Fault Diagnostics on Steam Boilers and Forecasting System Based on Hybrid Fuzzy Clustering and Artificial Neural Networks in Early Detection of Chamber Slagging/Fouling

The slagging/fouling due to the accession of fireside deposits on the steam boilers decreases boiler efficiency and availability which leads to unexpected shut-downs. Since it is inevitably associated with the three major factors namely the fuel characteristics, boiler operating conditions and ash behavior, this serious slagging/fouling may be reduced by varying the above three factors. The research develops a generic slagging/fouling prediction tool based on hybrid fuzzy clustering and Artificial Neural Networks (FCANN). The FCANN model presents a good accuracy of 99.85% which makes this model fast in response and easy to be updated with lesser time when compared to single ANN. The comparison between predictions and observations is found to be satisfactory with less input parameters. This should be capable of giving relatively quick responses while being easily implemented for various furnace types.

Effect of semi-continuous water washing on the combustion behaviors of agricultural organic solid waste

Combustion of agricultural organic solid waste(AOSW)was an ideal solution for their resource utilization in view of their massive annual production and great potential for reduction of fossil fuel utilization.However,high alkali and alkaline earth metals(AAEMs)content in the feedstock can arose severe fouling and slagging issues and thus prohibiting its vast utilization.In this study,a semi-continuous water washing method was proposed to preliminarily remove AAEMs from agricultural organic solid waste and its effects on the combustion behaviors of washed solid product were investigated.Results showed that the combustion index S were improved to 2.63×10-6,over 68%of the total ashes were removed from the cotton stalk,and 96.3%,89.0%and 74.7%of K,Na and Mg were effectively removed,respectively.Moreover,the softening temperature of low temperature ash from the washed sample was as high as 1450◦C,538◦C higher than the low temperature ash from the original sample;the base acid ratio and fouling index were improved from high slagging and fouling risk(1.7 and 90.8)of the original organic solid waste to low and medium risk(0.4 and 3.5),respectively.All these results signified the contributing effect of proposed semi-continuous water washing method on the combustion of agricultural organic solid waste.In a word,this study provided a promising method for fouling and slagging inhibition during the agricultural organic solid waste combustion.