Boiler Fae Tube Failure

Predicting/Mitigating Impact of Boiler
Fly Ash Erosion Tube Failures

Motivation - Major Impact on O&M Costs and Unit Availability
• Boiler-HRSG tube failures account for a loss of 4% in unit

availability*
• Single tube failure in a 500 MW boiler requiring four days of

repair work can result in a loss of more than $1,000,000 apart
from the generation loss**
* "Guideline for Control and Prevention of Fly Ash Erosion", EPRI Abstract, ID: 1023085, 4/11/15
**Bright Hub Engineering, http://www.brighthubengineering.com/power-plants/34265-understanding-tube-failures-in-high-pressure-boilers
Objective: Identify & Develop Tube Failure Prediction
Techniques*
If We Can Predict Time of Individual Tube Failure, We Can:

1. Set Up a Tube Monitoring Program to Track Tube Degradation
2. Replace/Plug Tubes Using Just-In-Time Maintenance Strategies
During a Scheduled Outage
3. Perform Cost-Benefit Analysis to Determine Advisability of Individual
Tube Fix or Bundle Replacement
* i.e., That can be Optimally Embedded in Performance Monitors and Asset Managers
Ignoring Manufacturing Issues, There are Generally
Five Classes* of Boiler Tube Failures
*For Additional Information See: http://www.steamforum.com/pictures/e1013153.pdf

Tube Failures Initially Considered
Erosion Failures*
Thinning of Outside Austenitic & Ferritic Tube Surfaces
Leading to Stress Rupture Failures
Causes: Sootblowing and Fly Ash Erosion (FAE)**
*“Nova Scotia Power’s Point Aconi plant overcomes CFB design problems to become rock of reliability”
Dr. Robert Peltier, PE, Power Magazine, 09/15/2006
** 25% of all tube failures are due to fly ash erosion (“Guideline for Control and Prevention of Fly Ash
Erosion” 4/11/2011, EPRI).
Erosion Induced Tube Failures
Mechanisms of Fly Ash Erosion (FAE)Tube Failure
Water - Steam Water - Steam
Reduced Metal O.D.
AExposed
ANew
σANew < σExposed
Grit Cloud
New New + ∆Thrs
Typical Economizer Tube

FAE Model Requirements
The Model Must Predict:

1. Combustion Gas & Particulate Mass & Volume Flows
2. Flow & Velocities Within A Convective Path Stage
3. Tube Erosion
4. Tube Life/Failure
Requirement #1.) Predict:
Combustion Gas Composition & Particulate Flow
• Solution: ASME PTC 19.1 Combustion Analyses to Predict Gas
Composition and Mass
• Input Coal Description Using Proximate Analyses
• Fly Ash Generation ~80% Fuel’s Ash Composition*
• Volume Flows NIST Shomate - Based Gas properties
*PerAmerican Coal Association in 2012 821,400,000 tons of coal were consumed producing 52,100,000 tons of
recoverable fly ash, corresponding to an ash content of [52.1/821.4]=0.063 or 6.3%.
Per www.netl.doe.gov/.../QGESS_DetailCoalSpecs_Rev4_20130510.pdf May 7, 2013 - "Detailed Coal

Specifications, Quality Guidelines for Energy ...” NETL describes as typical (coal) a non-super compliant PRB sub-
bituminous coal with an ash content of 8.2%. Assuming that [6.3/8.2]~80% and 20% of ash stream is lost to slag
and bottom ash.
#2.) Predict: Flow & Velocities
1.) Homogenous Equilibrium Flow

Ignores Flow Maldistribution Underestimating Erosion
2.) Computation Fluid Dynamics, CFD
Most Widely Used
O&M Support Staff Doesn’t Exist
Modeling is an Art
Best CFD Models are Benchmarked w/Operating Data
3.) Extrapolation of Cold Air Velocity Test (CAVT) Results
Can be Performed While Off-Line
Measurements of Actual Flow Fields
Extrapolation of CAVT Results
CAVT Measurements are
Superimposed on Homogenous
Calculated Combustion Gas
Flow Entering Bundle and
Extrapolated To Channel
Using Cubic Spline Fitting Techniques
To Obtain Temperature and

