Industry
Tech Troth Team , , ,
The Advantages of Steam Generators Over Steam Boilers

Electric steam generator and steam boilers are two popular technologies that seem comparable when looking for a steam source option for your company. Despite the fact that they both generate steam for a range of applications, the two systems differ greatly, particularly in how they function. You may choose the best system for your process requirements by being aware of these distinctions and the two systems’ designs.

team Generator: What Is It?

A quicker and more compact substitute for steam boilers are steam generators. Their design for heating water and turning it into steam is really straightforward. A steam generator’s single stainless steel tube coil receives a steady supply of water from feedwater pumps in order to run. The water is exposed to the heat from hot gases outside the coil as it moves through the generator in the metal coil. After then, the feedwater gets hotter and hotter until it turns into steam and leaves the vessel by a single outlet. There are several industrial and commercial uses for the steam after that.

The majority of steam generators are once-through, forced-flow devices with a single coil. Excess water that does not turn into steam is collected in a filter for disposal or reuse, and surplus gases can pass through the generator for convenient release. For modest to moderate levels of steam generation, the design makes the steam generator straightforward and easy to use.

A Steam Boiler: What Is It?

Although they function on a much bigger scale (and hence have a more complex design), steam boilers are comparable to steam generators. They are employed in sizable commercial or industrial settings when a higher steam output is required than the majority of steam generators can supply. They can boil water at subcritical temperatures and turn it into steam because to their sophisticated fuel system and pressure vessels that can tolerate high pressure levels.

Some buildings need a qualified operator to be present at all times the boilers are operating due to the complexity of the systems, the huge quantities of hot steam they produce, and the potentially hazardous pressure levels at which they operate. These people need to be certified in safety, operating standards, and emergency and malfunction response techniques.

Steam boilers come in two primary varieties:

Boilers in firetubes

A big water tank with several pipes passing through it is a feature of firetube boilers. Additionally, the boiler has a sizable fire that burns fuel rapidly to raise the temperature of the gases passing through the pipes to extremely high levels. After entering the storage tank through the pipes, this heat causes the water to boil, turn into steam, and ascend to the top of the tank. The steam can then be used as energy for construction or industrial activities by the connected systems.

Boilers in water tubes

A more recent alternative to conventional firetube designs, watertube boilers are essentially the reverse of firetube boilers. In contrast to firetube boilers, which use a reservoir of water and send hot gasses down the tubes, watertube boilers use pipes to carry water from a reservoir. The boiler’s body has many pipe lengths that are continuously filled with water. All of the tubes are encircled by hot gas that has been heated by a fire; heat moves through the tube to cause the water to boil and produce steam. The still-liquid water returns to the reservoir before being sent back through the pipes for heating and conversion, while the steam ascends to the top of the pipes.

Steam Generator Advantages

Compared to steam boilers, steam generators are smaller, simpler to build, and possibly less hazardous. Among the particular benefits they offer are:

Compact design: A steam generator is easy to set up and start because to its compact size and straightforward design. For on-demand or emergency steam generation, this is perfect.

Operational ease: Because of their simplicity, facilities are better equipped to handle maintenance and operational duties. Additionally, they don’t need a qualified and licensed operator to be present on the property.

Cost-effectiveness: Compared to steam boilers, steam generators are less expensive initially and require less maintenance and personnel.

Efficiency: With an electrical energy to heat conversion rate of almost 100%, steam generators are exceptionally energy-efficient.

Steam generators may be the best option for on-demand steam systems, emergencies, and minor commercial steam needs.

A Few Benefits of Steam Boilers

Compared to steam generators, steam boilers are bigger and more potent. They benefit from this in a number of ways, including the following:

Increased capacity to produce steam: Both varieties of steam boilers are bigger, stronger, and more able to generate enormous amounts of steam.

Dynamic steam generation: Throughout work cycles, steam boilers may adapt to changing needs for steam by swiftly switching to generating less steam when less is required and producing more during busy cycles.

Can constantly meet high needs for steam: Steam boilers can continually satisfy high demands for steam once they achieve optimal production levels.

Why Choose a Steam Generator Instead of a Steam Boiler?

A huge boiler is not necessary for many smaller steam-based activities. An readily transportable steam generator would be the ideal instrument for such minor operations. Here are some of the main justifications for switching from a fuel-fired steam boiler to an electric steam generator:

Safety: Since electric steam generators don’t use flammable fuel, they are less likely to experience significant malfunctions than fuel-fired boilers. Low temperatures, inadequate water treatment, incorrect warm-up, drawing a vacuum, flame impingement, extreme overfiring, and even outright explosions can all cause boilers that burn fossil fuels to fail.

Portability: Because of its compact form, steam generators may be utilized in spaces with limited capacity. Small-scale generators from Ekotekkazan are transportable and don’t need lengthy steam lines or boiler chambers for significant installation.

Energy efficiency: When not in use, electric steam generators use no energy. They only cycle when steam is required when they are operating. In warmer months, when full power might not be required, this is especially useful. Because of their huge size and intricate piping system, fuel-fired boilers are far more energy-intensive to operate at full capacity and burn fuel continuously, even when no steam is needed.

