BOILER

Process equipment that

are use to generate
steam

Closed vessel in which

water, under pressure, is
transformed into steam
by the application of
heat
Three factors required to generate steam:

1) A suitable vessel or container to hold the

water, transfer the heat to the water, and
collect the steam.

2) Water is heated above its boiling point and

forms steam.

3) Heat is needed to change water into

steam and the most common sources for
generating heat are oil, gas, and coal.
 FUEL: oil, gas and coal

AIR: oxygen

HEAT: ignition

Proper adjustment to
produce an efficient flame
that has a BLUE COLOR
HEAT TRANSFER MODE IN THE BOILER:

Radiation

Conduction

Convection
Types of Steam Boilers

Fire-tube boilers Water-tube boilers

 Fire-tube boilers

1. Exit Gases

1 2 3 2. Steam Outlet

3. Water inlet

5 4. Combustion Chamber
4
5. Tubes

Rely on hot gases circulating through the boiler inside tubes that are
submerged in water.

These gases usually make several passes through the tubes.

 ADVANTAGES OF FIRE-TUBE BOILERS:
Relatively inexpensive
Easy to clean
Compact in size
Easy to replace tubes
Well suited for space heating and industrial process applications

DISADVANTAGES OF FIRE-TUBE BOILERS:

Not suitable for high pressure applications 250 psig and above
Limitation for high capacity steam generation
Theory Of Operation Of Fire Tube Boiler

Fire tube boiler has an internal combustion chamber

within a vessel containing the water.

A series of horizontal tubes pass through the vessel

and are surrounded by water to bring the hot
combustion gases in contact with the water.

The hot gases are directed back and forth through the
tubes to use as much heat as possible before venting
through an exhaust.

Steam is formed as a result of contact with the tubes

and thus rises to the top of the vessel and is ready for
designated use.
Water-tube boilers

1
4
2
5

6
1. Water inlet
3 2. Exit Gases
3. Mud drum
4. Steam drum
5. Tubes
6. Heat/Burner

Water flows through the tubes and are incased in a furnace in which the burner
fires into.
The tubes are connected to a steam drum and a mud drum.
The Steam Drum
ADVANTAGES OF WATER-TUBE BOILER:
Available in sizes that are far greater than the firetube design.
Able to handle higher pressures up to 5,000 psig
Recover faster than the fire-tube
Have the ability to reach very high temperatures

DISADVANTAGES OF WATER-TUBE BOILER:

High initial capital cost
Cleaning is more difficult due to the design
No commonality between tubes
Physical size may be an issue
Theory Of Operation Of Water Tube Boiler

Steam bubbles are formed in the heated riser.

The resulting steam water mixture is lighter than the

solid column of water in the unheated portion of the
tube and is, therefore, displaced and steam is released
into the steam drum.
In the drum, the bubbles rise to the waters surface and
steam is released into the vapor space.

This circuit is made over and over again as new

feedwater enters the drum at the same rate that steam
is produced from the drum.
Some Important Boiler Problems:

SCALE LOSS OF FEED WATER

TUBE BREAKAGE SOOT