Standard Design Manual For Steam Drum

STANDARD DESIGN MANUAL SYM-B-1
Boiler design
051. Steam drum Rev. 2 1 (14)
STEAM DRUM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. STEAM DRUM................................................................................................................................ 2
1.1 General................................................................................................................................ 2
1.2 Initial Design Information.................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Documentation for Steam Drum Inquiry........................................................................... 3
1.4 Strength Calculations ......................................................................................................... 4
1.5 Material................................................................................................................................ 4
1.6 Support of the Steam Drum............................................................................................... 5
1.7 Fastening Plates................................................................................................................. 5
1.7.1 Fastening Plates for Drum Internals ................................................................................. 5
1.8 Pipe Connections ............................................................................................................... 7
1.8.1 Feed Water Pipe Nozzle ................................................................................................... 7
1.8.2 Upper Circulation Pipe Nozzle .......................................................................................... 8
1.8.3 Saturated Steam Pipe Nozzle........................................................................................... 9
1.8.4 Downcomer nozzle ............................................................................................................. 9
1.8.5 Continuous Blowdown Pipe Nozzle ................................................................................10
1.8.6 Water Level Lowering Pipe Nozzle ................................................................................10
1.8.7 Nozzle of Steam Pipe Leading to Sweet Water Condenser .......................................11
1.8.8 Nozzle of Sweet Water Condenser Overflow Pipe .......................................................11
1.8.9 Nozzle for Water Level Measurement ............................................................................11
1.8.10 Air Venting Nozzle ............................................................................................................11
1.8.11 Nozzle for Pressure Measurement .................................................................................12
1.8.12 Impulse Pipe Nozzle .........................................................................................................12
1.8.13 Safety Valve Nozzle..........................................................................................................12
1.9 Access Doors ...................................................................................................................13
1.10 Material Temperature Measurement..............................................................................14
2 2001 - 05 - 04 J. Kaikuranta 2001 - 05 - 28 M. Isoniemi 2001 - 06 - 12 K. Mäkelä

Muut. Pvm Laatinut Pvm Tarkastanut Pvm Hyväksynyt
Rev. Date Prepared by Date Reviewed by Date Approved by
This document is the exclusive intellectual property of Kvaerner Pulping Oy and is furnished for the sole purpose of operating and maintaining of the specific project, and re-use of the document for any other
project or purpose is prohibited. The document or the information shall not be reproduced or copied, or disclosed to a third party without prior written consent of Kvaerner Pulping Oy.
 Kvaerner Pulping Oy, Tampere, Finland 2001
Boiler design
1. STEAM DRUM
1.1 General
This section, SYM-B-1 051. Steam drum, replaces corresponding

section of the SYM-RB-1 –manual.
This section is also used for the drum design of the Power Boilers.
The drum internals, common to all Boilers, are shown in Standard

Design Manual, section 201 Steam Drum Internals.
An example of the steam drum is presented in Figure 1.
1.2 Initial Design Information
The product engineer defines the following:
• Inner or outer diameter of the drum, from standard sizes

• Length of the drum shell
• design pressure and temperature
• The number and size of the steam and water circulation pipes, (for
example feed water pipe(s), upper circulation pipes(risers),
downcomers, saturated steam pipes, continuous blowdown pipes,
pipe for level lowering, sweet water condenser steam pipe and
sweet water condenser overflow pipe)
• Demands for start-up times and load change velocities
The process design engineer defines:
• Other pipes attached to the steam drum (for example pressure

measurement, air vent and impulse pipes).
Boiler design
Figure 1. Steam drum
1.3 Documentation for Steam Drum Inquiry
A subcontractor supplies the steam drum. Kvaerner Pulping prepares

an inquiry for steam drum manufacturers. The following information is
needed for inquiry:
• Quality specification (made by the QA-engineer)

• Inquiry drawing in which the following information shall be given
• layout of the drum showing main dimensions, nozzle locations
and types, purposes of nozzles
• design standard and standard version (and addenda in case of
ASME code)
• alternative materials
• contents of the drum (water/steam)
• design pressure (maximum allowable working pressure in case
of ASME)
• design temperature (maximum operating temperature of metal in
case of ASME)
• corrosion allowance
• volume
• attachments for the drum internals
• demands for start-up times and load change velocities
Boiler design
The manufacturer of the drum prepares the final manufacturing

drawings, which are reviewed and approved by Kvaerner Pulping.
1.4 Strength Calculations
The pressure part designer prepares the preliminary strength

calculations of the shell and heads for a few different materials.
The manufacturer of the drum prepares the strength calculations, which

are reviewed and approved by Kvaerner Pulping.
1.5 Material
Because the shell and heads of the drum are thick-walled, the selection
of the material shall be carried out case by case. The material and wall
thickness of the drum and heads depend on the following:
• Regulations in customer’s country

