Mechanical Engineering Dictionary-Steam Boilers

ImportantTermsandtheirMeaningofMechanicalEngineeringSteamBoilers:

AIRPREHEATERAdevicethatmakesthefinalheatrecoveryfromboilerfluegasesandusesthesametopreheattheincomingfurnaceairforitsreactionwithfuel.

ANTIINCRUSTATORAsubstanceusedtopreventtheformationofscaleontheinternalsurfacesofsteamboilers.

ANTIPRIMINGPIPEApipeplacedinthesteamspaceofaboiler,soastocollectthesteamwhileexcludingentrainedwater.

AUTOMATICFEEDWATERREGULATORDevicethatregulatesfeedwatersupplytotheboileraccordingtoload,andsodoesawaywithhandoperationofvalvesonfeedlines.Itiscontrolledby
Printthispost
temperatureitsactiondependsuponexpansionandcontractionofsomemetalpart.

AUTOMATICINJECTOROnethatisselfstartingafteritsoperationhasbeenstoppedbytheinterruptionofitswatersupply.

BABCOCKandWILCOXBOILERAwatertubeboilerconsistinginitssimplestformofahorizontaldrumfromwhichissuspendedapairofheaderscarryingbetweenthemaninclinedbankofstraight
tubes.

BAGAbulgedoutsectionofaportionoftheshell,extendingthroughthefullthicknessoftheshell,causedbyoverheatingandpressure.

BALANCEDDRAUGHTAsystemofairsupplytoaboilerfurnace,inwhichonefanforcesairthroughthegrate,whileasecond,situatedintheuptake,exhauststhefluegases.Thepressureinthefurnaceis
thusatatmospherici.e.,isbalanced.

BANKINGLOSSThefuelusedinmaintainingafloatingbankortomaintainadeadbankandthenraisethesteampressuretonormal.

BANKINGUPReducingtherateofcombustioninaboilerfurnacebycoveringthefirewithslackorfinecoal.

BENSONBOILERAhighpressureboileroftheoncethroughtypeinwhichwaterispumpedthroughthesuccessiveelementsoftheheatingsurface,firingbeingbygas,oil,orpulverizedcoal.

BLISTERAseparationofthemetalfromtheshellplate,causedbyimpuritiesrolledintotheshellplatewhenformed.

BLOWDOWNOFSAFETYVALVEThedifferencebetweenthepressureatwhichthesafetyvalvepopsandthatatwhichitcloses.

BLOWINGOFFActoflettingoutwaterandsteamfromaboilertocarryoffaccumulatedmudandscale.

BLOWOFFVALVEThevalvewhichemptiestheboilerforcleaning,inspection,orrepair.Itblowsoutmud,scale,orsedimentwhentheboilerisinoperationandpreventsexcessiveconcentrationofsoluble
impuritiesintheboiler.Alsousedforrapidloweringofboilerwaterlevelifitistoohigh.

BOILERAclosedpressurevesselinwhichafluidisheatedandconvertedtovapourforuseexternaltoitself,bythedirectapplicationofheatresultingfromthecombustionoffuel(solid,liquidorgaseous)or
bytheuseofelectricityornuclearenergy.

BOILERCAPACITYTheweightofsteam,usuallyexpressedinkg/hour,whichaboilercanevaporate,whensteamingatfullloadoutput.

BOILERCOMPOSITIONChemicalsintroducedintotheboilerfeedwatertoinhibitscaleformationandcorrosion,ortopreventprimingorfoaming.

BOILERCROWNTheupperroundedplatesoftheboilerofshelltype.

BOILEREFFICIENCYTheratioofheatsuppliedbyaboilerinheatingandevaporatingthefeedwatertotheheatsuppliedtotheboilerinthefuel.Itmayvaryfrom60to90percent.

BOILERPATCHAsmallpieceofmetalusedtocoverandstrengthenaweakspot.Asoftpatchisacoveringoveraleakordefectwhichisfastenedwithbolts,asdistinguishedfromahardpatchwhichis
riveted.

BOILERPLATEMildsteelplate,generallyproducedbytheopenhearthprocess,usedmainlyfortheshellsanddrumsofsteamboilers.

