Boiler efficiency calculation:-
1. Direct Method.
2. Indirect Method.
1. Direct method:
Direct method is quick method for boiler efficiency calculation, In this method, Percentage
of total heat output vs heat input is calculated to establish boiler performance.
Boiler Efficiency = Heat output / Heat Input X 100.
Or Boiler Efficiency = Q X (h2 – h1) / (q X GCV) X 100
Where Q = Qty of steam generated.
h2 = Enthalpy of steam at output of boiler.
h1 = Enthalpy of feed water
Heat Input = q X GCV
q = Fuel Qty
GCV = Gross calorific Value
2. Indirect method:
Indirect efficiency is also known as heat loss efficiency calculation method. In this method,
efficiency calculation is done by subtracting heat loss fraction from 100. Standard is ASME
PTC-4-1 isused for calculating boiler efficiency by indirect method. The standards do not
include blow down loss in the efficiency determination process.
Boiler indirect Efficiency = 100 – (i +ii + iii + iv + v + vi + vii)
Where,
i. Percentage heat loss due to dry flue gas
ii. Percentage heat loss due to evaporation of water formed due to H2 in fuel
iii. Percentage heat loss due to evaporation of moisture present in fuel
iv. Percentage heat loss due to moisture present in air.
v. Percentage heat loss due to unburnt in fly ash
vi. Percentage heat loss due to unburnt in bottom ash
vii. Percentage heat loss due to radiation and other unaccounted loss
Stepwise Calculation of boiler indirect efficiency:-
Step-1 Data Collection
Following Data needs to be collected :-
Ultimate analysis of fuel (H2, O2, S, C, moisture content (M), ash content)
Percentage of Oxygen or CO2 in the flue gas
Flue gas temperature in °C (Tf)
Ambient temperature in °C (Ta) & humidity of air in kg/kg of dry air
GCV of fuel in kCal/kg (GCV)
Percentage combustible in ash (in case of solid fuels)
GCV of ash in kCal/kg (in case of solid fuels)
Step-2 Find Theoretical air qty and Actual mass of air supplied
Theoretical air requirement =[(11.6 × C) + {34.8 × (H2 – O2/8)} + (4.35 × S)]/100 kg/kg of
fuel
Excess Air supplied (EA) = O2% / (21-O2%) X 100
Actual mass of air supplied/ kg of fuel (AAS) = {1 + EA/100} × theoretical air
Step-3 Calculate different percentage loss
i Percentage heat loss due to dry flue gas
= m X Cp X (Tf – Ta) X 100 / GCV
Where, m = mass of dry flue gas in kg/kg of fuel, Cp = Specific heat of flue gas (0.23
kCal/kg °C), Tf= Flue gas temp Deg C, Ta = Ambient air Temp Deg C, GCV = GCV of fuel
ii. Percentage heat loss due to evaporation of water formed due to H2 in fuel
= 9 X H2 X [584 + Cp X (Tf-Ta)] X 100 / GCV
Where, H2 – kg of H2 in 1 kg of fuel Cp – Specific heat of superheated steam (0.45 kCal/kg
°C), Tf= Flue gas temp Deg C, Ta = Ambient air Temp Deg C, GCV = GCV of fuel
iii. Percentage heat loss due to evaporation of moisture present in fuel
= M X [584 + Cp X (Tf-Ta)] X 100 / GCV
Where, M – kg of moisture in 1kg of fuel , Cp – Specific heat of superheated steam (0.45
kCal/kg)°C 584 is the latent heat corresponding to the partial pressure of water vapour. Tf=
Flue gas temp Deg C, Ta = Ambient air Temp Deg C, GCV = GCV of fuel
iv. Percentage heat loss due to moisture present in air.
= AAS X humidity Factor X Cp X (Tf-Ta) X 100 / GCV
Where, AAS = Actual air supplied, Tf= Flue gas temp Deg C, Ta = Ambient air Temp Deg C,
GCV = GCV of fuel
v. Percentage heat loss due to unburnt in fly ash
= Total ash collected per Kg of Fuel Burnt X GCV of Fly Ash X 100 / GCV of Fuel
vi. Percentage heat loss due to unburnt in bottom ash
= Total ash collected per Kg of Fuel Burnt X GCV of bottom Ash X 100 / GCV of fuel
vii. Percentage heat loss due to radiation and other unaccounted loss
The actual radiation and convection losses are difficult to assess because of particular
emissivity of various surfaces and shape of boiler, air flow pattern etc. In generally it can be
assumed between 1% to 2% for smaller boilers and 0.2% to 1 % for higher size boilers of
about 500MW.
Step-4 Calculate indirect boiler efficiency
Boiler indirect Efficiency = 100 – (i +ii + iii + iv + v + vi + vii)
Cogeneration Efficiency is calculated as
ηCogen = (Q gain total + GTpower out *1000 )/ (QRLNG +mSF *HNCV + M UB * HNCV)
Where
Q gain total = Total energy Gain by water and steam by all the HRSG’s and UB’s
GTpower out = Gas turbine Power Output of (GT 1, GT 3, GT 4, GT 5)
QRLNG = Energy Supplied to all Gas Turbine
MSF = Supplementary firing in HRSG
MUB = Fuel firing in UN Boiler
HRgt = Heat Rate of Gas Turbine
QRLNG = Input Fuel Energy
Corrected Rated Power Output in operating condition will be calculated as
𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡= 𝐺𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑡∗𝐶𝐼𝑇𝑝∗𝐹𝐻𝑝
Corrected Rated Heat Rate in operating condition is calculated as
𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒=𝐻𝑅𝐺𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑∗𝐶𝐼𝑇ℎ𝑟∗𝐹𝐻ℎ𝑟
Where
GT powerout = GT Measured power output
CITp = Compressor Inlet Air temperature correction in Power output
FHp = Correction for GT Fired Hours in Power Output
FHhr = Correction for GT fired hours in Heat Rate
CIThr = Correction for compressor inlet air temperature in Heat Rate
Gas turbine Compressor Performance is calculated as
Compressor Adiabatic Efficiency = ((P2/P1)((1.4-1)/1.4) - 1)/ (((T2-T1)/(T1+273))
Where,
P2: Compressor discharge pressure, kg/cm 2
P1: Compressor Suction Pressure, kg/cm2
T2: Compressor discharge Temperature, °C
T1: Compressor Suction Temperature, °C
APH Performance
ASME PTC 4.3 Air Heaters
The corrected gas outlet temperature is defined as the outlet gas temperature for no air
leakage and is given by the following:
Air Heater X-Ratio
AH X Ratio = Gas in Temp – Gas out Temp
Air out Temp – Air in Temp
Air Heater Gas Side Efficiency
AH Gas Side Efficiency = Gas in Temp – Gas out Temp X 100 %
Gas in Temp – Air in Temp
Calculations of LT & HT Motor’s as per BEE Guideline
Calculations of Pump Performance
The fan efficiency is computed as follows:
The Combined Overall Efficiency is calculated according to the formula:
Combined Overall Efficiency = (Air kW/Measured kW) x 100
