Water Wall Tubes Research Articles

Progress in the study of corrosion characteristics of water-wall tubes of power station boilers by Cl−/SO42-

Progress in the study of corrosion characteristics of water-wall tubes of power station boilers by Cl−/SO42-

Implementation of Anti-Abrasion Grid in Sumsel-5 580 t/h CFB Boiler (Reliability and Performance Evaluation)

CFB Boiler operated with turbulence model and fast fluidization. This model regime gives CFB boiler great heat distribution and increase boiler efficiency. Disadvantage of regime is due boiler furnace feed with coal, sand and limestone as bed material. Bed material with the high velocity and turbulence regime can be harmful for water and steam tube inside of furnace. Operational challenges such as abrasion and abrasion of boiler components will significantly affect their efficiency and increase possible force shutdown because of boiler tube leakage. This research investigated the implementation of anti-abrasion grids perpendicular to water wall tubes of Sumsel-5 CFB Boiler, installed horizontally and vertically to mitigate abrasion and enhance overall performance. The result showed that anti-abrasion grid installation could increase the lifespan of the CFB boiler, reduce the abrasion rate by more than 50%, and lead to enhanced boiler performance by 0,4%. Anti-abrasion grid installation could also reduce the maintenance cost due to water wall tube repair.

A Study on the Effects of Welding Deformation According to Weld Sequence in Overlay-Welded Structures

In this study, thermal elasto-plastic finite element analysis was conducted to derive the optimal welding sequence to minimize overlay welding deformation on the water wall panels of an SRF (solid refuse fuel) boiler. The water wall panels of an SRF boiler are exposed to high temperatures and corrosive environments, making overlay welding essential. However, because the length of the water wall panels and tubes exceeds 7 m, significant deformation occurs after overlay welding. Additionally, due to the large size of the water wall panels, full-size thermal elasto-plastic analysis requires huge computational costs. Therefore, in this study, the effects of welding sequence on overlay welding deformation were first investigated for a reduced model to derive the optimal welding sequence. Subsequently, an analysis model for the full-size pipe panels was established to compare and analyze the conventional welding sequence with the optimal welding sequence, thereby verifying the validity of the study. According to the welding sequence derived from the reduced model, welding deformation in the full-size model was significantly reduced compared to the conventional sequence. This reduction in deformation was discussed by analyzing the deformation behavior of the structure at each stage of the overlay welding process.

Comprehensive Inspection Solution for Boiler Water Wall Tube Corrosion

A substantial number of domestic coal-fired boilers, most of which have been in operation for numerous years, are susceptible to corrosion and tube ruptures within their high-temperature environment, often resulting in unplanned shutdowns. Despite the annual planned maintenance shutdowns, which involve routine inspections of water wall and furnace tubes to detect potential corrosion and erosion, the current non-destructive testing methods are generally localized. This approach, particularly with the considerable height variation of the water wall tubes (ranging from approximately 10 to 25 meters), may overlook segments with severe corrosion during localized ultrasonic thickness gauging. Although the experience of inspection teams reduces the chance of defect oversight, the demand for a comprehensive and effective inspection technique remains a priority for boiler operators. This study utilizes the characteristic of guided waves to propagate over a certain distance along pipelines, initiating an exploration into a comprehensive inspection solution for water wall tubes. Finite element simulation results demonstrate the suitability of utilizing a 120 kHz frequency for shear horizontal mode (SH0) testing on the fire side of water wall tubes. This mode effectively screens for localized corrosion within a 3-meter range. In the field of on-site boiler inspection, electromagnetic coils are employed to generate guided waves within water wall tubes. The gathered signals from each electromagnetic guided wave testing (EMGWT) are consolidated into a distribution map, indicating suspicious signal locations. Pulse eddy current testing (PECT) is employed to identify potential issues with guided waves without requiring surface preparation. If PECT reveals anomalies, the affected surface is polished, and phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) is conducted to quantitatively measure the remaining wall thickness due to corrosion. The theoretical exploration and on-site inspection outcomes affirm the feasibility of this approach, aimed at enhancing operational safety for boiler water wall tubes and mitigating the risks of tube ruptures and leaks. This comprehensive inspection solution amalgamates three advanced detection technologies, each capitalizing on its unique inspection characteristics to facilitate corrosion screening, corrosion scanning, and wall thickness sizing. Through the integration of these technologies, the overall inspection strategy ensures the utmost level of reliability.

