Boiler controls and systems

an overview

SPIRAX SARCO in the boiler house

Feedwater storage and conditioning
Feedtank. Deaerator heads. Steam injection systems. Level controls. Recirculating systems. Air vents and vacuum breakers.

Feedwater supply and boiler level controls

Modulating feedwater valve controls. Water level alarms. Feedpump check valves. Also available On / off feedpump controls.

Boiler blowdown TDS controls

Auto TDS control systems. Sample coolers. Also available Blowdown systems for coil and other boilers.

General layout only, some detail has been omitted for clarity. Your local Spirax Sarco Engineer will be pleased to advise.

Blowdown heat recovery

Flash vessels. Residual blowdown heat exchangers.

Bottom blowdown valves and vessels

Timed bottom blowdown valves. Inlet manifolds. Isolation and check valves. Blowdown vessels. Cooling water systems. Vent heads. Also available Manual bottom blowdown valves.

Condensate contamination detection

5
3

Boiler controls and systems

An extensive range of boiler controls and systems is available. Whether it's a completely new boiler house plant or a simple blowdown valve replacement Spirax Sarco will have the answer. Boiler blowdown systems
As steam forms it leaves behind impurities and dissolved solids in the boiler water that will concentrate unless blown down. The TDS (total dissolved solids) in the boiler must be controlled accurately. High TDS will result in carryover of boiler water and impurities causing problems with production and plant. Low TDS due to too much blowdown will be expensive in fuel costs and water treatment chemical losses. Systems are available for large and small, vertical and horizontal shell boilers and water tube and coil boilers.

Feedpump check valves

Fitted with heavier springs and soft seats to give a tight shut-off and prevent a shut-down boiler from flooding with feedwater.

Steam injection systems

Used to inject live steam into feedtanks to drive off the dissolved oxygen, considerably reducing the amount of oxygen scavenging chemicals required, and to maintain a high and steady feedwater temperature to the boiler.

The feedtank is often the source of high heat losses and on-going maintenance. The Spirax Sarco feedtank is an atmospheric deaerator, fitted with a flash condensing deaerator head. This brings together the cold make-up, condensate return and flash recovery. Flash steam is condensed whilst heating and deaerating the cold make-up. The deaerator head is also available for fitting into existing feedtanks.

Feedtanks

Level controls and alarms

Significant developments have taken place in recent years improving considerably the standards of safety and reliability of boiler level controls. Probes without moving parts and modern electronic controllers are so reliable that major boiler accidents should be a thing of the past. The range offered has been approved by a number of leading European and other Authorities.

Sample coolers
To be sure that a boiler is operating at the desired concentration of TDS it is necessary to take a sample of the water and test it. The stainless steel sample cooler lets the operator do this safely and accurately without the risk of steam flashing off. A version is available with a 'hygienic' type coupling.

Conductivity meter Blowdown vessels

Blowdown vessels are designed in accordance with the UK Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note PM60. They are constructed and inspected to: PD 5500:2000 CAT 2 or CAT 3, and supplied with a Data Dossier and Insurance Company Form X. The temperature compensated conductivity meter is an essential instrument to have in the boiler house for checking boiler water and feedwater TDS levels and calibrating control instrumentation. It is also used to check the conditions of an installed TDS probe.

Bottom blowdown valves

The vent head separates out condensate and vents flash steam safely without spray. Vent head bodies are stainless steel to fit and forget.

Heat recovery systems

Flash steam recovery from blowdown has two advantages. In addition to the heat recovered the flash steam is condensed to 'pure' water, reducing the amount of make-up water and chemical treatment required. For certain conditions it may be more economical to pass the blowdown directly to a flash vessel without using a heat exchanger. Spirax Sarco can provide a range of alternative solutions to heat recovery.

Vent heads

Systems to ensure precise and regular blowdown of precipitated solids from the bottom of the boiler. Both key operated manual systems and fully automated systems are available.

