What Is a Boiler?

A boiler is a box formed by tubes that uses fire inside that box to heat water into steam. Surrounding those
tubes and completely encasing the tube walls and the firebox area are the bril (brick, refractory, insulation,
and lagging) materials. The number and size of the tubes, the type of fuel, and the overall physical dimensions
of the boiler will all vary depending on what the boiler is designed to produce (water, steam, or heat) and the
industry it is intended to serve (e.g., utility, industrial, medical).

Many components make up or act as a support system for the boiler to meet its designed steam or heat
requirements. There are the tubes that carry the water and/or steam throughout the system; soot blowers
that keep the unit free of fly ash or dust by blowing steam water or air into the boiler; burners that burn the
fuel (oil, gas, coal, refuse); economizers that recover heat from the exit gas and pre-heat the water used for
making steam; and many more such systems, including brick, refractory, insulation, and lagging, which help
the steam-generating boiler be energy and thermally efficient.

Who Invented the Boiler?

The steam-generating boilers roots go back to the late 1700s and early 1800s with the development of the
kettle-type boiler, which simply boiled water into steam. The water was placed above a fire box and then
boiled into steam. It wasnt until around 1867, with the development of the convection boiler, that the steam-
generating industry began.

It may be debated who developed the first steam-generating boiler; however, most will agree that George
Babcock and Steven Wilcox were two of the founding fathers of the steam-generating boiler. They were the
first to patent their boiler design, which used tubes inside a firebrick-walled structure to generate steam, in
1867, and they formed Babcock & Wilcox Company in New York City in 1891. Their first boilers were quite
small, used lump coal, fired by hand, and operated at a very low rate of heat input. The solid firebrick walls
that formed the enclosure for the unit were necessary because they helped the combustion process by
reradiating heat back into the furnace area.

The Stirling Boiler Company, owned by O.C. Barber and named for the street (Stirling Avenue) the facility was
on in Barberton, Ohio, also began making boilers in 1891. Their eighth Stirling boiler design was called the H-
type boiler (h being the eighth letter in the alphabet) and had a brick setting design. The Stirling boiler was
much larger than the Babcock & Wilcox boiler and used three drums to help circulate the water and steam
flow throughout the boiler.

In 1907, the Stirling Boiler Company merged with the Babcock & Wilcox Company. They renamed their boiler
the H-type Stirling, and it became one of best-selling boilers of its time, probably because of its ability to
produce up to 50,000 pounds of steam per hour.

However, they were not the only boiler manufacturers during the late 1800s. The Grieve Grate Company and
the American Stoker Company were also making boilers of similar all-brick-wall design. They both used a
traveling or screw-type grate at the bottom of the boiler to transport the fuel (lump coal) across the inside of
the boiler. As the fuel traveled across the inside of the boiler, it was burned and the ash or un-burned fuel
would drop into a hopper. These two companies later formed the Combustion Engineering
Company in 1912. The new Combustion Engineering Company offered their version of the Grieve and
American Stoker boilers and called it the Type E stoker boiler.

https://insulation.org/io/articles/the-history-of-the-steam-generating-boiler-and-industry/
1 Working Principle of Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. (In North
America the term "furnace" is normally used if the purpose is not actually to boil the fluid.) The heated or
vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including central
heating, boiler-based power generation, cooking, and sanitation.
The basic working principle of boiler is very very simple and easy to understand. The boiler is essentially a
closed vessel inside which water is stored. Fuel (generally coal) is bunt in a furnace and hot gasses are
produced. These hot gasses come in contact with water vessel where the heat of these hot gases transfer to
the water and consequently steam is produced in the boiler. Then this steam is piped to the turbine of thermal
power plant. There are many different types of boiler utilized for different purposes like running a production
unit, sanitizing some area, sterilizing equipment, to warm up the surroundings etc.
http://mvn.edu.in/mvnlms/mod/book/view.php?id=1241
VII. research questions
1. Steam Boiler:

Water convert into steam by boiling at sub-critical pressures, the steam-generating equipment system is
called a "Steam Boiler"

Steam Generator:

Water Convert into steam without boiling at super-critical pressures, the equipment system is called "Steam
Generator".