• Customer’s requirements
• Design pressure and temperature
• Demands for start-up times and load change velocities, especially
high alloys and thick walls (= fatigue analysis)
• Material has to bear steam cleaning blowing
• As an expected value, material has to bear 2000 full cycles (cold-
hot-cold) with normal temperature increasing and decreasing
velocities. This is a contract matter especially with HRSG boilers.
• Diameter
• Ligament efficiency of the upper circulation pipes
• Largest nozzle
• Materials used by the manufacturer
• The price and availability of the material
Table 1 shows a collection of the materials that can be used. A

recommended thickness range and code allowance is also given. If the
thickness of the wall exceeds the recommended wall thickness, a
better material shall be chosen.
The cold brittleness (transition) temperature of the material has to be

low enough for a hydrotest with cold water. Depending on the case
there may be only very cold water available for the hydrotest (even
below 10°C).
Boiler design
Table 1. Recommended materials for the drum shell
Material Recommended Temperature Max. Applicable

wall thickness of content Recommended Design
range °C pressure Code
mm bar (gauge) *
P265GH →50 300 50 EN
P295GH 40...60 300 70 EN
P355GH 40...80 320 90 EN
SA-516 Gr 70 50...80 320 100 ASME
SA-299 60...100 350 120 ASME
SA-302 Gr B 60...100 350 160 ASME, (EN)
WB 36 60 → 370 200 EN
(15NiCuMoNb5)
* EN = EN 12952 Water Tube Boilers

ASME = American code
1.6 Support of the Steam Drum
The steam drum is supported by the hangers, which are presented in

Standard Design Manual 001 Hanger Rods. The movement of the
hangers is prevented by using square 50 x 50 x 20 mm restraining lugs
presented in Figure 1. The restraining lugs are welded to the shell
upright. The distance between restraining lugs is ~200 mm depending
of the width of the hanger.
1.7 Fastening Plates
Because welding onto the shell or heads is not allowed after the final
post-weld heat treatment, fastening plates are pre-welded onto the
shell and heads of the drum. The welding joints must be made on the
attachments.
There are fastening plates on the outer surface of the drum for the
connections of the attic casing (see Figure 2, angle 15°) and inside the
drum for the internal equipment.
1.7.1 Fastening Plates for Drum Internals
The fastening plates for the drum internals are welded inside the steam
drum and located as shown in Figure 2.
Boiler design
Figure 2: Example of fastening plates for drum internals. Note that the space for
saturated steam pipe is only 260 mm because of the fastening plates of the
secondary scrubber.
1.7.1.1 Water Drain Holes
Fastening plates, which are located below the water surface, have
water drain holes to allow part of the water of a water/steam mixture to
exit. They also allow water to drain out during boiler shut down and
after pickling.
End plates have no water drain holes. The water drain holes shall never
be plugged.
1.7.1.2 Air Vent Holes
Air vent holes shall be made to all end plates at both ends of the steam
drum as shown in 2. The purpose of the vent holes is to prevent air
pockets. Air pockets are harmful during pickling, because they prevent
the pickling solute from cleaning the surface.
After the boiler has been pickled the air holes must be blocked.
Blocking the holes must be shown in the assembly drawing of the
steam drum internals.
Boiler design
1.8 Pipe Connections
In large openings of the drum, the nozzle usually acts as reinforcement.

The following nozzles are usually reinforcing:
• Feed water pipe

• Downcomers
• Connections of the safety valves
• Saturated steam pipes, when the size is large enough
The smallest pipe connection used on the steam drum is DN 50 (outer

diameter d u = 60.3 mm), in order to ensure the mechanical strength of
the connection. If the pipe size is smaller than this, the connection
nozzle is reduced according to Figure 3A. In the ASME projects,
socket weld type nozzle end is used, which can be seen in Figure 3B.
Figure 3A. Reduced connection Figure 3B. Socket weld nozzle end
1.8.1 Feed Water Pipe Nozzle
The feed water is supplied through one or two nozzles into the steam
drum.
As the feed water temperature is lower than the temperature of the

steam drum shell, the feed water nozzles are provided with an internal
thermal sleeve (shown in Figure 4) to minimize thermal stresses in the
drum shell. Thermal stresses cause fatigue and cracking of the
material.
If there is enough room inside the drum for feed water piping the inlet
nozzle should be radial.
Boiler design
Angle for the nozzle is normally about 45° upwards. If there is a feed
water cyclone(s), nozzle can be horizontal.
Three guiding pieces (size 10 x 5 x 5 mm) are welded to the sleeve.

