Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) Flow Control Design

A Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) had suspected flow deficiencies which was causing suboptimal performance of the unit. Alden was contacted to use CFD to conduct an evaluation of the unit and design flow controls to improve its steam generation.

To complete this evaluation, Alden developed a baseline CFD model of the HRSG from the turbine outlet to the tube bank inlet to understand how the flow develops in this section. An area of recirculation and the reasons it developed were identified. A set of flow controls was designed to address the recirculating gas. Alden worked with the client to ensure that the flow controls were both effective and practical to construct and install into the existing system.

Results

Using the drawings provided, the oil & gas plant constructed and implemented the flow controls designed by Alden. Subsequently, the plant saw a 17% improvement in steam generation when the unit was tested with the new flow controls

Project Highlights

• CFD model identified flow inefficiency
• Flow controls were iteratively designed with input from the clients
• Steam generation increased 17% after implementation of the flow controls