BOILERPRESSUREThepressureatwhichsteamisgeneratedinaboiler.

BOILERSETTINGThesupportingstructureonwhichaboilerrests,usuallyofbrickforlandboilersandsteelformarineboilers.

BOILERTEST(1)Ahydraulicpressuretestappliedtocheckwatertightnessunderpressuregreaterthantheworkingpressure.(2)Anefficiencytestcarriedouttodetermineevaporativecapacityand
magnitudeoflosses.

BOILERTRIALAnefficiencytestofasteamboiler,inwhichtheweightoffeedwaterandoffuelburntaremeasuredandvarioussourcesoflossesareassessed.

BOILERTUBESSteeltubesformingpartoftheheatingsurfaceinaboiler.Inwatertubeboilers,thehotgasessurroundthetubes.Inlocomotiveandsomemarineboilers(firetubeboilers)thegasespass
throughthetubes.

BREECHINGThemetalductthatcarriesthesmokeandgasesofcombustionfromafurnacetothestackorchimneyforultimatedischargetotheatmosphere.

CARRYOVERItisentrainedmoistureandassociatedsolidspassingfromaboilerwiththesteam.

CAULKINGUpsettingorburringupoftheedgeoftheplateorstrapafterrivetingsoastomaketheedgespressdowntightlyontheplatebeneathandthusformawaterandsteamtightjoint.

CHECKVALVEAformofnonreturnvalveusedtocontroltheflowofwaterasinpumpoperation.

CHIMNEYAtall,hollowcylindricalcolumnbuiltofsteel,brickorconcreteusedtoproducetherequirednaturaldrafteffect.

CHIMNEYEFFECTTheupwardmovementofwarmairorgas,comparedwithambientairorgas,duetothelesserdensityofthewarmairorgas.Chimneyeffectmaybeacauseofunevenheatingin
buildingstwoormorestorieshigh.

CLEANINGTHEFIREOperationofremovingclinkers,etc.,fromtheburningcoalatregularintervals.

CLOSEDHEATERAtypeofheaterinwhichthesteamandfeedwaterareseparatedbyametalsurface.

CLYDEBOILERAboilersimilartoascotchboiler,butinsteadofawaterspaceatthebackendofthecombustionchamber,aremovablebackwhichislinedwithsomeinsulatingmaterialsuchasasbestosor
firetile,isexisting.

COCKAdeviceforregulatingtheflowoffluidsthroughapipe.
COLLECTORorDRYPIPEApipeplacedinsideaboileratahighpointandhavingsmallperforationsthroughoutitslengthsoastotakeoffsteamatamultiplicityofpointsandthusavoidturbulence
causedbytakingoffsteamatonlyonepoint.

CORROSIONChemicalactionwhichcausesdestructionofthesurfaceofametalbyoxidation,rusting.Itisanelectrochemicalattack.

DOUBLETUBEBOILERBoilerhavinganauxiliarytubeplacedinsideeachmaintube.Gasesflowfromoneendtotheotherendthroughtheauxiliarytubeandfromthatendtotheotherendinthereverse
directionthroughtheannularspaceinthemaintube.

DOWNCOMERAlargeverticaltubeorpipeforcirculatingwaterfromthewaterspaceofthesteamdrumtowaterwallheaders.

DRAFTThedifferenceofpressureproducingairflowthroughtheboilerfurnace,flueandchimney.

DUPLEXPUMPAcombinationoftwopumpsarrangedsidebysideandsoconnectedthatmovementofeachoperatesthesteamvalveoftheother.

ECONOMIZERFeedwaterheaterplacedbetweentheboilerandchimney(exhaust)stack,soastoabsorbaportionoftheheatinthegases,notabsorbedbytheboiler.

ELECTRICBOILERUnitinwhichtheresistanceofwaterbetweensolidmetalelectrodesgeneratesheatandtherebyproducessteam.

EROSIONItisamechanicalactioncausingwearbyabrasion.

EXTERNALLYFIREDBOILEROneinwhichthefurnaceisoutsidetheboilershell,thefurnacewallsbeingusuallyoffirebrick.Example,thefamiliarhorizontalreturntubularboiler.

