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Boilers
A steam generator or boiler is, usually, a closed vessel made of steel. Its
function is to transfer the heat produced by the combustion of fuel (solid,
liquid or gaseous) to water, and ultimately to generate steam.

Uses of steam
a) Power generation Mechanical work or electric power may be generated by
expanding steam in the steam engine or steam turbine.
b) Heating The steam is utilized for heating the residential and industrial
buildings in cold weather and for producing hot waters for hot water supply.
c) Utilization of steam for industrial processes such as for bleaching in textile
industries. Steam is also used in many other industries like sugar mills and
chemical industries.
d) Cooking: making south Indian idli and gujrati dhokla.
f) Sterilization: An autoclave, which uses steam under pressure, is used in
microbiology laboratories and similar environments for sterilization.
g) Agricultural use: In agriculture, steam is used for soil sterilization to
avoid the use of harmful chemical agents and increase soil health.

Classification of boilers
1. Fire tube and water tube, 2. Internally fired
and externally fired, 3. Vertical, horizontal and
inclined, 4. Stationary and portable, 5. Single
tube and multiple tube, 6. High pressure and
low pressure, 7. Forced Circulation and Natural
Circulation, 8. According to the source of fuel

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Fire door

Babcock and Wilcox

Classify Babcock and Wilcox

classification
Fire tube or Water tube
Internally or externally fired
Low pressure or high
pressure
Horizontal or vertical
Stationary or portable
Single tube or Multiple
tubes
Forced circulation or
natural circulation

Chose one
Water tube
externally fired
This is low but can be
both
Horizontal
Generally Stationary
Multiple tubes
Natural circulation

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When are they used

When pressure is above 10 bar
When capacity of steam required is greater then 7000 Kg/hr
Evaporation capacity between 20,000 to 40,000 Kg/hr and
operating pressures from 11.5 to 17.5 bar are quite common
Applications: Run steam turbines and generate electric power

Cochran boiler

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Classify Cochran
classification
Fire tube or Water tube
Internally or externally fired
Low pressure or high
pressure
Horizontal or vertical
Stationary or portable
Single tube or Multiple
tubes
Forced circulation or
natural circulation

Chose one
Fire tube
Internally fired
Low pressure
Vertical
Portable
Multiple tubes
Natural circulation

Applications: Steam rollers, pile drivers, steam

shovels, portable hoisting rigs and certain other
mobile applications

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Factors to be considered while selecting of

a boiler

Steam generation rate.

Floor area available.
Comparative initial cost.
Operation and maintenance cost.
Ease of erection.
The working pressure.
Quality of steam.
Accessibility for repair and inspection.
The fuel and water availability.
Whether the steam raised is used at a steady or
fluctuating load.

Essentials of a good steam boiler

Maximum steam at minimum expense.

Steam production rate should be as per requirement.
Reliable.
It should occupy minimum space.
Accessibility for repair and inspection.
Lower initial cost.
Ease of Erection facility.
The portable load factor.
The fuel and water availability.
Lower Operation and maintenance cost.

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To Chimney

water

Steam

Steam

water
Air

Boiler Super
heater
Fuel
Ash

Air

Mountings and Accessories

Feed pump

Economizer
Flue
Gases

Flue
Gases

Economizer
Safety valve
Pressure gauge
Steam stop valve
Super heater

Air

To engine etc

Flue Gases

Air
preheater
Flue
Gases

Accessory
Mounting
Mounting
Mounting
Accessory

Man and mud hole

Fusible plug
Feed check valve
Water level indicator
Blow-off cock

Types of safety
valves
(SV = safety valve)
1. Dead weight SV
2. Lever SV
3. Spring Loaded
SV
Accessory (sometimes
4. High steamcan be referred as
Low water SV
mounting also)
Location of safety
Mounting
valve: Located
Mounting
above the
Mounting
steam space in
the boiler
Mounting
Mounting

Air preheater

Accessory

Feed pump

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Best for stationary

boilers
Best for low
pressure boilers
Simple, reliable
and ease of adding
weight for pressure
adjustment

Dead weight safety valve

Best for stationary

boilers

Lever safety valve

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Used for portable

boilers

Spring loaded safety valve

Used for internal

fire tube boilers

High steam-low water safety valve

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Water level
indicator or
water gauge.

Fusible plug (located over the combustion chamber at the lowest

permissible water level)

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Feed check
valve:
Installed
between the
feed pump
and the water
space of the
boiler shell

Blow off cock: fitted at the

lowest portion of the boiler

Steam stop valve:

Mounted on the highest part
of the steam space of the
boiler.

Pressure gauge: Mounted

at the top of boiler shell

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Air preheater

Greens economizer: installed in the path of flue gases between

the boiler and the chimney

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Sudgens superheater

S.
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Particulars

Fire tube

Water tube

Example
What is inside tubes
Internal or external
fired
Operating pressure

Cochran
Fire
Internal

Babcock and wilcox

water
External

Upto 16
bar
low

Upto 100 bar

No

Yes

lesser
Difficult

higher
Simple

Rate if steam
generation
Suitability for Large
plants
Risk of bursting
Construction ease

high

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S. No. Particulars

Fire tube

Water tube

9.

Floor area

For a given power it occupies

more floor area

For a given power

it occupies lesser
floor area

10.

Transpiration difficult

easy

11.

Shell
diameter

Large for same power

Small for same

power

12

Chances of
explosion

Less

more

13.

Treatment of Not so necessary

water

14.

Accessibility
of various
parts

Various parts not easily

accessible for cleaning, repair
and inspection

More necessary
More easily
accessible

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