Study the energy efficiency of a fire-tube boiler in a dairy industry

Abstract

The present work presents the analysis of the horizontal flamotubular boiler, with furnace and aquatubular grid, B category, powered by solid fuel (wood logs). This boiler has a production capacity of 2500 kgV / hour, Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (PMTA) of 833.56 kPa and Hydrostatic Test Pressure (PTH) of 1,250.34 kPa and is installed in a dairy factory located in the city of São Geraldo – MG. This work its main objective is the study of thermal efficiency, taking into account the direct and indirect methods, proposals to improve this efficiency and a presentation of the operation and maintenance procedures for this equipment. During the work, technical data of this equipment, the fuel, and the environmental impacts caused by the burning of this fuel were noted and analyzed, and parameters that interfere with the thermal efficiency of the boiler were studied. A thermal efficiency of 74.65% was found, with a loss of 25.35%, referring to 11.18% of the dry combustion gases, 5.50% of the humid combustion gases, 4.30 of the fuel moisture, 4.00% by convection radiation, 0.25% by feed air humidity, 0.08% by incomplete combustion of fuel and 0.04% by unburned ash.