Optimization of Fuel in Saturated Steam Boiler through Preheating of Controlled Air-Fuel Mixture

Energy saving is an important concern in every industrial process that could be achieved by fuel optimization. Significant part of operating cost of any industrial process is associated with the fuel consumption. Therefore, a little optimization in fuel consumption can lead to a significant energy saving and lower operational costs along with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In this study the goal of fuel optimization has been achieved by improving the efficiency of the boiler. The air to fuel ratio has been optimized along with pre-mixing of air and fuel before it is introduced to the furnace. The boiler assembly has been modified by adding an air preheater that preheats the air-fuel mixture to 93 degrees C. The use of preheated air-fuel mixture at this temperature improves the boiler efficiency by 4%. Simulation on ASPEN HYSYS (R) was performed to validate all the results and it also showed 4.92% reduction in fuel demand, thus making the process more economical.