Boiler Familiarization

DEFINITION OF BOILER
Boiler” means any closed vessel exceeding 22.75 liters in capacity
which is used for generating steam under pressure.

IBR is formed to make regulations & maintain uniformity in country &

state. It has competent authority to issue licenses of boiler.

DEFINITION OF BOILER (AS PER I.B.R.)-

"Any closed vessel exceeding 25 litres in capacity, pressure more than

1kg/cm2, temp >100 degree C, which is used exclusively for generating steam
under pressure and includes mounting or fitting attached to such vessel,
which is wholly or partly under pressure when steam is shut off."
Steam Generation
STEAM GENERATION IS THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING WATER
INTO STEAM. HEATING WATER AT ANY PRESSURE EVENTUALLY
WILL CAUSE IT TO BOIL AND STEAM WILL BE RELEASED.

FOR STEAM GENERATION REQUIRED SENSIBLE AND LATENT

HEAT.
Boiling
WHEN A CONTAINER OF WATER IS HEATED, STEAM FORMS IN
BUBBLES AT THE HEATED SURFACE. THESE BUBBLES ARE
DISPLACED BY HEAVIER STEAM FREE WATER AND CIRCULATIONS
CURRENTS BRING BUBBLES TO THE SURFACE WHERE STEAM IS
RELEASED.
THESE PROCESS , BOILING CAN TAKE PLACE IN TWO WAYS.

• NUCLEATE BOILING

• FILM BOILING
Heating Surface

• IN BOILER HEATING SURFACE ARE IN THE FORM OF ROUND

TUBES . THROUGH THESE TUBES PLACED IN HEATING
ZONES WATER OR STEAM WILL BE CIRCULATED TO RECEIVE
SENSIBLE HEAT , LATENT HEAT AND SUPERHEAT.

• A BOILER WILL HAVE NUMBER OF CIRCUITS OF HEATING

SURFACE SUCH AS
ECONOMISER, WATER WALLS, BOILER BANK ,
SUPERHEATER AND REHEATER
Boiler Types
1. According to Application
a) Utility or Power Boiler
b) Industrial or process steam boiler
c) Others
2. According to operating pressure
a) Sub Critical pressure
b) Super critical pressure
3. Fuel Used
a) Solid fuel fired
b) Oil fired
c) Gas fired
4. Solid Fuel fired boiler
a) Stoker fired boilers
b) Pulverized fuel fired boilers
c) Fluidized bed combustion boilers

5. According to draught system

a) Natural Draught boilers
b) Mechanized Draught boilers
( Forced , induced & Balanced)

6. According to no of path through which flue gass flow

a) Single Pass boiler
b) Multi pass boiler
Boiler Pressure Parts
1. Water Wall System
2. Boiler Drum
3. Super Heater
4. Re- Heater
5. Economiser
Boiler Cross Sectional View
Economiser
• Absorbs heat from the FG & adds it mainly as sensible heat to
feed water. Temp. of water kept below saturation temp.

• Normally designed to reduce FG temp.which is satisfactory for

APH and improves efficiency of the system.

• Surface area must be optimized.

Superheater
Primary function is to super heat the saturated steam coming
out of boiler drum by increasing its temp.above saturated
temp

Super heater are provided in the boiler to raise the steam

temperature above the saturation temperature by absorbing heat
from flue gas.

By increasing the temperature of the steam , the useful energy that can be
recovered economically increases thus the efficiency of the cycle also can be
increase.

superheating of steam eliminates the condensation of steam during

transporting of steam in pipelines and inside the early stages of turbine
which is harmful to the turbine blades and pipe lines.
Super Heating is done in three stages.
Primary Super Heater (LTSH)
Platen Super Heater
Final Super Heater

Types of superheater
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO MODE OF HEAT TRANSFER
A) RADIANT SUPERHEATER
B) CONVECTIVE SUPERHEATER

CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO POSITION AND SHAPE

A) VERTICAL SUPERHEATER
B) HORIZONTAL SUPERHEATER

DRAINABLE AND NON-DRAINABLE SUPERHEATER

Super heaters
• Metal used for such super heaters must have high
temp. strength, high creep strength, high resistance
to oxidation.

