2nd Control of Boiler
2nd Control of Boiler
2nd Control of Boiler
CONTROL
OF
BOILERS
2nd Edition
SAM G. DUKELOW
The information presented in this publication is for the general education of the reader. Because neither
the author nor the publisher has any control over the use of the information by the reader, both the author
and the publisher disclaim any and all liability of any kind arising out of such use. The reader is expected
to exercise sound professional judgment in using any of the information presented in a particular
application.
Additionally, neither the author nor the publisher have investigated or considered the effect of any patents
on the ability of the reader to use any of the information in a particular application. The reader is
responsible for reviewing any possible patents that may affect any particular use of the information
presented.
Any references to commercial products in the work are cited as examples only. Neither the author nor the
publisher endorses any referenced commercial product. Any trademarks or trade names referenced belong
to the respective owner of the mark or name. Neither the author nor the publisher makes any
representation regarding the availability of any referenced commercial product at any time. The
manufacturer's instructions on use of any commercial product must be followed at all times, even if in
conflict with the information in this publication.
ISBN 1-55617-330-X
We would like to thank the many suppliers who provided material for this book, and we regret any we may
have inadvertently failed to credit for an illustration. On notification we shall insert a correction in any
subsequent printings.
Some material herein has previously appeared in Improving Boiler Efficiency by Sam G. Dukelow, produced by
Kansas State University and distributed by ISA.
For information on corporate or group discounts for this book, e -mail: bulksales@ isa.org,
Five years have passed since the first edition of this book, and I have continued to learn
as I have become older and wiser. In the third paragraph of the preface to the first edition, I
implied that what I have done in this second edition was impossible. I want to eat those words.
The cartoon by Gus Shaw on the opposite page tells the story. During his work with Bailey
Meter Co. (prior to Bailey Controls Co.), Gus made several great cartoons on this theme. A
complete study of The Control of Boilers must include the starting up phase of the
process. One of the purposes of this edition is to include some basic information on that digital
phase of the operation in addition to the modulating on-line operation covered in the orig-
inal edition.
This results in the sections and subsections covering interlocks, burner start-up and man-
agement, and the management of the start-up and operation of pulverizers and other fuel-
burning equipment. Along with this is the recognition of applicable safety codes of the Na-
tional Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Another purpose of this edition is the extension of the on-line aspects of boiler control
into the arena of the larger-capacity electric utility boilers. The results of this are new sections
covering the firing rate demand for utility boilers and steam temperature control. The section
covering furnace pressure control has been expanded to include implosion protection. The
section covering the control of pulverized coal firing has been expanded to include cyclone
furnaces and their control and the compartmented windbox boiler and its control.
And, as I said above, I have become older and wiser in the past five years. My ASME
membership card now says 51 years, my ISA membership card says 42 years, and I have had
time to rethink some the things I thought I already knew. In this last five years my work has
taken me to installations involving chain grate stokers, pulverized coal-fired boilers, gas-fired
boilers, the steam power cycle of a nuclear breeder reactor, and process heaters fired with by-
product gas. In the past few months, my work with distributed digital system on an electric
utility unit demonstrated the differences of working with a digital system as compared to an
analog system. Three of the above assignments involved the investigation of furnace explo-
sions that caused major damage. The investigation included considerable dialogue with every-
body involved, as I continued to learn.
In addition, the past five years have brought me approximately 25 teaching assignments
covering boiler control for various types of boilers. This has involved me with approximately
500 students with various industrial and utility boiler backgrounds. In each of these areas, and
i? talking to the people involved, I have gained new insights and thus continued my learning.
So now this second edition of The Control of Boilers. There is less coverage of the field
of start-up and utility boiler control than these subjects deserve, but I believe that the basics
included will help tie the whole subject together. There is still much to be written. It is my
understanding that a much more detailed text in the area of burner start-up and management
is in process. An expansion in the area of utility boiler control directed at cogeneration, coal
gasification combined cycles, low NOx control, flue gas scrubbers, fluidized bed boilers and
their control, expert systems, artificial intelligence, and power plant unit performance analysis
would be welcome. As indicated in the preface to the first edition of this book, the whole field
of energy management for least cost operation of boilers and HVAC should also be given
attention.
