INCREASING POWER GENERATION WITH BLACK LIQUOR RECOVERY BOILER

Antti Raukola
R&D Engineer
Kvaerner Pulping Oy
Tampere, Finland

Tuomo Ruohola
Senior Technology Manager, Recovery Boilers
Kvaerner Pulping Oy
Tampere, Finland

Aki Hakulinen
Senior Product Engineer, Recovery Boilers
Kvaerner Pulping Oy
Tampere, Finland

ABSTRACT

Changes in the price of electricity and tight environmental regulations have led to an increased interest in more
effective power generation with black liquor recovery boilers too. The most discussed item in this area is the high
temperature and pressure of steam [1,2]. The Cl and K contents in fly ash, together with available superheater
materials, play a significant role when setting the limits to high temperature and pressure. This paper also presents
alternative conventional methods and their effects on increased power generation. These methods, such as feed
water and combustion air preheating arrangements and condensing turbine, are commonly used in power boilers.

INTRODUCTION

Reliable and safe operation of a recovery boiler is a key element in effective pulp production. The main role of the
recovery boiler is the recovery of valuable pulping chemicals. This is the main reason why the technology in this
area has been rather conventional and well-proven technology is understandably preferred. The second major
function of the recovery boiler is to utilize the heat content of the organic matter in black liquor. The economy of
scale has driven recovery boiler size up drastically over the past ten years. Today, the capacity of a modern boiler
typically exceeds 3000 tds/day. The heat input based on the gross calorific value of black liquor has increased up to
650 MW, corresponding to steam flows of over 150 kg/s. At today’s electricity prices, even in Scandinavia where
the prices are rather low, it is not unimportant how this heat amount is exploited. Generally, when discussing high
electric-power conversion efficiency, it often means only increased steam parameters. The effect of steam
temperature and pressure on power generation has been even overemphasized. This paper discusses other, even
more competitive methods for high power generation. From the operation point of view, all of these methods are
safe and risk of jeopardizing availability is small, even non-existing.

CONVENTIONAL POWER GENERATION WITH RECOVERY BOILER

Recovery boilers in Scandinavia are normally operated at steam temperatures and pressures of 480°C-490°C and
84 bar(a)-92 bar(a), respectively. The feed water temperature is often around 115°C and the flue gas exit
temperature correspondingly around 160°C. Primary and secondary air are heated with steam-coil air heaters up to
120-150°C and tertiary air is unheated. The dry solids content of black liquor varies from 65% up to 80%. If the
pulp mill is integrated with a paper mill, the consumption of process steam is high and thus only a back-pressure
turbine is used. There are some pulp mills in which excess back–pressure steam is led to a condensing turbine. In
this study the base case is the conventional Scandinavian-type recovery boiler equipped with a back-pressure
turbine. The boiler and the steam process are presented schematically in Figure 1 and the main process values in
Table I. The methods of increasing power generation are presented step by step.

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 3450 STEAM 480°C
SUPERHEATING
EXPANSION
2950 IN TURBINE
317°C
STEAM
2450
GENERATION

Enthalpy kJ/kg
1950
CONDENSING
317°C
1450
WATER
HEATING
950
115°C

450
1.400 2.400 3.400 4.400 5.400 6.400
Entropy kJ/kgK

Figure 1. Boiler side view and steam process in enthalpy/entropy figure

In this paper the boiler performance is calculated by using Kvaerner’s dimensioning program, Recovery Boiler
Designer (RBD). Efficiency calculation is based on the TAPPI performance test procedure [3]. The isentropic
efficiency used in the calculation of the steam turbine is 88% for back-pressure turbine and 80% for condensing
turbine. Process steam consumption from turbine extractions is kept constant.

INCREASED DRY SOLIDS CONTENT

A higher dry solids content of black liquor increases boiler efficiency, since the flue gas loss decreases and the heat
needed to evaporate moisture from black liquor is lower. Figure 2 shows the effect of dry solids content on boiler
efficiency. However, the evaporation plant needs more medium-pressure steam to produce higher dry solids, but the
net effect is still fairly high. The increase in dry solids content from 72% to 82% will produce about 4 MW more
electricity compared to the base case (Table I).

68
Boiler efficiency %, TAPPI

67
66
65
method

64
63
62
61
60
60 65 70 75 80 85
Dry solids of black liquor %
Figure 2. Boiler efficiency as a function of dry solids content of black liquor

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AIR PREHEATING

Air preheating with steam is perhaps the simplest way to increase power generation. Normally, the combustion air
temperature of 150°C is reached with about 12 bar(a) extraction steam and, for higher temperatures, an additional
high-pressure extraction zone is needed for the turbine. In pulp and paper mills, steam at a pressure higher than
12 bar is seldom needed from the process point of view. However, in this study 28 bar(a) steam was available from
the turbine. With this steam, primary and secondary air are preheated from 150°C up to 190°C in a steam-coil air
heater. The effect of this preheating arrangement on power generation is around 0.5 MW (Table I).