The thermal sleeve is centralized with these pieces.
Figure 4. A radial feed water pipe nozzle
1.8.2 Upper Circulation Pipe Nozzle
In the Recovery Boilers upper circulation pipe spacing is 381 mm and

radial pitch 15o like shown in Figure 1. Furnace upper circulation pipes
are taken to the front side of the steam drum according to Figure 5.
Upper circulation pipes of the second pass and the screen tubes are
divided on the rear side of the steam drum over its whole length.
Upper circulation pipe nozzle is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 5. Orientation of the upper circulation pipes, Recovery Boilers
Boiler design
Figure 6. Upper circulation pipe nozzle
1.8.3 Saturated Steam Pipe Nozzle
Saturated steam pipe nozzle is shown in Figure 7. For the large pipe
sizes, the nozzle may be reinforcing.
Figure 7. Saturated steam pipe nozzle
1.8.4 Downcomer nozzle
Two water drain holes are placed in the downcomers on the opposite
sides of the nozzle. The holes are drilled after welding. While draining
the boiler, water will be totally removed from the steam drum bottom
through these drain holes.
When dimensioning the nozzles, the load caused by the downcomer

pipes shall be taken into account.
Two O-bars across the nozzle inside the drum shall be supplied to
prevent falling into the downcomer.
For the Recovery Boiler, the inner part (h) of downcomer nozzle has to
be dimensioned in the inquiry drawing to fill the furnace tubes, screen
tubes and boiler bank tubes in the right order to avoid thermal shocks
during boiler start-up. If dimension h = x for the furnace downcomer
Boiler design
nozzles, h = x + 30 mm for both screen and boiler bank downcomer

nozzles.
Downcomer nozzle is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8. Downcomer nozzle
1.8.5 Continuous Blowdown Pipe Nozzle
The nozzle for the continuous blowdown pipe is shown in Figure 9.
Figure 9. Continuous blowdown pipe nozzle
1.8.6 Water Level Lowering Pipe Nozzle
The level lowering pipe nozzle is similar to the continuous blowdown

pipe nozzle (Figure 9).
Boiler design
1.8.7 Nozzle of Steam Pipe Leading to Sweet Water Condenser
The nozzle of the steam pipe leading to sweet water condenser

(dolezal) is similar to the saturated steam pipe nozzle (Figure 7).
1.8.8 Nozzle of Sweet Water Condenser Overflow Pipe
The nozzle of the sweet water condenser overflow pipe is shown in

Figure 10. The nozzle inside the drum has to be long enough (500 mm)
so that the joint between the nozzle and the pipe is below the
secondary steam scrubbers.
Figure 10. Sweet water condenser overflow pipe nozzle
1.8.9 Nozzle for Water Level Measurement
Water level measurement is arranged so that there are two nozzles,

size DN 80, in both ends of the drum shell (Figure 11). One nozzle is
connected to steam space and the other one to water space. Typical
distance between nozzles is 900 mm. Actual chamber for water glass
and instruments will be connected to the nozzles later on.
Figure 11. Level measurement nozzle
1.8.10 Air Venting Nozzle
The air venting of steam drum is done through saturated steam pipes
and sweet water condenser pipe.
Boiler design
A separate air vent nozzle is not normally needed. If there is not other
venting two vent nozzles (Figure 3) are installed at the highest point of
the steam drum, one in each end of the drum.
1.8.11 Nozzle for Pressure Measurement
There are normally four pressure measurement nozzles.
• One for pressure indication in the control room

• One for the pressure gauge of the main service platform
• One for the pressure gauge beside the steam drum (can be seen in
the TV camera of the water glass) and
• One in reserve
The pressure measurement nozzle is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12. Pressure measurement nozzle
1.8.12 Impulse Pipe Nozzle
The purpose of the impulse pipe is to transmit a pressure signal from

the drum to the safety valve of main steam pipe, if the steam drum is
not equipped with a safety valve. The nozzle of the impulse pipe is
similar to the pressure measurement nozzle (Figure 12). There are
normally two impulse pipes.
1.8.13 Safety Valve Nozzle
The size of a safety valve nozzle is determined according to the

information given by the valve manufacturer. The reaction force,
resulting from the opening of the valve, must be considered when
dimensioning the connection nozzle of the safety valve. Usually the
safety valve nozzle is welded on both sides of the shell, like the
downcomer nozzle (Figure 8).
Boiler design
In Finland it is accepted to replace the safety valve on the steam drum