Fast start: Unlike boilers, which can take hours to reach rated output from a cold start, steam generators can reach rated output in only a few minutes due to their small size, single chamber, and very low water consumption. A steam generator’s quick-start feature makes it perfect for emergencies and situations like pilot plants, labs, and process testing when steam may not be required for extended periods of time.

Cost: Setting up a steam boiler system at your establishment can be expensive and time-consuming. Applications that don’t need large amounts of steam, like those produced by boilers, could benefit more from steam generators since they are significantly less expensive than a full-scale fuel-fired boiler system.

Industry
Tech Troth Team , , ,
How Does a Steam Boiler Work? How Does It Operate? Kinds Of

A Steam Boiler: What Is It?

A steam boiler is a device that heats water to produce steam. It transforms water into steam for use outside the system as a heat exchanger. The boiler is made up of a water container and a combustion chamber. Steam boilers are available in a range of sizes, from little types to larger ones that can do more complex jobs.

Read More: Steam Boiler

Steam Boiler Types

Based on its design, mobility, fuel type, tube type, and operating pressure, steam boilers are categorized. Although older boilers were just as efficient as newer models, they were riskier because they lacked adequate control measures. A boiler’s dimensions, fuel type, and size vary depending on the job at hand and industry standards. Common fuel types include coal, electricity, wood, natural gas, and fossil fuels; the costs, effects on the environment, and efficiency of each fuel type vary. Alternative fuels like biomass and fuel produced from trash have been created in response to the increasing need for power and energy.

Types of Boilers: Steam Boilers

Boilers for Hot Water

Tanks called hot water boilers are used to heat water, which is then pumped to provide warmth. These boilers are made to endure high temperatures and pressures since they are made of materials like steel, aluminum, cast iron, and stainless steel.

The tube systems used in hot water boilers—fire or water tubes—are used to categorize them. Heat is transferred through tubes submerged in water in fire tube boilers, warming the water around them. Water flows through tubes that are heated from the outside in water tube boilers.

Boilers that run on electricity

Electric boilers provide a quicker and more effective way to heat a space by using electric components. They don’t need to burn fuel, making them a cleaner and more environmentally friendly system. Electric boilers are almost maintenance-free, have a longer lifespan, and require less cleaning. Nonetheless, controlling the accumulation of scaling within the water reservoir is crucial.

Fuel Boilers

Boilers that use gas for steam Gas boilers are more efficient than conventional boilers since they run on propane or natural gas. The fuel comes from an external source and is piped straight into the boiler. The way a gas steam boiler distributes heat relies on how it is configured. Low-pressure and industrial uses are both appropriate for gas steam boilers.

Low-Pressure Boilers

Low pressure steam boilers heat water to a temperature of 300°F (149°C) at pressures of 10 to 15 psi. This kind of boiler is perfect for situations where there is less requirement for sudden temperature swings and a demand for constant temperatures. Because they produce steam considerably more quickly than high pressure steam boilers, low pressure steam boilers are quite common.

High-Pressure Boilers

In order to operate machinery and equipment, high pressure steam boilers generate excessive pressure. A pump drives high-pressure steam into the circulation system, giving a high-pressure steam boiler its force and power. A boiler must be able to produce pressure between 15 and 800 psi at temperatures higher than 250°F (121°C) in order to be considered a high pressure steam boiler.

High pressure steam boilers are constantly monitored for temperature and pressure to ensure efficiency and safety. Their high pressure loads are divided into two categories: continuous loads are appropriate for long-term demand, and batch loads are suitable for short-term need.

Boilers for oil

With the exception of using oil in the combustion chamber rather than gas, oil steam boilers function similarly to gas boilers. The water is heated by the exchanger, which is heated by the burning oil. Boilers that use oil for steam have efficiency levels that surpass 90%. They usually last twice as long as gas steam boilers, although being more costly.

The demand for an oil tank, either inside or outside, that needs to be supplied on a regular basis to guarantee a steady supply of fuel is one issue with oil boilers.

Boilers with Water Tubes

Water is circulated through internal boiler tubes in water tube boilers. These tubes get heated from the outside by the combustion chamber fire, which also heats the water inside of them. This design uses tangential pressure, also known as hoop stress, applied to the tubes’ circumference to produce high pressure steam. This tension is comparable to the force that fills a wooden barrel’s bands.

Since the first boiler was invented, several varieties of water tube boilers have been in use, developing and getting better throughout the ages.

Boilers with Fire Tubes

The tubes of a fire tube steam boiler heat up as water flows around them. Gases from burning coal or oil provide the heat inside the tubes by transferring thermal energy to the water and creating steam. Low pressure steam is usually produced using fire tube steam boilers. Cochran, Locomotive, and Lancashire steam boilers are the three primary varieties of fire tube boilers.

Boilers in Shell

Heat transmission surfaces in shell boilers are protected by a steel shell. Different tube configurations are used, which have an impact on how many times heat flows through the system before being released. Shell boilers, also called flue boilers, use fire tubes and feature a long, cylindrical water tank. These fire tubes allow heat from the furnace or combustion chamber to enter and warm the water.

The Cornish boiler, the first example of this kind of boiler, was a long cylinder with a single, huge flue or pipe that contained the fire or heat. Later, the Lancashire steam boiler took its place; this boiler had two fire flues.

One of the most basic boiler types, shell steam boilers—also known as shell and tube boilers—are renowned for producing steam effectively and affordably.