BOILERS

Christian Jade M. Lawas

College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

MEng 156 – Manufacturing and Industrial Processes

Engineering Report No. 7
Second Semester, A.Y. 2020 – 2021

June 11, 2021

I. Introduction

Steam is one of our current era's most important energy sources. Steam has been
harnessed since the birth of the first industrial revolution in history of mankind. It delivers
heating for a variety of purposes, including steam generation, sterilizing, and many more
which are becoming increasingly essential in power plants. A boiler, often known as a steam
generator, is a system that generates steam by transmitting heat energy to water.

Boilers have been developed and enhanced throughout the time and is widely being used
in industrial plants and steam plants. A Boiler is a closed container in which a substance
such as water, is heated to generate steam or vaporized liquid. The primary function of a
boiler is to generate steam for different industrial activities and applications, and also for
heating. The steam or hot fluid is recycled from the boiler and used in a variety of operations
and heating operations. Consider the steam propelling a turbine to understand the impacts
of steam generation utilizing a boiler. The force of steam passing through a turbine's rotors
spins the blades and propels the turbine. Boilers are very useful in and is badly needed in
steam plants since it is one of the major equipment in the plant to produce hot water and
steam or vaporized water.

This engineering report aims to provide a simplified description about boilers to help
readers and learners understand what boilers are and their purposes in industrial or steam
plant operations. This report will cover topics about the classification of boilers such as water
tuber boiler and fire tube boiler, its accessories and functions, and examine boiler selection
and common problems.

II. Boiler

Classification of Boilers

i. Water Tube Boiler – Water Tube Boiler is a kind of boiler in which liquid drains
through pipes heated by a fire that is located outside the boiler. Within the furnace,
fuel is burnt to create hot gas that heats water in the steam-generating tubes. It
represent one of several types of pressurized apparatus for converting water to
steam under regulated circumstances. Water tube boiler may produce saturated or
superheated steam that is helpful for steam turbine power generation, for instance.
These boilers are also widely employed in process sectors such as chemicals,
refining, and pulp and paper production. There are types of water tube boilers. These
are the Simple Vertical Boiler, Stirling Boiler, and Babcock and Wilcox Boilers.

a. Simple Vertical Boiler – It is a boiler that produces steam by boiling water

inside a huge vertical cylindrical shell. The most basic form of firewater boiler.
This boiler produces a tiny amount of steam at a low pressure. This boiler
generates around 10 bar of pressure. This boiler is built in a lot more simple
and straightforward manner than almost any boiler. Because these boilers
take up quite little area, they are employed in places where there is a limited
amount of ground accessible for operation. Steam is generated in this boiler
under low-power levels, such as those seen in small power plants.

Page 1 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
 Figure 1 - Simple Vertical Boiler

b. Stirling Boiler - The Stirling boiler is a kind of water tube boiler that is used to
generate steam in vast areas of immobile plants (50,000 kg steam/hour and
60 kgf/cm2 pressure). Three steam drums and two mud drums make up this
type of boiler. The steam drums are found on the upper portion of the boiler,
while the mud drums are found at the bottom. Through bent tube banks, the
steam and mud drums are linked.

Figure 2 - Stirling Boiler

c. Longitudinal Drum Boiler – This type of water tube boiler has a cylindrical
drum installed longitudinally above the heat chamber. The down comer tube at
the back of the drum is filled, and the riser tube at the front is fixed. It is a water
tube boiler with straight water tubes at 5 degrees to 15 degrees angle link the
down-comer tube and riser tube.

Page 2 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
 Figure 3 - Longitudinal Drum Boiler

ii. Fire Tube Boiler – It is a form of boiler in which hot gases are transferred from a fire
from one or more tubes that go into a sealed water container. Boilers of this kind are
popular in industry. Hot combustion gases flow through the boiler tubes of a fire tube
boiler, which have water on the exterior. Before being released through the use of the
flue stack, the hot combustion gases generally travel through the vessel three to four
times. Thermal conductivity, convection, and radiation transport the energy from
combustion through the pipe wall, heating the water and eventually producing steam.
Fire tube boilers generally have a full capacity of 2,000 horsepower [1 BHP = 34.5
pounds of steam per hour]. A pressure of 350 psig is reasonable for fire tube boilers.
There are types of fire tube boilers such as the following:

a. Cornish Fire Tube boiler - The fire is contained by a single massive flue that
covers part of the horizontal cylinder. The fire is also built on top a metal
grating that was positioned across the flue, with a sub - surface ash pan
below this to gather the non-combustible ash.

Figure 4 – Cornish Boiler

Page 3 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
 b. Lancashire Fire Tube Boiler – It is an interior fire tube boiler that works in a
similar way to a Cornish boiler in that the flue gases are confined within the
tube and are surrounded by water. Because the temperature is at its warmest,
the water is transformed to steam, which is then employed in a number of
different ways. These type of boilers are used and utilized in maritime and
locomotive industries.

Figure 5 - Lancashire Boiler

c. Locomotive Fire Tube Boiler - It is a type of boiler that is being used to boil
water and generate steam from it. This boiler, like the Lancashire and Cornish
boilers, sits horizontally. It is utilized in railway locomotive engines and also in
the maritime industry. It's a transportable boiler with a high steam production
rate.

Figure 6

d. Scotch Marine Boiler - The hot flue gases travel through tubes placed inside
a water tank in a fire tube boiler. The overall shape resembled a squat
horizontal cylinder. The lowest section of the boiler casing houses one or
more massive cylindrical burners. A significant handful of similar fire-tubes
are located above this. Gases and smoke from the furnace travel through to
the rear of the boiler, then upwards and out the flue through the small tubes.