Leakage of water-cooled wall tube in subcritical boiler

Usually, heating surfaces used in thermal power plant boilers include economizers, water-cooled walls, superheaters, and reheaters, abbreviated as the “four tubes” of boilers. The leakage of the heating surface is a common form of unplanned shutdown in thermal power plants, accounting for more than 50% of abnormal shutdown accidents of units. Once the heating surface explosion occurs, the thermal power plant needs to shut down for treatment, resulting in huge losses in power generation and fuel consumption during startup and shutdown. This has a huge impact on the safety production and economic benefits of the enterprise. In this paper, the leaked water-cooled wall tube in the subcritical boiler was studied by means of microstructure analysis, hardness test, energy spectrum analysis, chemical composition test, macro-morphology inspection, and tensile test. The results revealed that the oxygen concentration difference between the area installed in ceiling pouring material and the area exposed to the air can result in significant differences in electrode potential between different areas of the front water wall tube passing through the ceiling. An oxygen concentration difference battery is formed. In this way, the water-cooled wall steel pipe continuously corroded and thinned. Finally, perforation leakage occurred under the pressure of the internal high-temperature medium.

Numerical and experimental analysis of thermal and flow operating conditions of waterwall tubes connected by fins

This paper presents a method for determining the temperature distribution in the cross-section of waterwall tubes connected by fins using an in-house numerical algorithm prepared in the MATLAB environment, based on differential equations with separable variables. In order to verify the correctness of the algorithm operation, the temperature values obtained from it, determined for the frontal area of the tubes, are compared with the temperatures found in the Ansys Fluent environment and those measured on the test stand. A system corresponding to a fragment of the combustion chamber wall of a supercritical steam boiler was selected to perform the analysis. The system consists of three tubes connected by fins. The temperature distributions in the cross-sections of the tubes were compared for the case when each of the tubes was heated on one side with the same heat flux and when the heat flux falling on the central tube was by 50% higher than the heat flux incident on the neighbouring tubes. Experimental verification was carried out on a stand equipped with three vertical tubes connected by fins, heated on one side by infrared radiators.

Numerical investigation of boiler waterwall corrosion by integrated tube temperature prediction and sulfur evolution model

High temperature corrosion has become one of the leading causes of boiler waterwall tube failures because of the wide application of air-staged combustion in coal-fired boilers. High temperature corrosion is strongly affected by the H2S concentration and wall tube temperature distributions in the furnace. Particularly, the corrosion rate increases exponentially with the increase of tube temperature. However, by far most of the numerical studies on high temperature corrosion only considered the effects of H2S concentration while the critical effects of tube temperature were overlooked. Thus, this paper presents a comprehensive corrosion model that incorporates the key effects of both tube temperature and H2S concentration. Specifically, the tube temperature is predicted by a coupled combustion and hydrodynamic model that integrates the critical effects of both the boiler gas flow and steam flow on waterwall tube temperature. The H2S concentration is predicted by a sulfur evolution model describing the devolatilization process of coal sulfur species and their subsequent gaseous reactions. The tube temperature prediction model and H2S evolution model provide all the key parameters for accurate prediction of boiler waterwall corrosion. The corrosion model is applied to a 350 MW supercritical wall-fired boiler. The results show that the tube temperature varies significantly over the boiler waterwall, and hence, has significant impacts on the distribution of wall tube corrosion. Particularly, local high tube temperature zones could form on the waterwall areas of relatively low H2S concentration leading to substantially higher tube corrosion rates than the adjacent wall areas. The results demonstrate the importance of incorporating both the wall tube temperature and H2S concentration in the prediction of boiler waterwall corrosion.

