Analysis of the Effect of Sootblowers on Superheater Heat Transfer Rates in Units 2 and 3 of the Indramayu Steam Power Plant (PLTU)

Ardi Wibowo (Politeknik Negeri Jakarta)
Paulus Sukusno (Politeknik Negeri Jakarta)
Candra Damis Widiawaty (Politeknik Negeri Jakarta)

Jurnal Mekanik Terapan
Vol 7 No 2 (2026): August 2026

Coal ash fouling on boiler superheater tubes causes a reduction in power plant thermal efficiency. This study analyzes the effect of sootblower operation on the heat transfer rate (Q) of Unit 2 and Unit 3 superheaters at Indramayu Power Plant. Secondary data from the Distributed Control System (DCS) were collected for 9 hours before and 9 hours after sootblowing under stable load conditions. The value of Q was calculated using Q = ṁ(hout − hin) with enthalpy values from IAPWS-IF97 steam tables. Results show that average Q for Unit 2 increased from 83.24 MW to 89.80 MW (a 7.88% rise) with a 7.37°C increase in outlet steam temperature. For Unit 3, average Q increased from 80.27 MW to 89.93 MW (a 12.03% rise) with a 10.98°C temperature increase. For the single sootblowing cycle observed in each unit, sootblower operation was associated with a clear increase in superheater heat transfer rate, indicating its potential as a reference for evaluating boiler cleaning schedules.