Page 4 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
 Figure 7 - Scotch Marine Boiler

e. Immersion Fired Boiler – It is a single-flow boiler that was developed by

Sellers Engineering in 1940. It consists entirely of a fire tube that functions as
both a boiler and a burning compartment. Using a series of burners and
needles, premixed air and regular gas are injected below pressure. Because
of its structure, it maintains concentrated thermal pressures and necessitates
the use of bricks entirely.

Figure 8 - Immersion Fired Boiler

f. Horizontal Return Tubular Boiler - The fire is placed centrally below the
boiler's shell, generally on the inside of a brickwork structure, and the
horizontal return tubular boiler (HRT) features a horizontal cylindrical casing
with numerous horizontal flue tubes.

Page 5 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
 Figure 9 - Horizontal Return Tubular Boiler

g. Vertical Fire Tube Boiler - It is a conventional boiler that composed of a

cylindrical shell covering a bigger amount of water, with the remainder of the
section covered by steam. At the bottom of the boiler are cross tubes and a
burner. After raising the temperature, the combustion gases are released into
the air into the atmosphere.

Figure 10 - Vertical Fire Tube Boiler

These boilers that are mentioned above require a lot of fuel. The boiler must
function as effectively as possible in order to maintain fuel and energy costs low
while optimizing the production. The importance of routine maintenance and
checkups in detecting and addressing boiler efficiency issues cannot be overstated.

Page 6 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
Common Problems in Boilers

a. Leaking & Dripping - Old parts, an outdated seal, a pressure valve that is too
high, a system that is continuously overworking, and sometimes pipe corrosion
can cause leaking or dripping. It's best to call a local heating specialist to figure
out what's causing the leakage or spilling and they'll come over and look at the
boiler reservoir and pipelines to figure out where the water is leaking.

b. Kettling (Noises-Like a Kettle) - The heat exchanger in your boiler may

accumulate deposits throughout time. This build-up is caused by constant water
intake, and it's a common occurrence. These sediments on the other hand, might
block the water flow in the heat exchanger, leading to high heating and, as a
result, noises are produced.

c. Improper Blowdowns - If you don't blow out your boiler on a regular basis, you
risk a buildup of solids in the boiler and reduced heating efficiency. To keep boiler
water conductivity within permissible levels, regulate surface blowdown.
Regularly blow out the bottom, as well as the low-water passages and water
column, to avoid buildup.

d. Low Water Conditions - Poor water levels might cause a boiler to malfunction.
Without any of the surrounding water to absorb the heat, steel cannot sustain the
elevated temperatures of the furnace. It's necessary not to try to fix a low water
situation by pouring boiling water into a hot boiler.

e. Improper Warm-up - A device's start-up and shut-down puts more strain on the
boiler than its continual operation. A boiler is composed of a variety of materials
that function in a variety of conditions. The rate at which these components heat
up and cool down differs. The normal boiler water temperature warm-up curve is
100°F per hour. Warming your boiler gradually increases its life and minimize the
possibility of malfunction.

III. Conclusions and Recommendations

Boilers in most factories and refineries are amongst the most valuable and significant
equipment being used. They are essential in the generation of energy and other process
plants. Boiler maintenance should always be a part of everyday and its continuous
operations as well as a vital aspect of larger plant recoveries. Explosions could happen
due to the huge quantity of water contained in the furnace or boiler. A rapid decrease in
pressure without a matching drop in temperature can produce explosions which is very
dangerous. Measuring the effectiveness of boiler operation might help you avoid
catastrophic incidents.

In strict compliance with rules and regulations, appropriate boiler management is

necessary. Some plants have regulations requiring professional examiners to evaluate
boilers on a constant basis and schedule. Therefore, it is typically necessary to adopt
proper boiler maintenance procedures in order to comply with general emission and
safety regulations. Knowing the different types and classifications of boilers can help you
recognize and deal with them easily when working in an industrial.

Page 7 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report
IV. References

1. Process Plant Equipment: Operation, Control, and Reliability (2012) by M.D.

Holloway, C. Nwaoha
2. Boiler Classification and Application, Continuing Education and Development, Inc.
by Elie Tawil, P.E., LEED AP
3. Figure 1 - https://boilersinfo.com/simple-vertical-boiler-working/
4. Figure 2 - https://www.electrical4u.com/stirling-boiler/
5. Figure 3 - https://www.electrical4u.com/water-tube-boiler-operation-and-types-of-
water-tube-boiler/
6. Figure 4 - https://www.linquip.com/blog/cornish-boiler-101/
7. Figure 5 - https://oelectrical.com/lancashire-boiler/
8. Figure 6 - https://www.theengineerspost.com/locomotive-boiler/
9. Figure 7 - https://blog.cti-ct.com/2017/11/scotch-marine-boilers.html
10. Figure 8 - https://schiercompany.com/product/sellers-immersion-fired-steam-
boiler-model-60hp-77com/
11. Figure 9 - http://www.hvacspecialists.info/boilers/horizontal-return-tubular-
boiler.html
12. Figure 10 - https://www.green-mechanic.com/2014/08/simple-vertical-boiler.html
13. Common Boiler Problems – SteamWorks - https://youtu.be/fRh6QnFRC54

Page 8 of 8
Manufacturing and Industrial Processes
Engineering Report