Failure investigation of a water-wall tube of fossil-fuel fired boiler

Failure investigation of water tube failure in boilers, especially in thermal power stations, is of paramount importance because it plays a crucial role in supplying energy to the dependent processing units in refineries. The failure investigation of the water-wall tube at the roof position in a boiler is presented in this work. In order to identify the root cause of the rupture, various destructive and non-destructive analyses were performed at multiple locations on the failed tubes. Visual inspection revealed a fish mouth-type rupture opening with excessive wall thinning about 60% before its failure and a diametrical growth of up to 150 % from the nominal diameter at the bulge location.From the chemical composition analysis, mechanical testing, and hardness measurements, the material was found to meet the requirement of SA 210 Grade A standards. This is a typical steel grade for high-pressure and temperature systems widely used in boilers. The microscopic examination revealed that the structure of the sound part of the tubes consisted of ferrite and pearlite structures. Whereas the microstructure of the bulged area exhibited a partial decomposition of the pearlite colonies, as well as formations of bainitic structures indicates localized overheating beyond the lower critical temperature (Ac1) of 723 °C for phase transformation. The absence of significant internal deposits and multiple bulges, ductile mode of failure, spheroidization in the ferrite matrix, and violent rupture are indications of short-term overheating. The failure mechanism of localized short-term overheating is identified as a result of the flame impingement due to the burner misalignment. A rupture of a tube in a high-pressure steam boiler can be catastrophic. A proper root cause analysis of the failure provides insight into the operating window for process variables, the interval of tracking feed water quality, and a planned shutdown inspection to avert any unpredictable shutdown in high-temperature applications. Understanding boiler-tube failures may improve stream-generating equipment performance, safety, availability, and reliability.

FATIGUE AND CORROSION PHENOMENON ON FAILURE OF WATER WALL TUBE BOILER

Water wall tube is one of a boiler components which has a function to transform water to be vapour so that it is normally called steam generating tubes. Any failure on wall tube will affect to the whole boiler system. Â The purpose of this research is to find out root cause of failure of wall tube in order to avoid similar case in the future. Â Research is conducted by examining and testing the specimens on all aspects including visual, fractography, metallography, chemical analysis, hardness test and tensile test. Examination on the fracture surface by fractographic method found the evidence of fatigue fracture with the presence of beachmark. Another examination on uninstalled boiler tube shows indication of fabrication defect and trans-granular cracks which allowed corrosive agent infiltrated into the microstructure of the tube. However, the result of chemical analysis and tensile test indicated that the tubes investigated are in accordance with ASTM A 210 Grade C specifications. Therefore, the failure of the tube is not caused by wrong material selection, but through the combination of fatigue fracture and corrosion attack where initiated at fabrication defect that acted as stress raisers.

Failure Analysis of Cracking on the Outer Pipe of 12Cr1MoV Water Wall in Thermal Power Plants

In order to identify the main causes of cracking and leakage of 12Cr1MoV water wall tubes outside the furnace in thermal power plants, this paper uses macroscopic morphology observation, stereomicroscope observation, alloy composition analysis, Brinell hardness test, metallographic structure inspection, and other means to detect and analyze the failed water wall tube. The alloy composition content of the water wall tubes submitted for inspection is within the standard requirements, and the Brinell hardness value of the water wall tubes also meets the requirements of relevant standards, The matrix metallographic structure of the water wall tube is normal. The initial leakage point is the cracking of the fillet weld at the end of the water wall tube fin, while other leakage points are caused by the blowing of the medium leaked from the initial leakage point. The initial leakage point is formed by the fatigue crack initiated at the fillet weld of the fin end and the corrosion crack on the inner wall extending towards each other. It is recommended to further inspect whether there is still cracking at the end of adjacent water wall tube fins to prevent similar cracking from happening again. Due to the frequent changes in the “peak shaving” period and amplitude in recent years, it is necessary to design the peak shaving period or amplitude reasonably to ensure the safe operation of the boiler.