• Carbon steel alloys having chromium & molybdenum.

• Heat transfer of flue gases are by either by convection

or by radiation.
Reheater
• Function is to reheat the steam after its expansion in HP turbine.

• CRH Line carries Expanded steam to the re-heater in the boiler

located between SH platen coils & final super heaters above rear
arch tubes.

• Reheater is composed of two stages RH FRONT & RH REAR.

• Material used are high alloy carbon steels such as SA 213

T11,T91,T22.

• This material is having properties of resistance to erosion, high

temp creep resistance strength.
Materials used in various pressure part
conventional boilers
Area of application Material ASME specification
Tubes Pipes
Drum Carbon steel / - SA 299
Low alloy
steel
Water walls, Carbon Steel SA192 SA106
Economizer SA210 Gr.B
Gr.A1 SA106
SA210 Gr.C
Gr.C
SH and RH 1 ¼ Cr ½ Mo SA213 T11 SA335 P11
2¼ Cr 1 Mo SA213 T22 SA335 P22
9 Cr 1 Mo ¼V SA213 T91
SA335 P91
18 Cr 10 Ni Cb SA213 TP347 H

-
-
Water Wall System
The Water walls are tube panel through which the water for
steam generation will be circulated.

In the water wall only heat is added to evaporate the feed water
to steam.

1. Tangent tube wall

2. Membrane wall
Water wall panel
LOCATION OF
DRUM
WATER AND STEAM CIRCUIT
BOILER CIRCULATION SYSTEM

• The Drum forms part of the Boiler

circulation system i.e. movement of
fluid from the drum to combustion
zone and back to Boiler Drum.
 BOILER CIRCULATION SYSTEM

● Steam is continuously being raised and sent out for external

usage and hence it is necessary to keep on feeding boiler with
fresh water.

● The water in boiler is to be kept in continuous circulation

through the heat flux zone, so that the circulating water picks
up the heat and evaporates. It is essential to have a motive
force to keep the water in continuous circulation. Such a
motive force may be induced internally due to formation of
water to vapour form or it may be through application of a
mechanical force.

● The pressure parts are exposed to enormous heat source and

are required to be cooled, to protect them from temperature
rise. It is the water or the vapour, which is flowing through
boiler tubes, keeps the tube metal temperature within limits
by absorbing the heat from the high heat zone, through tube
walls.
CLASSIFICATION OF BOILER
CIRCULATION SYSTEM
The boiler Circulation can be classified into three different
types of systems:

● Natural circulation system

● Controlled circulation system/Assisted Circulation
● Combined circulation system
Drum and Drum Internals

The function of drum are

1. Separation of saturated steam from the steam – water mixture
produced by the evaporating tubes.
2. Mixing feed water from economizer and water separated from
steam – water mixture, and recirculate through evaporating
tubes.
3. Carrying out blow down for reduction of boiler water salt
concentration.
4. Treatment of boiler water by chemicals
DRUM INTERNALS
• Separation of water from the
steam takes place in the drum.

• The saturated steam is led to the

superheater through superheater
connecting tube provided at the
top of the Drum.
 SCREEN TYPE DRIER
49Nos.

ECONOMISER O/L 2Nos.

RISER TUBE
TURBO SEPARATORS
CONNECTIONS
2x50 Nos.

25
0
m
m
EBD CONNECTION NWL

CBD

HP
Dosing

DRUM INTERNALS
Drum Internals
1. Feed header
2. Steam separators
3. Steam dryers or scrubbers
4. CBD line
5. EBD line
6. Chemical dosing line
VARIOUS PARTS

• Feed Pipe
• Riser Tube
• Super Heater
Connection
• Separating Chamber
• Turbo Separator
• Screen Dryers
• Antivortex Spider
STAGES OF STEAM AND WATER SEPARATION

• The first stage of separation takes place in the concentric cylinder

of TURBO SEPARATOR.
• The second stage of separation takes place in the corrugated
sheets connected to the top of the Turbo separator.
• The third and final stage of steam & water separation takes place in
the SCREEN DRYERS.
TURBO SEPARATOR ARRANGEMENT

• This separators are arranged in two

rows extending along the length of
the Drum.