Condensate contamination detection systems

Even low levels of contamination can cause foaming, scaling and corrosion in the boiler. The contamination detection system monitors the conductivity of the condensate and will raise an alarm and divert it to drain if a pre-set limit is passed.

Strainers
Range: DN15 to DN250; bronze, cast iron, cast steel, stainless steel; pressures up to 64 bar; flanged and screwed connections.

Associated equipment

Separators
Separators remove moisture from steam pipelines. They provide a drain point for condensate droplets moving along the pipe wall and deflect entrained droplets out of the main flow. Separators therefore ensure that steam is delivered to its point of use dry - particularly important with highly rated plant or equipment like sterilizers, where steam comes into contact with the product. Range: DN15 to DN250; up to 25 bar; cast iron, SG iron, carbon steel and stainless steel.

Air vents and vacuum breakers

For use on steam and water systems. Range: DN10 to DN40; brass, carbon steel and stainless steel.

This brochure has described our range of boiler controls in general terms only and has not attempted to give full details of either products or applications. Technical literature on all of the products is available free of charge on request. 6

Spirax Sarco provides knowledge, service and products worldwide

for the control and efficient use of steam and other industrial fluids

Knowledge
Our knowledge is based on 85 years of experience in steam using industries worldwide. This knowledge is passed on to customers through our 30 training centres, our range of correspondence courses and a series of technical publications.

Service
Spirax Sarco provides a full service to ensure total customer satisfaction. From its 12 manufacturing plants, with quality control to ISO 9000, serving its 39 companies in 32 countries to a team of 650 locally based sales engineers, every link in the chain guarantees customer support.

Flowmetering
Variable area Spiraflo and Gilflo flowmeters; orifice plates; vortex meters; flow computers; display units.

Spirax Sarco provides a comprehensive range of products to make up individually tailored systems. Part of the extensive range is outlined below.

Products

Control systems
Pneumatically and electronically actuated two and three port valves; positioners, programmable electronic controllers; pneumatic transmitter controllers; pressure reducing valves and surplussing valves; safety valves; self-acting temperature control valves.

Condensate pumps and energy recovery

Automatic steam (or gas) powered fluid pumps; electric powered condensate recovery units; flash steam recovery vessels; condensate contamination detectors.

Pipeline ancillaries
Separators; butterfly valves; ball valves; bellows sealed stop valves; check valves; strainers; sight glasses; pressure gauges; air vents; vacuum breakers; hosedown stations; diffusers; manifolds and liquid drainers.

Steam traps
Steam traps and Spiratec steam trap performance monitors.

Global capabilities
A partnership with Spirax Sarco provides knowledge, service and products worldwide for the control and efficient use of steam and other industrial fluids. Spirax Sarco have their own companies and sales offices spanning the globe, plus a large number of authorised distributors, providing total coverage.

Technical support
The strength of our worldwide Group is used to meet local needs. We have over 800 sales engineers on hand to offer technical support, guidance and system design expertise.

After sales service

Help is only a phone call away our worldwide network of service engineers can offer assistance with installation, commissioning, troubleshooting and maintenance. We hold comprehensive local stocks of products worldwide. Spirax Sarco offer a range of tailored service packages, from steam system audits and process efficiency investigations to comprehensive steam system management contracts.

Worldwide training
Our philosophy is to share our knowledge with our customers on the efficient use and application of steam and industrial fluids. We do so with the help of over 35 training centres spread around the globe, and our range of correspondence courses, which so far have been completed by over a million students.

Product range
Steam traps and pipeline ancillaries, EL, PN and self-acting control systems, automation, flowmetering, boiler controls, packaged systems, condensate removal and energy recovery...

Some of the products may not be available in certain markets.

Spirax-Sarco Limited, Charlton House, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 8ER UK. Tel: +44 (0)1242 521361 Fax: +44 (0)1242 573342 E-mail: Enquiries@SpiraxSarco.com Internet: www.SpiraxSarco.com
Copyright 2004 Spirax Sarco is a registered trademark of Spirax-Sarco Limited

SB-GAB-02

AB Issue 5