Simulation research on corrosion and thinning characteristics of water wall tubes based on electric field array

During service, the water wall tube will inevitably corrode due to various corrosive gases such as SO2, HCl, H2S, etc. To prevent the occurrence of tube burst accidents caused by thinning and income-pressure resistance of the water wall tube, it is necessary to monitor the wall thickness of the water wall tube row in real-time. This paper proposes an array-based method for monitoring the thickness of the water wall tube row, and the different corrosion characteristics models of the water wall tube row are established by using the finite element analysis software Maxwell. Based on the model, the influence of tube wall thickness and material on measurement accuracy is analyzed by current density distribution and electric field intensity. The error of calculation formula is analyzed by simulating different corrosion conditions of tube wall thinning. The calculation formula of the wall thickness after the corrosion of the water wall tube row and the correction formula of the wall thickness of a single water wall tube with the correction coefficient α of 3 are determined. And put forward to define the ”generalized average thickness” of the water wall corrosion of multiple tubes, and determine the correct formula for calculating the thickness of the water wall tube row with a correction coefficient β of 0.85 to 0.95.

Degradation modelling and lifetime assessment for boiler waterwall with incomplete inspection data

Thermal fatigue cracking is a common problem for boiler waterwall tubes in power plants, resulting the risk of unscheduled plant shutdown. Developing an effective degradation model to predict the future condition of waterwall tubes is vital to assess boiler remaining life. Even though many numerical studies are available in the literature for understanding the physical mechanism (thermal fatigue cracking), the development of predictive models for future risks that can inform decision making are limited. One of the key impediments for developing predictive models is the lack of data. In the case of boiler critical subsystems, very few failures (if any) are recorded in its history. In addition, the number of inspections is limited due to access difficulties. Thus, in many practical cases, the condition data available for degradation modelling is sparse with both infrequent and (spatially) incomplete inspections. This paper presents the development of a stochastic degradation model prediction of thermal fatigue cracking severity in a boiler waterwall when the data is limited. The time evolution of the condition indicator for each waterwall tube is modelled using Markov Models and Bayesian identification algorithms are used to tractably address the large amount of missing data. The methodology presented in this paper employs a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) scheme to account for the parameter uncertainty in the presence of missing data. Moreover, this paper also incorporates a novel grouping strategy in which the neighbouring components are grouped to tackle the problem of (spatial) data sparsity. The degradation modelling and prediction tools developed in this paper will support renewal decision making by using available onsite asset data and knowledge. A real-world case study of a boiler waterwall operating in an Australian power industry is also presented. It is found that the waterwall degradation appears to be slowing, but an additional inspection is recommended to confirm the trend.

Failure in power plant system related to mitigations and economic analysis; A study case from steam power plant in Suralaya, Indonesia

The failure mitigation and economic analysis related to the damage of the boiler tube in the power plant system were evaluated in the present study. The research was conducted at Indonesia's Suralaya power plant (PP). The boiler was built in 2011 and experienced a boiler tube failure after operating for less than 5 years. This condition is not common since boilers generally can be used with a lifetime of approximately 30 years. In the present study, different analyses were used i.e., macro-fractography, metallography inspection, hardness test, SEM/XRD analysis, and hydro test. These tests investigated the failure modes, evaluated the tube's mechanical properties, and assessed the boiler water feed's quality. The results showed that the damage is caused by the below-standard quality materials and is triggered by the poor quality of boiler feed water and exhibit corrosion. It is proven that the high value of sodium, conductivity, and silica content causes corrosion of the inner tube, which came out from methane gas. It is also shown that the damage drastically decreased the quality of the water wall tube strength, indicated by the HRV value from 179 HRV to 112 HRV. The analysis was a brief study that can be used for manufacturers and industries that use the boiler to check the material quality and the detailed specification. Moreover, the below-standard materials have proven to cause economic loss and burden many sectors' maintenance and operation costs.

