Modifying the Fin Design and Improving Thermal Efficiency of Super Heater Tube

Abstract

Super heaters are among the most important components of boiler and have major importance due to this
operation in high temperature and pressure. Fins on the super heater tubes plays a vital role to increase the heat
transfer rate. A small unit of improvement in the design of the fins in the super heater gives a large value of positive
impact on the performance of super heater in the steam generation system. The core concept of the project is to
redesigning the circular shaped fin which is existing in the former super heater tubes to rectangular cross- section
helical shaped fin , in order to increase the heat transfer rate (Q) with less fuel (coal) consumption due to increasing
the total surface area of the conducting material and as fins. Such redesign is aimed at minimal change in weight and
cost of super heater, with maximum positive impact on the overall efficient in the steam power generation.
The material used for the fins in our project is SA106GrA which is having a thermal conductivity of 51 w/m k
and good thermal properties which are required to increase heat transfer rate. The parametric model is created in 3D
modeling software AUTOCAD and the results are calculated by using mathematical methods (Heat transfer
Methodology).