ABSTRACT
Fluidized bed boilers have acquired sufficient operating experience to be called a matured technology.
Innovative modifications of different components of the boilers largely addressed the problems
affecting materials and performance. Still, some problems remain, forcing occasional shutdowns.
Most forced outages or shutdowns of a boiler are related to materials, operation, or design issues.
Some fluidized bed boilers of older design have experienced availability as low as 70% due to failures
of their refractory parts or erosion of pressure and nonpressure parts. Failure of a critical component
results in shutdown of the entire power plant and requires immediate attention, makingmaterial issues
the most immediate concern for the plant operators. Thus, a good selection of materials and the
understanding of their behavior in a fluidized bed environment are critical to the operators.