Water Wall Tubes’ High Temperature Corrosion Root Cause Investigation: A 300 MW Level Boiler Case

High temperature corrosion poses a great threat to boiler water wall safe operation. To investigate the corrosion root cause, a 300 MW level boiler water wall high temperature H2S corrosion case was reported. The typical hydrogen sulfide H2S corrosion feature was large amounts of sulfur which could be found in the cut down sample tube corrosion layer, with a thickness of 482 μm. In addition, huge amounts of lead (Pb) could be found in the corrosion layer, which resulted from the lead sulfide (PbS) deposition when the high temperature flue gas condensed at the water wall tubes. Meanwhile, the sulfur in the corrosion layer was closely related to the H2S concentration in the water wall ambience. The related ambience test showed that the H2S could achieve up to 1000 ppm when the boiler was in operation, far larger than the suggested reference value of 100 ppm. Hence, the overlarge H2S concentration was a vital factor for the tube corrosion. To further investigate the reason why the H2S was kept in such high concentration in the boiler long term operation, and the reasons for the over-high sulfur content in the coal and the over-large diameter of the imaginary circle of primary air (DICPA), two factors were obtained. The peak sulfur content reached 2.5% and the suggested sulfur content was below 1%. The DICPA was so large (1580 mm) that the pulverized coal easily scoured the water wall tubes, which would boost the thinning process of the tubes. To relieve the high temperature corrosion, improve the coal qualities, decrease the DICPA, adjust the operation diameter and adopt a coating technology four measures were suggested.

Simulation analysis of instantaneous impact on the radiant syngas cooler by rapping vibrators

AbstractSlag or ash removal from water wall tubes in a radiant syngas cooler (RSC) is a routine task in operation, which can effectively increase the overall thermal efficiency. Rapping ash removal is one of the valid methods for shedding off the ash deposits in the high‐pressure surroundings of the RSC. In this study, the model of a real RSC was established by a numerical simulation based on the finite element software ABAQUS, and modal analysis and instantaneous response analysis (IRA) were researched to reveal the natural vibration characteristics of the RSC and aid the design of rapping ash removal. On the basis of the results of natural vibration characteristics and a subsequent harmony response, 16 Hz was set as the impact frequency, balancing off the vibrator number and the water‐tube displacement effect. It was indicated that ash deposit in the area around 1/2 longitudinal position was easy to remove due to great response to rapping action. Moreover, rapping at ½ position generally obtained greater displacement response in the whole RSC. A rapping design was proposed with six vibrators at the ½ longitudinal position and 16 Hz frequency, and then two rapping intervals were investigated comparatively. The case with a half‐cycle interval had a slightly larger response than the one‐cycle case, with a larger displacement in more circumferential tubes as well as with a greater sound pressure response in the RSC.

Failure Analysis of a Deep Pit on the Inner Wall of Water Wall Tube in a Power Plant

A deep pit on the inner wall of a water wall tube of a 600MW boiler was found at the extension end of the front of the furnace during an overhaul after 200 thousand hours of operation. To investigate the causes of the failure, various techniques including macroscopic inspection, chemical composition analysis, microstructural analysis, mechanical performance testing, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis were carried out. The results of investigations showed that the chemical composition of the as-received tube conformed with SA-178 Grade C and the mechanical properties were qualified. EDS analysis revealed that the main elements of the deposit on the surface of the pit were iron and oxygen, along with phosphorus, potassium and aluminium, which were identified with the constitutes of the under deposit corrosion products. Based on the results, the cause of the failure is under deposit corrosion. Possible measures to combat the corrosion were proposed.