The boiler control field, and the rest of the I&C field, has had its revolution. It is now a
distributed digital microprocessor world. But as with all control systems, no matter what
hardware or software is used, the control application of the job to be done must be the major
focus and must be defined. This book is a discussion of that application area. The hardware-
software combination of todays world unleashes the control application engineer from the
xi
bonds of hardware and hardware installation cost contraints. The engineer can now concentrate
on how best to control the boiler and other aspects of the power process.
Again I thank all those who, both knowingly and unknowingly, helped me along the way.
I particularly thank Paul Kenny of Forney Engineering Co.; Ollie Durrant, now retired from
Babcock & Wilcox Co.; and Russ Beal, now retired from Bailey Controls Co., who furnished
me with source documents.
My intent is to emphasize the basic ideas involved in boiler control and thus stimulate the
reader to expand his or her knowledge with more detailed study. If this book provides a jump-
start to beginners in the field of boiler control application, or adds new insights to those ex-
perienced readers, I shall have accomplished my purpose.
S.G. Dukelow
Hutchinson, Kansas
xii
Contents
Chapter Page
Section 10 Main Steam and Reheat Steam Temperature Control ..................... 139
139
10-1 Temperature vs . Boiler Load ..............................................
10-2 Mechanisms for Control of Superheat Temperature ................... 139
10-3 Basic Steam Temperature Control Strategies ........................... 144
10-4 Steam Temperature and Reheat Temperature Control Strategies .... 147
10-5 A Reheat Temperature Control Arrangement for a Combustion
Engineering Boiler .......................................................... 149
10-6 The Corresponding Superheat Temperature Control for the
Combustion Engineering Boiler .......................................... 152
10-7 Spray Water Sources-Steam and Water Flow Measurements....... 154
10-8 Interactions ................................................................... 156
10-9 Pumping and Firing Rate for Once-Through Boilers .................. 156
10-10 Steam Temperature Control for Once-Through Boilers ............... 160
vi
Chapter Page
Section 12 Feedwater Supply and Boiler Water Circulation Systems .............. 177
12-1 The Basic System ......................................................... 177
12-2 Heating and Deaeration .................................................. 177
12-3 The Boiler Feedwater Pump ............................................. 180
12-4 The Flow Regulation System ........................................... 181
12-5 Shrink and Swell and Boiler Water Circulation ...................... 183
12-6 Feedwater Chemical Balance and Control of Boiler Blowdown ... 187
Section 17 Flue Gas Analysis Trimming of Combustion Control Systems ......... 255
17-1 Useful Flue Gas Analyses ................................................ 255
17-2 Methods of Flue Gas Analysis .......................................... 256
17-3 Pros and Cons of Measurement Methods and Gases Selected
for Measurement ........................................................... 260
17-4 Flue Gas Analysis vs . Boiler Load ..................................... 262
17-5 PPM CO vs . PPM Total Combustible Gases ......................... 264
17-6 Control Applications Used for Flue Gas Analysis Trimming ...... 265
17-7 Limiting Factors in Reducing Excess Air ............................. 272
vii
Chapter Page
Section 18 Fluid Fuel Burners for Gas. Oil. and Coal ................................. 275
18-1 Burners for Gaseous Fuel ................................................ 275
18-2 Pulverized Coal Burners .................................................. 279
18-3 Fuel Oil Burners ........................................................... 282
Section 20 Burner Management and Flame Safety Interlocks for Gas- and
Fluid-Fired Boilers ............................................................... 299
20-1 Basic Cause of Furnace Explosions .................................... 299
20-2 Boiler Purge Logic ........................................................ 301
20-3 Ignitor Header Valve Management ..................................... 303
20-4 Main Gas Header Valve Management ................................. 303
20-5 Gas Burner Management Logic ......................................... 304
20-6 Main Fuel Trip ............................................................. 307
20-7 Degree of Burner Automation ........................................... 308
20-8 Reliability of Interlock Circuitry ........................................ 308
Section 21 Combustion Control for Liquid and Gaseous Fuel Boilers ............. 311
21-1 Single-Point Positioning Control ........................................ 311
21-2 Parallel Positioning Control .............................................. 315
21-3 Metering Control Systems ................................................ 317
2 1-4 Effects of Fuel Btu Variation ............................................ 328
Section 22 Pulverized Coal and Cyclone Coal Burning Systems ..................... 333
22-1 The Coal Feeder ........................................................... 333
22-2 The Pulverizer and Classifier ............................................ 336
22-3 The Primary Air Fan or Exhauster Fan and the Coal Drying
System ....................................................................... 338
22-4 Pulverizer Control Systems .............................................. 341
22-5 Compartmented Windbox Pulverized Coal Boilers .................. 350
22-6 Start-up and Management of Pulverizers and Their Burners ....... 352
22-7 The Cyclone Furnace ............................... 355
22-8 Start-up and Management of Cyclone Furnaces ..................... 358
ix
X
Section 2
Boiler Basics and the Steaming Process
Table 2-1
Saturation: TemPeratures
in this area, known as the convection heating surface, additional amounts of heat are trans-
ferred to the water side of the boiler. This heat transfer further cools the flue gases, which
then leave the boiler.
