Clean Boiler Water-Side Heat Transfer Surfaces: Monitor Flue Gas Temperature

Steam Motors Compressed Air
Monitor Flue Gas Clean Boiler Water-side Heat Transfer

Temperature Surfaces
An indirect indicator of scale or
deposit formation is flue gas Even on small boilers, the prevention of scale formation can produce substantial energy
temperature. If the flue gas savings. Scale deposits occur when calcium, magnesium, and silica, commonly found in
temperature rises (with boiler most water supplies, react to form a continuous layer of material on the waterside of the
load and excess air held constant), boiler heat exchange tubes.
the effect is possibly due to the Scale creates a problem because it typically possesses a thermal conductivity an order of
presence of scale. magnitude less than the corresponding value for bare steel. Even thin layers of scale serve
as an effective insulator and retard heat transfer. The result is overheating of boiler tube
Perform Visual metal, tube failures, and loss of energy efficiency. Fuel wastage due to boiler scale may
Inspections be 2% for water-tube boilers and up to 5% in fire-tube boilers. Energy losses as a function
Visually inspect boiler tubes of scale thickness and composition are given in the table below.
when the unit is shut down for
Energy Loss Due to Scale Deposits*
maintenance. Scale removal can
be achieved by mechanical Fuel Loss, % of Total Use
means, or acid cleaning. If scale Scale Thickness, Scale Type
is present, consult with your inches Normal High Iron Iron plus Silica
local water treatment specialist
and consider modifying your 1/64 1.0 1.6 3.5
feedwater treatment or chemical 1/32 2.0 3.1 7.0
additives schedule. 3/64 3.0 4.7
1/16 3.9 6.2
Note: Normal scale is usually encountered in low-pressure applications. The high iron and
iron plus silica scale composition results from high-pressure service conditions.
*Extracted from National Institute of Standards and Technology, Handbook 115, Supplement 1.
Example
A boiler annually uses 450,000 million Btus (MBtu) of fuel while operating for 8000 hours
at its rated capacity of 45,000 pounds-per-hour (lbs/hr) of 150-psig steam. If scale 1/32nd
of an inch thick is allowed to form on the boiler tubes, and the scale is of normal
composition, the table indicates a fuel loss of 2%. The increase in operating costs, assuming
energy is priced at $3.00/MBtu, is:
Annual Operating Cost Increase = 450,000 MBtu/year x $3.00/MBtu x 0.02
= $27,000
Adapted from an Energy TIPS
fact sheet that was originally
published by the Industrial Suggested Actions
Energy Extension Service of
Georgia Tech. For additional Any scale in a boiler is undesirable. The best way to deal with scale is not to let it form
information on industrial energy in the first place. Scale formation is prevented by:
efficiency measures, contact the pretreatment of boiler makeup water (using water softeners, demineralizers, and
OIT Clearinghouse at reverse osmosis to remove scale-forming minerals),
(800) 862-2086.
chemical injection into the boiler feedwater, and
adopting proper boiler blowdown practices.
OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES

ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
About DOEs Office of Industrial Technologies
The Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT), through partnerships with industry, government, and non-governmental organizations,
develops and delivers advanced energy efficiency, renewable energy, and pollution prevention technologies for industrial applications.
OIT is part of the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
OIT encourages industry-wide efforts to boost resource productivity through a strategy called Industries of the Future (IOF). IOF focuses on
the following nine energy and resource intensive industries:
Agriculture Chemicals Glass Mining Steel
Aluminum Forest Products Metal Casting Petroleum
To help industries begin to save energy, reduce costs, and cut pollution right away, OIT offers a comprehensive portfolio of emerging
technology, practices, tools, information, and resources in a variety of application areas, such as motor systems, steam systems, compressed
air systems, and combined heat and power systems. Likewise, OITs Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC), located throughout the U.S., offer
energy, waste, and productivity assessments to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Users can take advantage of the abundant resources,
such as software, fact sheets, training materials, etc. available from OIT.
Motor Systems helps industry increase productivity and reliability through energy-efficient electric motor-driven systems.
Documents - Software
o Buying an Energy-Efficient Electric Motor o MotorMaster+ 3.0 and training CD
o Optimizing Your Motor-Driven System o ASDMaster
o Frequently Asked Questions on: The Impacts of the o Pumping System Assessment Tool
Energy Policy Act of 1992 on Industrial End Users of Training
Electric Motor-Driven Systems o MotorMaster+ 3.0 Software
o Energy Management for Motor Driven Systems o Adjustable Speed Drive Application
o Improving Pumping System Performance: A Sourcebook o Pumping System Optimization
for Industry o Pumping System Assessment Tool
Access the Web site at www.motor.doe.gov.
Steam Systems helps industry enhance productivity, increase profits, and reduce emissions through better steam system management.
Documents Case Studies
o Energy Efficiency Handbook o Georgia Pacific Achieves 6-Month Payback
o Plant Services Article - The Steam Challenge o Bethlehem Steel Showcase Demonstration
o Energy Manager Article - Steaming Ahead Software
o Oak Ridge National Laboratorys Insulation Guidelines o 3EPlus Software for Determining Optimal Insulation Thickness
o 1998 IETC Steam Session Papers
Access the Web site at www.oit.doe.gov/steam.
Compressed Air Systems dedicated to improving the efficiency and performance of industrial compressed air systems.
Documents Training
o Improving Compressed Air System Performance: o Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems
A Sourcebook for Industry (For schedule and location, call (800) 862-2086)
Access the Web site at www.knowpressure.org.
Industrial Assessment Centers enable small and medium-sized manufacturers to have comprehensive industrial assessments
performed at no cost to the manufacturer.
Documents Access the Web site at www.oit.doe.gov/iac.
o IAC Database
For more information, simply check the box next to the product, fill out the form below and fax back to (360) 586-8303:
Name: __________________________________________________________ Title: ________________________________________________________
Organization: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________________________________ State: ____________________________ Zip: ____________________
Phone: ______________________________ Fax: ______________________________ E-mail: ______________________________________________
Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For more information on Motor, Steam, Compressed Air Systems, and IACs, call the OIT Clearinghouse at (800) 862-2086,
or access the Web site at www.oit.doe.gov.
Steam Tip Sheet #7 December 1999 DOE/GO-10099-952

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Steam Motors Compressed Air

Monitor Flue Gas Clean Boiler Water-side Heat Transfer

OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES

City: __________________________________________ State: Zip:

Phone: Fax: E-mail: __________________

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