Metallurgical analysis of ASME SA213 T12 boiler vertical water-wall tubes failure

Low carbon steel (SA213-T12) tubes were used as vertical water-walls of a boiler in a power plant of an electrical power generation, several tubes failed after serving for only 13,140 h. The failed tubes were located near the heat source (burner) at the entrance of the hot water before it was converted into steam. A failure analysis of the broken tubes was carried out to reveal the reasons behind their premature damage. The fractured surfaces of the failed tubes were examined by non-destructive testing. The metallurgical investigation of the failed tubes was carried out via optical and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The metallurgical characterization revealed that the structure of the sound part of the tubes consisted of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite phases. However, the microstructure of the bulging area exhibited a complete decomposition of the pearlite, as well as formations of voids and cementite at the grain boundaries of the ferrite. It was concluded that the failure of the pipes happened due to creep damage associated with a localized overheating in the failed regions having outer and inner scales. Certain recommendations were also presented to prevent the repetition of this type of failure mechanism.

Cause analysis of corrosion and burst of water wall of utility boiler

During the operation of a boiler in a power plant, the water wall tube burst and leaked. In order to find out the reason of tube rupture, a comprehensive experimental study was made on the sample with macro morphology, chemical composition, metallography, SEM and EDS. The results show that due to the high sulfur content in the combustion medium of the boiler, a large amount of sulfate containing sulfur elements will deposit on the outer wall of the water wall tube during the long-term operation. In the high temperature environment of the boiler, the thermal corrosion of sulfate deposit, that is, high temperature sulphur corrosion, is formed on the side of the water wall wall steel tube, which leads to the continuous thinning of the wall thickness. And finally, explosion leakage occurs under the action of the internal high-temperature and high-pressure medium.

Failure analysis of the water-wall tube in once through Benson boiler

Failure analysis of a water wall tube of a once-through Benson boiler after 100,000 h of use of service is presented. A 15Mo3 material was used in the manufacture of the tube. In order to identify the root cause of the rupture, visual inspection, optical emission spectroscopy, microscopic examinations, mechanical strength measurements, and tube wall thickness measurements at various locations were performed on the failed tubes. Visual inspection revealed a fish mouth puncture opening with thin lips. As a result of optical spectroscopy, mechanical testing, and hardness measurements, the material was found to meet the requirements. Based on microstructure analysis, it appears that the pearlite spheroidized near the rupture site as a result of localized high temperatures. The failure mechanism of the tube was identified as a localized short-term overheating caused by high heat flux based on the results of all the tests and analyses conducted in this study.

Condition Assessment of Boiler Water Wall Tubes using Robotics

Boiler tube failures continues to be the primary cause for forced outages in boilers. To get the boiler back on line and reduce (eliminate) future forced outages due to tube failure, it is extremely important to determine and correct the failure root cause. Detecting and sizing flaws before they cause failures is of critical importance in boiler maintenance. Localized and general wall thinning due to corrosion & erosion in boiler water-wall tubing is a significant inspection concern for boiler operators. There are at least four (4) other methods used for the inspection of Boiler Water walls. These methods are Spot Check UT, A-Scan UT, EMAT, and Scanning Thermograpy. Spot Check UT only gives thickness readings and gets very minimal coverage of the total surface area of the furnace water walls; the chances of finding I.D. flaw mechanisms using Spot Check UT are minimal at best. If Boiler Water walls have been sandblasted, A-Scan UT may be used to inspected larger areas of the furnace walls; in these cases, a steady flow of water is most often used as the couplant. The EMAT technique requires that any Boiler Water wall surfaces be sandblasted. This paper will present a discussion on the deployment of robotic wall crawler using electromagnetic technique to inspect boiler water walls from outside of the tube together with the theoretical background of the technique which explains the quantitative nature of the inspection. Further, case studies will be presented for the technique that allows the extraction of tube wall thickness information from the inspection data.