Henan Rentai Electrical Equipment Co., Ltd. leverages advanced PLC and DCS control technologies and a deep understanding of boiler processes to provide tailored control solutions for each fuel and boiler type, meeting customers’ specific needs. In today's boiler industry, the diversification of fuel types (such as gas, oil, and biomass) and different boiler structures (such as water-tube boilers, fire-tube boilers, and circulating fluidized bed boilers) require customized control solutions. To ensure the control system is adaptable to various fuels and structures, deep technical R&D capabilities and extensive engineering experience are essential.
Differences and Challenges in Controlling Boilers with Different Fuels
Different fuels have unique combustion characteristics, requiring adjustments in control systems. For example:
Gas-fired boilers have fast combustion response and stable calorific value but require precise air-fuel ratio control to reduce NOx emissions.
Oil-fired boilers require preheating to reduce fuel viscosity, and although the combustion process is relatively slow, the control logic is similar to gas boilers.
Biomass boilers accommodate a variety of fuels (such as straw, wood chips, and rice husks), burn at a slower rate, and have fluctuating calorific values. They also present challenges such as moisture content and ash handling.
Thus, control systems must be optimized to accommodate these differences. Furnace oxygen content monitoring and automatic ash removal to ensure complete fuel combustion and timely ash clearing.
Henan Rentai has developed a set of control models for different fuels, which can be further customized based on specific fuel properties to ensure combustion control, feeding regulation, and other core functions align with fuel characteristics for safe and efficient burning.
Industry statistics show that with the push for environmental policies and the increasing use of renewable energy, the biomass boiler market is expanding rapidly. Between 2016 and 2020, the biomass boiler industry in China experienced steady growth, reaching approximately 9 billion RMB in 2020, and is expected to grow to 16.6 billion RMB by 2026. This trend highlights the increasing adoption of biomass and other alternative fuels, requiring control systems to have multi-fuel compatibility. Henan Rentai follows this trend by continuously innovating its technology, enabling its control systems to flexibly switch or adjust parameters to adapt to gas, oil, and biomass combustion control needs. For example, in a biomass steam boiler project at a paper mill, Henan Rentai used a Siemens S7-1200 PLC as the core control unit, customizing the system to match the fuel supply method and combustion characteristics of biomass. The system successfully achieved: Automated feeding/Complete fuel combustion/Automatic ash removal/Variable frequency feedwater supply and automatic deaeration. The final system received high customer recognition, proving its ability to meet the specific requirements of biomass-fueled boilers.
Custom Control Solutions for Different Boiler Structures
Boilers come in various structures, such as:
Fire-tube boilers (horizontal boilers) have large water capacity and strong load buffering but slow startup/shutdown response, requiring stable water level control.
Water-tube boilers have high evaporation capacity and fast response but require precise three-element feedwater control to prevent water level fluctuations.
Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers involve unique parameters such as bed temperature, bed material height, and circulating ash control.
To accommodate these differences, control strategies must be customized. For example: For large-capacity water-tube boilers, Henan Rentai's control system includes: Drum water level three-element control/Steam flow feedforward control/Maintaining stable water levels despite large steam load fluctuations.
For corner tube boilers, Henan Rentai has developed a specialized control program that optimizes the coordinated operation of the induced draft fan, forced draft fan, secondary fan, feeder, and feedwater pump.
Achieving this level of customization requires flexible and programmable control systems. Henan Rentai utilizes PLC/DCS platforms with high configurability, allowing the control loops to be customized based on the boiler’s structural topology.
For instance, in a biomass cogeneration project, Henan Rentai selected the HOLLiAS DCS system from Hollysys to handle complex boiler and turbine control needs. The distributed architecture of DCS ensures: Parallel processing of multiple control functions/Centralized monitoring of boiler combustion, feeding, flue gas treatment, and heat conversion
For medium and small-scale standalone boilers, Henan Rentai typically employs PLC systems combined with SCADA or touchscreen interfaces, ensuring control logic is customized according to the boiler structure. Regardless of the structure, the company has a strong track record of successful applications in various industrial settings.
Advanced Control Technologies and Hardware Selection
To ensure control systems can accommodate multiple fuel types and boiler structures, reliable hardware and advanced control technologies are essential. Henan Rentai carefully selects high-quality PLCs from leading brands such as: Siemens/Schneider Electric/Mitsubishi/Rockwell Automation. These PLCs are paired with user-friendly touchscreen interfaces and proprietary control logic to provide easy-to-operate, stable, and high-performance control solutions.
Using mainstream PLC brands enhances: Reliability/Compatibility/Seamless integration with other industrial equipment
Additionally, Henan Rentai incorporates advanced control algorithms, such as: Feedforward + feedback control/Fuzzy control/Adaptive control
For example:
Gas boilers: The system implements proportional combustion adjustment + oxygen closed-loop control to proactively adjust gas and air supply when load fluctuates.
Biomass boilers: Fuzzy logic is applied to the fuel bin level control, ensuring smooth fuel feed rate adjustments.
Through these state-of-the-art algorithms, the system maintains stable furnace combustion and maximizes thermal efficiency, regardless of the fuel type or boiler structure.
Henan Rentai's Customization Service Advantage
Beyond technology, delivering a perfectly adapted control system requires comprehensive customization services. Henan Rentai prioritizes:
Requirement Analysis: Engineers conduct detailed research on fuel parameters, boiler structures, and specific user needs.
Customized Design: Tailored control strategies are developed, such as multi-fuel switching modes for dual-fuel boilers or modifications for retrofit projects.
On-Site Commissioning: Comprehensive testing and optimization under various load and operational conditions, ensuring smooth system performance.
For example, in a biomass cogeneration project, after deploying Henan Rentai's DCS control system, the boiler achieved: Enhanced operational stability/Improved energy efficiency/Lower emissions, contributing to clean energy utilization and carbon reduction goals/Market Trends and Future Outlook
The boiler industry is moving towards customization, with: Boiler manufacturers seeking multi-fuel adaptability/Users demanding intelligent control systems for diverse operating conditions
With China's "dual carbon" (carbon neutrality and peak carbon emissions) policy in effect, the adoption of gas and biomass boilers is increasing, and traditional coal-fired boilers are being phased out. This necessitates high-precision, adaptable control systems.
Henan Rentai, as a leading supplier of industrial boiler control solutions, has been investing in talent development and technological advancements since its founding in 2016. By leveraging cutting-edge PLC/DCS technologies, industrial IoT, and remote monitoring, the company ensures that its customized boiler control solutions drive industry innovation and sustainability. For more information, contact Henan Rentai Electrical Equipment Co., Ltd.:
?? Phone: +86-17638563962 / +86-0371-56520104
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