SOOTBLOWING STEAM

In the basic concept, sootblowing steam is taken after the primary superheater. This steam amount can also be fully
superheated and allowed to expand in the turbine to the required pressure. Again, this may require an extra
extraction zone for the turbine, but combined with the high air preheating arrangement described previously the
result is more attractive. Additionally, from the turbine point of view it is advantageous to have a continuous steam
flow through the extraction. In this case, a constant steam flow to the air preheater smoothes out the fluctuating
effect of sootblowing steam. Power generation will increase by 1 MW with an external sootblowing setup (Table I).

FEED WATER PREHEATING

Full-Pressure Feed Water Tank

Since the consumption of process steam used to be dominant in Scandinavian pulp mills, back-pressure steam has
been typically throttled to around 1.7 bar(a) before the feed water tank. This has led to a feed water temperature of
around 115°C and high boiler efficiency. In the modern pulp and paper mills, the heat demand has decreased
essentially and excess heat is available. If back-pressure steam is not throttled, the feed water temperature will rise
to 144°C with back-pressure of 4.2 bar(a). Further, this will lead to a higher flue gas exit temperature but also to
increased steam generation. Despite the lower boiler efficiency, the net effect is positive. The power generation of
the back-pressure turbine will increase by 3 MW (Table I).

High-Pressure Feed Water Preheater

Feed water can be heated further from 144°C with high-pressure preheaters. In this connection steam is needed from
the turbine extractions. There are some elements that limit the temperature of feed water. As the temperature of flue
gases increases simultaneously, one limiting factor is the operating temperature of the electrostatic precipitator.
There are boilers in which precipitators operate at flue gas temperatures up to 200°C. In this study, it was assumed
that an extraction of 7.5 bar(a) exists in the turbine (Figure 3). With this steam it is possible to preheat feed water up
to 166°C. This will increase the flue gas exit temperature to around 195°C. The power generation of the back-
pressure turbine increases by 2 MW with this arrangement (Table I).

It is also possible to locate the high-pressure feed water preheater between the economizers [4]. In this case the
temperature of feed water to the first economizer can be lower, but preheating steam at a pressure higher than
7.5 bar is needed between the economizers. The net effect of this on power generation is nearly the same as in the
connection described above.

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 Flue gas
E
C
O
N
O
M
I
Z
ID fan
E Flue gas
R 193°C
ELECTROSTATIC Flue gas to stack
PRECIPITATOR 193°C
I

Feed water
166°C
Feed water
preheater
Feed water tank
7.5 bar(a)

Feed water
144°C

Figure 3. High-pressure feed water preheater.

INCREASED STEAM PARAMETERS

Temperature and Pressure

Increased main steam pressure and temperature are the most effective ways to achieve increased power generation
(Table I). However, the main barriers to increased steam parameters in recovery boilers are the materials of heating
surfaces. Sulfide corrosion of the furnace walls and molten-phase corrosion in the superheater area are the biggest
concerns related to steam parameters. On the other hand, the steam turbine and especially the moisture content in
back-pressure steam dictate the reasonable temperature and pressure pairs of main steam. Moisture is not allowed in
back-pressure steam because of the threat of erosion. In this study, the following steam parameters were used:
480°C/84 bar(a), 492°C/93 bar(a), 505°C/103 bar(a) and more or less theoretical 515°C/110 bar(a).

Molten-Phase Corrosion in the Superheater Area

With high steam temperatures there is a risk of corrosion, because the tube surface temperature is close to the first
melting temperature of the deposits. In the design of a recovery boiler, a margin between the tube surface
temperature and the first melting temperature should be taken into account. Chlorine and potassium exist as minor
components in deposits, but they decrease the melting temperature of deposits significantly (Figure 4). The melting
temperatures can be calculated based on the composition of the deposits and, further, the composition of the deposits
can be predicted quite reliably from the composition of black liquor [5]. Hence, the maximum superheating
temperature can be determined if the Cl and K contents in black liquor are known. Therefore, if a boiler with a
higher superheating temperature is to be designed, the amounts of Cl and K need to be restricted. There are some
methods to limit the Cl and K contents in the chemical cycle of the mill and the principles of those are described
elsewhere [6,7].

2002 TAPPI Fall Conference & Trade Fair

 Figure 4. The amount of melt in deposits as a function of temperature with different chlorine and
potassium contents.

