Boiler Efficiency Calculation and
suggested approach for Efficiency
Enhancement
By
C.S Dash
Introduction:
Performance of boiler reduces with time due to poor
combustion, deposition on heat transfer area and poor
operation and maintenance. Time to time boiler efficiency
calculation gives a clear idea about current performance
of boiler.
Purpose of performance test
To find out efficiency of the boiler.
To find out evaporation ratio.
Efficiency & Evaporation Ratio
Boiler Efficiency (%) = ( Heat output / Heat Input) *100
Evaporation Ratio = Quantity of Steam Generation /
Quantity of Fuel Consumption.
Typical values of Evaporation ratio for different boilers are
Biomass fired boilers : 2.0 to 3.0
Coal fired boilers : 4.0 to 5.5
Oil fired boilers : 13.5 to 14.5
Gas fired boilers : 11.0 to 13.0
IS 8753: Indian Standard for Boiler
efficiency testing
A. Direct Method – Energy gain of the working fluid i.e
steam and water is compared with heat input.
Advantages:
Efficiency can be calculated quickly without considering
losses.
Requires very few parameters for efficiency calculation.
Needs few instruments for monitoring.
Disadvantages:
Efficiency calculated by this method gives lesser value as
heat losses to different heads are also taken into account.
Direct Method – Example 1
For a power station boiler following data’s are given. We
have to calculate efficiency by direct method and
evaporation ratio.
a. Steam Generated – 45TPH @ 66 kg / cm2.
b. Steam Temperature – 485 Deg Cen at super heater
outlet
c. Coal consumption – 12TPH
d. GCV of Coal – 3200 Kcal / Kg
e. Boiler feed water temperature – 105 Deg Cen
Direct Method - Example
f. Enthalpy of steam @ 485 Deg Cen, 66 kg / Cm2 is 808
Kcal / Kg
g. Feed water enthalpy – 105 Kcal / Kg
Heat Input = 12*1000*3200 = 38400000 Kcal / Hr
Heat Output = 45*1000*(808-105) = 31635000Kcal /
hr
So Efficiency = (Output / Input)*100 = (31635000 /
38400000)*100 =82.38%
Evaporation ratio = 45TPH / 12 TPH =3.75.
Higher the evaporation ratio, higher is the
efficiency. For coal fired boiler value is 4.0 to 5.5
B. Indirect Method
Indirect Method – Tells what is the heat input and what
are the losses to different heads. Also called as heat
loss method. The efficiency is being calculated by
subtracting combined heat losses (%) from input
100%.
For this following analysis are required.
Flue Gas analysis – To know actual O2%, CO2%,
Temperature of flue gas, CO%
Coal analysis – Carbon%, Hydrogen%, Oxygen%,
Sulpuhr%, Nitrogen%, Moisture%, Ash%, GCV (Kcal
/Kg)
Fly ash, bottom ash GCV, LOI (%)
Different Losses
L1 – %heat loss in dry flue gas
L2 - %Heat loss due to evaporation of water formed due to H2
in fuel
L3 - % Heat loss due to moisture present is fuel
L4 - % Heat loss due to moisture present in air
L5 - % Heat loss due to incomplete combustion
L6 - % Heat loss due to radiation and convection (For industrial
fire tube boiler – 1.5 to 2%, for water tube boiler – 2 to 3%, for
power station boiler – 0.4 to 1%)
L7 - % Heat loss due to un-burnt in fly ash
L8 - % Heat loss due to un-burnt in bottom ash
Efficiency (%) = 100 – (L1+L2+L3+L4+L5+L6+L7+L8)
Heat Input and Losses
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
1. To calculate theoretical air in Kg / Kg of coal
combustion.
a. C + O2 = CO2
12 32 44
12 Kg Carbon requires 32Kg Oxygen to form 44KG CO2
Means 1 Kg Carbon requires 32/12 = 2.67 Kg Oxygen
i.e Actual quantity carbon in fuel requires 2.67*C kg of
Oxygen.
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
b. 2H2+ O2 = 2H2O
4 32 36
4Kg Hydrogen requires 32Kg Oxygen to form 36kg
Water
Means 1Kg Hydrogen requires 32/4 = 8Kg oxygen
i.e Actual quantity Hydrogen in Fuel requires 8*H kg of
Oxygen
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
c. S + O2 = SO2
32 32 64
32Kg Sulphur requires 32Kg Oxygen to form 64Kg
Sulphur Dioxide
Means 1Kg Sulphur requires 32/32 = 1kg Oxygen
i.e Actual quantity Sulphur in fuel requires 1*S Kg of
Oxygen
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
So Total Oxygen required for 1kg of fuel = (2.67C + 8H
+ S) kg
There is always some quantity of Oxygen present in
Fuel.
