Discuss Whole How to Increase the Efficiency of a Steam Boiler (Essay Sample)

Increasing the efficiency of the steam boilers
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Table of Contents
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1 Background information  PAGEREF _Toc445930171 \h
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1.1 Research objectives  PAGEREF _Toc445930172 \h
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1.2 Purpose statement  PAGEREF _Toc445930173 \h
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1.3 Objectives of the study  PAGEREF _Toc445930174 \h
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1.4 Thesis statement  PAGEREF _Toc445930175 \h
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2 Literature review  PAGEREF _Toc445930176 \h
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2.1 Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc445930177 \h
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2.2 Ways to improve the efficiency of steam boilers  PAGEREF _Toc445930178 \h
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3 Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc445930179 \h
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Background information
The contemporary process and the heating application are still powered by steam as well as the hot water. The mainstay technique of producing the steam is the use of the steam boiler which has proven to be effective though it needs some forms of improvements. The improvements tend improve the efficiency of the boiler. Boiler efficiency is thus, defined in the simplest terms possible, as the difference of between the energy that is input as well as the energy output. The difference that represents the efficiency is equally significant as it reflects the amount that could be saved (Dyer, & Maples, 1978). All the boilers do operate under the same thermodynamic principles. Hence, the theoretical efficiency of each and every boiler can be calculated.
Boiler efficiency measures the quantity of the combustion energy that would be converted to steam energy after the entire combustion process. On the other hand, the steam quality measures take into account the amount liquid that would be present in the steam produced. The two go hand in hand. One of the major advantage off using steam as a heat transfer medium is the large quantity of heat that is emitted when it condenses back to water. The latent heat of water is very high, raging in between 950-1000 BTU per pound, therefore, it is evidenced that very little steam carries a very large quantity of energy (Geels, 2002).. On the other hand, the steam energy has other advantages such as, being non toxic, environmentally friendly, inflammable, delivery to the users is relatively cheaper, it is also available in abundance, and much more, steam is a recyclable source of energy. However, besides these advantages, the steam energy is associated with countless disadvantages of which some are pegged on the efficiency of the steam boilers. The efficiency of the steam boilers is a questionable element. The steam always experience system safety problems, premature failures of these equipments, as well as the general inefficiency of the boiler system. However, research indicates that these problems are linked to the poor performance quality of steam.
Objectives Of the Study
The objective of this research is to:
To determine the areas that need to be improved to ensure the efficiency levels are met.
To investigate and determine the techniques that could be applied to determine the numerous ways of improving the efficiency of the steam boilers.
To investigate the importance of improving the efficiency of the steam boilers in the industries
To investigate the economic advantages of improving the steam boiler efficiency
To investigate the major areas that need to be improved in the steam boilers
Purpose statement
The reason for writing this paper is twofold, to investigate the craft the variety of ways of improving the efficiency of the steam boilers. Reading this work will equip one with the appropriate knowledge to understand the way of operation of the steam boilers.
Significance of the research
This research aims at reducing the cost and other expenses spent while using the steam Boilers. The work incorporates those improvements that will ensure that a lot of resources are saved, in terms of time, and human resources. Therefore, this is a research that is beneficial to the society.
Thesis statement
The steam boilers are not operating at the required efficiency levels, and there is need to improve the performance of the steam boilers to ensure that there are sustainable fuel usage and maximum output of the boilers.
Literature review
Introduction
There is always a need to acquire the most efficient boiler. Ones the boiler has been acquired, the next concern is the generation of power from the equipment that will continue for the whole lifetime of the equipment. The payment is usually driven by fuel to steam the efficiency of the machine besides the maintenance cost. The boiler counts for the part of the heating fuel bill. However, to reduce this bill, there is always a need to improve the efficiency of the boiler system efficiency. The improvements should encompass the operational to maintenance improvements, as well as the capital improvements. It is estimated that a well operated boiler may need approximately 10% to 20 % of the excess air to ensure that there is a complete combustion (Dyer, & Maples, 1978). Conversely, much of the excess air has the impact of reducing the boiler efficiency. On the other hand, when the boiler operates without the enough air, it will eventually have the impact of sooting on the fire side, poor efficiency, and air pollution besides potentially volatile flue gases. These in efficiencies call for an improvement on the operation of the air steam boilers.
Ways to improve the efficiency of steam boilers
In as much as there is the possibility of operating and controlling a boiler with the indicators as well as the recorders alone, efficacious, and more reliable operation through the manual control is never at its optimal point. The early boilers were generally smaller in size, and their operation was on a manual basis (Geels, 2002).. The increased demand as well as the costs, of the steam production has eventually led to larger boilers that are also associated with higher output. However, there countless number of ways that could be used to meet the improvement plans.
The work below tends to enumerate most of the options that could be implemented to improve the efficiency of the steam boilers. Some of the improvement plans are connected and are need very little modifications. The suitability of these proposed improvement plans are dependent on the site of their implementation.
Blow down of boilers: have the capability of plummeting the sludge as well as the solid content so as to heat to move downwards to the drain. An improved water treatment program has the ability of minimizing the amount of the blow down. Another improvement on the same is ensuring that there is a sgood heat exchanger in the blow down line. This has the capacity to allow the waste heat to be utilized in the preheating make up besides in feed water. The continuous blow down operations needs a suitable heat recovery. The heat recovery has the capability of providing the best program for the water treatment. The figure below illustrates explicitly the entire blow down Heat Recovery system.


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However, the improvement still needs to be done in connection above figure. The figure below shows a good improvement that could be attached to the flue to recover some of the exhausted heat. This heat could be utilized in the preheating of the boiler make-up water.


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Replacement Boiler burners
When the boiler burners are used and re-used for a period of time, they begin to deteriorate besides lose their efficacy. At some point, it becomes inevitable to replace and retrofit these used boiler burners. Research indicates that regardless of the choice of the boiler you use, or the type of the fuel used, there are numerous options of burners that need to be considered when one needs to replace their burners (Einstein, 2001). However, when a person is not a position to replace the burners, since they are expensive, it is advisable that they do retrofit their burners. Retrofit is essentially economical. Economist will always a
Air preheaters: the air preheaters do recuperate the waste heat that could be lost in the flue gas, the heat recovered is then used in preheating the combustion air. The preheaters are further divided into two categories: the recuperators and regenerators. A recuperator system is always placed within the boiler stack and does the task off transferring the heat from the outgoing gas to the incoming air. Moreover, the regenerator has the task of transferring the heat from the flue gas to the combustion air. The air preheaters also have great impact on the pressure of the steam at the furnace. Below is a graph showing the impact of a change of pressure
Boiler economizes: the boiler economizers do almost the same task as the preheaters. The boiler economizers do the task of taking the waste heat and transferring these waste heats to the boiler feed water, but not the combustion the combustion air. Preheating the water increases their temperature and makes the temperature of the water to be relatively closer to the steam. Therefore, a lot of energy is saved, since the preheated water will take less time and energy to be heated in the steam drum or rather the furnace. The economizers also have the advantage of reducing the chance of the thermal shock, by reducing the fluctuations of temperature.
Proper water treatment: in case the water treatment is not properly done, the...