Basically,

Sub-critical steam generator is called Steam Boiler.

Super-critical Steam boiler is called Staem Generator.

An steam boiler consists of only the containing vessel and convection heating surfaces. It is used to convert
water into steam at sub-critical pressures.

Steam generator:
An steam generator covers the whole unit encompassing water tubes, fire box, grate superheated, air heaters
and economisers etc. It is used to convert water into steam without boiling at sub-critical pressures .

2. A boiler can be defined as a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated under pressure. This
fluid is then circulated out of the boiler for use in various processes or power generation. In the case of power
generation steam is taken out of the steam boiler at very high pressure and temperature.
In 200 B.C. a Greek named Hero designed a very simple machine which used the steam, generated in a vessel
heated from below, to rotate a wheel as the steam escaped through two small pipes kept diametrically
opposite, he called it as Aelopile.
Classification
From 200 B.C. to date, many developments have taken place that today allow us to classify steam boilers in
different ways. Hence steam generating boilers can be classified under various categories. The main purpose
of steam boilers is to generate steam, and so the way in which the steam is generated and consumed forms
the major category. The major two groups of boiler application are Industrial steam generators and power
generation boilers. Boilers are also classified as fire tube and water tube boilers.
Fire tube boilers have almost become extinct; however this can be classified as
Locomotive boilers, which ruled rail transportation before diesel and electric engine came.
Industrial boilers, mainly used for green projects where initial steam is required
Domestic use boilers
Water tube boilers took over when size and capacity increased. This can be classified depending on type
of circulation used to generate steam as
Natural circulation boiler
Forced circulation boilers
Super critical pressure boilers or zero circulation boilers
Depending on type of firing adopted in boilers they can be classified as
Stoker fired - A mechanical stoker is a mechanical system that feeds solid fuel like coal, coke or anthracite
into the furnace of a steam boiler. They are common on steam locomotives after 1900 and are also used
on ships and power stations.
 Pulverized coal fired - The coal fired power plant converts energy in coal to electricity. The basic input into the system is the
fuel that is coal. All other systems and equipment only aid in this conversion process.
 Fluidized bed boilers - is a combustion technology used to burn solid fuels.
In its most basic form, fuel particles are suspended in a hot, bubbling fluidity bed of ash and other particulate
materials (sand, limestone etc.) through which jets of air are blown to provide the oxygen required for combustion or
gasification.
Of these the stokers which were predominantly used in early days of high pressure high capacity boilers are
being replaced by pulverized coal fired boilers and fluidized bed boilers. Stoker boilers are still designed and
used in few applications like sugar industries, etc. Fluidized boilers are also going through fast development
and can be now sub classified as
Bubbling fluidized bed boilers- Fuel Options in a BFB Boiler. A key benefit to the Bubbling Fluidized
Bed combustion technology is the ability to burn more diverse and lower cost fuel blends with high
moisture contents.
 Pressurized fluidized bed boilers- In its most basic form, fuel particles are suspended in a hot, bubbling fluidity
bed of ash and other particulate materials (sand, limestone etc.) through which jets of air are blown to provide
the oxygen required for combustion or gasification

Circulating fluidized bed boilers.- Circulating fluidized bed. The circulating fluidized bed(CFB) is a
developing technology for coal combustion to achieve lower emission of pollutants. By using this
technology, up to 95% of pollutants can be absorbed before being emitted to the atmosphere.

The higher capacity boilers are mainly circulating fluidized bed boilers due inherent limitations in bubbling bed
boilers.
Boilers can be classified based on the type of fuel used as
Coal fired boilers
Oil fired boilers
Gas fired boilers
Multi-fuel fired
Industrial waste fired boilers
Biomass fired boilers
Various types of arrangement are used by designers in designing the boiler for meeting the end
requirement. Hence boilers are classified based on the arrangement as
Top supported boilers
Bottom supported
Package boilers
Field erected boilers
Drum type boilers
Single drum
Bi drum
Three drums, but these are presently out of use
Tower type or single pass
Close coupled
Two pass boilers
Boilers therefore can be classified based on firing type, fuel used, construction type, circulation type, firing
system design nature, and nature of steam application. Todays steam generating systems owe their
dependability and safety to more than 125 years of experience in the design, fabrication, and operation of
water tube boilers.
Principle:

In a boiler, the heat energy of the flue gases transfer to the water through convection. The fuel is burnt in the
furnace which produces flue gases. These flue gases pass over the water containing in shell or tube according
to the type of boiler. The heat of the flue gases transfer to the water and convert it into steam. This is the basic
principle of boiler.

