinity. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of fouling, λf, varied from 1.7 to 2.2 W·（m·K）^-1 .     

锅炉湿法除尘废水循环回用治理中的悬浮物处理技术研究

介绍了利用稀土陶瓷和燃煤炉渣净化燃煤锅炉湿式除尘废水中悬浮物的技术研究,并列举实例介绍了该技术在工程中的应用。     

Effect of acid strength distribution on de-t-butylation rate and catalyst fouling rate

De-t-butylation of t-butylbenzenes was carried out over a pyridine poisoned solid acidic catalyst to determine the effect of acid strength distribution on the reaction rate and catalyst fouling rate. The acid sites on the solid acidic catalyst were divided into three groups by their acid strength. Moderate acid sites, which were effective for the de-t-butylation but ineffective for the coke formation, were exclusively left on the catalyst surface by the partial poisoning. It is found that the present modification of the catalyst is useful in preparing an acid catalyst without catalyst fouling by coke deposition.     

超细飞灰对烟气酸露点与酸凝结的影响研究

准确预测燃煤锅炉尾部烟气的酸露点和酸凝结对深度降低排烟温度、保障尾部换热设备的安全高效运行十分重要。尾部烟气中存在的飞灰颗粒对酸露点和酸凝结液滴的发生有很大影响,不可忽略。考虑烟气中超细飞灰颗粒对酸露点和酸凝结的影响,提出了飞灰粒径对考虑局部凝结质量传输效果的酸露点和酸凝结迭代计算方法,实现了酸露点和壁面温度下酸凝结的准确预测。当飞灰粒径低于中肯半径(r_ash0)时,飞灰粒径对凝结率有显著影响;随着飞灰粒径的降低,硫酸蒸气、水蒸气以及酸液凝结率明显增加,尤其是硫酸蒸气凝结率;飞灰粒径越小,凝结越易发生。然而,过冷度超过30℃时,烟气中超细飞灰颗粒对低温壁面酸凝结的影响可以忽略不计。烟气携带而不被低温壁面捕获的凝结酸液量较少,烟气中超细飞灰颗粒对烟气酸蒸气的降低作用可以忽略不计。理论计算方法为分析现场酸-灰作用积灰层提供理论依据,对于优化燃煤锅炉尾部烟道的安全高效运行有重大指导意义。     

The effect of halloysite additive on operation of boilers firing agricultural biomass

The paper presents results of investigations on using halloysite as an additive in biomass-fired boilers. It has been shown that in the case of a few different agricultural biomasses the halloysite addition increased the ash sintering temperature to the values noted for coals. This is an effect of bonding sodium and potassium in the form of chlorides and other compounds. In practical terms the halloysite additive may reduce slagging and fouling of boiler heating surfaces as well as deteriorate the agglomeration processes in fluidized beds. Moreover, addition of halloysite reduces the amount of KCl and NaCl present in ash (and therefore in ash deposits) thus decreasing the rate of high temperature corrosion.     

Investigations of the coupled effect of cake-enhanced osmotic pressure and colloidal fouling in RO using crossflow sampler-modified fouling index ultrafiltration

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of using the resistivity and deposition rate data from Crossflow Sampler-Modified Fouling Index Ultrafiltration (CFS-MFI_UF) measurements to determine the coupled effects of colloidal fouling and cake enhanced osmotic pressure (CEOP) effect. Cake filtration derived from CFS-MFI_UF was combined with a CEOP model to predict the crossflow RO fouling profile under constant flux filtration. The prediction based on resistivity, I′ from CFS-MFI_UF measurement alone was found to underestimate the RO fouling for high salinity solutions. However, when incorporating the mass information from the CFS-MFI_UF test to account for the CEOP effect, the prediction showed good agreement with the TMP profile of the RO system. The results indicated that the CFS-MFI_UF test which includes the CEOP effect is a very promising technique to provide an estimation of the RO colloidal fouling profile. When the changes of cake thickness and porosity throughout the filtration were considered, the predicted TMP profile based on the model clearly indicated a two-stage of fouling profile which agreed well with the experimental data. Additional studies on the effects of cake thickness and porosity on CEOP highlighted the important influence of cake structure on CEOP.     

Investigations on the growth ofRhodococcus rubra in relation to the formation of stable biological foams

The growth characteristics of a foam-forming species,Rhodococcus rubra were studied on different substrates. The basic medium contained Czapek (3.34%), yeast extract (0.2%), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (0.12%), dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (0.25%) and ammonium chloride (0.1%). This was supplemented with varying concentrations of glucose (0–2%). The same basic medium was also used to examine the growth ofR. rubra in combination with varying concentration of n-hexadecane (0.0–0.5%) as a source of energy while varying the concentration of ammonium chloride in the range 1–3 gl ⁻¹. Studies based on determining the biomass concentration, the surface activity related to the cell suspensions and measuring the variations in broth pH revealed that glucose encouraged the growth ofR. rubra, compared to the control. However, increasing the glucose concentration from 0.1 to 2.0% had no further effect on growth. The surface activity of the cell suspensions increased with increasing glucose concentration. Results similar to glucose were exhibited by the addition of n-hexadecane, suggesting same degree of growth among different concentrations with higher surface activity increasing with increase in substrate concentration. Results have also shown that the pH of all the culture broths decreased as the ammonium chloride concentration increased, suggesting that there was a production of hydrogen ions during the course of its metabolism.