• In 250 MW there are a total 66 Turbo

separators fitted inside the steam drum,
which are arranged in two rows of 33
each.

• To facilitate easy dismantling and

assembly bolted connection are used.
SCREEN
DRYER • The third and final stage of
steam/water separation takes
place in the SCREEN DRYER.

• It removes residual moisture

from steam leaving Turbo
separator.
ARRANGEMENT OF SCREEN DRYER

• 32 screen type dryers are arranged along

the entire length of the drum.

• The steam coming out from the dryer is

totally moisture free saturate steam.

• Dryers are held by bolts and nuts for easy

dismantling and assembly.
Feed header
• This is a pipe located near to the bottom of the drum
running along the length of the drum.
• This header is internally connected to the feed nozzles
receiving feed water from the economiser.
• This pipe is having series of holes along its length through
which the water enters the drum
WATER STEAM CIRCUIT TO BOILER DRUM
 Steam separator
In a re-circulation type boiler the evaporating tubes supply only a
steam – water mixture to the drum. From this , the steam of high
purity acceptable to the superheaters and turbine is to be separated.

Different method of steam separation

1. Primary Separation
2. Secondary Separation
3. Tertiary Separation
 Primary and secondary separation ( Turbo
Separators)

• In the turbo separator arrangement . the steam and water mixture coming
through the riser tubes is first admitted into a chamber formed between the
drum-wall and baffle. The mixture sweeps the drum shell on its path to the
bottom and enters the turbo separators arranged along the length of the
drum.
• Spinner blades or vanes inside the separators spins the mixture as it travels
upward through the separator and thus create separating force.
• The resulting centrifugal force causes the higher density water from a layer
against the cylinder walls and the steam moves to the core of the cylinder
and then upward. The water flows downward through the annular can
below the drum level .
• further steam passes through a small corrugated scrubber attached with
the turbo separator for additional separation.
Tertiary Separation (Drying)
To arrest the residual moisture if any steam is passed through the
screen dryer before leaving the drum.
Closely spaced corrugated or bent plates, screens or mats of woven
wire mesh can be used as dryer surface materials. The screen type
dryers are commonly used.
Connections of Boiler Drum
MAIN CONNECTIONS
1. FEED LINES
2. DOWN COMERS
3. RISERS
4. SUPER HEATER SUPPLY TUBES

AUXILLARY CONNECTIONS

5. BLOW DOWN LINES

6. CHEMICAL DOSING LINES
7. INSTRUMENTATION TAPPINGS
8. AIR VENTS
9. SAFETY VALVES
10. NITROGEN FILLING LINE
11. HIGH & LOW LEVEL TRIPS
 B6 B7 B8
TO Roof SH Header-1
B5
Vent Vent
SV-3 SV-1 SV-2
Gaug
e
Glass

DRUM Hydraste
p

Drai
n
Drai EBD
n Chemical B-

EXT. W/W

EXT. W/W

LEFT SIDE W/W

RHS W/W
Dozing 60
line
FRONT W/W REAR B-
W/W 61 TO
IBD
TANK
LEFT CBD B-
64
F
R
R
E
O
B-75 A
N
R B-
T 67 TO
B-76 IBD
RING HDR (RIGHT) TT TO
CBD TANK
TT
TANK
TO ECONOMISER
IBD
TANK
E02
4
E2A

BOILER DRAIN HEADER PT

TT FROM FRS
FROM SH DRN HEADER
FROM BOILER FILL PUMP E2

DRUM WATER CONNECTION

 Feed pipe

• It feeds water to the Drum. Water leaving the Economizer is supplied to

the Drum through Feed Pipe with the help of four Feed Nozzles.

