1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

C5
MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF AN INDUSTRIAL STEAM
BOILER WITH ECOSIMPRO
Susana Pelayo Díaz
Centro de Tecnología Azucarera, Universidad deValladolid
C/Real de Burgos. Edificio Alfonso VIII. Planta baja s/n 47011 Valladolid - Spain
Tel: 983 42 35 63. FAX: 983 42 36 16. Email: [email protected]

Abstract
Simulation is the representation of the behaviour of a
A steam boiler is a complex system comprised of real process through the resolution of a mathematical
numerous components. With EcosimPro, each model. The advantages of using mathematical models
component has been modelled individually in such a can be summarised as follows:
way that when they are fitted together, the complete - A process can be analysed in depth, determining
boiler can be simulated. A real industrial boiler was which variables or parameters are critical and have a
taken as a reference to build the model. decisive effect on overall system behaviour.
- They are of great help in the search for optimum
Key words: Simulation, EcosimPro, object-oriented operating conditions.
modelling, steam boilers, control systems. - Limit or extreme conditions, far away from the
normal operating conditions, can be studied safely to
analyse their consequences.
1 INTRODUCTION - They can be used for teaching purposes: operator
training.
A steam boiler is a process unit of great importance in
all types of industries. An industry’s need for steam 2 OBJECTIVES
can generally be summarised into:
- steam as a means of direct or indirect heating The objectives that were established when this work
- steam as a raw material was undertaken can be summarised into:
- steam as a means of generating electrical power - Study of the process unit and the elements of which
it is comprised.
The effective control of a boiler’s operating - Development of a dynamic mathematical model and
conditions is an obvious necessity if we take into simulating it with EcosimPro.
account that the high working pressures and - Estimation of parameters and model´s validation by
temperatures are the main hazard problems because means of comparison with real operating data.
of the risk of explosion. Nor should we forget the - Design of the complete control system.
financial aspect, considering not only the costs of
construction, but also the high costs of operation (the This work forms part of a project, the ultimate
great amounts of fuel burnt) and the cost of objective of which is to develop a complete simulator
maintenance related with the above-mentioned of a sugar production plant to be used for training
operating conditions. operators.

The search for these optimum operating conditions 3 OPERATION OF A STEAM

and a way to control them is not an easy task, because BOILER
a steam boiler is a very complex system in which all
the variables are interrelated. And what is more, it is The principle of boiler operation is simple: the aim is
very difficult to carry out tests directly on a boiler, to evaporate water and superheat the steam obtained
both from the technical point of view (because of the using the energy which is released in a combustion
dangers derived from manipulating the operating reaction. Specifically, the steam boiler which was
conditions), and the economic point of view (the time chosen as the basis for the model operates in the
and money necessary). Taking this into consideration, following way: (see Figure 1)
we have to look for an alternative method of analysis:
simulation.

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 1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

Figure 1. Sketch of the Operation of an Industrial Steam Boiler

Before the feedwater enters into the actual steam 4 PHYSICAL-MATHEMATICAL

generator system, it passes through a heat exchanger MODEL
where it is preheated before it enters the economizer.
Saturated steam taken from the boiler is used as the
heating medium. To build the model of the steam boiler, it has been
divided into the different elements of which it is
Using the flue gases generated in the actual boiler as comprised, modelling each one separately so that
the heating medium, the water continues to be heated when they are fitted together, we can simulate the
in the economiser but it does not turn into vapour. overall behaviour of the boiler.

From the economizer, the water goes to the steam The following are the main elements considered:
drum and from there it passes through the - Combustion furnace
downcomers into the water drum. It is then - Convection bank
distributed through the different steam generation - Primary and secondary superheater
circuits associated with the combustion chamber and - Attemperator
the convection bank. - Economizer
- Water preheater
As the water rises through the tubes (by natural - Steam drum and water drum
circulation) part of it turns into vapour, so that it - Ducts and pipes
forms a mix of vapour and water when it returns to - Chimney
the steam drum. The steam generated in the drum - Fan
must be separated from the water, and for this
purpose a cyclonic separator system has been Each unit is modelled based on the laws of
installed. conservation of mass, energy and momentum, aiming
always for the correct balance between a reliable
The dry steam leaving the steam drum goes to the representation of the real process and the
superheating section which is formed by two mathematical complexity derived therefrom. It is an
superheaters separated by a attemperator. When it undertaking that can be translated into the
leaves the secondary superheater, the steam goes to consideration of certain suppositions and the
process. calculation of certain parameters.

