How much thought do you give to your steam boilers? As long as the industrial boilers at your plant are working, it can be tempting to ignore them and assume that everything will keep on going in the same way. The truth is that there are several types of steam boiler, and if you don't know how your steam boiler works, you won't know how to repair your system or what type of replacement boiler system you may have to install in the future.

Understanding industrial boilers

The majority of industrial boilers in use today will either be of a firetube or watertube design. With a firetube design, the tubes within the industrial boilers will contain heated gas, which will be used to generate steam. With watertube boilers, hot gas in the shell of the boiler is used to heat the water in their tubes and generate steam. Each of these systems has advantages, and if you are picking a new boiler, your choice of design will depend on how you want to use the boiler. In particular, you will want to think about the required level of thermal efficiency and precisely where your boiler will be placed on your premises. Watertube boilers are normally more thermally efficient than firetube boilers and are better at creating high-pressure steam. The primary disadvantage of watertube boilers is the initial purchase cost of the boiler. If lower cost and ease of use are your primary concerns, then firetube industrial boilers could be perfect for you, however, firetube boilers often have lower steaming capacities and may not have the specifications you need.

Creating the heat

Choosing the type of boiler you want is only the first step in creating the perfect boiler system for your site. Industrial boilers can use a variety of fuel sources including gas, oil, coal or the more modern alternative of biomass, and your choice of fuel will impact the combustion method you select for the boiler. When thinking about the most suitable fuel for the boiler, you must consider the ease of availability of your fuel source as well as any likely fuel cost fluctuations in the future. If you opt for any of the fossil fuel choices, then you must also bear in mind the costs of installing any precipitators or other emissions control measures that you may need to fit to keep your industrial boilers operating legally.

For more information, reach out to a local industrial boiler manufacturer.