Since heat transfer depends upon a temperature difference as a "driving force," with the
simple boiler described the flue gases can be cooled only to a temperature that is at some level
above the temperature of the steam-water system. The temperature of the flue gases determines
the amount of heat remaining in these gases, so the heat loss in the boiler flue gases is deter-
mined to some extent by the saturation temperature in the steam-water system.
The process of adding heat to convert water to steam has a time constant that depends
upon the specific characteristics of the installation. The factors affecting this time constant
Boiler Basics and the Steaming Process 17
Table 2-2
Saturation: Pressures
A h Prerr. Specific Volume Entholpy Entropy Internal Energy Abs PWS.
-
Lb Temp Sot. Sot. Sol. Sol. Sat. sot. sat. Sat. fi
Sqln, F Liquid Vopor liquid Evop Vapor Liquid Evop Vapor Liquid Evop Vapor Sqln.
P t *I VY hr hrr he SI sro 51 VI ur# P
1.0 101.74 0.01614 333.6 69.70 1036.3 1106.0 0.1326 1.8136 1.9762 69.70 974.6 1044.3 1.0
2.0 126.08 0.01@23 1i3.73 93.99 1022.2 1116.2 0.1749 1.7451 1.9200 93.9s 957.9 1051.9 20
3.0 141.48 0.01630 118.71 100.37 1013.2 1122.6 0.2005 1.GSJJ 1.8863 109.36 917.3 1056.7 3.0
4.0 152.97 0.01636 90.63 120.86 100G.4 1127.3 0.2195 1.6427 l.EG25 120.85 939.3 1060.2 4.0
5.0 1G224 0.01640 73.52 130.13 1001.0 1131.1 0.2347 1.6094 1.8441 130.12 933.0 1063.1 5.0
6.0 170.06 0.01645 01.98 137.96 99G.2 1134.2 0.2472 1.5620 1.8292 137.94 927.5 1065.4 6.0
7.0 176.85 0.01619 53.64 144.76 992.1 1136.9 0.2581 1.5386 1.8167 144.74 922.7 1007.4 7.0
8.0 162.86 0.01653 47.34 150.79 988.5 1139.3 0.2674 1.5383 1.8057 150.77 918.4 1009.2 8.0
9.0 188.28 0.01656 42.40 156.22 985.2 1141.4 0.2759 1.5203 1.7062 156.19 914.6 1070.8 9.0
10 193.21 0.01650 38.42 161.17 952.1 1143.3 0.2835 1.5041 1.7876 161.14 911.1 1072.2 10
14.696 212.00 0.01672 26.80 180.07 970.3 1150.4 0.3120 1.4446 1.7566 180.02 897.5 1077.5 14.696
15 213.03 0.01672 26.29 181.11 969.7 1150.8 0.3135 1.4415 1.7.549 151.00 890.7 1077.8 15
20 227.96 0.01683 20.089 196.16 960.1 1156.3 0.3356 1.3962 1.7319 196.10 855.8 1081.9 20
30 250.33 0.01701 13.746 218.62 94.5.3 1161.1 0.3680 1.3313 1.6993 218.73 669.1 1087.8 30
40 267.24 0.01715 10.498 236.03 933.7 1169.7 0.3919 1.2844 1.6763 235.90 850.1 1092.0 40
50 281.01 0.01727 8.515 250.09 924.0 1174.1 0.4110 1.2474 l.65&5 249.93 845.4 1095.3 60
