Theory and Calculation of Heat Transfer in Furnaces

Theory and Calculation of Heat Transfer in Furnaces

Yanguo Zhang

Department of Thermal Engineering

Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China

Qinghai Li

Department of Thermal Engineering

Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China

Hui Zhou

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Columbia University, New York, USA

Table of Contents

Cover

Title page

Copyright

Foreword

Preface

Symbols

Chapter 1: Theoretical Foundation and Basic Properties of Thermal Radiation

Abstract

1.1. Thermal radiation theory—Planck’s law

1.2. Emissive power and radiation characteristics

1.3. Basic laws of thermal radiation

1.4. Radiativity of solid surfaces

1.5. Thermal radiation energy

1.6. Radiative geometric configuration factors

1.7. Simplified treatment of radiative heat exchange in engineering calculations

Chapter 2: Emission and Absorption of Thermal Radiation

Abstract

2.1. Emission and absorption mechanisms

2.2. Radiativity of absorbing and scattering media

2.3. Scattering

2.4. Absorption and scattering of flue gas

Chapter 3: Radiation Heat Exchange Between Isothermal Surfaces

Abstract

3.1. Radiative heat exchange between surfaces in transparent media

3.2. Radiative heat exchange between an isothermal medium and a surface

3.3. Radiative heat exchange between a flue gas and a heating surface with convection

Chapter 4: Heat Transfer in Fluidized Beds

Abstract

4.1. Fundamental concepts of fluidized beds

4.2. Convective heat transfer in gas–solid flow

4.3. Radiative heat transfer in gas–solid flow

4.4. Heat transfer calculation in a circulating fluidized bed

Chapter 5: Heat Transfer Calculation in Furnaces

Abstract

5.1. Heat transfer in furnaces

5.2. Heat transfer calculation in suspension-firing furnaces

5.3. Heat transfer calculation in grate furnaces

5.4. Heat transfer calculation in fluidized bed furnaces

5.5. Heat transfer calculation in back-end heating surfaces

5.6. Thermal calculation of the boiler

Chapter 6: Effects of Ash Deposition and Slagging on Heat Transfer

Abstract

6.1. Ash deposition and slagging processes and characteristics

6.2. Effects of ash deposition and slagging on heat transfer in furnaces

6.3. Effects of ash deposition and slagging on heat transfer in convective heating surfaces

Chapter 7: Measuring Heat Transfer in the Furnace

Abstract

7.1. Flame emissivity measurement

7.2. Radiative flux measurement

7.3. Two other types of heat flux meter

Appendix A: Common Physical Constants of Heat Radiation

Appendix B: Common Configuration Factor Calculation Formulas

Appendix C: Example of Thermal Calculation of 113.89 kg/s (410 t/h) Ultra-High-Pressure, Coal-Fired Boiler

Appendix D: Supplementary Materials

References

Subject Index

Copyright

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Foreword

Furnace technology is very commonly employed, industrially and in the home. The fuels available for furnaces include coal, oil, gas, and other combustible materials. More than one half of the energy consumed by humans comes from fossil fuel and biomass combustion; other energy sources include hydraulic, nuclear, wind, and solar power. All the thermal energy created by combustion is the result of a burning reaction between the furnace and combustible material, which takes place in its boiler or stove. The processes that occur in a furnace include not only combustion, but also flow, heat transfer, and mass transition. Heat transfer is the most important process in the furnace, and the focus of this book.

Heat transfer, one of the primary applications of thermal physics, covers heat conduction, convection, and radiation. Comprehensive understanding (and successful manipulation) of heat transfer is crucial for power engineering—including, of course, furnace engineering. The furnace is a reactor for combustion, in which the temperature is far higher than ambient, thus radiation is the dominant mode of heat transfer. The majority of this book concerns the behavior and principles of radiation heat transfer in furnaces.

There are normal modes of heat transfer in a furnace, such as the conduction in the water-cooled tube wall and convection between tubes and flue gas. These processes are not discussed in detail in this book because they are covered in basic heat transfer courses—instead, they are simplified to calculate convection heat transfer in the low-temperature area of the boiler flue gas passages after the furnace. The complete thermal calculation method is described in this book as a comprehensive boiler calculation process. Due to space limitations, there are a handful of other important topics related to heat transfer that are not introduced here (eg, numerical simulation of radiation heat transfer, heat transfer in industrial ovens, and waste-heat-recovery boilers).

