If coal of lower quality is used in lieu of the quality that is required to design the boiler, an enormous amount of the impact could be observed in its operation and effectiveness. When we speak of thermal energy coal is an integral aspect of that debate as thermal power relies heavily on the non-renewable resource. Thermal power plants spend their time and money into coal testing since they know the significance of it to the operation of boiler designs.
The efficiency of a design is heavily dependent on the fuel used or, in this case the analysis of coal. If coal that is of lesser quality is utilized in lieu of the grade that is prescribed to design the boiler, a significant amount of the impact could be felt in its performance and efficiency.
Importance of Coal Testing
The quality of coal is crucial to the efficient functioning of the boiler. The heat generated by burning coal in thermal energy boilers is used to generate power as well as for generating steam and various other purposes. Chemical composition and chemical makeup of coal affects various aspects of a boiler’s design.
A boiler, for instance, made for fuel may feature a lower furnace contrast to boilers specifically designed specifically for coal. Labs for coal testing can help you with comprehensive assessment of the coal’s quality to help you assess the efficiency of your boiler’s design.
For more blogs- Buzztum
We will look at a few of the main reasons testing is essential for the efficiency of a boiler’s design.
- Coal is a heterogeneous fossil fuel: Fuel sources like gas, oil, coal etc. comprise hydrocarbons. While oil and gases are characterized by their the structure of hydrocarbons, coal has an assumed structure, with varying H and C ratios that react differently based on the reaction and the process of formation. This ratio is only identified if you submit the coal sample to a company that tests coal.
- Consistency: Consistency of coal is crucial to the design of a boiler since it affects aspects such as the amount of air used in combustion, the temperature of the flame and the time of combustion. Inconsistency may result in problems with the fuel management systems. Also, it can result in a decrease in performance to handle ash when it crosses the limit of the system for fuel preparation.
- Oversized Pulverizing: Utilizing lesser grade coal could cause over-sizing of the equipment for firing. This can result in the power requirements of the auxiliary equipment and can limit the ability to turn down. Both of these aspects are not ideal for a boiler engineer. In the end, the size of the furnace has to be larger and it is difficult to maintain the necessary outlet temperature.
- Boiler Efficiency Testing for coal also examines the amount of moisture in coal: The coal with high moisture content requires large heating and pulverizers that need a higher degree of tempering when handling coal with typical moisture. This results in an increased temperature at the gas outlet, which can decrease the efficiency of boilers.
Ash Behavior: The most significant challenges faced when designing a boiler is behaviour of ash throughout the process of combustion as well as the control of coal ash. This can be addressed by testing a particular batch of coal, and then evaluating its characteristics.