Working:

Boiler is simply a heat exchange in which, water is work as cold fluid and the flue gases works as hot fluid. The
heat is transfer from hot fluid to cold fluid through convection which increases the energy of water and convert
it into steam.

To understand working of a boiler, considered a container half filled with water. The fuel is burn and the flue
gases flow over the container as shown in figure. These gases heat the water and convert it into steam. This
steam taken out from a tube situated upper side of the container. As the steam taken out from container, the
equal amount of water is feed into the container by the feed valve which maintain the boiler pressure
unchanged.

If the steam escaping rate is high compare to water feeding rate, the pressure of the boiler decreases. And if
the water feeding rate is high compare to steam escaping rate the pressure of the boiler increases. Thus the
boiler pressure is controlled by the fuel supply and water supply of the container. This is the basic working of a
boiler.

Also Read : Working of Lancashire boiler

Also Read : Working of Lamont boiler
Function:
The main function of a boiler is to generate steam at desire pressure and desire steam generation rate. A boiler
has to provide the space for water, steam, furnace, and safely perform the following function.

1. Generate the steam at desire pressure.

2. The steam generation rate is high.
3. Provide a appropriate surface area to transfer heat from gas to water.
4. Safely operation
5. Convert steam into super heated steam if desire.
6. Avoid the explosion due to high pressure inside the boiler.
Parts of a Boiler:
The boiler is a combination of many parts which are used to achieve a common function. These parts are divided
into two categories. The first one is known as mounting and the other one is accessories.

Boiler Mountings:

The boiler parts which are essential for the safely performance of boiler, or in absence of which the boiler cannot
generates steam, known as boiler mountings.

1. Water level indicator:

The water level indicator is used to check the water level inside the boiler. It is used to correct working of boiler.
It is mostly fitted in front of boiler. It consist three cocks and a glass tube.

2. Pressure gauge:
A pressure gauge is used to measure the pressure inside the boiler. It is also fitted in front side of the boiler.
Generally, Bourden type pressure gauge is used in the boiler.

3. Safety valve:
The safety valve is fitted on the drum. It prevents the explosion due to high pressure in the boiler. It is generally
two in number. The safety valve blow offs the steam when the pressure inside the boiler exceeds the certain
limit.

4. Stop valve:
This valve is used to control the flow of steam from the boiler to the steam pipe. It opens When the steam
require, it shut off when sufficient steam is the steam pipe.

5. Blow off cock:

It is used to blow off mud and water whenever required. It is situated at the bottom of the drum. It is use to
empty the boiler, when required.

6. Feed check valve:

It is a NRV (Non Return Valve). It regulates supply of water in drum, by the feed pump. It is fitted to the drum
slightly below the normal water level.

7. Grate
It is the space in furnace on which fuel is burn.
Boiler Accessories:
Those parts which are used to increase efficiency of a boiler and boilers can perform safely without these parts
are known as boiler accessories. These parts are as follow.

1. Feed pump:
Feed pump is use to pump the water in boiler for continuous working. The feed pump is run by the electricity
or by an steam turbine. The steam use to drive the turbine taken by the boiler itself, which increase the boiler
efficiency.

2. Super heater:
The steam generate by the boiler is saturated steam. If this steam is use in turbine, it may cause corrosion. So
the steam is superheated before taken out for process work. This is done by super heater.

3. Economizer:
Economizer is use to preheat water before it enter into boiler drum. The economizer uses the heat of flue gases
to preheat the water. The flue gases coming out from boiler, first passes through economizer and then to
atmosphere. It increases the efficiency of boiler.

4. Air preheater:
Air preheat is use to preheat the air. It is preheated by the exhaust gases of boiler. So it also increase efficiency
of boiler. The heated air enters into boiler,

Today we have discussed about what is a boiler and parts of a boiler. If you any query about it, ask by
commenting below.

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