Heat transfer in furnaces is a fundamental issue that extends the basic principles of heat transfer to specific thermal calculation for boilers. The information in this book is provided under two essential criteria: first, indispensable scientific rigor without theoretical exasperation, and second, delivering practical solutions to operational problems specific to boiler design. The information in this book also represents a typical, scientific progression from theory to practice, which helps the reader to understand how to simplify a real and complex problem to be solved according to theoretical physics; the basic approach taken by the authors involved both established engineering method and experimental application, with the ultimate goal of offering the reader a relatively simple and useful textbook as well as a valuable reference for future design of furnace technologies.

This book was written by Yanguo Zhang, Qinghai Li, and Junkai Feng first in Chinese. The current version, in English, was translated and edited by Yanguo Zhang, Qinghai Li, and Hui Zhou. Rongrong Cai also took part in the translation. The authors hope that this English edition will aid the successful and fruitful development of academic and engineering contacts and understanding between the Chinese community and non-Chinese communities which all have common interests in boiler design or application.

Yanguo Zhang acknowledges with gratitude the support received from Ganglian Ren (former Chief Engineer of Beijing Boiler Works, China), Dr Jin Sun, Professor Junfu Lv, and Ms Yi Xie. The authors would like to acknowledge Professor Junkai Feng for invaluable guidance, and Professor Buxuan Wang for his recommendation. The authors would also like to acknowledge the assistance of our editors, Ms Qian Yang, Ms Qiuwan Zhuang and Ms Xin Feng from Tsinghua University Press and the editors from Elsevier and typesetter Thomson Digital.

The authors’ special thanks go to Tsinghua University Teaching Reformation Program for partially financial support.

The authors would also like to point out that this book cites formulae and other information from References [18] and [20] in chapter: Theoretical Foundation and Basic Properties of Thermal Radiation, Reference [16] in chapter: Heat Transfer in Fluidized Beds, and Reference [15] in chapter: Effects of Ash Deposition and Slagging on Heat Transfer. Although some other valuable literatures are referenced, it is difficult to cite them exactly in the text. We therefore list those literatures in the reference list. All of the references are greatly appreciated.

Yanguo Zhang

Department of Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University

Preface

Energy, communication, and material are basic elements which push modern society forward in the processes of industrialization, electrification, and information development. Most energy and power for modern devices come from fossil fuels, which are combusted in furnaces to release heat by chemical reaction. In a boiler furnace, radiation is the dominant mechanism of transferring heat from flame and flue gas to the heating surface, combined with convection—the heat is delivered from the surface to the inner media by conduction of the tube wall. The physical and chemical processes in a furnace are a combination of combustion, heat transfer, and flows, all of which are limited by engineering factors. All devices related to combustion (including not only power plant boilers, turbines, and engines, but several other industry boilers and stoves) must satisfy environmental protection and economic demands.

This book was written based on a course on Heat Transfer in Furnaces taught by the authors at Tsinghua University, Beijing, for several years. The author would suggest that the reader first learn the basic scientific concepts of heat transfer. This book provides a connection between fundamental theories on the subject and real-world engineering applications, and the authors sincerely hope it will serve as a helpful reference for the reader during complex engineering design endeavors.

This book contains seven chapters in total. After a brief introduction to the essentials and basic principles of radiation in chapter: Theoretical Foundation and Basic Properties of Thermal Radiation, radiative characteristics of flame and flue gas (with walls) are examined in chapter: Emission and Absorption of Thermal Radiation and chapter: Radiation Heat Exchange Between Isothermal Surfaces. Chapter: Heat Transfer in Fluidized Beds describes the relatively novel concept of heat transfer in fluidized beds, which differs notably from heat transfer in stock boilers or pulverized coal boilers. Chapter: Heat Transfer Calculation in Furnaces provides thermal calculations for furnaces in three typical types of boilers. Chapter: Effects of Ash Deposition and Slagging on Heat Transfer illustrates the effects of ash deposition and slagging on the heat transfer of heating surfaces, and chapter: Measuring Heat Transfer in the Furnace discusses furnace heat transfer measurement, including flame emissivity and heat flux meters.

I strongly feel that this book contains unique and valuable characteristics, including clear and accurate depiction of relevant concepts, simple and fluent language, and a fascinating and practical extension of the authors’ combined experience in engineering. I am happy to recommend it to the reader, and hope that students and practitioners of boiler technology will find this book inspiring and useful.

Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Buxuan Wang

Department of Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University

Symbols

A area, m²; ash content in fuel, wt.%

a Constant; absorptivity; emissivity; fly ash fraction; width, m

b depth, m

B magnetic induction intensity; fuel supply rate, kg/s

c constant; correction factor; light velocity, m/s; specific heat capacity, J/(kg·K), J/(Nm³·K)

cp specific heat capacity at constant pressure, J/(kg·K)

C carbon content in fuel, wt.%

d diameter, m or mm

D diameter, m; boiler capacity, kg/s or t/h

E energy, J; emissive power (radiosity), W/m²; electric field intensity, V/m

e energy level; error, %

g degeneracy of the energy level; mass fraction of flue gas flowing through superheated cold or hot sections

G flue gas mass of unit fuel, kg/kg

h Planck constant; heat transfer coefficient, W/(m²·K); height, m

H magnetic field intensity, A/m; heating area of furnace radiation, m²; hydrogen content in fuel, %

I radiation intensity,W/(m²·sr); enthalpy of air or flue gas, kJ/kg

i imaginary unit; enthalpy of working medium (water, steam), kJ/kg

K extinction (attenuation) coefficient, m−1; heat transfer coefficient, W/(m²·K)

k coefficient of radiant absorption, l/(m·Pa); Boltzmann constant

L length, m

l dimensionless length

m mass, kg

M moisture, %

n refractive index

N nitrogen content in fuel, wt.%

O oxygen content in fuel, wt.%

P pressure, Pa, MPa

Pr Prandtl number

Q heat flow, W; heating value, kJ/kg

q heat flux, W/m²; volumetric or sectional heat release rate (thermal load), W/m³, W/m²; heat percentage, %

R radius, m; thermal resistance

r radius vector, m; electrical resistivity, Ω·m; volume fraction

s mean beam length, effective radiation layer thickness, m; Poynting vector, W/m²; spacing, mm

S sulfur content in fuel, wt.%

t time, s; temperature, °C

T absolute temperature, K

u unknown variable in the integral equation; velocity, m/s

V volume, m³; amount of air or flue gas, Nm³/kg

x,y,z coordinates

x effective configuration factor of the water wall

Z number of tube rows

α absorptivity; excess air coefficient for gas side; Lagrange factor

β Lagrange factor; excess air coefficient for air side

δ optical thickness

ε emissivity; blackness; dielectric constant; ash deposition coefficient

ϕ configuration factor; heat preservation coefficient

η dimensionless coordinate

θ polar angle, incident angle, rad; temperature, °C

Θ dimensionless temperature

λ wavelength, μm; thermal conductivity, W/(m·k)

μ dimensionless concentration, kg/kg

ν frequency, Hz; kinematic viscosity, m²/s

ξ dimensionless coordinate; utilization coefficient

ρ density, kg/m³; reflectivity; ash deposition coefficient

σ Stefan-Boltzmann constant, W/(m²·K⁴)

τ Transmissivity

χ angle of refraction, rad

ω circular frequency, s–1; ratio; velocity, m/s

η efficiency, %

θ angle of inclination, degree; temperature, °C

δ thickness, mm

ρw steam mass flux, kg/(m² s)