So Actual Oxygen required for 1Kg of Fuel =
{(2.67C+8H+S)-O2}Kg
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
We know 23Kg Oxygen present in 100Kg Air
So 1Kg Oxygen present in (100/23) kg air = 4.35 Kg Air
For {(2.67C+8H+S)-O2}Kg of Oxygen air requires =
{(2.67C+8H+S)-O2}*4.35 kg
Therefore theoretical air requires for combustion
of 1Kg of fuel = {(2.67C+8H+S)-O2}*4.35 kg
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
2. To Calculate % Excess air.
% Excess Air = {(O2%) / (21 – O2%)} * 100
O2 % = To get from flue gas Analysis
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
Relation between Residual Oxygen and Excess
Air
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
X Axis - Residual Oxygen %, Y Axis - Excess Air %
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
Note - If % O2 is not available, then % Excess air can
be calculated form CO2 analysis.
% Excess Air = {7900* [(CO2t)% - (CO2a)%] }
/ {(CO2a%) – [100 – (CO2t)%]}
(CO2t) = Theoretical CO2
= (Moles of C) / ( Moles of N 2 + Moles of C + Moles of
S)
Indirect Method – Procedures for Efficiency
Calculation
Moles of C = Mass of Carbon in Fuel / Molecular
weight of Carbon
Moles of N2 = (Wt of N2 in Theoretical air + Wt of
Nitrogen in Fuel) / Molecular weight of N2
(CO2a) = Actual CO2. To be taken from flue gas
analysis
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
3. Actual mass of air supplied / kg of Fuel (AAS)
AAS = { 1 + EA / 100} * Theoretical Air
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
[Link] calculate actual mass of dry flue Gas per kg of coal
Mass of dry flue gas = Mass of CO2 in flue gas + Mass
of N2 content in fuel + mass of N2 in the actual air
supplied + Mass of oxygen in flue gas supplied + Mass
of SO2 in Flue gas
= C *44/12 + N2 + AAS*77/100 + (AAS –
Theoretical air)*23/100 + S*64/32
For quick calculation, mass of dry flue gas can be
calculated from,
Total mass of dry flue gas Kg / kg of Fuel = AAS +
Mass of fuel supplied (1kg) – (M+9H2).
Normally applicable for oil fired boiler.
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
5. Now to calculate all losses.
L1 = {m*Cp*(Tf – Ta) / GCV } * 100
Where, m = mass of dry flue gas per kg of coal
Cp = specific heat of flue gas = 0.24 Kcal / Kg 0C
Tf = flue gas temperature in 0C
Ta = ambient temperature in 0C
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
L2 = {9*H2*[584 + Cp (Tf –Ta)] / GCV of Fuel }
*100
Where, H2 = Kg of Hydrogen present in 1kg Fuel
Cp = Specific heat of superheated stem Vapour = 0.45 Kcal
/ Kg 0C
584 = Latent heat corresponding to partial pressure of
water vapour in Kcal / kg
L3 = {M* [584 + Cp (Tf – Ta)] / GCV of Fuel }*100
M = Kg of Moisture in 1Kg Fuel
Cp = Specific heat of superheated water Vapour in Kcal /
kg
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
L4 = {AAS * humidity in ambient Air*Cp *(Tf-Ta)
/ GCV of Fuel } * 100
Where, AAS = Actual air supplied / Kg of Fuel
L5 ={( %CO * C) / ( %CO + %CO2) * 5654 /
GCV of Fuel } * 100
Where, 5654 is the heat loss (Kcal) for each Kg of CO
formed.
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
L6 = 0.548*[(Ts / 55.55)^4 – (Ta / 55.55)^4] +
1.957*(Ts – Ta)^1.25 * [Link] of [(196.85Vm +
68.9)/]
= Say X Watt / M2
Then %L6 = (X *Heat surface area*0.86*100) /
(GCV of Fuel* Fuel Qty in Kg / Hr)
As, 1KWh= 860Kcal
Where, Vm = Wind Velocity in m/s
Ts = Boiler outside Surface Temperature 0K
Ta = Ambient Temperature in 0K
Indirect Method – Procedures for
Efficiency Calculation
L7 = {Total ash collected per kg of fuel burnt *
GCV of fly ash / GCV of Fuel } *100
L8 = {Total ash collected per kg of fuel burnt *
GCV of bottom ash / GCV of Fuel} * 100
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
Example :2
Following data were collected during an energy audit
study from a coal fired boiler.
