Wonji/shoa Sugar Factory

Steam Generation Plant

By: Fisseha Tilaye

Augest 11, 2022 GC

1. RO Plant
Sedimentation tank
Water is pumped to this tank and flocculent are added to settle solid and other
slags.
Sedimentation tank consists of
• Agitator or stirrer
• mud scraper
• Driving motor and gearbox
• Chain and sprockets power
A reverse osmosis system
Relatively clear water from the storage pumped by centrifugal pumps to sediment
filtrate and carbon filtrate.
• Sediment filter: Reduces particles like dirt, dust, and rust
• Carbon filter: Reduces volatile organic compounds, chlorine, and other
contaminants that give water a bad taste or odor
Next, highly pressurized water goes through the semi permeable membrane where
dissolved particles, even too small to be seen with an electron microscope, are
removed.

• Semi-permeable membrane: Removes up to 98% of total dissolved solids (TDS)

Inspections Areas in RO plant
• Inspection of pumps for any leakage, noise etc
• Inspection of gearbox & bearing for : vibration, excessive heat, noise,
lubrication etc
Maintenance activities
• Dismantle each gearbox and sprocket chain drives: check gears,
bearings, seals, chains and sprockets and any other defects
• Dismantle pumps and check components the wear ring, impellers,
shaft mechanical seals and other parts
• Valve maintenance
Boiler Feed Water
1. DM Tank
There are two DM tanks one tank used to store condensate water from
evaporation plant and another to store Demineralized water from RO which used
as make up water.
2. Hot well
It is a horizontal, cylindrical, closed tank constructed from carbon steel for
receiving and storing condensate and make-up water for supply to the de-aerator
through transfer pumps. An overflow connection of suitable size to return excess
feed water DM tank is provided.
3. De aerator
They are vertical cylindrical tanks with individual horizontal cylindrical feed
water tank. Deaerator solves the aim of removal of unwanted dissolved gases and
dissolved oxygen from feed water before going to boilers.
Motive steam at 1.5 bar enter for De-aeration and the water heat to 105 C 0 .
De aerator commonly works based on the subsequent principles.
Henry’s Law
According to Henry’s law “in a liquid the gas solubility is directly proportional to the
partial pressure, thus if we tend to decrease the partial pressure of the dissolved
gas by adding steam in deaerator, its solubility decreases and so the gas become far
away from water’’ so gasses can flash out.
Inverse Solubility of Water
When the temperature of water increase, the dissolved oxygen content within the
water decreases. Thus the water temperature is growing by inserting steam in
Deaerator, the dissolved gas solubility is reduced and also the gases are withdrawal
from water.
Working principle
Maintenance of Deaerator
1. Cleaning the deaerator
In offseason maintenance deaerator should be
Remove debris in the tank spray tube, trays, or strainers
The spray tube should be checked that holes are pointing as labeled on the spray
tube flange.
 Mechanical floats should be checked to make sure no debris is keeping the float
from operating correctly.
2. Leak test of deaerator and piping
 Pipe connections, fittings, attachments must be inspected for leaks by filling the
unit to the overflow level.
 Inspect all openings and fittings for leaks, removing any obstructions if any and
retighten and/or change fittings and change pipes which leak
4. High pressure (HP) Heater
One HP heater is provided for each boiler to heat the feed water to 160 oC .The
heater is U tube and shell type heat exchanger. Heating medium is steam at 7 bar
pressure. The condensate sent to hot-well tank and steam used as motive steam in
deaerator. The HP heater complete with pressure and temperature transmitters
with level controller.