τ factor

ζ fouling factor

ψ thermal efficiency coefficient; effective coefficient

Ω solid angle, sr

∆ D-value

Π coefficient

Superscripts

′ at inlet

″ at outlet

0 theoretical

- averaged

Subscripts

A surface; section

a absorption; air; adiabatic

ar as received

ave averaged

b blackbody; bottom; boiler; bed

bd blowdown

c carbon black; corrected; convective; cold section

cal calculation

co coke

ca cold air

d diffuse; dispersed

daf dry and ash free

ds desuperheater spray

dw down

e emit; environment; outlet

f front

fa fly ash; furnace nose

fe furnace exit

fl flame

fw boiler feed water

F furnace; sectional

g gas, flue gas

G graybody

h hot section

ha hot air

H section

H2O water

i incident; inlet; inner diameter

i, j, k surface numbers

I projection

in incoming

l air leakage

lf luminous flame

m maximum; medium; average; modified

max maximum

mh manhole

min minimum

ms coal pulverizing system

n normal direction; triatomic gas

N2 nitrogen gas

o outgoing; outer; outlet

p projection; primary stage; platen

r, β, θ spherical coordinates

r radiation; rear

rb refractory belt

rc reversing chamber

roof top surface of furnace

R effective radiation

R2O CO2 and SO2

s scatter; distance; secondary stage; side; surface; system; saturation

sys system

ss superheated steam

t through; tube; water cooling wall

up upward

V volume

w surface; wall

wch water cooled combustion chamber hopper

x, y, z components at x, y, z direction

z f coal pulverizing system

λ monochromatic wavelength

ν monochromatic frequency

ϕ solid angle

α absorption

τ transmission

ρ reflectance

ut utilized heat

ex exhaust gas

ug unburnt gas

uc unburnt carbon

rad radiation heat loss of boiler

ph physical heat loss due to ash and slag

db dense bed

fb free board

sh superheater

rh reheater

eco economizer

aph air preheater

wm working medium

os outside, outer surface

is inside, inner surface

DT deformation temperature

ST softening temperature

FT fluid temperature

fh fly ash

y flue gas

k air

ad air dry basis

d dry basis

daf dry and ash free basis

gt unburnt carbon

qt unburnt gas

l furnace

zs corrected

r burner

pj averaged

hz ash and slag

Chapter 1

Theoretical Foundation and Basic Properties of Thermal Radiation

Abstract

This chapter briefly outlines the essential characteristics of thermal radiation and the fundamental parameters which describe thermal radiation properties. The thermal radiation theory, Planck’s law, is introduced first, as well as other definitions such as emissive power and specific radiation characteristics. Next, the basic laws of thermal radiation, radiativity of solid surfaces, and energy of thermal radiation are illustrated. Radiative geometric configuration factors are also discussed, as they are important in calculating radiation heat transfer. A simplified radiative heat exchange treatment is then introduced for engineering calculation. The description of the basic laws of thermal radiation and the general methods used in thermal radiation transfer calculation are emphasized, forming a theoretical foundation for solving heat radiation transfer problems and conducting related engineering calculations.

Keywords

thermal radiation

emissive power

Planck’s law

geometric configuration factor

heat exchange

Chapter Outline

1.1 Thermal Radiation Theory—Planck’s Law 3

1.2 Emissive Power and Radiation Characteristics 6

1.2.1 Description of Radiant Energy 6

1.2.2 Physical Radiation Characteristics 9

1.2.3 Monochromatic and Directional Radiation 11

1.3 Basic Laws of Thermal Radiation 12

1.3.1 Planck’s Law and Corollaries 12

1.3.2 Lambert’s Law 15

1.3.3 Kirchhoff’s Law 16

1.4 Radiativity of Solid Surfaces 17

1.4.1 Difference Between Real Surfaces and Blackbody Surfaces 17

1.4.2 Graybody 19

1.4.3 Diffuse Surfaces 19

1.5 Thermal Radiation Energy 21

1.5.1 Thermal Radiation Forms 21

1.5.2 Radiosity 22

1.6 Radiative Geometric Configuration Factors 24

1.6.1 Definition of the Configuration Factor 24

1.6.2 Configuration Factor Properties 27

1.6.3 Configuration Factor Calculation 29

1.7 Simplified Treatment of Radiative Heat Exchange in Engineering Calculations 41

1.7.1 Simplification Treatment of Radiation Heat Transfer in Common Engineering Calculations 41

1.7.2 Discussion on Simplified Conditions 41

All substances continuously emit and absorb electromagnetic energy when their molecules or atoms are excited by factors associated with internal energy (such as heating, illumination, chemical reaction, or particle collision). This process is called radiation. Radiation is considered a series of electromagnetic waves in classic physical theory, while modern physics considers it light quanta, that is, the transport of photons. Strictly speaking, radiation exhibits wave-particle duality, possessing properties of not only particles but also waves; this work considers these to be the same, that is, radiation refers simultaneously to both photons and electromagnetic waves.

At equilibrium, the internal energy of a substance is related to its temperature – the higher the temperature, the greater the internal energy. The emitted radiation covers the entire electromagnetic wave spectrum, as illustrated schematically in Fig. 1.1.

Figure 1.1   Electromagnetic wave spectrum.

Thermal energy is the energy possessed by a substance due to the random and irregular motion of its atoms or molecules. Thermal radiation is the transformation of energy from thermal energy to radiant energy by emission of rays. The wavelength range encompassed by thermal radiation is approximately from 0.1 to 1000 μm, which can be divided into three subranges: the infrared from 0.7  to 1000 μm, the visible from 0.4 to 0.7 μm, and the near ultraviolet from 0.1 to 0.4 μm. Thermal radiation is a form of heat transfer between objects, characterized by the exchange of energy by emitting and absorbing thermal rays.

Consider, for example, two concentric spherical shells with different initial temperatures (t1 < t2) separated by a vacuum, as shown in Fig. 1.2. The temperature of sphere shell 2 increases as a result of heat exchange by thermal radiation between the two shells, since there is no heat conduction or heat convection between them.

Figure 1.2   Radiation heat transfer between concentric sphere shells.

This chapter will briefly outline the essential characteristics of thermal radiation, and the fundamental parameters that describe thermal radiation properties. The description of the basic laws of thermal radiation and the general methods used in thermal radiation transfer calculation are emphasized, as these are the theoretical foundation for solving heat radiation transfer problems and conducting related engineering calculations.