60 202.71 0.01738 7.175 262.09 915.5 1177.6 0.4270 1.2168 1.0435 2Gl.W 830.0 1097.9 60
70 302.02 0.01748 6.206 272.61 907.9 1180.6 0.4409 1.1906 1.6315 272.38 827.8 1100.2 70
SO 312.03 0.01757 5.472 262.02 901.1 1183.1 0.4531 1.1676 1.6207 281.76 820.3 1102.1. 80
90 320.27 0.01766 4.896 290.56 891.7 115.5.3 0.4641 1.1471 1.6112 290.27 813.4 1103.7 90
100 327.81 0.01774 4.432 298.40 888.8 1187.2 0.4740 1.1286 1.6026 298.08 807.1 1105.2 100
I20 341.25 0.01789 3.723 312.41 877.9 119i;. : 0.4916 1.0962 1.5378 312.05 795.6 1107.0 120
140 353.02 0.01~02 3220 324.82 86S.2 ll9J.O 0.5069 1.0682 1.5751 324.33 785.2 1109.8 140
160 3K53 0.01815 2.834 335.93 859.2 1195.1 0.5204 1.0436 1.5640 335.39 775.8 1111.2 160
180 373.06 0.01827 2.632 340.03 8.50.8 1196.9 0.5325 1.0217 1.5542 345.42 767.1 1112.5 180
200 381.79 0.01839 2.288 355.36 843.0 1198.4 0.5435 1.0018 1.5453 354.68 759.0 1113.7 200
250 400.95 0.01865 1.8435 376.00 825.1 1201.1 0.5675 0.9.588 1.5263 375.14 740.7 iir5.s 2.50
300 417.33 0.01690 1.5433 393.84 sn0.o 1203.8 0.5S79 0.022.5 1.5104 392.79 724.3 1117.1 300
350 431.72 0.01913 1.3260 409.69 791.2 1203.9 0.6056 0.8910 1.4966 408.45 709.0 1118.0 350
400 444.59 0.0193 1.1613 424.0 780.5 1201.5 0.6214 0.8630 1.4S1,i 422.0 695.9 1118.5 400
450 456.28 0.0195 1.0320 437.2 767.4 1204.6 0.6356 0.8378 1.473 t 435.5 683.2 1118.7 450
500 467.01 0.0197 0.9278 449.4 75.5.0 1204.4 0.6487 0.8147 1.4634 447.6 6 7 1 ~ ) 1118.0 600
550 476.93 0.0199 0.8422 460.8 743.1 1203.9 0.GGOS 0.7934 1.4542 458.8 65 : 1118.2 550
600 486.21 0.0201 0.769s 471.6 731.6 1203.2 0.6720 0.7731 1.4454 469.4 048 5 1117.7 600
700 503.10 0.0205 0.6584 491.5 709.7 1201.2 0.6925 0.7371 1.4296 488.8 027.8 1110.3 700
800 518.23 0.0209 O.BGS7 509.7 GhS.9 119S.G 0.7108 0.7045 1.4153 506.0 607.8 1114.4 800
900 531.98 0.0912 0.5006 526.6 GGSB 1195.4 0.7275 0.6744 1.4020 523.1 589.0 1112.1 900
1000 514.61 0.0216 0.4456 542.4 619.4 1191.8 0.7430 0.6467 1.3897 535.4 571.0 1109.4 1000
1100 556.31 0.0220 0.4001 557.4 630.4 1187.8 0.7575 0.620.5 1.3780 552.9 553.5 1106.4 1100
1200 567.22 0.0223 0.3619 571.7 6 l l . i 1183.4 0.7711 0.59.56 1.3607 5GG.7 530.3 1103.0 1200
1300 577.46 0.0227 0.3293 585.4 593.2 1178.6 0.7840 0.5719 1.3.559 580.0 519.4 1099.4 1300
1400 587.10 0.0131 0.3012 598.7 574.7 1173.4 0.7963 0.5191 1.3454 592.7 502.7 1095.4 1400