Velocity Profiles Throughout
Bundle, Umon_bundle is found and
Used to predict T & Vel between
Flue Gas Inlet and Exit.
#3.) Predict: Tube Erosion Modeling
Tube Erosion Factors Considered Include the Effects of:
a. Collision Angle
b. Particle Velocity
c. Particle Size
d. Surface Hardness
Das, Suchandan K and Godiwalla, K M and Mehrotra, S P and Dey, P K (2006) Mathematical modelling of erosion
behaviour of impacted fly ash particles on coal fired boiler components at elevated temperature. High Temperature
Materials And Processes , 25 (5-6). pp. 323-335. NML Granted Permission 9/1/14 Dr. A.K. Sahu, Technical Officer, CSIR-NML
Jamshedpur-831007, India
3a.) Tube Erosion Modeling-Effect of Collision Angle
Mechanisms* Comparisons**
ß ß
ß = 0-20° ß = 20-30° ß > 30°

Mode of Mode of Mode of
Material Material Material
Removal: Removal: Removal:
Rubbing & Cutting & Extrusion
Scratching Cracking
* “Analysis of boiler-tube erosion by the technique of acoustic emission Part I. Mechanical erosion”
L. Zhang , V. Sazonov , J. Kenta, T. Dixon, V. Novozhilov Wear 250 (2001) 762–769
** Das, Suchandan K and Godiwalla, K M and Mehrotra, S P and Dey, P K ibid

3b.) Tube Erosion Modeling-Effect of Velocity
3c.) Effects of Particle Size* & 3d.)Surface Hardness**
*“Experimental studies on the erosion rate of different heat treated carbon steel economiser tubes of power boilers by fly ash particles” T.A. Daniel Sagayaraj, S. Suresh, and
M. Chandrasekar, International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials Volume 16, Number 5, October 2009, Page 534 Materials
**Per Power Engineering reprint of a 02/01/2008 article entitled "Testing Predicts Fan Erosion and Leads to Design Changes“ by Stephen Mick, Robinson Industries Inc.
#4.) Predict Remaining Life
Method of life estimation:
a) Estimating creep life of boiler tubes in presence of corrosion and erosion
processes by Zarrabi.* This is based on calculation of reference stress for
the tube as a function of time assuming constant thinning rate on either
side of the tube. Uses Larson-Miller
b) A reliability-centered maintenance analyses assuming that tube failures
follow a Gaussian or Weibullian distribution
PDF=C exp(-(x-b)2/(2 σ2)) PDF = K (C-K) (X (K-1)) (exp(-((X / C) ^ K)))
* “Life Prediction Of Boiler Tubes in Corrosive Environments” S. Chaudhuri National Metallurgical Laboratory Jamshedpur 831 007 National
Workshop „n Boiler Corrosion. 11-12th April. 1 445. NMI. Jamshedpur. 1NI)IA
** “Heat Exchanger Design “ Arthur P. Fraas - 1989 - Technology & Engineering pg 209 and
“Reliability engineering principles for the plant engineer” Drew Troyer, Noria Corporation, for reliability-centered
maintenance see http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/18693/reliability-engineering-plant
4b.) Gaussian Tube Failure Assumption
Long-Term Tube Erosion Failure Results

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Predicting/Mitigating Impact of Boiler

Fly Ash Erosion Tube Failures

• Boiler-HRSG tube failures account for a loss of 4% in unit

• Single tube failure in a 500 MW boiler requiring four days of

If We Can Predict Time of Individual Tube Failure, We Can:

*For Additional Information See: http://www.steamforum.com/pictures/e1013153.pdf

Water - Steam Water - Steam

Reduced Metal O.D.

New New + ∆Thrs

Typical Economizer Tube

The Model Must Predict:

Per www.netl.doe.gov/.../QGESS_DetailCoalSpecs_Rev4_20130510.pdf May 7, 2013 - "Detailed Coal

1.) Homogenous Equilibrium Flow

To Obtain Temperature and

ß = 0-20° ß = 20-30° ß > 30°

** Das, Suchandan K and Godiwalla, K M and Mehrotra, S P and Dey, P K ibid

PDF=C exp(-(x-b)2/(2 σ2)) PDF = K (C-K) (X (K-1)) (exp(-((X / C) ^ K)))

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