with a safety valve on the main steam pipe, if it also gets a pressure
impulse from the steam drum.
1.9 Access Doors
Access openings are located at the both ends of the steam drum
according to Figure 1.
Elliptical access door is shown in Figure 13. The door opens inward,
when the lock nut is opened. The pressure of the drum pushes the door
against the ring.
The local authorities of each country define the size of the door and the
ring. The Finnish regulations are defined in Standard SFS 3269.
The door can be elliptical or round depending of the manufacturer and

the demands of local authorities.
When a round door is used, it is easier to go through the door, but it is

impossible to take out the door through the ring.
When an elliptical door is used, it is possible to move the door in and

out. For example in case of leakage the sealing surface of an ellipse
shape door is easier to machine outside the drum.
All internals must fit through the ring.
To make access easier, there is a handle above the door, both inside
and outside. When determining the height of the outside handle, the
thickness of the insulation shall be taken into account.
Figure 13. Elliptical access door
Boiler design
1.10 Material Temperature Measurement
In exceptional cases when a very short start-up time is required, it is

necessary to monitor drum shell temperature. The purpose is to follow
that temperature difference between inside surface and outside
surface does not increase too much and cause high strain to the shell.
Temperature probes are installed to the drum shell so that one of the
probes measures temperature near shell inside surface and other near
outside surface.
Normally, in the recovery boilers, outer surface temperature of the

steam drum shell will be measured. For that, 4 -10 connecting piece of
thermoelements shall be welded on the drum shell (Figure 14).
Connecting pieces are located both on top and bottom of the drum
shell in the whole length of the shell.
Figure 14: Connecting piece of thermoelement

Standard Design Manual For Steam Drum

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STANDARD DESIGN MANUAL SYM-B-1

2 2001 - 05 - 04 J. Kaikuranta 2001 - 05 - 28 M. Isoniemi 2001 - 06 - 12 K. Mäkelä

This section, SYM-B-1 051. Steam drum, replaces corresponding

The drum internals, common to all Boilers, are shown in Standard

An example of the steam drum is presented in Figure 1.

1.2 Initial Design Information

The product engineer defines the following:

• Inner or outer diameter of the drum, from standard sizes

The process design engineer defines:

• Other pipes attached to the steam drum (for example pressure

Figure 1. Steam drum

1.3 Documentation for Steam Drum Inquiry

A subcontractor supplies the steam drum. Kvaerner Pulping prepares

• Quality specification (made by the QA-engineer)

The manufacturer of the drum prepares the final manufacturing

1.4 Strength Calculations

The pressure part designer prepares the preliminary strength

The manufacturer of the drum prepares the strength calculations, which

• Regulations in customer’s country

Table 1 shows a collection of the materials that can be used. A

The cold brittleness (transition) temperature of the material has to be

Table 1. Recommended materials for the drum shell

Material Recommended Temperature Max. Applicable

P295GH 40...60 300 70 EN

P355GH 40...80 320 90 EN

SA-516 Gr 70 50...80 320 100 ASME

SA-299 60...100 350 120 ASME

SA-302 Gr B 60...100 350 160 ASME, (EN)

* EN = EN 12952 Water Tube Boilers

1.6 Support of the Steam Drum

The steam drum is supported by the hangers, which are presented in

1.7 Fastening Plates

1.7.1 Fastening Plates for Drum Internals

1.7.1.1 Water Drain Holes

1.7.1.2 Air Vent Holes

1.8 Pipe Connections

In large openings of the drum, the nozzle usually acts as reinforcement.

• Feed water pipe

The smallest pipe connection used on the steam drum is DN 50 (outer

1.8.1 Feed Water Pipe Nozzle

As the feed water temperature is lower than the temperature of the

Three guiding pieces (size 10 x 5 x 5 mm) are welded to the sleeve.

Figure 4. A radial feed water pipe nozzle

1.8.2 Upper Circulation Pipe Nozzle

In the Recovery Boilers upper circulation pipe spacing is 381 mm and

Upper circulation pipe nozzle is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 5. Orientation of the upper circulation pipes, Recovery Boilers

Figure 6. Upper circulation pipe nozzle

1.8.3 Saturated Steam Pipe Nozzle

Figure 7. Saturated steam pipe nozzle

1.8.4 Downcomer nozzle

When dimensioning the nozzles, the load caused by the downcomer

nozzles, h = x + 30 mm for both screen and boiler bank downcomer

Downcomer nozzle is shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Downcomer nozzle

1.8.5 Continuous Blowdown Pipe Nozzle

The nozzle for the continuous blowdown pipe is shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Continuous blowdown pipe nozzle

1.8.6 Water Level Lowering Pipe Nozzle

The level lowering pipe nozzle is similar to the continuous blowdown

1.8.7 Nozzle of Steam Pipe Leading to Sweet Water Condenser

The nozzle of the steam pipe leading to sweet water condenser