This boiler, which has been chosen as a basis for the Generally speaking, the laws of conservation can be
model, produces superheated steam at 40 bar and translated mathematically as:
Balance of mass:
380°C from water at 120°C. As fuel it uses natural
gas with a lower calorific power equal to
9100 kcal/m3N. dM
= W entrada − W salida + W generación − Wconsumo (1)
dt

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 1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

Balance of energy 0 = Wi entrada − Wi salida + Wi generado − Wi consumido (5)

d ( M ⋅H ) where Wi is the mass flow rate of the ‘i’ species

= W ⋅H entrada − W ⋅H salida + Q absorbido − Qcedido (2)
dt present in the gases. The sum of all the output flows
will give us the total amount of flue gas produced.
Transmission of heat
4.1.2 Heat Flow Exchange
Q = U ⋅ S ⋅ (∆Tm) (3)
In order to construct the combustion furnace model
correctly, each and every single exchange of energy
between the elements that comprise it must be
Balance of momentum (Bernoulli Equation) analysed. In this regard, we have to consider:
Flows of radiation [1] between surfaces and flames:
2 2
P1 u P u
ρ⋅g
+ z 1 + 1 = 2 + z 2 + 2 + hf
2⋅ g ρ ⋅ g 2⋅ g
(4)
Q LL → S = AS ⋅ σ ⋅
ε S +1
2
[
⋅ ε LL ⋅ T LLAMA
4
− TS4 ] (6)

where: ∆Tm (average temperature difference), Flows of radiation between surfaces and combustion
H (specific enthalpy), hf (pressure drop), P (pressure), gases [1]:
Q (heat flow), S (effective heat exchange surface),
ε S +1
[ ]
U (overall coefficient of heat transmission), W (mass
flow rate), z (height), ρ (density). Q G → S = AS ⋅ σ ⋅ ⋅ ε G TG4 − a G T S4 (7)
2
These equations are used to model all the units that
The furnace floor is lined with a layer of firebrick (to
comprise the boiler, adjusting them to each specific
prevent direct contact of the tubes with the gases).
case. The most complex units from the point of view
The flow of radiation exchanged between this wall
of modelling are the combustion furnace and the
and the tubes can be expressed by [1]:
steam drum and, for this reason, it was considered
necessary to describe them in more detail.
Q3 = σ ⋅ A ⋅
(1 ε Pared
1
+ 1 ε Tubo − 1)
(
⋅ T Pared
4
− TTubo
4
) (8)
4.1 COMBUSTION FURNACE

The combustion furnace is one of the most important In these equations: A (surface of heat exchange), Q
parts in a steam boiler. It is where the combustion (flow of heat), T (temperature), σ (Stefan-Boltzmann
reaction of the selected fuel takes place (in this case, constant), ε (emissivity), a (absorptance).
natural gas) with the combustion agent (air). These
reactions are highly exothermic and they provoke the To calculate the flow of heat exchanged by radiation
appearance of a flame. The existence of this flame and convection between the combustion gases and the
and the high temperatures reached as a result of the tubes through which the water circulates, the Lobo-
combustion means that the greater part of the heat Evans method has been used [3]:
which goes towards the tubes where the water
evaporates is transmitted by radiation.
 T  4  T  4 
Q = 0.173 ⋅ F ⋅  G  −  T   ⋅ α ⋅ Acp +
The following is a brief description of the equations  100   100   (9)
+ hc ⋅ A ⋅ (TGas − TTubo )
used to model this unit, as well as of the suppositions
that have been considered.

4.1.1 Combustion Reaction where A (total surface of the tubes), Acp (equivalent
plane surface of the tubes), F (overall exchange
Combustion has been considered as instantaneous and factor), hC (convection coefficient), Q (flow of heat),
incomplete. The reactions that take place can be T (temperature), α (absorption efficient factor).
described as follows:
The heat transmitted from the tubes to the water
CaHb + (a + b/4) O2 → a CO2 + (b/2) H2O circulating through them can be calculated with the
CaHb + (a/2 + b/4) O2 → a CO + (b/2) H2O equation [2]:
CO + 1/2 O2 → CO2
(
QW = hi ⋅ S iTUBO ⋅ Tt − TW HOG ) (10)
Taking into account these reactions, the composition
of combustion gases is expressed as:

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 1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

where: hi (coefficient of heat transmission), temperature is an important point to be studied to