FEEDWATERThewater(chemicallytreatedwater)suppliedtoaboilertoreplacethatevaporatedassteamorblownoff.

FEEDWATERHEATERAnapparatusforraisingthetemperatureofboilerfeedwaterbyabstractingsomeoftheheatfromexhauststeamorfromthehotgasesofcombustion.

FEEDWATERREGULATORAnautomaticdevicewhichcontrolstheamountoffeedwateradmittedtotheboilersoastomaintainaconstantwaterlevelintheboilerdrum.

FIREBOXBOILERBoilerhavingthefirewithinafirebox,althoughexternaltotheshell,isrigidlyconnectedtoit.

FIRECRACKSCrackscausedbyradiantheat,usuallyaroundcircumferentialrivetedseamsofthickplates.

FIRELINEThehighestpointoftheheatingsurfaceinmostcommontypesofboilers.

FIRETUBETubeinwhichtheproductsofcombustionpassthroughandwatersurroundsthetube.

FLASHBOILERAboilerconsistingofaseriesofcoilsofsteeltubing,waterissuppliedbyapumptothetopcoil,fromwhereitcirculatesthroughtheothercoils,becomingheatedinitsdescentandissuing
fromthelowercoil,ashighlysuperheatedsteam.

FLUIDVAPOURIZERGENERATORAclosedvesselinwhichaheattransfermedium,otherthanwater,isvaporizedunderpressurebytheapplicationofheat.

FOAMINGItissevereprimingoragitationofthewaterlevelduetodirtyorimpurewater.Small,stable,noncoalescingbubblesareformedthroughtheboilerwater.

FOULINGAconditionofthefluegaspassagesinaboilerorfurnacethatadverselyaffectsthetransferofheat,usuallyintheformofsootorscale.

FURNACEThatpartoftheboilerdesignedforburningthefuel.

FUSIBLEPLUGAsafetydevicewhichactsincaseofdangerouslylowwater.Itconsistsofanalloyoftin,leadandbismuthandacoveringofbrassorcastiron.Theplugmeltsduringdangerouswaterlevels
andpermitssteamtorushintothefurnaceandputoutfire.

GALLOWAYTUBESTransversetubesplacedinafluetubeandattachedtotheopeningsinthesideofthefluetoincreasetheheatingsurface.

GAUGECOCKAdevicefordeterminingthewaterlevelintheboiler.

GIRDERSTAYAcaststeelorbuiltupgirderwithitsendsrestingonthesideorendsheetsofthefireboxorcombustionchamber,andsupportingtheflatcrownsheetortopsheetofthecombustion
chamberbymeansofbolts.

GOOSENECKAshortlengthofpipehavingonecompleteturntowhichthesteamgaugeisattached.

GRATESURFACETheareaofthegrateuponwhichfirerestsinacoalorwoodfiredboiler.

GROOVINGSurfacecrackingofboilerplates.Expansionandcontractionofpartstoorigidlyconnectedcausegrooving.

GROSSFEEDWATERThenetfeedwaterplusthequantityofwaterprovidedforthatblownout.

GUSSETSTAYPiecesofplateironsecuredtotheboilerfrontorbacknearthetoporbottombymeansofangleirons.

HEATINGSURFACEINABOILERFiresideareainaboilerexposedtotheproductsofcombustion.Theareaconsistsofthesurfaceareaoftubes,fireboxes,shells,tubesheetsandprojectedareaof
headers.

HORIZONTALRETURNTUBULARBOILEROnesoarrangedthattheproductsofcombustionafterpassingalongthelengthoftheshell,returninanoppositedirectionthroughthetubes,beforepassing
upthestack.

HOTWATERHEATINGBOILERAhotwaterheatingboilerisusedforspacewaterheating,withthewaterreturnedtotheboiler.

HOTWATERSUPPLYBOILERAboilerwhichsupplieshotwatertobeusedexternallytoitselfforwashing,cleaningetc.

INCRUSTATIONAcoatingover,thecoating,beingcommonlyknownasscale.

INDUSTRIALBOILERAstationarywatertubesteamgenerator,inwhichsomeofthesteamisproducedinaconvectivetubebank.

