In a drum boiler, the circulation of water is produced through the
density difference of water in the down comer pipe and the water/steam mixture in the furnace tubes. In low-pressure boilers where this density difference is large, the circulating force is high and a high volume of circulation can be ensured, but since it becomes difficult to maintain sufficient circulation volume when the density difference between the two drops due to higher pressure, a pump (BCP) is installed in the down comer pipe to supplement circulating force. The type that circulates water using only the density difference is called a natural circulation boiler, while the type that includes a pump is called a forced circulation boiler.
The Water Supply of the El Paso and Southwestern Railway from Carrizozo to Santa Rosa, N. Mex.
American Society of Civil Engineers: Transactions, No. 1170