STUBO (averaged total interior surface of the tubes), prevent breaks that might occur if the thermal
T (temperature). resistance of the material is exceeded. This
temperature can be analysed by applying an energy
4.1.3 Balances of Mass and Energy: balance to the tubes:
Temperature Calculations
dTT
When it comes to calculating the balances of mass M T ⋅ Cp T = QTUBOS − QW (14)
dt
and energy of the combustion furnace, each of the
elements that comprise it will again have to be
The total heat (Q TUBOS) absorbed by the tubes
considered separately: flame, walls, gases, tubes,
includes: heat radiated by the flame, convection and
water. ratiation heat from the gases, heat given off by a layer
of firebrick covering the furnace floor, heat losses
4.1.3.1 Flame Temperature through the insulation.
To calculate the temperature reached by the flame,
4.1.3.5 Water that Evaporates
the flame’s energy balance must be determined taking
into consideration that all the heat given off in the Due to the heat transmitted through the walls of the
combustion of natural gas with air is transmitted to tubes, a part of the water that rises from de water
the walls and the tubes that form the combustion
drum to de steam drum turns into vapor.
chamber and to the gases generated in the reaction.
To simplify the model, the temperature and pressure
Wcomb⋅H comb +Wair ⋅H aire + H reac
º
= WHumo⋅H Humo +QLL (11) profile throughout the length of the water risers has
not been modelled.
4.1.3.2 Furnace Walls
d (M W ⋅ H W )
The firebrick walls have been considered as grey = WW in⋅hW in −WW out ⋅H W out −WV out ⋅H V out +QW (15)
dt
surfaces with high emissivity. They have the capacity
to absorb and emit energy [1]. WW in = WW out + WV sal (16)

M Pared ⋅Cp P⋅
d TPared
dt
(
=Qabsorbido − σ ⋅ AP⋅ ε P ⋅ TPared
4
) (12) In all these equations: Cp (specific heat), M (mass),
hW (specific enthalpy of the water), H (specific
enthalpy), HV (specific enthalpy of the steam), Hºreac
The heat absorbed is the sum of the heat radiated by (flow of heat emitted in the combustion reaction),
the flame and the heat radiated by the gases. Q (heat flow), T (temperature), W (mass flow).
4.1.3.3 Combustion Gases 4.2 STEAM DRUM
As the combustion gases pass through the furnace, From the point of view of modelling, the objective is
they get involved in different heat exchange to represent the shrink and swell phenomenon:
processes which modify their outlet temperature from increases or decreases in the demand for boiler steam
the combustion chamber. bring out a variation in level quite the contrary to that
which we would intuitively expect.
d (M H ⋅ H H )
=WH ⋅ H H llama − WH ⋅ H H out + QHumos (13)
dt If there is a sudden increase in the demand for steam,
instead of a level decreasing with the extraction of
The term Qhumos represents the net heat flow; the heat more steam, it temporarily increases due to a
the gases exchange with the other elements. It momentary drop in steam pressure brought about by
includes: heat from the flame which is absorbed by the increase in consumption. This initial drop in
the gases, heat exchanged with the firebrick walls, pressure brings about greater evaporation and an
heat transmitted by the gases to the tubes of the increase in the size of the steam bubbles (swell
radiant section via a combined mechanism of phenomenon) which causes the level in the drum to
radiation and convection. rise until the flow of heat can increase enough to
restore the pressure value.
4.1.3.4 Radiant Section Tubes
On the other hand, if there is a sudden decrease in the
The tubes that form the boiler furnace are exposed to demand for steam, there will be a temporary decrease
very high temperatures and are in the presence of dry in the drum level (shrink phenomenon). A similar
gases that could be corrosive. The control of tube

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 1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

phenomenon takes place with the change of 4.2.2 Energy Balances

feedwater.
d ( Mw ⋅ h w)
To model these phenomena, it has been assumed that = Ww feed ⋅ h w feed − Ww purga ⋅ h w −
dt
three distinguishable phases coexist at all times inside − Wwin c.evap ⋅ h w + Wwout c.evap ⋅ h wout c.evap + (20)
the drum - water, steam and bubbles - which must be
studied separately. (See Figure 2.) + Wbcond ⋅ H b − Wbcrean ⋅ H bcrean

d (Mv ⋅ Hv )
= Wb salen ⋅ Hbsalen − Wv out ⋅ Hv (21)
dt

d (Mb ⋅ Hb )
= Wvin c.evap ⋅ Hvin c.evap − Wbcond ⋅ Hb +
dt (22)
+ Wbcrean ⋅ Hbcrean − Wbsalen ⋅ Hbsalen

