Energy & Fuels, Vol.18, No.2, 378-384, 2004
SEM investigation of superheater deposits from biomass-fired boilers
Straw is used as fuel in relatively small-scale combined heat and power producing (CHP) grate boilers in Denmark. The large content of potassium and chlorine in straw greatly increases the deposit formation and corrosion of the superheater coils, compared to boilers firing coal. In this study, mature superheater deposit samples were extracted from two straw-fired boilers, Masnedphi and Ensted, with fuel inputs of 33 MWth and 100 MWth, respectively. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) images and EDX (energy dispersive X-ray) analyses were performed on the deposit samples. Different strategies are adopted to minimize deposit problems at the two boilers. At Masnedo the final superheater steam temperature is 520 degreesC, no soot blowing of the superheaters is applied and a relatively large superheater area is used. At Ensted, an external wood-fired superheater is used in order to obtain a final steam temperature of 542 degreesC, while the steam exit temperature of the straw-fired boiler is 470 degreesC. The mature Masnedo deposit had a thickness of 2 to 15 centimeters and consisted of three distinct main layers. The thick intermediate layer was depleted in chlorine but rich in Si, K, and Ca. This Masnedo intermediate layer was probably generated by in-situ reaction between KCl and Si-rich ash particles, which leads to release of chlorine-containing gases. The innermost layer contained many sublayers of mainly iron oxide, KCl, and K2SO4. The Ensted deposit had a maximum thickness of a few centimeters. The intermediate Ensted layer consisted of melted KCl with inclusions of Ca- and Si-rich particles, and the innermost layer was an iron oxide next to a potassium sulfate layer. Compared to deposits formed on a probe during short-time experiments, the mature superheater deposits contained larger dense inner sublayers of pure KCl and, K2SO4. The present study indicates that the innermost layer of the superheater deposits expands by condensation of KCl, even when the deposit has a thickness of several centimeters.