Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Direct Method ) Example:

Type of boiler: Coal fired Boiler

Heat input data

Qty of coal consumed
GCV of coal

: 1.8 TPH
: 3200 KCals/kg

Heat output data

Qty of steam generated
Steam pressure/temperature

kg/cm2(g)/1800C
Enthalpy of steam (sat) at 10
kg/cm2(g) pressure
Feed water temperature
Enthalpy of feed water

: 8 TPH
: 10
. 665 K.Cal/kg
: 85 0 C
: 85 K.Cal/kg

Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Direct Method )
Boiler efficiency ( D):

= ( Q ) x (H h)
(q) x (GCV)

x 100%

Where
Q = Quantity of steam generated per hour (kg/hr)
q = Quantity of fuel used per hour (kg/hr)
E.R.= Evaporation Ratio( Q/q )
H = Enthalpy of saturated steam (kcal/kg)
h = Enthalpy of feed water (kcal/kg)
GCV = Gross calorific value of the fuel (kcal/kg)
Boiler efficiency ( D) = 8 TPH x1000Kg/Tx (66585) x 100

Evaporation Ratio

1.8 TPH x 1000Kg/T x 3200

= 80.0%
= 8 Tonne of steam/1.8 Ton of coal
= 4.4

Boiler Efficiency Measurement

Procedures
(B) BYIN DIRECT METHOD ( ID) : [100 (Sum of
losses)]
Steam Output

6. Surface loss

1. Dry Flue gas loss

2. H2 loss
3. Moisture in fuel
4. Moisture in air
5. CO loss

7. Fly ash loss

Fuel Input, 100%

Boiler

Flue gas

Air
8. Bottom ash loss

Efficiency
(by In Direct Method)

= 100 (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)

Boiler Efficiency Measurement

Procedures ( Indirect Method )
Data requirement for measuring Boiler Efficiency
(Indirect):
o

Chemical constituents of fuel :

( C%,S%.M%,H%,O% & VM%,A%, )
For Solid fuels : Proximate & Ultimate Analysis
For Liquid/Gaseous fuels : Standard figures
Constituents in ash samples (for solid fuels) :
Combustibles in ash during Trial : Ca %
Gross calorific value of Ash
: ACVa Kcal/Kg
Measurement of flue gas parameters :
( CO2 % or O2%)
( SO2%, CO%)

Boiler Efficiency Measurement

Procedures ( Indirect Method )

OperationalData
Data: :
Operational

Specific
SpecificHumidity
Humidityofofair
air : :Sh
Sh(from
(fromPsychometric
PsychometricChart)
Chart)

oC)
Ambientair
airtemperature
temperature ((oC)
Ta
Ambient
: : Ta
oC)
Average
Averageflue
fluegas
gastemperature
temperature((oC)
Tg

: :Tg

Averageofofoxygen
oxygen%
%ininflue
fluegas
gas
AO22%
%
Average
: :AO
Excess Air
Air(Ea)(%)
(Ea)(%)
(AO22xx100)/(21100)/(21-AO
AO2)2)
Excess
: :(AO
Theoreticalor
orStoichometric
Stoichometricair
airrequired
required
Theoretical
(Kg/Kgof
of fuel
fuel))
(Kg/Kg
(TAS):=
:= [11.5
[11.5xxCC++34.5
34.5xx{{HH(O/8)
(O/8)+4.32
+4.32**(S)]/100
(S)]/100
(TAS)

Standardfigures
figures::
Standard

14.0Kgs
Kgsof
ofair/kg
air/kgof
ofFurnace
FurnaceOil
Oil
--14.0
Actualmass
massof
ofair
airsupplied
supplied Kg/Kg
Kg/Kgof
offuel
fuel
Actual
AAS) == ((11++Ea/100)
Ea/100) **TAS
TAS
((AAS)

Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Indirect Method )
EXAMPLE :

Type of boiler
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

: Oil fired
Ultimate analysis of Oil :C- 84.0 %; H2 - 12.0 %
S - 3.0 % ; O2 - 1.0 %
GCV of Oil
: 10200 kcal/kg
Steam Generation Pressure: 7kg/cm2(g)-sat.
Enthalpy of steam
: 660 kCal/kg
Feed water temperature : 60oC
Percentage of Oxygen in flue gas : 7 %
Percentage of CO2 in flue gas
: 11 %

Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Indirect Method )
o

Flue gas temperature (Tf) : 220 0C

o
o

Ambient temperature (Ta) : 27 0C

Humidity of air

: 0.018 kg/kg of dry air

Solution
Step-1: Find the theoretical air requirement
=[(11.43 x C) + [{34.5 x (H2 O2/8)} + (4.32 x )]/100 kg/kg of oil
=[(11.43 x 84) + [{34.5 x (12 1/8)} + (4.32 x 3)]/100 kg/kg of oil
=13.82 kg of air/kg of oil

Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Indirect Method )
Step-2: Find the %Excess air supplied
Excess air supplied (EA)
= (O2 x 100
(21-O2)
= (7 x 100)/(21-7)
= 50%
Step-3: Find the Actual mass of air supplied
Actual mass of air supplied /kg of fuel : [ 1 + EA/100] xTh. Air
(AAS) = [1 + 50/100] x 13.82
= 1.5 x 13.82
= 20.74 kg of air/kg of oil
Step-4: Estimation of all losses ( H g )
I Dry flue gas loss == m x Cfg x (Tf - Ta) x 100
GCV of fuel

Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Indirect Method )
Total mass of flue gas (m) = mass of actual air supplied
mass of fuel supplied = 20.74 + 1 =21.74
%Dry flue gas loss = 21.74 x 0.23 x (220-27) x 100
10200
= 9.46%

2. % Heat loss due to Moisture &Hydrogen (Hmh) :

= ( M + 9H) x { 0.45 x Tf- Ta) + 586}

x 100

GCV of fuel
= (0.25 + 9x12 ) x{ 0.45x( 220- 27) + 586 } x 100 = 7.14 %
10200

Boiler Efficiency Calculations

( by Indirect Method )
3. % Heat loss due to Moisture in air ( Hma)
= (AAS) x (Sh) x { 0.448 x (Ts - Ta) x 100
GCV of fuel
= { 20.74 x (0.018)x(0.448 x (220-27) x 100 = 0.31 %
10200
4. % Heat loss due to radiation & Un - accounted loss (Hu)
= 2 %( assumed for a small boiler )

Boiler Efficiency ( Indirect Method) :

ID = 100 - ( Hg + Hmh+ Hm+ Hr + Hua) %
= 100 ( 9.46 + 7.14 + 0.31 + 2.0 ) %
= 81 %