Boiler Performance Test

8/18/2019 Boiler Performance Test

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How to Conduct a Boiler Performance Test

written by: Dr V T Sathyanathan • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 5/20/2011

The performance test in a boier e!auates the practicay achie!abe boier efficiency"#erformance tests are aso carried out to pro!e boier $uarantees" %s $uarantees in!o!econtractua conditions& the procedure in!o!ed are more eaborate than the test for e!auatin$

performance"

• 'onductin$ a boier performance test can be for understandin$ the current e!e of

performance of the boier& for any troube shootin$ of the boier for performance de!iations& andfor pro!in$ the performance $uarantees" These entire three re(uirements can be met by the

procedure adopted for performance $uarantee testin$" )efore startin$ the performance $uarantee

test we ha!e to understand the contact re(uirement fuy& understand fuy the performance e!eof the boier& *eep in mind the norma areas of concern& decide the ri$ht time for the test&

or$ani+e the test instruments& ma*e sure a oca measurement $rid points are in order& insta atest instruments at the specified areas& do a tria test& and decare the $uarantee test"

Understand the contact requirement

o ,nderstand a $uarantees we incudin$ those a$reed incudin$ added any after

contract finai+ation

o Ta* to performance desi$ner as to whether he has ta*en any cacuated ris*

durin$ the proposa

o Loo* at the penaty for each $uarantee and be cear about the se!erity e!es

o )e cear on the demonstration $uarantee - what each means

o Loo* at re.ection causes in the contract

o Study the performance $uarantee proposa submitted and appro!ed

Understand fully the performance level of the boiler

o a*e sure you ha!e o$ readin$s of each oad under which $uarantees are a$reed

o !auate the performance of the boier and correct it to desi$n fue

o )e sure you are usin$ the contracted and appro!ed code for # test

o a*e sure you are e!auatin$ a unaccounted osses and chec* how far you are

eatin$ into the manufacturers mar$in


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o f re(uired& inform the site of the findin$s from o$ data and as* them to retune

and $i!e another set of data

The normal areas of concern

o 34y$en and fue $as temperature at boier outet - ony sin$e point measurementfor re$uar o$ readin$

o Do a $rid measurement durin$ commissionin$ and chec* whether the point is

cose to the a!era$e $rid !aue for the a oads $uarantee is made

o 'oa sampin$ and testin$ - tota moisture e!auation is !ery critica and has to be

done as per procedure in the standard bein$ foowed

o #ower consumption readin$s - (uipment a$reed to be incuded and current&

!ota$e and power factor readin$s to be ta*en

o #ercenta$e combustibes measurement in bottom ash - fy ash normay no

probem faced

Decide the right time for the test

o a*e sure the ambient conditions are conduci!e for # test - a!oid rainy season

o 'ompete the performance e!auation of the boier and ma*e sure the $uarantees

are met with correction to desi$n conditions as per contracted code

o Decide test team - it is a $ood practice to ha!e a performance en$ineer in the team

if the boier is first of its *ind

o a*e out cear responsibiity for each team member - ne!er e4ceed fi!e four in

the team is $ood6 e4cudin$ the performance en$ineer

o !o!e strate$y for achie!in$ the $uarantee if there is any concern in any area

Test instruments

o a*e sure a instruments panned to be used ha!e !aid caibration certificate and

from a third a$ency of repute

o The muti point measurement probes for temperature and fue $as sampin$ are

made ready and are as per standard

o % the thermocoupes must be indi!iduay caibrated and shoud be within the

e4piration of caibration period


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o 7ue $as anaysis e(uipment for o4y$en& carbon-dio4ide& and poutants i*e 834

and S34 must be caibrated with caibration $ases pro!ided by suppier

o The fue $as measurement by 3rsat must aso be or$ani+ed - ea*a$e of air into

fue $as durin$ sampin$ is a ma.or concern" % efforts to a!oid this shoud be ta*en by

chec*in$ and rechec*in$

Local measurement grid points

o Location of $rid is !ery important as in a ar$e duct there wi be hi$h amount of

imbaance and stratification

o 'are must be ta*en whie pro!idin$ the $rid tappin$ points for proper access to

insert the on$ probes

o %!oid tappin$ points near a direction chan$e& !oid re$ion& or near the tappin$

point hoe

o The number of points for $rid must be as per code used for # test

o The power consumption measurement points and connections must be identified

and connection procedure ensured

• nstallation of all test instruments

o % probes for %#9 inet and outet $as temperature and fue $as sampin$ must

be assembed with thermocoupe

o ach thermocoupe on the probe shoud be cose to the $as sampin$ hoe if not at

the sampin$ hoe

o 'onnection to the measurement de!ice data o$$er or oca measurement6 shoud

be carefuy chec*ed for any de!iation or defect

o The $as sampin$ probe shoud be connected by fe4ibe tubin$ to the samper

trou$h a bubber

o

The sampin$ must be done by a pump and a air in$ress points in the connectionnet wor* may be fuy chec*ed and seaed

o The $as temperature is measured at each point but the $as can be samped from a

points as a composite one

o 'onnect the other $rid temperature measurements in areas i*e air temperature

enterin$ air preheater& temperature and o4y$en at D inet


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o % the air and fue $as pressure shoud be measured usin$ a standard water tube

manometer

o % pressure $au$es& if pressure drop $uarantee is there& must be done

o % steam& water temperature must be done throu$h a caibrated thermocoupethrou$h a thermowe

o % thermocoupe must be appropriatey corrected for cod .unction compensation

o The ambient temperature& both wet and dry bub& must be ta*en cose to the air

inta*e point of 7D and #% fan at the re(uired fre(uency

o The readin$s in the contro room must be separatey o$$ed with a re(uired

fre(uency

o The coa& fyash& bottom ash and mi re.ects must be coected at the re(uiredfre(uency and e(uipment

Trial test

o %t the re(uired oad condition wa bow the boier and aso do the soot bowin$ if

needed - oo* at contract cause for any prere(uisites

o Tune the combustion for the owest aowed e4cess air and owest achie!abe

%#9 outet $as temperature

o %ow the boier to stabii+e for about one hour and start the tria test

o Ta*e a readin$s at the re(uired fre(uency as per the standard

o 'hec* the tota moisture in coa and the combustibes in ash" f pro4imate anaysis

of is a!aiabe which is within 2 hours this can be ta*en for immediate chec*in$ of thetria readin$ - correct the same for desi$n coa

The guarantee test

o f resuts of tria test are 3;& then decare #erformance uarantee test& ma*e sure

a customer representati!e or consutant as per contract is a witness for a readin$s and

data o$$ed - Si$n the o$ data then and there from a incudin$ customer rep orconsutant

o 8ormay a # test are run for four hours uness otherwise a$reed before test


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o 'oect a sampes& coa& mi re.ect& fy ash and bottom ash ma*e in to three

portions one for customer& one for your use and the other as reference sampe in case

needed"

o The reference sampe is si$ned and seaed by both suppier and customer %so

consutant if in!o!ed in test6

o Do the test at a the a$reed oad

o a*e sure that a o$ readin$s and sampes are propery si$ned& abeed and

pac*ed propery to a!oid mi4-up"

o et the tota moisture readin$ done for each test and a si$ned copy $ot from the

customer or his assi$ned a$ency

o f any de!iation is noticed durin$ any test because of oad fuctuation or any other

reason then record the same in that particuar o$ sheet for reference in future

o a*e a fina minutes of meetin$ with customer / consutant about the test carried

out& any specia obser!ation& and when the report wi be submitted"

Documents

Boiler Performance Test