Economizer recirculation for low-load stability in heat recovery steam generator

Patent · Tue Apr 15 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5814595

Cuscino, R T; Shade, Jr, R L

An economizer system is described for heating feedwater in a heat recovery steam generator which consists of: at least first and second economizer tube planes; each of the economizer tube planes including a plurality of generally parallel tubes; the tubes being generally vertically disposed; each of the economizer tube planes including a top header and a bottom header; all of the plurality of tubes in each economizer tube plane being connected in parallel to their top and bottom headers whereby parallel feedwater flow through the plurality of tubes between the top and bottom headers is enabled; one of the top and bottom headers being an inlet header; a second of the top and bottom headers being an outlet header; a boiler feed pump; the boiler feed pump being effective for applying a flow of feedwater to the inlet header; means for serially interconnecting the economizer tube planes; the means for serially interconnecting including means for flowing the feedwater upward and downward in tubes of alternating ones of the economizer tube planes between the inlet header and the outlet header; means for conveying heated feedwater from the outlet header to a using process; means for recirculating at least a portion of the heated feedwater from the outlet header to an inlet of the boiler feed pump; and the means for recirculating including means for relating the portion to a steam load in the using process whereby an increased flow is produced through all of the economizer tube planes at values of the steam load below a predetermined value and a condition permitting initiation of reverse flow in any of the tubes is substantially reduced.

• Assignee: General Electric Co., Lynn, MA
• Patent Number(s): US 4582027
• OSTI ID: 5814595
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
421000* -- Engineering-- Combustion Systems
BOILERS
CIRCULATING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ECONOMIZERS
ENERGY RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FEEDWATER
HEAT RECOVERY
HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PUMPS
RECOVERY
STABILITY
STEAM GENERATORS
VAPOR GENERATORS
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WATER