REHEATER ARRANGEMENT

In the reheater case the main steam expands in the turbine to a certain pressure, normally to 30-40 bar(a), and then it
is led back to the boiler to be superheated again to the initial temperature before the next turbine stage. In this study,
the effect of reheater was calculated using high steam parameters, 515°C/110 bar(a), and the reheater pressure was
selected to be 35 bar(a). In principle, reheater can also be used with lower steam parameters and the effect on power
generation will be nearly the same, around 3.5 MW (Table I).

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 Table I. Process values and power generation with a back-pressure turbine

SOOTBLOWING STEAM

HIGH PRESSURE FEED

FULL PRESSURE FEED

WATER PREHEATER

INCREASED STEAM
AIR PREHEATING
INCREASED DRY

PARAMETERS
WATER TANK

REHEATER
SOLIDS
BASE

Load 4000 tds/24h

Dry 72% 82% 82% 82% 82% 82% 82% 82% 82% 82%
solids
Comb. air 150°C 150°C 190°C 190°C 190°C 190°C 190°C 190°C 190°C 190°C
temp.
Soot- 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s 5kg/s
blowing internal internal internal external external external external external external external
steam
Feed 115°C 115°C 115°C 115°C 144°C 166°C 166°C 166°C 166°C 166°C
water
temp.
Main 480°C 480°C 480°C 480°C 480°C 480°C 492°C 505°C 515°C 515°C
steam 84bar 84bar 84bar 84bar 84bar 84bar 93bar 103 bar 110bar 110bar
515°C
35bar
Steam 159.9 166.1 168.1 172.7 178.0 182.3 181.0 179.6 178.5 156.4
flow kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s kg/s
Flue gas 155°C 152°C 151°C 151°C 175°C 193°C 193°C 193°C 193°C 193°C
temp.
Boiler 64.91% 67.88% 68.15% 69.95% 68.99% 68.23% 68.23% 68.23% 68.23% 68.23%
efficiency
Power 90.5 94.3 94.9 95.9 99.0 101.0 104.2 107.5 109.7 113.4
(back- MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW
pressure
turbine)

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BACK-PRESSURE AND CONDENSING TURBINE

The impact of the systems described above on power generation with a back-pressure turbine is summarized in
Figure 5.

24
22
Reheater
20
with back-pressure turbine, MW

18 Steam to
515°C/110bar
Extra Power Generation

16 Steam to 505°C/103bar
14
Steam to 492°C/92bar
12
10 Feed water to 166°C
8
Feed water to 144°C
6
Sootblowing steam from turbine extraction
4
Primary & secondary air to 190°C
2
Black liquor dry solids to 82%
0
Base: 72%DS, 480°C/84bar, air 150°C

Figure 5. The steps towards increased power generation.

There are cases in which process steam consumption is low and therefore excess back-pressure steam is available for
use. A condensing turbine may be worth of considering when the amount of low-pressure steam is large enough also
taking into account the fluctuation of process steam consumption during the year, especially in the mills located in
the north.

Figure 6 shows power generation with a condensing turbine. It is assumed that there is constant process steam
consumption in every arrangement. From the results it can be seen that the power generation of the condensing
turbine decreases in every calculated case except in the case when the dry solids content of black liquor is increased.
But as described before, the power generation of back-pressure turbine increases dominantly in all cases and the
total effect is clearly positive. In the reheater case, the condensing pressure may be lower than in the other cases,
because the moisture content of steam after the condensing turbine is no constraint. In this case the temperature of
available cooling water dictates the reasonable condensing pressure.

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 120 70.00 %

115 69.00 %
Power generation MW

110 68.00 %

Boiler Efficiency
Condensing turbine
105 67.00 % Back-pressure turbine
Boiler Efficiency

100 66.00 %

95 65.00 %

90 r 64.00 %
nk

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Figure 6. Power generation of back-pressure and condensing turbine and boiler efficiency.

Heat Recovery after Electrostatic Precipitator

In the high feed water preheating concept the precipitator operates at the temperature of around 200°C. If there is a
condensing turbine or more back-pressure steam is needed, an extra heating surface can be located after the
precipitator (Figure 7). In low-dust flue gas it is possible to use inexpensive cross-flow heating surfaces with finned
tubes. To avoid corrosion problems and to keep the heating surface compact, water-circulated surfaces are preferred.
The low-pressure water circulation is totally separated from the main feed water and steam cycle of the boiler. It is
possible to reduce the temperature of flue gas safely down to 145°C and in this study the heat was used for air
preheating. This heat replaces a certain amount of back-pressure steam used normally for preheating and thus
releases steam to be used for power generation with the condensing turbine (Figure 8).