• This nozzles are connected to an internal feed distributing header.

Feed Lines : Feed water from economiser
outlet is supplied to drum through feed lines and
connected to the feed nozzles mounted with the
drum. Feed nozzles in turn are connected to the
feed header provided inside the drum.

Down comers : The down comer pipe are

connected to the bottom of the drum. The water
from drum is circulated to the evaporating tubes
through the down comers which are kept external to
the heating zone of the boiler. There are 6 nos of
down comers at 600MW boiler drum.
DOWN COMERS
Water from the Drum goes to water walls through six
down comers
CONNECTIONS
Two Down Comers To Front side of bottom
Ring Header.
Two Down Comers To Rear side of bottom
Ring Header.
To Left side of bottom
One Down Comers Ring Header.
To Right side of bottom
Ring Header.
One Down Comers
Riser Tubes : The water steam mixtures formed inside
the evaporating tubes is collected in the top headers from
where water steam mixture enters the drum through risers
tubes.

Super Heater Supply Tubes :

The dry saturated steam separated inside the drum is

circulated to Superheaters through these tubes connected
at the top of the drum 24
RISER TUBE CONNECTION TO DRUM
RISER TUBE CONNECTION TO THE DRUM

• The steam water mixture enters the drum through riser tubes.
• There are six levels of riser tube connection welded to the
drum.
SUPER HEATER CONNECTION
TUBES

• The dry steam coming out from the drum is taken for superheating
through a single row of tubes located at the top of the drum. These
outlet tubes are called SUPER HEATER CONNECTION TUBES.
BUCK STAY
► The present water-tube boiler construction is based on
membrane walls (tube wall panels) to form furnace
envelope.

► Buckstay is a supporting element external to the boiler

envelope stiffening the furnace against pressure
differentials between gases inside the furnace and
outside atmosphere.
► The membrane walls forming the furnace envelope
alone could not withstand those pressure differentials.
Hence membrane walls have been stiffened with the
buckstay system placed to prevent large deformations.
 H.
R.
M.S C.R.H H

FROM F.R.S
BOTTOM RNG HDR & Z-PANEL 1ST
PASS W.W
1ST PASS W.W O/L HDRS ROOF I/L HEADER
2 PASS UPPER C-HDR
ND
2nd PASS LOWER C-HDRS
LTSH I/L HEADER LTSH O/L HEADER
D.P.I/L HEADER D.P.O/L HEADER
S.H. HEADER R.H.HEADER
2 PASS ROOF O/L HDR(REAR
ND
ECONOMISER
CONNECTIONS TO
DRUM
• AUXILLARY
CONNECTIONS
1. Blow Down Lines
2. Chemical Dosing Lines
3. Instrumentation Tappings
4. Air Vents
5. Safety valves
6. Nitrogen Filling Line
7. High & Low level trips
► INSTRUMENTATION TAPPINGS

During the operation of boiler it is essential to monitor

various parameters at boiler drum. To ensure this
following instruments are used:
1. Pressure Gauge
2. Drum Mounted Gauge Glass
3. Remote water level indicator
4. Conductivity Measurement
► Air Vents :
Vent pipes fitted with valves and open to atmosphere are
mounted on the top of the drum. The vents are required to
evacuate the air while filling water in drum and to kill the vacuum
during shutdown due to condensing of steam in drum.

► Nitrogen filling line: To charge nitrogen into drum when boiler

is under shut down for preservation purpose.

► Safety Valve to prevent drum explosion from excessive

pressure, drum is provided with spring loaded safety valve.
The valves open automatically when the drum pressure
increases more than the set pressure of the valve by the action
of steam itself without any operator interference and relieve
excess pressure.
► High & Low Level Trips
Operating boiler with very high levels leads to carry over of
water by steam and its subsequent damages in super-heater
and turbines. The very low level results starvation of
evaporator tubes and their ultimate failure. So high level & low
level trip tappings from drum provides the necessary impulse
to the control system to stop all boiler fires.