Burner Control Automation for HOT AIR GENERATOR (HAG)

You can find valves and burners here:

http://www.namfg.com/

Extensive literature is also posted on-line.

For controls, actuators, combustion management, flame safety etc. is here:

http://www.honeywell.com/

Both of these company's offer extensive one on one support, and you're going to need it.

Hello Vinod,

You have given details but few more are desirable...

a) Fan Hp.

b) Existing fuel consumption/hour

Have you consulted the supplier, they can give some thoughts about the viability of the project and also whether they have done this before.

If you need variable hot air flow then VFD will be useful. Most HAG 's i have worked with do not have a variable flow option, they have variable temperature as an option which the built-in controller takes care of.

However if the Fan is large and fuel consumption is high and there is constant need to change the speed, then VFD is the way to go.

My advise would be to consult supplier before you alter the setup, as combustion is a tricky thing and air-fuel ratio could go haywire very easily

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Cheers.

Vinod,

This is a bit of a jump in the solution you are seeking, however, what you are describing sounds like it might be satisfied by one of the many self-contained jet turbine systems on the market. Should the existing fuel oil air heating system be replaced with a turbine-based electrical power generation system, several issues might be resolved automatically (see below). Also, since many available self-contained turbine systems are engineered to a high degree of reliability and efficiency and have proven automatic control mechanisms--your workload would be greatly reduced once installed. The exhaust satisfies your heated air requirements and the electrical output powers part of the plant.

As one of many possible solutions, Ingersoll Rand has a 250kW generator powered by a micro-turbine (PureThermal or PureComfort is the product line) which can exceed 80% operational efficiency (depending upon load). If this is not impressive enough, the units automated control system is so precise, exhaust from the unit meets California Air Resources Board Emission Standards for 2007 with no external scrubbers of catalyzers.

Several efficiency improvements might be realized by switching to a computer-controlled turbine-based electrical generation system to heat process air. Here are 15 that I can think of at the moment: 1. It substantially increases the efficiency of the air heating mechanism allowing it to be 2. fully automated, monitored and controlled via software. 3. It reduces daily unburned hydrocarbon emissions and thereby 4. improving air quality and reducing the plant's carbon footprint. 5. It provides on-site electrical power 6. reducing the plants reliance upon external energy vendors and 7. decreases susceptibility to electrical outages. 8. It potentially decrease the plant's daily energy costs by 9. reducing the amount of fuel oil consumed per unit of air heated and 10. the associated electrical energy load required for the current method.

Should both a drop in daily fuel and external electrical requirements be realized, 11. the daily operating costs of the plant might be reduced by a small fraction, thereby, 12. increasing its profitability by a reciprocal amount. Such savings might be used to 13. further improve the plants efficiency or improve the business model so sales or product quality improves, thus, bringing in additional revenue; 14. The savings might also be used to off-set the costs of implementing such a system initially then enjoyed as increased profit margins in the future. Finally, such a system could potentially 15. reduce the employee hours and down time necessary to adjust, monitor and maintain the current manual system resulting in slightly higher productivity levels and/or output at the plant.

For this idea to work the volume of heated air required needs to be matched to an appropriately sized turbine(s) and heat exchanger(s); also, the available inexpensive fuels in your area may require a specific turbine type. Temperature regulation of process air can be controlled by an automated outside air blending vent in series with a properly sized air turbulator (to provide uniform air tempature). Something like Ingersoll Rand's Energy Recuperator for Gas-Turbines might be used as the heat exchanger. Industry representatives and their sales departments should be eager to assist you in matching equipment to your specific needs. Their sales engineers should provide data demonstrating how similar systems have reduced costs and increased productivity at other plants in case you need hard figures to present to the operations manager.

I hope this idea helps and good luck.

In our company, we have been attending to lot of such similar applications. Pl. give following details to work out a suitable solution:

1) Blower HP, CFM (CMH) of air & pressure.

2) Fuel consumption/hr.

3) Is there any any heat exchanger provided? If so, details of the same, or is it a direct fired HAG?

4) Combustion blower HP

5) Is there a oil preheater? If so, its KW rating.

As a matter of fact, automation of FO fired system, does not work permanently. Hence, we have been converting such systems to LPG firing, which can be fully automated, including a PLC system.

pl. contact: vijayogc@yahoo.co.in

Mahadevan