CONFIDENTIAL

Stacks and Draught

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Stacks and draught

Objectives :

To understand the function of stacks

To understand the procedure to calculate actual

draught levels in combustion systems
To appreciate pressure profiles in natural and
forced draught systems

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Function of Stacks

Controlled dispersion of flue gas in atmosphere

Stack height depends on emission standards

The flue gas path should not hit working platforms

Creation of draught

Stack height depends on draught requirement of

connected fired equipment. Stack draught should be
sufficient to overcome the convection bank losses
and to create 2-3 mmWC under pressure in the top
of the fire box

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Adiabatic Expansion

Ambient
Height
temperature

Colder

Adiabatic
100 m expansion -1°C

parcel of air

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Stack Aerodynamics
Stack exit speed

Stack exit speed

Horizontal wind speed
Horizontal wind speed

Downwash Plume rise

Design exit velocity 16 m/s

Plume rise
Cost effective

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Characteristic Plumes from Stacks

Height

Height
Distance Distance
Unstable atmosphere (“looping”) Stable atmosphere (“fanning”)
Height

Height
Distance Distance
Neutral atmosphere (“coning”) Inversion above stack (“fumigation”)

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Stability and Dispersion

The more stable

the atmosphere the
slower the dispersion

The more unstable

the atmosphere the
faster the dispersion

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Turbulence in Atmosphere

Degree of turbulence depends on:

Wind speed

Surface roughness

Atmospheric stability

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Stack Draught Calculation (1)

Actual draught = Theoretical draught - Losses

Theoretical draught = (ρ a )
− ρf * g* H (N/m2)
ρa = actual density of ambient air (kg/m3)

ρ f = actual density of flue gas (kg/m3)

g = gravity constant
v = 10 m/s2

H = effective stack/furnace height (m)

1 1
Theoretical draught = 350 *  − * H (mmwc)
 Ta Tf 
Ta = ambient air temperature (k)

Tf = flue gas temperature (k)

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Stack Draught Calculation (2)

Loss = Friction loss + Exit loss
H 1
Friction loss = f * * 2 * ρ f * Vf 2 (N/m2)
D
f = friction factor

D = stack diameter (m)

Vf = flue gas velocity (m/s)

0.325* V f 2 * H
Friction loss = (mmwc)
Tf * D
Exit loss = 2 * ρ f * Vf 2
1
(N/m2)

18.5*V f 2
Exit loss = (mmwc)
Tf

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Stack Draught Calculation (3)

Overview of simplified equations :

1 1
Theoretical draught =350 *  − * H (mmwc)
 Ta Tf 

0.325* V f 2 * H
Friction loss = (mmwc)
Tf * D

18.5*V f 2
Exit loss = (mmwc)
Tf

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Draught Calculation Exercise

0,8m
V= 12m/s

200 °C
35 m
Νο Friction damper
∆p Friction in
conv.
bank 5 mmwc 4m
500 °C
Calculate:
1) Draught top convection
bank 800 °C
2) Draught top radiant cell
3) Draught bottom radiant 10 m
Νο Friction in Tamb = 20°C
cell Radiant cell
4) Is required burner draught
sufficient
Required draught
for burner 6 mmwc

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Typical furnace static pressure (draught) profiles

0
0 0 0
+6 +6 +6 +6

STACK

-12
-6 -6 -6
-16 ID FAN

CVB

-4 -4 +6 -4

RC

-13 -13 -3 -13

BURNER
+200 +210 +200

FD FAN

N.D. BURNER F.D. BURNER F.D. BURNER F.D. BURNER

high deltaP CVB high deltaP CVB
ID fan

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Manual Control Natural Draught Furnaces

START

CHECK DRAFT
HIGH (1) LOW (2)

CHECK O2 ON TARGET CHECK O2

HIGH (3) LOW (3) HIGH (3) LOW (3)

CLOSE STACK DAMPER OPEN BURNER REGISTERS CLOSE BURNER REGISTERS OPEN STACK DAMPER

RETURN TO START RETURN TO START

CHECK O2

HIGH LOW
ON TARGET

CLOSE BURNER REGISTERS OPEN BURNER REGISTERS

RETURN TO START RETURN TO START

GOOD OPERATION
Notes:
• High Draft – Means Fire Box Pressure more Negative than Target DRAFT
TARGETS
• Low Draft – Means Fire Box Pressure more Positive than Target O2
• High or Low O2 – Means O2 is above or below Target

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Coffee Break

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