Index
Objectives
Major characteristics
of the fuel oil
Results

CASE STUDY

Bycosin 4030, an organo-metallic fuel oil additive, was chosen to be used in the fuel at a 120 MW boiler in a power station for a 6 month trial period. The results collected during the trial period are presented below.


Objectives

The objectives were to prove the effectiveness of the Bycosin fuel oil treatment in:

1. Reducing particulate emission and plume opacity by improving combustion efficiency. Stack solids had to be decreased by 30%.

2. Reducing low temperature corrosion and fouling at the air preheater and stack section by reducing the sulphur trioxide level in the flue gas.

3. Reducing high temperature corrosion and fouling at the superheater and preheater section by increasing the ash melting temperature.

Major characteristics of the fuel oil

Carbon residue (10.5%), ash (0.03%), sulphur (3.0%), sodium (35 ppm) vanadium (60 ppm).

Results

• Stack solids (particulates): The stack solids were reduced by 38%. Bycosin 4030 contains a combustion catalyst which will reduce cenospheres and flame soot. Bycosin 4030 also disperses asphaltenes in the fuel, which subsequently burn more effectively. A reduction of the stack solids was obtained.

• Low temperature corrosion: Visual inspection showed a remarkable improvement in the air preheater and stack sections. The O₂ level could be reduced from 2.5% to 1.2% and this caused a reduction of the SO₃ and, as a consequence, a reduction in overall corrosion.

• High temperature corrosion. The high temperature corrosion was reduced to almost nothing due to the fact that the superheater and preheater tubes were very clean because of the action of Bycosin 4030. The tubes were only covered with a thin layer of powder and loose flakes of old deposits which could be wiped off with your hand, showing the bare metal of the tubes. The fusion point of the deposits on the very clean superheaters/reheaters was increased by about 150 °C . The deposits become friable and less corrosive.

• Cost savings: A conservative estimate of the total overall savings achieved by using Bycosin 4030 is 0.9% of the fuel costs, which is more than sufficient to justify the cost of the Bycosin 4030 fuel additive treatment program. The estimate, 0.9%, comes from stack solid reduction (0.1%), reduction of the O₂ level (0.2%), and cost savings (0.6%) calculated from such areas as elimination of soot blowing, longer service time of the hardware, reduced maintenance on the oil distribution system, etc.

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