BOILER DESIGN

and
EFFICIENCY
Lou Roussinos, PE
Principal -TFM Consultants International
Senior Energy Advisor for Energy Advantage Inc.

The purpose of this presentation is

to briefly discuss some of the
basics of boiler designs and some
of the possibilities available to dry
kiln operations for drying lumber.

First some historical data

The very first boiler known to
have been constructed has
been attributed to the
greatest ancient engineer of
his time, Hero of Alexandria
who was the teacher and
mentor for many of the best
known minds of that era.
X1 = (Xi + N/Xi)/2

IT WAS ALMOST 16
CENTURIES LATER
WHEN SIMPLE
GLOBULAR TYPE
BOILERS WERE BUILT
TO PRODUCE LOW
PRESSURE STEAM TO
POWER PUMPS

THE UNDERSTANDING THAT MORE HEATING SURFACE AREA

WAS REQUIRED FOR MORE HORSEPOWER LED TO
DIFFERENT DESIGNS BEING PUT INTO WORK.
MANY WITH CATASTROPHIC RESULTS.
STEAM OUT
FEEDWATER IN
CHIMNEY

BRICKWORK
FUEL

MOST OF THE FIRST BOILERS USED IN INDUSTRIAL SETTINGS WERE

SIMPLE CYLINDRICAL DRUM- LIKE CONTAINERS THAT WERE
BUILT BY RIVETING ROLLED STEEL PLATES.
EVENTUALLY A DRUM IN A DRUM WAS DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO
DEAL WITH INCREASED HORSEPOWER NEEDS.

THE RESULT WAS THAT BY 1875 A STANDARD DESIGN WAS

DEVELOPED WHICH INCORPORATED TUBES WHICH WERE
SECURED ON TO THE TWO END PLATES (TUBESHEETS) AND
THROUGH WHICH THE FLUE GASES FROM THE COMBUSTION
PASSED ON THEIR WAY TO THE CHIMNEY.

"A Catastophic Result"

HISTORY
AND BOILER DESIGN

BOILER TYPES
BY TYPE OF DESIGN

FIRETUBE BOILERS
WATER TUBE BOILERS
MODULAR BOILERS
COIL TUBE BOILERS
CAST IRON BOILERS

BY TYPE OF SERVICE

STEAM PROCESS AND HEATING

HOT WATER HEATING
POWER GENERATION
PETROCHEMICAL
CHEMICAL RECOVERY
NUCLEAR
OTHERS

BY TYPE OF PRESSURE
LOW PRESSURE STEAM - 15PSIG MAXIMUM
HIGH PRESSURE STEAM - ABOVE 15 PSIG AND
UP TO 4,500 PSIG
LOW PRESSURE HOT WATER - UP TO 160 PSIG &
2560F
HIGH PRESSURE HOT WATER ANY BOILER
THAT EXCEEDS THE PRESSURE OR THE
TEMPERATURE OF THE LOW PRESSURE HOT
WATER TYPE.

FIRETUBE DESIGN

In the beginning they were simple drums sitting on top of fire.

Newer boilers were designed with internal

furnaces and tubes to increase the capacity.
They were designed to burn coal or wood and
eventually oil and gas.

Some units were designed with 3 passes

Some units were designed with 3 passes

And some were designed to have 4 or more passes of

flues gas through the boiler.

A 4 pass design

Tubes are surrounded by the water in the boiler.

INDUSTRY NEEDS HIGHER

CAPACITY BOILERS
As the industry requirements grew so did the size of
boilers. Unfortunately firetube boilers have limited
size due to design factors that are nearly impossible
to overcome.
New ways had to be found and the watertube design
which had been in existence for many years already
became the ready solution. Watertube boilers
because of their design can be build to nearly any
size and capacity.

One of the first was in 1867 when B&W produced a

combination Firetube/watertube design with much success.
M&B operated such boilers in Vancouver until 1979!!!

STANDARD
WATERTUBE
DESIGNS

A TYPE

O TYPE
D TYPE

Two drum D design a standard in the

industry for many years.

A three drum boiler

by Sterling
equipped with air preheater, economizer
and a convection
superheater to
improve efficiency
and provide dryer
steam to turbines and
engines.

The result of new

watertube designs has been
not only the unlimited
capacity but the improved
efficiency of the design for
a number of reasons.
Primarily the furnaces can
be designed to produce
better combustion
efficiencies and secondary
the internal configuration
provides for superior
water circulation and heat
absorption.

ADVANTAGES OF
WATERTUBE BOILERS
MORE EFFICIENT
SAFER
NO STAYS NO FLAT SURFACES
CLEAN AS YOU GO (soot blowers)
ANY SIZE
SUPERHEAT STEAM
FLUID BED DESIGN

Modular boilers have been a welcome design to smaller

operations where the need for capacity varies constantly.

Cast iron boilers provide excellent results for

small commercial facilities.

And some cast iron boilers provide excellent opportunities for

medium sized commercial and for small industrial facilities.

Watertube is the future

Watertube boilers
have become the
standard in
almost any new
facility no mater
what the
industry.
No matter who
the
manufacturer!

WHY WATERTUBE?
Unlimited options for
capacity from very small
to immense in size,
tube flexibility, smaller
volumes of water (in
comparison with same
capacity of firetube)
and better circulation of
the water in the boiler
are guaranteed.
Smaller footprint saves
money and space.

THERE IS NO POINT IN HAVING AN ELEPHANT IN YOUR PLANT.

GET A WATERTUBE DESIGN AND SAVE MONEY!!

ANY QUESTIONS ?