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Flue Gas Analysis: Energy Conservation Opportunities 245

Flue gas analysis uses an electronic analyzer to determine a boiler's combustion efficiency by measuring factors like carbon dioxide levels, excess air, and stack temperatures. Carbon dioxide levels should indicate excellent, good, or fair efficiency, while oxygen should be 1-2% and there should be no carbon monoxide. The stack temperature should not exceed 150°F above the steam or water temperature for maximum efficiency.

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44 views2 pages

Flue Gas Analysis: Energy Conservation Opportunities 245

Flue gas analysis uses an electronic analyzer to determine a boiler's combustion efficiency by measuring factors like carbon dioxide levels, excess air, and stack temperatures. Carbon dioxide levels should indicate excellent, good, or fair efficiency, while oxygen should be 1-2% and there should be no carbon monoxide. The stack temperature should not exceed 150°F above the steam or water temperature for maximum efficiency.

Uploaded by

Rohit Shrestha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Energy Conservation Opportunities 245

ing a high efficiency in the boiler will decrease operating expenses


and increase the life of the boiler.

Flue Gas Analysis


In order to determine the combustion efficiency of a boiler a
flue gas analysis uses an electronic flue gas analyzer and reads
and records firing rate, percent of carbon dioxide (CO2), percent
of excess air, stack temperature, and the net stack temperature.
These readings will determine the percent of stack loss and the
combustion efficiency. The maximum combustion efficiency at-
tainable for both natural gas- and oil-fired boilers will be about
80% to 83%. To make a test of the boiler’s combustion efficiency
drill a hole, large enough to accommodate the instrument probe,
in the flue stack between the boiler shell and the stack damper.
The hole should be a least 6 inches from the damper. Using the
thermometer supplied with the instrument, or one that reads to
1000°F, read the boiler stack temperature. Stack temperatures can
very 100 degrees within a few minutes during load changes;
therefore, note the firing rate when logging temperatures and
pressures. While waiting for the stack temperature reading to sta-
bilize, use another thermometer to take the boiler room tempera-
ture. The difference between these readings is called the net stack
temperature.

Table 15-1. Flue Gas Analysis


—————————————————————————————
Percent Carbon Dioxide
—————————————————————————————
Rating Gas #2 Oil‘ #6 Oil
—————————————————————————————
Excellent 10.0% 12.8% 13.8%
Good 9.0% 11.5% 13.0%
Fair 8.5% 10.0% 12.5%
Poor 8%> 9%> 12%>
—————————————————————————————
246 HVAC Fundamentals

Measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and car-


bon monoxide (CO) is a good indication of combustion efficiency
and burner performance. CO2 should be good to excellent. O2
should be a maximum of 1-2% and there should not be any CO.
The stack temperature should not be more than 150°F above
steam or water temperature.

Stack Temperatures
The boiler stack temperature should be no more than 150°F
above the steam or water temperature. If it is, the boiler is not
working efficiently. The rule of thumb for stack temperature is
that for each 100 degrees that the stack temperature can be low-
ered there is a 2.5% increase in efficiency. A high stack tempera-
ture means that there’s poor combustion, the tubes are fouled, or
there’s too much combustion air being brought into the boiler and
it’s pushing the gases through the boiler without the proper heat
exchange taking place. The stack temperature should be at least
320 degrees. If the stack temperature is too low the water vapor
in the flue gas will start to condensate in the stack. This water
mixes with the sulfur in the gas and creates sulfuric acid which
will corrode the stack and the tubes. A minimum boiler water
temperature of 170°F should be maintained. This will mean a
stack temperature of about 320°F (150 degree delta T).

Excess Air
The amount of excess air, that is, the air needed for complete
combustion plus some extra for a safety factor, should not exceed
10%. To take carbon dioxide and oxygen readings use the same
hole in the stack, insert the instrument probe, and take the mea-
surements. The instrument will read out directly in percent of
carbon dioxide, oxygen and efficiency. The oxygen level should be
at least 1 percent but should not exceed 2 percent. A rule of thumb
says that there is approximately 5% excess air for each 1% of
oxygen in the flue gas. The amount of carbon dioxide should be
as high as possible. For maximum efficiency in natural gas boilers
this will be about 10%, while oil-fired boilers should have about

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