Superheaters

Whatever type of boiler is used, steam will leave the water at its surface and pass into the steam
space. Steam formed above the water surface in a shell boiler is always saturated and cannot
become superheated in the boiler shell, as it is constantly in contact with the water surface.
If superheated steam is required, the saturated steam must pass through a superheater. This is
simply a heat exchanger where additional heat is added to the saturated steam.
In water-tube boilers, the superheater may be an additional pendant suspended in the furnace area
where the hot gases will provide the degree of superheat required. In other cases, for example in
CHP schemes where the gas turbine exhaust gases are relatively cool, a separately fired
superheater may be needed to provide the additional heat.

Fig. A water tube boiler with a superheater

If accurate control of the degree of superheat is required, as would be the case if the steam is to
be used to drive turbines, then an attemperator (desuperheater) is fitted. This is a device installed
after the superheater, which injects water into the superheated steam to reduce its temperature.

Economisers
The flue gases, having passed through the main boiler and the superheater, will still be hot. The
energy in these flue gases can be used to improve the thermal efficiency of the boiler. To achieve
this flue gases are passed through an economiser.

Fig. A shell boiler with an economiser

The economiser is a heat exchanger through which the feedwater is pumped. The feedwater thus
arrives in the boiler at a higher temperature than would be the case if no economiser was fitted.
Less energy is then required to raise the steam. Alternatively, if the same quantity of energy is
supplied, then more steam is raised. This results in a higher efficiency. In broad terms a 10C
increase in feedwater temperature will give an efficiency improvement of 2%.

Air preheater

Boiler safety valve

Feed check valve

Steam stop valve

Pressure gauge

Water level indicator