1.1. Thermal radiation theory—Planck’s law [1,2,23,24]

At the end of the 19th century, classical physics had encountered two major roadblocks: the problem of relative motion between ether and measurable objects, and the spectrum law of blackbody radiation, that is, the failure of the energy equipartition law. The solution to the first problem led to relativity theory, and the second problem was solved after the establishment of quantum theory. Quantum theory also solved the problems of blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, and Compton scattering.

In quantum mechanics, a particle’s state at a definite time can be described by wave function Ψ(r), and the motion of the particle can be described by the change of the wave function with time Ψ(r,t). The wave function Ψ(r,t) satisfies the following Schrodinger equation:

(1.1)

is a constant.

is known, the motion of the whole system can be determined, including its energy level distribution and transition. Only quantum mechanics can strictly and accurately describe the generation, transmission, and absorption characteristics of radiation. Strict description of thermal radiation, quantum mechanics, statistical physics, and other basic theories are necessary, however, these theories are too complex for engineering calculation, particularly concerning solutions to complicated motion system equations. The basic theory of macroscopic thermal radiation is also rather difficult to describe. To this effect, it is necessary to reasonably simplify and approximate problems for the convenience of engineering application. This task is performed by professional engineering disciplines.

This section focuses on blackbody radiation theory (Planck’s law), the theoretical basis of thermal radiation. During the heat transfer process, blackbody refers to an object which can absorb all radiant energy of various wavelengths projected onto its surface. Planck’s law describes the behavior of the blackbody, the derivation of which requires some basic concepts and methods of quantum mechanics and statistical physics. The following section provides a simple introduction to Planck’s law and blackbodies, to help readers to understand the basic theory and history of thermal radiation.

According to quantum mechanics, the energy of a photon with frequency v is:

(1.2)

where h = 6.6262 × 10–34 Js is the Planck constant.

According to statistical physics, the distribution with the greatest chance of a system consisting of a large number of particles is called the most probable distribution. The most probable distribution is typically used to describe the equilibrium distribution of an isolated system. The photon does not obey the Pauli Exclusion Principle, thus it is a Boson; neutrons, protons, and electrons are called Fermions, as they all do obey the Pauli Exclusion Principle.

The classical particles satisfy the classical Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution under the conditions of continuous energy and degeneracy. Bosons obey Bose–Einstein distribution (B–E distribution), and Fermions obey Fermi–Dirac distribution.

According to the basic principle of statistical physics, the statistical equation of B–E distribution is derived as follows:

(1.3)

where Ni is the number of particles with energy level of ei = hνi, gi is the degeneracy of the energy level ei, and α and β are Lagrange factors. For a photon, α = 0, and the statistical equation the photon obeys is:

(1.4)

Consider a cavity with volume V and surface temperature T. For the photon in V:

(1.5)

where k is the Boltzmann constant, equal to 1.38 × 10–23J/K. The degeneracy of the photon in V at energy level ei is:

(1.6)

Substituting Eq. (1.5) and Eq. (1.6) into Eq. (1.4) provides the number of photons in the frequency range from νi to νi + dνi:

(1.7)

Substituting the photon energy ei = hνi into Eq. (1.7) results in the following:

(1.8)

Then, the energy of dNi photons is:

(1.9)

The unit volume radiant energy density ranging from frequency νi to νi + dνi is:

(1.10)

where ui is monochrome radiation intensity, this is Planck’s law in the form of radiant energy density. For a specified frequency νi, the subscript i can be removed. Eq. (1.10) can also be expressed by wavelength λ, because ν = c/λ, so radiant energy density ranging from wavelength λ to λ + dλ is:

(1.11)

That is to say,

(1.12)

Obviously, Planck’s law is an inevitable result derived from the basic theory of quantum mechanics and statistical physics which indicates that the radiant energy density ranging from λ∼λ + dλ only relates to wavelength λ and cavity temperature T, denoted as uλ = f(λ,t). From this law, the radiant energy density of different wavelengths at the same temperature T can be obtained, then the spectral distribution of radiant energy density can likewise be obtained. Planck’s law is the basis of the entirety of thermal radiation theory. Thus, a good understanding of the law is necessary for mastering the properties and laws of thermal radiation.

For simplicity, radiation in the following chapters actually refers to thermal radiation unless otherwise specified.

1.2. Emissive power and radiation characteristics

A blackbody is an ideal radiation absorber and emitter. Similar to an ideal gas in thermodynamics, the blackbody is an ideal concept which forms the criteria used to compare actual radiators. Similarly, Planck’s law as derived in Section 1.1 describes the ideal spectral distribution of radiant energy, which is only related to temperature and wavelength. What is the difference,