Abstract
DESIGN MODELING AND PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION OF A MARINE BOILER
Alozie Charles Edward, Adumene Sidum and *Nitonye Samson
ABSTRACT
The design modeling and performance optimization of marine boiler using Excel and MATLAB is aimed at designing a boiler to improve the heat transfer performance and efficiency of the boiler. Theoretical models were used to optimize the performance of the boiler within design limit for a cargo vessel of 25,000 tonnes. MATLAB text code was used to analyze and optimize the parameters of the efficiency of the boiler by varying mass of fuel consumed, feed water temperature and calorific values of fuel. The design modeling shown that at 2170oF furnace exit gas temperature and heat absorption rate of 79500Btu/ft hr, the performance of the boiler is optimum. The convective heat transfer coefficient and radiative heat coefficient show different trend with increase in Reynolds number. The result shows that the efficiency was optimized from 82% to 91%. That is the efficiency of a boiler is inversely proportional to the mass of fuel consumed per kWh. To optimize the boiler, design consideration was made to fuel consumption; furnace exit gas temperature, heat transfer capacity, heat absorption rate and steam parameters. Analysis has shown that at smaller calorific values, there is a significant change in the efficiency of the boiler, but as the value increased, the variation in the efficiency of the boiler reduces. Therefore, in the selection of boilers, adequate considerations should be given to boiler parameters that affect the performance of the boiler and they should be combined to ensure a maximum efficiency for boilers.
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