Introduction to Boilers

•A steam boiler is a cast-iron or steel pressure vessel with partly filled with water
and vaporized into steam by the application of heat.

•Heat energy is transferred from the combustion of fuel to the water in the boiler.
The water boils, producing steam. The steam is then carried to the process, and the
heat energy is transferred to the application.

•A boiler should be designed to absorb the maximum amount of heat released in the
process of combustion. This heat is transmitted to the boiler by radiation, conduction
and convection, the percentage of each depending upon boiler design.

General Usage:

•Energy contained in steam may be converted to work - Steam turbines or steam

engines;

•Energy contained in steam may be used as a heat source.

 Introduction to Boilers
Basic requirements
 Simplicity in construction, excellent workmanship;
 Design and construction to accommodate expansion and
contraction;
 Adequate steam and water space, delivery of clean steam;
 A furnace for efficient combustion and maximum rate of heat
transfer;
 Good response to sudden demands and overloads – Burner
Control System.
 Easy maintenance.
 Compliance to safety/ local legislation.
 
Some common terms
Absolute Pressure & Gauge Pressure

The pressure above absolute zero vacuum

Unit: Bar(g)
Some common terms
Enthalpy

The total energy, due to both the pressure and

temperature, of a fluid or vapour (such as water or
steam) at any given time and condition

Unit: KJ/kg
Some common terms
Heat and Heat Transfer

The flow of enthalpy from matter at a high

temperature to matter at a lower temperature

Unit: Kilo-Joule (KJ)

Some common terms
Specific Heat Capacity

A measure of the ability of a substance to absorb

heat
The amount of energy (joules) required to raise 1
kg by 1°K

Unit: KJ/Kg.K
 Some common terms
LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION :

 It is the heat required to complete the change from the water to steam.

 LATENT HEAT OF CONDENSATION :

 When heat is removed from steam that is out its boiling temperature, the phase
change from steam to water begins to occurs . The steam begin to condense.

 P-h diagram
Some common terms
SENSIBLE HEAT :
 One effect the flow of heat may have on a substance is to change the
temperature of that substance. When flow of heat is reflected by a
change in temperature it is termed by a change in temperature, it is
termed heat. This term also applies when heat is transferred out of a
substance and its temperature drops.
Steam

Objective
Describe the uses of steam in the industries and the
advantages of using steam.
Identify the characteristics and properties of steam.
Why use steam?
Steam is produced from water

High pressure steam can be used as a power

source first and then used for heating.

Steam has a very high heat content

Most of the heat in steam is available as latent

heat
Why use steam?
Steam is clean, non-toxic, tasteless and
odourless.

Steam can give up its heat in stages by dropping

the pressure

Steam is easily controlled and distributed along

pipelines
Properties of Water and Steam

Water can exist in three states:

Solid: ice

Liquid: water

Gas: steam

Phase changes require or give up energy

Properties of Water and Steam
Water requires a lot of energy to raise temp.

This is specific heat

To change from liquid to steam requires 5 X the

heat to heat from 0oC to 100oC

This is Latent Heat of Vaporisation

This works in reverse!

Properties of Water and Steam
This is why steam is such a good way of
transporting heat
Water/steam has one of the highest latent heats of
vaporisation known
No other common fluid can transport heat in such
an efficient way
Properties of Water and Steam
The boiling point changes with pressure

So if we increase pressure (boiler)

The boiling point goes up, the steam gets hotter

We can use this high heat to boil kettles
Example 1
What’s the boiling point of water at sea level?
Example 2
What’s the boiling point at height?
Properties of Water and Steam
Absolute Pressure (bar) Boiling Point deg C

0.5 80

1 100

2 120

3 130

10 180

15 195

20 210
Try out using your calculator. It works! Very close!
Properties of Water and Steam
So under pressure:

The steam is denser

Its temperature is higher

Boiler classification:
 Pressure – Supply pressure to be determined by the type of usage, ie.
- Low pressure for general heating – general industries

- High pressure: petrol-chemical, oleo-chemical.

 Heat source – combustion(fuel oil, solid or gas), waste heat, electric,

etc.

 Furnace position – internally fired, circulated with water;

 Circulation – Majority by natural circulation;

 Tube – Firetube abd watertube boiler;

Types of Boilers
 Firetube boiler
These are boilers with straight tubes that are surrounded by water.

Single burner, twin burner

 Water tube boiler

These are boilers in which the tubes themselves contain steam or
water, the heating being applied to the outside surface. The tubes are
connected to two or more drums.
Q&A