INJECTORAninstrumentforforcingwaterintoaboileragainsttheboilerpressurebymeansofasteamjet.

INTERMITTENTBLOWDOWNBlowdownthatistakenfromthebottomofthemuddrum,waterwallheaders,orlowestpointinthecirculationsystem,atregularintervals.

INTERNALLYFIREDBOILERBoilerinwhichthefurnaceiswithintheshell,beingsurroundedbywater.

INTERNALTREATMENTTreatingwaterintheboilerwhileevaporationistakingplacebychemicallyadjustingorbalancingtheboilerwatertopreventscaleformation,corrosion,steamcontaminationand
embrittlement.

JAWSTAYAroundbarhavingjawsforgedatoneendandaflatplateattheotherinclinedattheproperangleforrivetingtotheboilershell.

LIGAMENTThemetalbetweentubeholesinboilerpractise.Sectionofthemetalnotcutawaybetweentwoadjacenttubeholes.

LOCOMOTIVEBOILERAspeciallydesignedboiler,specificallymeantforselfpropelledtractionvehiclesonrails.

LOGSHEETAforcedremindertocheckcertaincomponentsofaboilertopreventtroublefromdevelopinglaterandtonoteifproperoperationistakingplace.Adatasheet.

LOWWATERCUTOFFAdevicethatshutsdowntheboilerimmediatelyifthewaterdropstoadangerouslylowlevel.
MAKEUPWATERAdditionalwatertobeputintotheboilerperiodicallytomakeupforthelossduetoleakageorexhaustingofsteamwithoutcondensation.

MARINEBOILERAlowheadtypespecialdesignboilermeantforoceancargoandpassengershipswithaninherentfaststeamingcapacity.

MECHANICALDRAFTThedraftartificiallyproducedbymechanicaldevicessuchasfansandinsomeunitsbysteamjets.

MECHANICALSTOKERAdeviceconstructedtoautomaticallyfeedfueltoafurnace.Itsuseresultsinmoreefficientcombustionowingtoconstantinsteadofintermittentfiring.

MINIATUREHIGHPRESSUREBOILERAboilerwhichdoesnotexceedthefollowinglimits:(1)16"insidediameterofshell.(2)5cuft.grossvolumeexclusiveofcasingandinsulation(3)100psigauge.
Ifitexceedsanyoftheselimits,itiscalledapowerboiler.

MISSISSIPPICOCKAcockinwhichsteampressurekeepsthecockclosedandapushbuttonisprovidedtoopenthecock.

NATURALDRAFTThedraftcausedbythedifferenceinweightbetweenthecolumnofhotgasinsidethechimneyandacolumnofcooloutsideairofthesameheightandcrosssection.

NETFEEDWATERThequantityofwaternecessarytosupplyastatedevaporationinagivenintervaloftime.

NONSECTIONALBOILERAboilerinwhichthetubesaredividedintogroups,eachgroupcommunicatingwithaheaderateachend,makingindependentunits.

ONCETHROUGHBOILERAboilerorsteamgeneratorwhichreceivesfeedwateratoneendofcontinuoustubesanddischargessteamattheotherend.

OPENHEATERAnopenchamberinwhichtheexhauststeamandwatertobeheatedarebroughtintointimatecontactbysprayingthewaterthroughthesteam,boththewaterandcondensategoingtothe
boiler.

PACKAGEDBOILERAcompletelyfactoryassembledboilereitherwatertubeorfiretube,includingboilerfiringapparatus,controlsandboilersafetydevices.

PALMSTAYAroundrodhavingforgedononeendaplateorpalm.

pHVALUEItisanumberbetween0and14indicatingthedegreeofacidityoralkalinity.

PITTINGAformofcorrosionresultinginaseriesofminuteholesorpitseatenintothesurfaceofthemetaltoadepthofsometimes6mm.

POPSAFETYVALVEAvalvesoconstructedthatitopensverysuddenlylikeacorkpoppingoutofachampagneorsparklingburgundybottleandremainsopenuntilthepressureisreduceda
predeterminedamount.

PORCUPINEBOILERAboilerhavingaverticaldrumintowhicharescrewedamultiplicityofhorizontalradialshorttubes.