Advantage
Increase efficiency by:
increasing feed water temperature(save bagasse, decrease boiler thermal stress)
Reducing heat rejected in condenser(since, 7bar steam extracted from turbine
before it goes to condenser)
Common Failure of HP heater
• Tube failure
• scale formation
• Corrosion /Erosion of tubes
• Shell leak
Cause
Dissolved solid (cu, fe, sio etc), Organic mater, Dissolved gasses, Aggressive
chemicals in feed water like chloride and sulphide
 Operating condition differ from designed condition: sudden/overload
Result
• Blanketing of bundle by air and non condensable gasses
• Flooding of heater due to accumulation of/inadequate drainage of condensate
Inspections
• Maintain PH value
• Remove oxygen and other condensable gases in deaerator
• Control TDS
Maintenance
• Hydraulic test to identification of tube leakage
• Air presser test to identify shell failure
5. Economizer
An economizer is a feed water heater, which derives heat from the flue gases to
heat feed water.
The economizer extracts a part of heat of flue gases witch leave the boiler at 200-
250 °C to increase the feed water temperature.
 In the economizer the boiler feed water temperature is typically raised up to 150
and 180°C. The exit temperature should be well below boiling point to prevent
dew point to minimize corrosion.
Advantage
1. Improve boiler efficiency: (1% efficiency of boiler is increased by increasing
temperature of feed water by 6%)
2. Reduce loose heat with flue gases
3. It reduce thermal stress in the boiler
4. It save fuel economy
Inspection
• Inspect soot blowers weather they work correctly
Soot blowers
Soot blowers are system for removing soot's come with flue gas that will deposit on the tube.
Motorized retractable soot blower arrangement
provided at super heater at hottest zone.

motorized rotary soot blower provided in economizer

and bank and wall tubes. Steam for soot blowing system
tapped from a suitable place on the boiler

Soot deposited on the tubes will

Act as insulation (decrease heat transfer)
Erosion/corrosion (which weaken the tubes)
• Inspect tubes in down times
Failure mode and cause
1. Internal and external corrosion
 External corrosion result of Sulphur from deposit ash and moisture result from
condensation of water vapor in flue gases due to wrong firing method or low
temperature of feed water ; which result formation of H2SO4 dew point corrosion
(result of dropping of flue gases temperature to dew point of acid)
 Internal corrosion can result due to the presence of oxygen in feed water due to
lower PH
2. Pitting
• It is the formation of smallest pits on the surface result from dissolved oxygen in
feed water.

3. Fly ash Erosion

4. Scaling
6. Boiler drums
Upper Drum
It is  a reservoir of water/steam at the upper end of the water wall.
Function of Steam Drum
Separate steam with help of baffle separators, cyclone separators, chevron
separators, demisters / screen driers.
Used as reservoir and provides the necessary head for the circulation of water
through evaporative surfaces.
Supplies water for a brief period in the event of stoppage of water supply.
Components of steam drum
• Feed Water line
• Safety valve
• Chemical Dosing line
• Continuous and Intermittent blow down line
• Drum level gauge
• Steam separator (cyclone/baffle)
• Saturated steam outlet pipes
• Down comer and riser
1. Steam separator
2. Chemical Dosing Line
To reduce chances of scale forming salt by converting it to sludge and removal
through low point drain, Tri Sodium Phosphate is used to react with scale forming
salts like Calcium Chloride, Calcium Sulphate etc. and convert them into sludge.
3. Continuous blow down line
They installed in order to regulate and maintain concentration of water at
constant level
It is necessary to drain a portion of water from the drum continuously and
compensate the same with fresh feed water having lower impurities so that no
scaling occurs in side tubes and prevent silica carry over.
4. Intermittent blow down
It open only when the water analysis show it to be necessary or when an
immediate change high boiler TDS is required
3. Drum level gauge
Water level in stem drum is one of the most important power plant parameters to
Correct working of the boiler depends both measure and control.
Control of the proper water level in the boiler is
critical for safe operation of the boiler.
 If the level is too low, starvation (thermal stress)
boiler tubes will be damaged by overheating.
 If the level is too high carryover
(transport of moister and chemical with steam)
will happen
Starvation and carry over are the most common problem in boiler
Carry over
Main causes
a) High water level
b) Over/sudden load
c) High concentration of salts
Effect of carry over
• steam separators will not function properly,
• super heater tubes and turbine could be damaged by moisture or chemical,
• temperature and pressure control will be difficult,
• Corrosion of control valves
4. Down Comer and riser
Down comers are tubes that transfer water from the steam drum to
the mud/lower drum. As cooler water descends from the steam drum
and flows through the down comers, it picks up heat from the flue
gases and steam go to upper drum through riser by density difference.
5. Wall tubes
Install on the wall of combustion chamber water
inter to them from lower drum by headers. Steam
go to upper drum by natural convection
Inspections
1. Check water level
2. Check feed water TDS, PH
3. Blow down salt and sledges
Maintenance
During offseason maintenance the following task should done:
• Hydraulic test
• Check for scaling, corrosion etc and clean
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