Distributed parameter modeling and simulation for the evaporation system of a controlled circulation boiler based on 3-D combustion monitoring

In this paper, a dynamic, distributed parameter model for the evaporation system of a controlled circulation boiler was developed. As an essential basis, the 3-D temperature distribution and the average emissivity of the particle phase inside its furnace can be got by a flame image processing technique from multiple, visible flame image detectors in a real-time combustion monitoring system. Then the transient, 2-D radiation flux can be obtained by solving a set of energy balance equations for the water wall elements, which serves as a distributed boundary condition for the dynamic, distributed parameter model proposed for the evaporation system. For large change of the boiler load, two important parameters, the correction factor of equivalent flame emissivity and the coefficient of the steam mass flow rate at the outlet of the drum, were determined using the operation data from a 300 MW boiler. The model was validated by comparing the simulation results for some main steam parameters of the system with those from measurements. Besides that, the transient distributions of the parameters, such as the steam quality and the mass velocity, were predicted by the model. This model can be used for on-line calculation or off-line prediction of the local abnormal phenomena occurring on the water walls, forming an important basis to effectively evaluate the security and the reliability of a power plant boiler.