PORTABLEBOILERAboilermountedonatruck,barge,asmallriverboat,oranyothersuchmobileapparatus.

POSITIVEINJECTOROnewithahandoperatedoverflowvalve,whichpermitsoperationathighpressurebystoppingthedrizzlefromtheoverflow.

POWERBOILERApowerboilerisasteamorvapourboileroperatingabove15psigandexceedingtheminiaturesizeboiler.

PRIMINGItliftsthewaterlevelanddeliverssteamcontainingsprayofwater.Itisusuallycausedbyforcingaboilertoohardorbyatoohighwaterleveloracombinationofboththesecauses.

RADIALSTAYSLongthreadedrodsusedinlocomotiveboilers,screwedthroughboththefireboxcrownsheetandwrappersheetandtheendsriveted.

REDUCINGVALVEAnautomaticthrottlevalveforusewherelowpressuresteamforheatingorprocessistakenfromhighpressuremains.

REGENERATIVEAIRHEATERAtypeofairheatercontainingarotorwhichcomesincontactalternatelywithhotgasesandairtherebytransfersheatfromhotgasestotheair.

REHEATERAsuperheaterthatheatssteamwhichisletoutfromahighpressureturbineandafterheatingsendsthesteamtoalowpressureturbinetherebyincreasestheplantefficiency.

RETARDERSAlsocalledSpinnersThesearehelicalstripsorribbonsofmetalcenteredinhorizontalorverticalfiretubesofafiretubeboilerforincreasingthewipingeffectontheinnersurfacesofthe
tubes,bythefluegasesontheirwaytothechimneystack.Thetubescannotbecleanedbyscrapingorbrushinguntilthesestripsareremoved.Retardersalsoincreasetheboilerfrictionalresistancetotheflue
gases.

RINGLEMANNCHARTThechartusedforcomparingthesmokesdensitywhennoinstrumentisavailable.

RIVETEDJOINTEFFICIENCYRatioofthestrengthofaunitsectionofthejointtothesameunitlengthofsolidplate.Unitlengthusuallytakenisthepitchoftherivets(distancefromcentretocentre)in
therowhavingthegreatestpitch.

RIVETEDSTAYSStaysinwhichthethreadedendsarerivetedinsteadofhavinganutateachend.

SAFETYVALVEAcircularvalveconnectingthesteamspaceofaboilerandloadedtosuchanextentthatwhenthepressureofsteamexceedsacertainpoint,thevalveisliftedfromitsseatandallowsthe
steamtoescape.Thevalveisloadedeitherbyweightorbyaspring.Thereleaseofsteamsavestheboilerfromexplosion.

SCALEIncrustationwithinavesselcausedbythemineralsubstancesfromthewater.Scaleisaresultofthechemicaleffectoftheheatandconcentration.Ahardcoating,chieflycalciumsulphate.Ifthescale
isexcessive,itleadstooverheatingofthemetalandultimatefailure.

SCOTCHBOILERAhorizontalboilerinwhichthecombustionchamberattheendoftheboilershellisentirelysurroundedbywater.

SCUMSCOOPApparatusforblowingoutwaterfromthesurfacetoremovefineparticlesofscaleformingforeignmatter.

SEPARATORThedevicethatremovesasmuchmoistureaspossiblefromsteamafteritleavestheboiler.

SINGLETUBEBOILERBoilermadeupofplaintubes,andthegasesflowfromoneendtotheotherendofthetubes.

SOCKETSTAYAlsocalledstayboltconsistingofarodandsocket.

STATIONARYBOILERAboilerwhichisinstalledpermanentlyonalandinstallation.

STAYBOLTShortstaybarstosupportflatsurfacesthatareonlyashortdistanceapart,suchasinnerandoutersheetsofwaterlegsinalocomotiveboiler.Generallyhavescrewthreadscutatoneend,and
sometimesatbothends,toreceiveanut.

STAYRODorTHROUGHSTAYAplainrod1"to2"indiameterhavingnutsandwashersforfasteningtheendstotheplates.

STAYTUBEAthicktubewiththreadsontheends,oneendbeinglargerthantheothersothatthetubemaybeslippedthroughthelargehole.

