THE EFFECTS OF FUEL PARAMETERS ON THE SIZE AND CONFIGURATION OF CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED-BED BOILERS

A detailed analysis of the effect of coal rank on the size and configu ration of circulating fluidised-bed (CFB) boilers is presented. These data, the first in published literature, would help boiler designers a nd users to appreciate the extent of the fuel flexibility of CFB boile rs. These boilers are known for their fuel flexibility; they allow the burning of non-design fuels, but with some performance penalty. The e xtent of this penalty is apparent from the difference in size and conf iguration of furnaces designed for various fuels. Unlike conventional pulverised-coal (PC) boilers, CFB boilers do not have a data base on t he impact of fuel parameters on the furnace size. The present work use d an Expert system (CFBCAD (R)) to investigate the effect of 57 coals of various ranks. On the basis of this study, a general guide for the design of CFB boilers for various fuel specifications was developed.