In these equations: M (mass), W (mass flow),

H (specific enthalpy) and the subscripts w (water),
v (steam), b (bubbles)

Figure 2. Sketch of Currents in the Steam Drum 5 BUILDING THE MODEL WITH
ECOSIMPRO
4.2.1 Mass Balances
Once the mathematical model has been built, it has to
be transferred to EcosimPro. To do this, a series of
dMw
= Ww feed − Ww purga −Wwin c .evap + Wwout c.evap + simple components have to be created which will
dt (17) represent each of the process units that comprise the
+ Wbcond − Wbcrean boiler so that they can subsequently be fitted together
to simulate the behaviour of the complete boiler.
dMv
= Wb salen − Wv out (18) In addition to the components that represent the
dt
process units that make up the boiler, a series of
general libraries have to be built, including:
d Mb
= Wv in c .evap − Wb cond + Wb crean − Wb salen (19) - a library of chemical components and their
dt physical and chemical properties
- a library of ports (gas, steam, fluid, etc)
- a library of flow elements: pipes (compressible
The terms for the bubbles that condense, that are and incompressible fluid), pumps, valves, etc
created and that pass through the liquid to the steam - a control library: regulators, gauges, etc
phase were considered proportional to the mass of
bubbles or mass of liquid and to the difference in In principle, the individual components associated
pressure of the phases. The proportionality constants with the boiler will not be reusable because they are
are system parameters which must be calculated on created with a lot of detail. This is because the
the basis of experimental data. objective of this work is to create a unique boiler
component (although it would later become general)
The flow of water which circulates through the which will form part of a general library of elements
evaporation circuit (steam drum, downcomers, water of a sugar factory. These components are too big to
drum and evaporation tubes or risers) can be reproduce them in this document so, as an example, it
calculated based on the principle which governs includes some of the other general components which
natural circulation: “the algebraic sum of all the has also been created.
pressures around a closed path of a system in
equilibrium must equal zero” or, in other words, “the The following code presents the components
weight flow in the downcomers must be equal to the associated with a gas port, a gas valve, and a control
weight flow in the risers”. system cascaded for the boiler level:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Gas port
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PORT gas (SET_OF(Chemical)Mix)

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 1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

SUM REAL W RANGE 0.,Inf "mass flow (Kg/s)" PORTS

SUM IN REAL Wi[Mix] RANGE 0.,Inf IN analog_signal nivel -- liquid level in steam drum
"component’s mass flow (Kg/s)" IN liquido (agua) agua_in
EQUAL OUT REAL C[Mix] RANGE 0.,1. OUT liquido (agua) agua_out
"Concentrations (%1 en weigh)"
REAL x[Mix] RANGE 0.,1. TOPOLOGY
"Concentrations (molar fraction)" Medidor_W_liquido (fluido_mix=agua) m_W_agua
EQUAL REAL P RANGE 0.,Inf "Pressure (bar)" Valvula_liq(fluido_mix=agua) v_AGUA (Kv=293.2048)
EQUAL OUT REAL T RANGE -273.,Inf "Temperat.(ºC)" Cntrl_pi reg_L_cv(k=10.,Ti=100.,Tr=0.007,u_min=0.001, \
REAL H "especific enthalpy (KJ/Kg)" u_max=40.,man=17.5333192)
SUM IN REAL f_energ "energy flow (KJ/s)" Cntrl_pi reg_W_feed (k=15,Ti=10.,Tr=0.007,u_min=0.001, \
REAL Rho_g RANGE 0.,Inf "Density (Kg/m^3)" u_max=100.,man=50.)
REAL F RANGE 0.,Inf "volumetric flow"
CONNECT agua_in TO m_W_agua.f_in
CONTINUOUS CONNECT reg_L_cv.s_out TO reg_W_feed.s_set
CONNECT m_W_agua.flujo TO reg_W_feed.s_var
1 = SUM (j IN Mix; C[j]) CONNECT reg_W_feed.s_out TO v_AGUA.Ap
EXPAND(j IN Mix EXCEPT setofElem(Mix,1)) Wi[j]=C[j]*W CONNECT m_W_agua.f_out TO v_AGUA.f_in
W = SUM(j IN Mix;Wi[j]) CONNECT v_AGUA.f_out TO agua_out
H = entalp_gas (Mix, T, x)
f_energ = W * H CONTINUOUS
Rho_g = dens_gas (Mix, T, P, x) nivel.signal = reg_L_cv.s_var.signal
F = W/Rho_g v_AGUA.f_in.P - v_AGUA.f_out.P = 0.00132
-- relationship between C[j] and x[j]
EXPAND (j IN Mix) x[j] = (C[j]/Mmolec[j]) \ END COMPONENT
/ SUM (i IN Mix; (C[i]/Mmolec[i]) )