STEELANGLESTAYTwolengthsofsteelanglerivetedtogetherformingaTshapepieceandrivetedtotheplate.

STEAMWaterinasemigaseouscondition.Itisavapourthanagas,thatisasubstancebetweenthepurelyliquidandgaseousstates.Wetsteam.

STEAMBOILERAclosedvesselinwhichsteamorothervapourisgeneratedcontinuouslyforuseexternaltoitselfbythedirectapplicationofheatresultingfromthecombustionoffuel(solid,liquid,or
gaseous)orbytheuseofelectricityornuclearenergy.

STEAMGAUGEAdeviceforindicatinggaugepressureasdistinguishedfromabsolutepressure.

STEAMLOOPAningeneousthermalpumpconsistingofanarrangementofpipingwhereincondensateisreturnedtotheboiler.
STEAMSEPARATORAnapparatusforseparatingoutmoisturethatmaybecarriedinsuspensionbysteamflowinginpipelines,andforpreventingthismoisturefromreachingandperhapsdamaging
engines,pumps,orothermachinerythatmaybedrivenbythesteam.

STEAMSPACEThespaceabovethewaterlevelinaboilerwheresteamgetscollecteduntilitisdrawnoffthroughthesteammain.

STEAMTRAPAnautomaticdevicewhichallowsthepassageofwaterbutpreventsthepassageofsteam.Itisusedtodrainpipesofcondensate.

STOPVALVEAnonreturnvalvehavingahandwheelandscrewstemwhichactsonlytoclosethevalve.

SUBMERGEDTUBEBOILERAverticalboilerhavingtubesextendingfromthelowertubesheettoanuppersubmergedtubesheet.

SUPERCRITICALBOILERAboilerthatoperatesabovethesupercriticalpressureof3206.2psiand705.4Fsaturationtemperature.

THERMALLIQUIDHEATERAclosedvesselinwhichaheattransfermediumotherthanwaterisheatedwithoutvaporizationandtheheatedfluidgivesupitsheatanddoesusefulworkoutsidetheclosed
vessel.

THROUGHTUBEBOILERAverticalshellboilerhavingtubesextendingfromthelowertubesheettothefulllengthoftheshell.

TRAVELLINGGRATEorCHAINGRATEAtypeofoverfeedstokerconsistingofanendlessgratecomposedofshortsectionsofbarspassingoversprocketsatthefrontandrearofthefurnace.

TUBESHEETAsheetofawatertubeboilerwheretubesareinserted,eitherinaflatsheetoradrum.

UNDERFEEDSTOKEROneinwhichthefuelisfedupwardfromunderneath.

WASTEHEATBOILERAboilerwhichusesbyproductheatsuchasfromablastfurnaceinasteelmill,exhaustfromagasturbine,orbyproductsfromamanufacturingprocess.Wasteheatispassedover
theheatexchangersurfacestoproducesteamorhotwaterforconventionaluse.

WATERANALYSISAnalyzingawatersamplei.e.,processoffindingouthowmuchofthevariousimpuritiesandotherchemicalsubstancesarepresentinthewater.Theresultsareusuallyexpressedin
partspermillion(ppm).

WATERCOLUMNAboilerfixtureconsistingofacylindricalpiecetowhichareattachedthewatergaugeandgaugecocks,thuscombiningthetwointooneunit.Thetopandbottomhaveoutletswhich
connectitwiththeboilerbelowandabovethewaterlevel.

WATERGAUGEAdeviceusedtoindicatetheheightofwaterwithinaboiler.

WATERGRATEAseriesofpipesconnectedclosetogetherinparalleltoaheaderatoneendandtoupflowelementsattheother.

WATERLINEThelevelatwhichwaterstandsintheboiler.

WATERTUBEOnewhichissurroundedbytheproductsofcombustion,thewaterbeinginsidethetube.

WATERTUBEBOILERAboilerwhichcontainsoneormorerelativelysmalldrumswithamultiplicityoftubesinwhichwatersteamcirculateandhotgasessurroundthetubes.

WINDOWPATCHApatchusedtosealaholecutinawatertubetoprovideaccessforweldingthebacksideofacircumferentialjoint,ortoreplaceasmall,sharpbag.