STORM's 13 Essentials

These STORM 13 Essentials have expanded from the 10 prerequisites for optimum combustion, first promoted in the 1980’s. The point is, they are simple, have been around a long time, and they make a great “punch list” for resolving slagging, L.O.I., and NOx issues in large P.C.-fired utility boilers.

Furnace Essentials
Burner Essentials
Airflow Essentials
Pulverizer Essentials

STORM 13 Essentials

for Optimum Combustion for Low NOx Burners on P.C. Boilers

  1. Furnace exit must be oxidizing (preferably at 3%)
  2. Fuel lines balanced to each burner by “clean air” test to ±2% or better
  3. Fuel lines balanced by “dirty air” test to ±5% or better
  4. Fuel lines balanced in fuel flow to ±10% or better
  5. Fuel line fineness shall be 75% or more passing a 200 mesh screen and 50 mesh particles shall be less than 0.1%
  6. Primary airflow shall be accurately measured & controlled to ±3% accuracy
  7. Overfire air shall be accurately measured & controlled to ±3% accuracy
  8. Primary air/fuel ratio shall be accurately controlled when above minimum airflow set-point
  9. Fuel line minimum velocities shall be above 3,300 fpm
  10. Mechanical tolerances of burners and dampers shall be ±1/4″ or better
  11. Secondary airflow indication should be within ±3% of the measured airflow and distribution to the burners within ±5%
  12. Fuel feed to the pulverizers should be smooth during load changes, measured, and controlled as accurately as possible. Load cell equipped gravimetric feeders are preferred
  13. Fuel feed quality and sizing should be consistent.  Raw coal “top size” should not exceed 3/4″ to each pulverizer

STORM 13 Essentials

for Optimum Combustion for Low NOx Burners on P.C. Boilers

  1. Furnace exit must be oxidizing (preferably at 3%)
  2. Fuel lines balanced to each burner by “clean air” test to ±2% or better
  3. Fuel lines balanced by “dirty air” test to ±5% or better
  4. Fuel lines balanced in fuel flow to ±10% or better
  5. Fuel line fineness shall be 75% or more passing a 200 mesh screen and 50 mesh particles shall be less than 0.1%
  6. Primary airflow shall be accurately measured & controlled to ±3% accuracy
  7. Overfire air shall be accurately measured & controlled to ±3% accuracy
  8. Primary air/fuel ratio shall be accurately controlled when above minimum airflow set-point
  9. Fuel line minimum velocities shall be above 3,300 fpm
  10. Mechanical tolerances of burners and dampers shall be ±1/4″ or better
  11. Secondary airflow indication should be within ±3% of the measured airflow and distribution to the burners within ±5%
  12. Fuel feed to the pulverizers should be smooth during load changes, measured and controlled as accurately as possible. Load cell equipped gravimetric feeders are preferred
  13. Fuel feed quality and sizing should be consistent.  Raw coal “top size” should not exceed 3/4″ to each pulverizer