END PORT 6 BOILER COMPONENT

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- component name: Valvula_gas The final component ‘BOILER’, which is obtained by
-- Description: LINEAL valve for gases fitting together the different simple components that
-- Data: flow coefficent (Kv),laminar flow coefficent (dplam)
have been created, contains all the information of
-- Author: Susana Pelayo Díaz
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- these components. They have been connected in such
COMPONENT Valvula_gas (SET_OF(Chemical)gas_mix) a way that the final user does not need to have in-
depth knowledge about the mathematical model that
PORTS
lies beneath. In addition, and to facilitate its use, the
IN gas (Mix = gas_mix) f_in
OUT gas (Mix = gas_mix) f_out only boundary variables that are still visible are those
IN analog_signal Ap -- valve opening (%) which are most important from the point of view of
studying system behaviour.
DATA
REAL Kv "flow coefficent”
In order to ensure that the operation of the overall
DECLS boiler component is correct, a minimum control
REAL coef "coefficent for internal calculations" system had to be introduced to keep the critical
REAL caidaP "pressure drop (bar)"
process variables within reasonable limits. The
INIT introduction of this control system can be justified if
IF(f_in.W == 0)THEN we bear in mind the great interaction that exists
f_out.T = 0. between all the process variables.
f_out.Rho_g = 0.
f_out.H = 0.
END IF The control system includes:
1. Control of pressure in the steam collector, by
CONTINUOUS means of the fuel inlet flow to the furnace.
f_out.W = f_in.W
2. Control of the liquid level in the steam boiler, by
EXPAND (j IN gas_mix) f_out.C[j] = f_in.C[j]
f_in.T = f_out.T means of the feedwater flow to the boiler.
f_out.P = f_in.P - caidaP 3. Control of the superheated steam temperature, by
<eqn3> coef = Kv * Ap.signal/100. means of the inlet water flow to the attemperator.
0.05*f_in.W' = (coef*sqrt(max(1.e-8,(f_in.P**2 \
- f_out.P**2)))) - f_in.W
The parameters that the user should introduce into
END COMPONENT this overall component as DATA are those associated
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- with the fuel, air and feedwater sources (pressure,
---- LEVEL CONTROL SISTEM IN STEAM DRUM--------
temperature and composition of the current), the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- component name: control_nivel parameters of the regulators (gain, integral time,
-- Description: structure for liquid level in steam drum control value of the control signal in manual operation, etc),
-- Data need: none and the dimensions of the steam outlet pipe (length
-- Author: Susana Pelayo Díaz.
and internal diameter). The majority of these data
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPONENT control_nivel have already been assigned a default value in the

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individual components so that, in principle, the user 7 RESULTS

does not have to worry about assigning them a value.
As an example of the results obtained from the
The regulator set-points and the steam demand are the simulation, Figures 3 and 4 show the typical
only variables that should be fixed as BOUNDARY behaviour of a boiler due to variations in the demand
CONDITIONS. for steam (shrink and swell phenomenon).

To summarise the foregoing, an appendix is included

at the end of this article which lists all the
components that have been developed.

Once the complete BOILER component had been

built, the following tasks were carried out:
- Design of a complete control system which would
be suitable for the system.
- Study and design of different load distribution
policies of different boilers connected in parallel
based on the total steam demand.
- Connection of this component with the other
models built for other sugar processing units.

As an example, we include a component which

represents the parallel connection of two boilers with
a single steam collector, a single chimney and a
uniform load distribution.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------- PARALLEL CONNECTION OF TWO BOILERS ------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPONENT C2_paralelo

TOPOLOGY
fuente_gas(gas_mix=aire) f_aire(T=30.,P=1.01325, \
C={0.233, 0.767, 0.00})
fuente_gas(gas_mix=gas_natural) f_comb(T=30.,P=1.001325, \
C={0.815, 0.16, 0.016, 0.009})
fuente_liq(fluido_mix=agua) f_agua(T=120.,P=45.72,C={1.})

c1_nueva C1
c1_nueva C2
Tubo_vapor tuberia1(D=0.20272,L=14.6)
Figure 3. Shrink or Contraction in the steam drum
Tubo_vapor tuberia1(D=0.20272,L=14.6) liquid level as the demand for steam decreases
colector_vapor colector
chimenea chim
Cntrl_pi reg_P_col (k=0.05,Ti=100.,Tr=0.007,u_min=0.001, \
u_max=7.,man=1.00508557)
Medidor_P_vapor m_P_col

