UNIT-III BOILER DRUM LEVEL CONTROL SYSTEM

Drum level control objectives

 Control the drum level to a set point

 Minimize the interaction with the combustion control system
 Make smooth changes in the boiler water inventory as boiler load changes
 Properly balance the boiler steam output with the feed water input
 Compensate for feed water pressure variation without process upset or set point

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Factors that can cause errors in drum level measurements
Shrinking and Swelling Effect

• Error due to density difference between water at high temperature and at low temperature.
• Error due to leakage and restriction in the pipes
• Shrinking: When steam drawn out of the drum decrease that will increase the pressure inside the
boiler drum will ultimately decrease the water level in the drum.
• Swelling: When steam drawn out of the drum increases that will decrease the pressure inside the
boiler drum will ultimately increase the water level in the drum

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 BOILER DRUM LEVEL CONTROL SYSTEM

• Single Element Feed water Control

• We can able to reduce the controller gain results in less interaction with the firing
rate control in order to grade the boiler efficiency.
• If the boiler is proportional only, a greater drum level offset occur as boiler load
changes.
• Since this low to high load level change is approximately 4 inches, it is assumed
that a 0-100 percent flow change is approx.5 inches.
• To avoid this unsatisfactory condition, integral control is added. The integral
effect must be quite slow since the level signal moves incorrectly at times of
boiler drum level swell and shrink

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 Single Element Feed water Control

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 Single Element Feed water Control

The specific improvement is

that the level will return to set
point, incorrect action of feed
water flow during load changes
is reduced, and the system is
generally more stable and less
interactive with the firing rate
control.

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 Two Element Feed water Control

• This is easily recognised as a standard feed forward plus feedback control

loop.
• In this case steam flow is the feed forward signal that anticipates a need for
additional feed water flow.

• The performance is recognised as having the desired pattern of flow and level
relationships and such performance meets the boiler feed water control
objectives except that the compensating for feed water pressure variations.

•.

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 Two Element Feed water Control

• Tuning such a system for proper action during the shrink and
swell period requires the correct balance between the effects of
steam flow and drum level.
• The desired condition is for water flow to hold its flow rate during
a load change and change only as the drum level begins to return
to its set point.
• The calibration of the system includes a bias adjustment to the
output signal of item. The effect of the output should have both
positive values.

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 Two Element Feed water Control

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 Three Element Feed Water Control

• Under conditions of unpredictable or variable feed water pressure, three element

feedwater control is necessary if the desired results are to be achieved.

• Three element control adds the measurement of feedwater flow with the
measurements of steam flow and boiler drum level into the control strategy.

• Three element control assures that the signal vs feedwater flow will have a
constant relationship by replacing the open loop flow characteristics of the
feedwater control valve with a closed loop feedback control of feedwater flow

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 Three Element Feed Water Control
Feed forward, Feedback, plus Cascade

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 Three Element Feed Water Control
Feed forward, Feedback, plus Cascade

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 Three Element Feed Water Control
Feed forward, Feedback, plus Cascade

• The controller is tuned using the same thought process that is used
with the two element system except that the feed water flow control is
substituted for the control valve characteristics

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 What is an interlock?

• It is an safety device protects man and machine.

• It ensure process integrity during start up of the process and

safe management during normal operation.

• e-q: starting and stopping burners, Tripping of main fuel supply,

tripping of ID and FD fans

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 What is an interlock?
• Boiler explosions typically occur during the period of lighting off the boiler.

• To combat the boiler explosion hazard, a control science of interlock systems has
been developed to reduce the hazard to a minimum.

• These systems are also designed to monitor the boiler operation, light off and shut
down additional burners as necessary, and trip the fuel whenever the continued
operation appears to be unsafe.

• The code authority that covers practices in this area is the National Fire Protection
Association.

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 Basic Cause of Furnace Explosions

•“Numerous situations can arise in connection with the

operation of a boiler- furnace that will produce explosive
conditions. The most common are:
• 1) An interruption of fuel or air supply or ignition energy to the
burners, sufficient to result in momentary loss of flames,
followed by restoration and delayed re-ignition of an
accumulation.
(2)Fuel leakage into an idle furnace and the ignition of the
accumulation by a spark or other source of ignition.

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Basic Cause of Furnace Explosions
(2)Repeated unsuccessful attempts to light-off without appropriate purging,
resulting in the accumulation of an explosive mixture.

(3)The accumulation of an explosive mixture of fuel and air as a result of

loss of flame or incomplete combustion at one or more burners in the
presence of other burners operating normally or during lighting of
additional burners.
(4)The accumulation of an explosive mixture of fuel and air as a result of a
complete furnace flameout and the ignition of the accumulation by a
spark or other ignition source, such as attempting to light burner(s).

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Basic Cause of Furnace Explosions

• Examination of numerous reports of boiler-furnace explosions suggests that

the occurrence of small explosions, furnace puffs, or near misses have been
far more frequent than is usually recognized.

• It is believed that improved instrumentation, safety interlocks and protective

devices, proper operating sequences, and a clearer understanding of the
problem by designers and operators can greatly reduce the risks and actual
incidence of furnace explosions

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 Interlock logic grouping.

• The sequence of burner operation may be divided into the following interlock
logic grouping.

• All of these play a very important part in safe burner operation.

(1)Boiler purge logic
(2)Ignitor header and main gas header valve management logic
(3)Gas burner management logic
(4)Main fuel trip (MFT) logic

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 Boiler Purge Logic

• A particularly critical time period is that of lighting the first burner.

• For this reason purging the boiler-furnace of combustible gases is mandatory

before any such action.

• The purging procedure is used only when a boiler is in the process of being
started.

• This may be when the boiler has been unused for some time period or when the
main fuel has tripped and the boiler is being restarted
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 Boiler Purge Logic

• Purging is necessary to remove combustible gases.

• If the boiler has been unused, combustible gas, for whatever reason, could have leaked through the
valve system into the boiler furnace.

• An important prerequisite to purging is to have all valves leading to the furnace closed, whether they are
main fuel valves or ignitor fluid valves.

• If the boiler is being restarted after a main fuel trip, combustible gas could have entered the furnace in the
same way as they would in a previously unfired furnace

• . If several attempts to light off the first burner have failed, some combustible gas could have entered the
furnace on each attempt.

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 Boiler Purge Logic Summary
 

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 Gas Burner Management Logic

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