1500 596.23 0.0235 0.1765 611.6 556.3 1167.9 o.sos2 0.5209 1.3351 005.1 480.1 1001.2 1500
2000 035.62 0.0257 0.1878 671.7 463.4 1135.1 0.8610 0.4230 1.9 w2.2 403.4 1OG5.6 2000
2500 668.13 0.0287 0.1307 730.6 3G0.5 1091.1 0.9120 0.3197 1.2322 717.3 313.3 1030.0 2500
3900 695.36 0.0340 0.0858 802.5 217.8 1020.3 0.9731 0.1883 1.1615 783.4 189.3 972.7 3000
3206.2 705.40 0.0503 0.0503 902.7 0 902.7 1.0580 0 1.0580 872.9 0 872.9 32062
include the system heat storage, the heat transfer coefficients in different parts of the system,
the masses of metal and refractory and their configuration, and various other factors. For the
purpose of control, it is generally enough to understand that the complete time constant is a
matter of minutes. Viewing the system as achieving 63 percent of total response in one fifth
of the total time constant (a first-order system) is sufficient for most boiler control analysis
procedures.
Table 2-3
Superheated Vapor
Abs Press.
Lb/Sq In. Temperature, F
(Sol. Temp) 200 300 400 ' 500 600 700 800 900 lo00 1200 1400 1600
V 392.6 452.3 512.0 571.6 631.2 690.8 750.4 809.9 869.5 988.7 1107.8 1227.0
1 h 1150.4 1195.8 1241.7 1288.3 1335.7 1383.8 1432.8 1482.7 1533.5 1637.7 1745.7 1857.5
(101.74) s 2.0512 2.1153 2.1720 2.2233 2.2702 2.3137 2.3542 2.3923 2.4283 2.4952 2.5566 2.6137
V 78.16 90.25 102.26 114.22 126.16 138.10 150.03 161.95 173.87 197.71 221.6 245.4
5 h 1148.8 1195.0 1241.2 1288.0 1335.4 1383.6 1432.7 1482.6 1533.4 1637.7 1745.7 1857.4
(162.24) s 1.8718 1.9370 1.9942 2.0456 2.0927 2.1361 2.1767 2.2148 2.2509 2.3178 2.3792 2.4363
V 38.85 45.00 51.04 57.05 63.03 69.01 74.98 80.95 86.92 98.84 110.77 122.69
10 h 1146.6 1193.9 1240.6 1287.5 1335.1 1383.4 1432.5 1482.4 1533.2 1637.6 1745.6 1857.3
(193.21) s 1.7927 1.8595 1.9172 1.9689 2.0160 2.0596 2.1002 2.1383 2.1744 2.2413 2.3028 2.3598
V 30.53 34.68 38.78 42.86 46.94 51.00 55.07 59.13 67.25 75.37 83.48
14.696 h 1192.8 1239.9 1287.1 1334.8 1383.2 1432.3 1482.3 1533.1 1637.5 1745.5 1857.3
(212.00) s 1.8160 1.8743 1.9261 1.9734 2.0170 2.0576 2.0958 2.1319 2.1989 2.2603 2.3174
V 22.36 25.43 28.46 31.47 34.47 37.46 40.45 43.44 49.41 55.37 61.34
2 0 h 1191.6 1239.2 1286.6 1334.4 1382.9 1432.1 1482.1 1533.0 1637.4 1745.4 1857.2
(227.96) s 1.7808 1.8396 1.8918 1.9392 1.9829 2.0235 2.0618 2.0978 2.1648 2.2263 2.2834
V 11.040 12.628 14.168 15.688 17.198 18.702 20.20 21.70 24.69 27.68 30.66