CONNECT f_aire.f_out TO C1.aire_in, C2.aire_in

CONNECT f_comb.f_out TO C1.comb_in, C2.comb_in
CONNECT f_agua.f_out TO C1.agua_in, C2.agua_in
CONNECT C1.vapor_out TO tuberia1.f_in
CONNECT C2.vapor_out TO tuberia2.f_in
CONNECT tuberia1.f_out,tuberia2.f_out TO colector.f_in
CONNECT colector.f_out TO m_P_col.f_in
CONNECT m_P_col.presion TO reg_P_col.s_var
CONNECT reg_P_col.s_out TO C1.s_regP,C2.s_regP
CONNECT C1.humos_out, C2.humos_out TO chim.f_in

END COMPONENT

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The end component obtained can be reused, as long

as some minimum requirements fixed by the actual
creation of the model are fulfilled.

The use of these models in operator training is made

even easier because no knowledge is required of the
code with which they have been developed.

Appendix

BOILER Library
Component Description
Atemperador Attemperator
Bajante Downcomers to the water drum
BDC Convection bank
calderin_agua Water drum
Chimenea Chimney
colector_vapor Superheated steam collector
cond_aire Air inlet duct
cond_ce Boiler to economiser duct
cond_ec Economiser to chimney duct
control_atemperacion Attemperation control system
control_combustion Air-fuel ratio control and safety system
control_nivel Steam drum liquid level control system
CV_sub Steam drum with subcooled section
Economizador Economizer
Hogar Combustion furnace
Precalentador Feedwater preheater
Sobrecalent1 Primary superheater
sobrecalent2 Secondary superheater
Ventilador Air inlet fan
C1_nueva Boiler shell
C1_nueva_demo Complete boiler component
C2_paralelo Connection of two boilers in parallel
Figure 4. Swell or Expansion in the steam drum
liquid level as the demand for steam increases Other library components that have been used

PORTS Library
The graphics in Figure 5 show the results that would Component Description
be obtained if there was an increase in the amount of Gas Port for gases or mixtures
air that enters the furnace. As we can see from the Liquido Port for liquids or mixtures
vapor Steam port
graphs, an increase in the amount of air will bring
about a decrease in the flame temperature and,
CONTROL Library
therefore, less evaporation, and this would cause a Component Description
momentary drop in steam pressure in the drum until analog_signal Analogic signal port
the system regains its steady state, increasing the flow Cntrl_pi PI controller
of fuel. The final consequence is a decrease in boiler Medidor_Ci_gas Gas composition gauge
perfomance. Medidor_P_vapor Steam pressure gauge
Medidor_T_vapor Steam temperature gauge
Medidor_W_gas Gas mass flow gauge
Medidor_W_liquido Liquid mass flow gauge
8 CONCLUSIONS
FLOW ELEMENTS Library
The model built fulfils the established requirements Component Description
fuente_gas Source of gases or mixtures
and correctly represents the real behaviour of the
fuente_liq Source of liquids or mixtures
system. fuente_vapor Source of steam
Tubo_gas Gas pipe
The simulation tool used, EcosimPro, has facilitated Tubo_liq Liquid pipe
modelling by very simple elements, and their Tubo_vapor Steam pipe
connection allows us to simulate a complex system. Valvula_gas Linear valve for gases
Valvula_gas_mariposa Butterfly valve for gases
Valvula_liq Linear valve for liquids

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Figure 5. Results of the Simulation in the light of an increase in the flow of air entering the furnace

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Mr Cesar de Prada Moraga for his

guidance and help in creating the mathematical
model.

References

[1] Costa Novella E. (1996) Transmisión de Calor.

Vol 4. Ed.Alhambra, Spain.

[2] Coulson & Richarson. (1994) Chemical

Enginnering Vol 1,6. Pergamon Press. England.

[3] Kern D.Q. (1950) Process Heat Transfer,

McGraw-Hill.

[4] Modular Modeling System. B&W Nuclear

Technologies.

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1st Meeting of EcosimPro Users, UNED, Madrid, 3-4 May 2001

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