a. Fuel analysis:
Carbon = 41.92%, H2 = 2.08 %
N2 = 1.76%, O2 = 2.39%
S = 0.42% M = 7.3%
Ash = 43.9%
GCV = 3364 Kcal / Kg
Fuel = 5400 Kg / Hr
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
b. Ash analysis
GCV of fly ash = 400 Kcal/ kg
GCV of bottom ash = 900 Kcal / Kg
Un burnt in fly ash = 4.89%
Un burnt in bottom Ash = 0.11%
c. Flue Gas Analysis
O2 = 3.4%
CO = 0.5%
CO2 Actual = 14%
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
d. Other Data
Flue gas temp. APH Outlet = 137 0C
Ambient temperature = 33 0C
Humidity = 0.02107 kg of water / kg of dry air
Total surface area of boiler = 90 M2
Wind Velocity = 3.5 m / sec
Boiler Surface temperature = 70 0C
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
Calculation:
Theoretical Air = {(2.67C+8H+S)-O2}*4.35
= {(2.67*0.4192+8*0.0208+0.0042)-0.00239}*4.35
= 5.6 Kg of air / kg of coal
Excess Air = (O2 / 21-O2)*100
= (3.4 / 21-3.4)*100
= 19.31%
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
Actual Air Supplied
= (1 + EA/100)*Theoretical Air
= (1 + 19.31/100)*5.6
= 6.68 Kg of Air / Kg of Coal
Mass of dry flue gas = C*44/12+N2+ AAS*77/100 +
(AAS – TA)*23/100 + S*64/32
= 0.4192*44/12 + 0.0176 + 6.68*77/100 + (6.68-
5.6)*23/100 + 0.0042*64/32
= 6.95 Kg of dry ash / kg of coal
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
To Calculate Losses
L1 = 6.95 * 0.24 * (137 -33) / 3364 = 0.051
= 5.15%
L2 = 9*0.0208*{584 + 0.45 (137 – 33)} / 3364
= 0.035
= 3.5%
L3 = 0.073*{584 + 0.45 (137 – 33)} / 3364
= 0.0136
= 1.36%
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
L4 = 6.68*0.02107*0.45*(137-33) / 3364
= 0.00195
= 0.195%
L5 = (0.5*0.4192) / (0.5 +14) * (5654 / 3364)
= 0.024
= 2.4%
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
L6
= 0.548*[(343 /55.55)^4 – (306 /55.55)^4] + 1.957
* (343 – 306)^1.25 * [Link] of ((196.85*3.5 +68.9)
/ 68.9 ]
= 752 W / m2
Then L6
= (752 * 90 * 0.86 *100) / 3364 * 5400
= 0.32%
Indirect Method – Coal Fired Boiler
L7 = (0.0489*0.439*400*100) / 3364
= 0.25%
L8 = 0.011*0.439*900 *100/ 3364
= 0.13%
Total Losses = 13.31%
So Efficiency = 100 – 13.31 = 86.69%
Example - 3
The following are the data collected for a boiler using
furnace oil. Find out the efficiency by indirect Method.
Oil Analysis
Carbon – 84%, Hydrogen -12%
Nitrogen – 0.5%, Oxygen – 1.5%
Sulphur – 1.5% Moisture – 0.5%
GCV of Fuel – 10000 Kcal / kg
Fuel firing rate – 2650 Kg / Hr
Surface temperature of boiler – 80 0C
Surface area of boiler – 90M2
Humidity – 0.025 kg / kg of dry air, Wind Speed – 3.5m/s
Flue Gas Analysis
Flue Gas temperature – 190 0C
Ambient Temperature – 30 0C
CO2% in flue gas by volume – 10.8%
O2% in flue gas by volume – 7.4%
Calculation
Theoretical Air = 13.91 Kg / Kg of oil
Excess Air = 54.41%
Actual Air supplied = 21.48 kg / kg of fuel
Mass of dry flue gas = AAS + Fuel mass –
(M+9H2)
= 21.4 Kg / kg of oil
Calculation - Losses
L1 = 8.22%
L2 = 7.05%
L3 = 0.033%
L4 = 0.37%
L5 = 0.38%
Efficiency = 83.95%
Factors affecting Boiler Performance
Periodical cleaning of boilers.
Periodical soot blowing and stack temperature.
Proper water treatment programme and blow down
control.
Draft Control & Combustion control.
Excess Air control, incomplete combustion.
% loading of boiler. Fluctuating load.
Steam generation pressure and temperature, low feed
water temperature than design.
Boiler insulation.
Fuel quality like low GCV, high moisture, more dust.