40 h 1186.8 1236.5 1284.8 1333.1 1381.9 1431.3 1481.4 1532.4 1637.0 1745.1 1857.0
(267.25) s 1.6994 1.7608 1.8140 1.8619 1.9058 1.9467 1.9850 2.0212 2.0883 2.1498 2.2069
V 7.250 8.357 9.403 10.427 11.441 12.449 13.452 14.454 16.451 18.446 20.44
6 0 h 1181.6 1233.6 1283.0 1331.8 1380.9 1430.5 1480.8 1531.9 1636.6 1744.8 1856.7
292.71) s 1.6492 1.7135 1.7678 1.8162 1.8605 1.9015 1.9400 1.9762 2.0434 2.1049 2.1621
V 6.220 7.020 7.797 8.562 9.322 10.077 10.830 12.332 13.830 15.325
8 h 0 1230.7 1281.1 1330.5 1379.9 1429.7 1480.1 1531.3 1636.2 1744.5 1856.5
312.03) s 1.6791 1.7346 1.7836 1.8281 1.8694 1.9079 1.9442 2.0115 2.0731 2.1303
V 4.937 5.589 6.218 6.835 7.446 8.052 8.656 9.860 11.060 12.258
100 h 1227.6 1279.1 1329.1 1378.9 1428.9 1479.5 1.530.8 1635.7 1744.2 18.56.2
327.81) I 1,6518 1.7085 1.7581 1.8029 1.8443 1.8829 1.9103 1.9867 2.0484 2.1056
V 4.081 4.636 5.165 5.683 6.195 6.702 7.207 8.212 9.214 10.213
120 h 1224.4 1277.2 1327.7 1377.8 1428.1 1478.8 1530.2 1635.3 1743.9 1856.0
(341.25) s 1.6287 1.6869 1.7370 1.7822 1.8237 1.862.5 1.8990 1.9664 2.0281 2 .OR S4
V 3.468 3.954 4.413 4.861 ,5.301 5.738 6.172 7.035 7.895 8.752
140 h 1221.1 1275.2 1326.4 1376.8 1427.3 1478.2 1.529.7 1604.9 1743.5 1855.7
(353.02) s 1.6087 1.6683 1.7190 1.7645 1.8063 1.8451 1.8817 1.9493 2.0110 2.0683
V 3.008 3.443 3.849 4.244 4.631 5.015 5.396 6.152 6 . 0 6 7.656
160 h 1217.6 1273.1 1325.0 1375.7 1426.4 1477.5 1529.1 1634.5 1743.2 18.55.5
(363.53) I 1,5908 1.6519 1.7033 1.7491 1.7911 1.8301 1.8667 1.9344 1.9962 2.0535
V 2.649 3.044 3.411 3.764 4.110 4.4S2 4.792 5.466 6.136 6.804
180 h 1214.0 1271.0 1323.5 1374.7 1475.fi I17(i 8 1.528.fi I K 3 4 . l 1747.9 1855.?
(373.06) s 1,5745 1.6073 1.6894 1.7355 1.7776 1.8167 1.8534 1.0212 1.9831 2.0404
V 2.361 2.726 3.060 3.380 0.693 4.002 4.309 4.917 5 . ~ 2 1 6.123
2 0 0 h 1210.3 1268.9 1322.1 1373.6 1424.8 1476.2 1528.0 1633.7 1742.8 185.5.0
(381.79) I 1.5594 1,6240 1.6767 1.7232 1.7655 1.8048 1.841.5 1.9094 1.9713 2.0287
V 2.125 2.465 2.772 3.066 3.352 3.634 3.913 4.467 5.017 5.585
220 h 1206.5 1266.7 1320.7 1372.6 1424.0 1475.5 1.527.5 1633.3 1742.3 1854.7
(389.88) I 1.5453 1.6117 1.6652 1.7120 1.7545 1.7939 1.8308 1.8987 1.9607 2.0181
V 1.9276 2.247 2.53 2,804 3.088 3.327 3.584 4.093 4.597 5.100
240 h 1202.5 1264.5 1 3 1 9 j 1371.5 1423.2 1474.8 1526.9 1632.9 1742.0 18.54.5
(397.37) a 1.5319 1.8003 1.8548 1.7017 1.7444 1.7839 1.8209 1.8889 1.9510 2.0084