Firetube Boilers

Power Theory I: Boilers and Auxiliaries

PMOI1008

Rob Spence
Agenda
 Thermal Power Plant Cycle Review
 Introduction to Boilers
 What is a Boiler?
 Earliest Design
 Innovation
 Introduction to Firetube Boilers
 How it Works
 Components & Characteristics
 Firetube Boiler Designs
Competency
 Demonstrate a sound knowledge of steam generator principles,
construction, components, fittings, and testing.
Thermal Power Plant Review
 What are the four main components?
 How is energy converted?

 What are the three T’s of combustion?

 What two steam characteristics are most important?

 Why?
Intro to Boilers
Q: What exactly defines a boiler?

A: A closed vessel in which water is heated, steam is

generated, steam is superheated, or any combination
thereof, under pressure or vacuum by the application of
heat.

- American Boiler Manufacturers Association

Intro to Boilers

NB Boiler and Pressure Vessel Act – Interpretation

“boiler” means a vessel in which steam is or may be
generated or hot water produced under pressure, having a
capacity of more than 3 cubic feet (0.085 meters) and
includes any pipe or fitting, prime mover, machinery or
other equipment attached to it or used in connection with
it, but does not include a boiler solely used for heating
purposes in a building occupied for residential purposes by
not more than four families.
Earliest Design
Problems?
Haycock Boiler
Earliest Design
 Addition of a chimney/stack.
 Improved combustion by creating a steady air flow.

 The shell (also known as the steam drum) was lengthened.

 Increased size of heating surface and allowed higher pressures or steam.

 The furnace (firebox) was placed inside the setting – internally fired.
 The firebox was completely surrounded by water so heat loss to the surrounding
atmosphere was minimized.

 Installed horizontal tubes to increase the heating surface even more.

 Tubes were mounted horizontally between two boiler “heads”. The hot flue gases
passed through these tubes, transferring heat to the surrounding boiler water. Since
these tubes carried hot combustion gases from the fire, they were termed firetubes.
Introduction to Firetube Boilers

How does a firetube boiler work?

?
? ?
Introduction to Firetube Boilers

What defines a firetube boiler?

 Firetube boilers consist of a water filled shell

containing tubes through which the flue gases
travel.

 The water in the shell surrounds the tubes and

the heat from the hot gases is transferred to the
water.
Components & Characteristics
 Simple design
 Rugged construction
 Low cost
 Large water volume
Slow in coming up to
operating temperature and
pressure.
Meets load changes quickly
because of the large amount of
heat stored in the water.
Components & Characteristics
Components & Characteristics
Tubesheet

Baffle (Front)
There is also a rear
baffle you can’t see
in this image.

Firetube

Furnace
Components & Characteristics
Components & Characteristics
• Firetube boilers are slow steamers due to
large water capacity relative to the heating
surface and poorly defined circulation

• Sludge and sediment accumulations are

not on a heat transfer surface

• Scale formation can occur on the outside

of the tube, but this does not induce
overheating.

Sluggish circulation below

tubes.
Firetube Boiler Designs
Horizontal Return Tubular (HRT)
 Low construction cost

 Easy to clean

 Large water volume

 Labor intensive to
construct

 Inefficient
Firetube Boiler Designs
Locomotive Type: Wet Bottom  Low construction cost

 Rugged design

 Large water volume

 Complex to construct

 Poor water circulation

 Difficult to maintain and

clean
Firetube Boiler Designs
Locomotive Type
Firetube Boiler Designs
 Externally-Fired
Firebox Boiler
 Two – Pass

 Two groups of firetubes

 Shell is made in two parts

 Firebox is enclosed in a brick

setting and sheathed in a steel
casing

 Compact, efficient, inexpensive

 Difficult to access for cleaning and

inspection
Firetube Boiler Designs
Scotch Marine Boiler
 Very popular

 Efficient

 Compact

 Low cost

 Difficult to access for cleaning

and inspection
Firetube Boiler Designs
Packaged Firetube Boiler  Mass production: reduces production
costs, but it also minimizes construction
time and costs than that of a site-
assembled boiler.

 Better quality because of experienced

personnel

 Takes up less floor space

 Ease of cleaning, inspection, and repair

(hinged doors).
Questions / Homework
 Continue learning the terms on the Common Boiler
Terminology hand-out and the glossary of boiler terms.

 Read the following:

 4A (3.x Edition) – Unit 11 – Chapter 3 – Watertube Boilers

 Monday at 1530 hours – Watertube Boilers!