2002 TAPPI Fall Conference & Trade Fair

 Flue gas
E
C
O
N
O
M Cross-flow
I heating
Z surface
ID fan
E Flue gas
R 193°C Flue gas to stack
ELECTROSTATIC
145°C
PRECIPITATOR
I
Water 101°C
Water 149°C
Feed water
166°C Primary&Secondary
Feed water air 127°C Primary&Secondary
preheater air 30°C
7.5 bar(a)
Air preheater
12 bar(a)
Feed water
144°C
Air preheater
28 bar(a)

Primary&Secondary
air to furnace 190°C

Figure 7. High-efficiency recovery boiler with feed water preheater and heat recovery after precipitator.

110
109
108
107
106
105
Power generation MW

104
103 Condensing turbine
102 Back-pressure turbine
101
100
99
98
97
96
95
Feed water preheater Heat recovery after precipitator

Figure 8. Power generation with feed water preheater and with heat recovery after precipitator.

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IMPACT ON DESIGN

The main devices and changes needed for improved power generation are listed in Table II below.

Table II. Main extra devices and changes for increased power generation

HEAT RECOVERY AFTER

INCREASED DRY SOLIDS

SOOTBLOWING STEAM

HIGH PRESSURE FEED

FULL PRESSURE FEED

WATER PREHEATER
AIR PREHEATING

PRECIPITATOR

505°C/103 BAR

515°C/110 BAR
WATER TANK

492°C/93 BAR

REHEATER
Pressurized high-
concentration evaporator * * * * * * * * * *
Additional steam-coil air
heater * * * * * * * * *
28 bar(a)
extraction for turbine * * * * * * * * *
High-pressure feed water
preheater * * * * * *
High-temperature
electrostatic precipitator * * * * * * *
More expensive
superheater material * * *
More expensive
furnace floor material * * *
Turbine with high steam
parameters * * *
Cl & K removal system
* *
High-pressure turbine
stage *
Additional superheater
surface *
Extra heating surface
after precipitator *
Air/water heat exchanger
*
Condensing turbine
(*)
Condenser
(*)

2002 TAPPI Fall Conference & Trade Fair

CONCLUSIONS

There is potential for increased power generation with a recovery boiler. Even with rather low electricity prices in
Scandinavia, some arrangements are highly attractive. Additionally, the increasing capacity of the recovery boilers
has led to the situation when it is definitely time to pay attention to how the large energy content of black liquor
could be utilized more effectively. If all of the methods described in this paper utilizing a condensing turbine,
reheater and heat recovery after precipitator are used, power generation will increase by 25 MW compared to the
base case with a back-pressure turbine. Many of the methods described in this paper, such as high-dry-solids firing,
steam parameters 492°C/93 bar and external sootblowing, have already been in use in modern recovery boilers.
Other methods include well-proven technology from power boilers. The higher steam parameters will directly
increase power generation, but when values over 505°C/103 bar are used, the material issues are dominant. Even
with the values as low as 505°C/103 bar, the Cl and K contents of deposits need to be limited to a certain level to
avoid corrosion. According to this evaluation, feed water preheating with or without heat recovery after the
precipitator seems to be the most attractive option to increase power generation with a recovery boiler.
Understandably, case-by-case optimization is needed, because process steam consumption and the use of a
condensing turbine must be taken into consideration together with the price of electricity.

REFERENCES
1. Tran, H., Arakawa, Y., “Recovery Boiler Technology in Japan”, 2001 TAPPI Engineering Conference, San
Antonio, Texas.
2. Syberg, O., Barynin, J., and Sinclair, M., “Pulp Mill Power Generation Trend to High Pressure Recovery
Boilers”, proceedings from the 1997 TAPPI Engineering & Papermakers Conference, Nashville, Tennessee
3. Performance Test Procedure: Sodium Base Recovery Units, CA Report No. 84041601, March 1996 TAPPI
Atlanta, Georgia
4. Mäkilä, I., Raiko, M., Tuppurainen, T., and Jeskanen, R., “More Efficient Power Plants for Pulp and Paper
mills”, Paperi ja Puu – Paper and Timber vol. 81, No.7, 1999, pp. 495-498.
5. Backman, R., Skrivfars, B.J., Hupa, M., Siiskonen, P., and Mäntyniemi, J., “ Flue gas Chemistry in Recovery
Boilers with High Levels of Chlorine and Potassium”, 1995 International Chemical Recovery Conference
preprints p. A95.
6. Shenassa, R., Reeve, D.W., Dick, P.D., and Costa, M.L., “ Chloride and Potassium Control in Closed Kraft
Mill Liquor Cycles, 1995 TAPPI international Chemical Recovery Conference
7. Blackwell, B., “Recycle of Bleach Plant Extraction Stage Effluent to the Kraft Recovery Cycle: A Theoretical
Analysis”, 1992 TAPPI International Chemical Recovery Conference.

2002 TAPPI Fall Conference & Trade Fair