Choosing A Marine Boiler While

Designing A Ship
Marine boilers used in ships today are mostly for auxiliary purposes in vessels that run
on marine diesel engines or diesel electric propulsion. In case of ships using steam
turbines (mostly found in high speed vessels used by navies), boilers are a part of the
main propulsion system. However, in this article, we will focus on auxiliary boilers, i.e.
boilers used for running auxiliary systems in a ship.

To look at this from a ship designer’s point of view, he/she should be able to choose the
right kind of boiler for a particular ship depending on the requirement for that particular
project. The process is pretty much an application of first principles, but in a somewhat
different way.

To rate a boiler, one first needs to correctly estimate the steam output required from a
boiler for the ship being designed. For this, the three main requirements are:

Requirement 1 – Steam consumption required to compensate heat losses in tanks.

Requirement 2 – Steam consumption required to raise the temperature of fuel oil in

tanks.

Requirement 3 – Steam consumption required for other services.

We will discuss each of the requirements, and once done, we will see how the obtained
data is used to estimate the capacity of the boiler.

Requirement 1- Steam consumption required to compensate heat losses in tanks:

Most ships run by diesel engines have fuel oil tanks that are used to store Heavy Fuel
Oil (HFO). Since the viscosity of HFO is very high, stored HFO is almost as dense as
tar, and its high viscosity makes it unable to flow. But in order to transfer the stored HFO
to the settling tanks and then the HFO service tank, the viscosity needs to be
maintained at a level corresponding to which easy flow is possible. For this, HFO
storage tanks are equipped with heating coils to maintain the fuel at a certain
temperature. The heating fluid in the heating coils is steam that is produced in the
auxiliary boiler.

First, each HFO storage tank is located in the general arrangement drawing, and the
surrounding space adjacent to each tank bulkhead is noted. Depending on the
surrounding of each tank bulkhead (Engine Room, Void, Ballast Water Tank, Sludge
Tank, etc.) the ambient temperature is fixed for heat transfer through each bulkhead of
the tank in analysis.

The amount of steam flow rate required to maintain the temperature of fuel in each such
tank is calculated using the following steps:

Heat loss from tank bulkhead

Q1 = U A (T2 – T1)

Where

Qb = heat loss from bulkhead (W)

U = overall heat transfer co-efficient (W/m20C)

A = Area of tank bulkhead under consideration (m2)

T2 = Temperature of the tank to be maintained (0C)

T1 = Temperature of the adjacent medium of the bulkhead considered ( 0C)

Heat loss from tank Qt = Sum of heat loss from all the six bulkheads of the tank

Q1 = sum of heat loss from all the tanks

As we know the heat transfer rate, the mass flow rate of steam can be calculated
using the following formula :

ms = Q1 / ∆h

Where,

ms = mass flow rate of steam (kg/s)

Q1 = calculated heat transfer (kW)

∆h = enthalpy drop of the steam (kJ/kg)

Requirement 2- Steam consumption required to raise the temperature of fuel oil in
tanks:

Not only is steam required to compensate the heat losses from fuel oil tanks, but steam
is also used to heat the fuel oil to required temperature before being used in the engine.

For this, the time (t) in hours, required to heat up the oil in each type of tank is generally
considered as follows:

∆T/t

 For Storage Tank – 0.2 DEG C/HR RISE IN TEMP.

 Service and Settling tank – 4 DEG C/HR RISE IN TEMP.
 All other Tanks – 1 DEG C/HR RISE IN TEMP.

This calculation includes two steps:

 Calculation of heat (Q in watts) required to heat contents of each tank, and summation of
all the individual heat requirements to obtain total heat transfer required to raise the
temperature of fuel oil in tanks (Q2)
 Utilising the above obtained heat requirement to find the required mass flow rate of
steam for this purpose.

A sample of this calculation is shown below:

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of fuel oil tanks can be expressed
as:

Q2 = m Cp dT / t

Where Q2 = mean heat transfer rate (kW)

m = mass of fuel oil in the tank (kg)

Cp = specific heat capacity of the fuel oil (kJ/kg oC)

dT = Change in temperature of the fuel oil (oC)

t = total time over which the heating process occurs (hours)

As we know the heat transfer rate, the mass flow rate of steam can be calculated using
the following formula :

ms = Q2 / ∆h

Where ms = mass flow rate of steam (kg/hr)

Q2 = calculated heat required to raise the temperature (kW)

∆h = enthalpy drop of the steam (kJ/kg)

Requirement 3- Steam consumption required for other services:

Steam is also used in ships to cater to other heating requirements, some of which are
listed below:

 Used as a heat exchange medium in Heavy Fuel Oil purifiers, Light Diesel Oil purifiers,
and Lube Oil purifiers.
 Steam used as a heating medium in booster modules.
 To pre-heat main engine jacket cooling water.
 Used as a heating medium in calorifiers (calorifiers are high pressure storage units of
heated water, which is used in gantry and toilet utilities).

Heat requirement by all such services are calculated individually and added. The
obtained heat requirement is termed as Q3 (for the purpose of this article only).

Once the heat requirements for the three purposes (mentioned above) are obtained,
they are added to obtain the Total Heat Rate and Total Steam Mass Flow Rate
Required for the boiler:

Total Heat Rate Required (Q) = Q1 + Q2 + Q3 (kW)

Total Mass Flow Rate Required is calculated from the relation: mS = Q / ∆h (kg/hr)

Where, ∆h = enthalpy drop of the steam (kJ/kg)

Now, there are two rating systems to obtain a suitable boiler:

From and At Rating:

In the above graph, the vertical axis corresponds to the steam output as a percentage of
the from and at rating, at different pressures. That is, for example:

At 15 bar,

If feed water temperature is 68 degree Celsius,

Then the percentage from and at rating from the graph is 90%

So if a boiler has a rated steam output of 2000 kg/hr, the actual steam output of the
boiler will be 90% of the rated output, which is 1800 kg/hr.

Now, when a designer chooses a boiler, he/she needs to specify the rated steam output
to the boiler manufacturer. The boiler manufacturer, along with the boiler, provides the
boiler from and at rating graph for the proposed boiler, and the above calculation is
carried out for various boiler pressures and feed water temperatures, to check that
the actual steam output is more than the steam flow rate (mS) obtained in the initial
design calculations that we have previously discussed.

Kilowatt Rating:

While some boiler manufacturers prefer from and at ratings, some others prefer another
system called the Kilowatt rating system, which is however just a different way of
expressing the same data.
In order to obtain the Actual Steam Flowrate from the kW rating of a boiler, the following
relation is used:

In the above expression, the energy to be added refers to the amount of energy added
to the boiler by the feed water (which in turn depends on the feed water temperature).

The designer should make sure that the steam output obtained above is more than
the steam flow rate (mS) obtained in the initial design calculations that we have
previously discussed.

The above checks are to carried out at various working pressures of the boiler, and
different ranges of feed water temperature, depending on the steam requirement at
various sailing conditions. It is to be ensured that the chosen boiler meets the
requirements in all such conditions, at different load combinations.

The type of boiler to be used in the ship is also to be chosen by the designer based on
the following criteria:

 Functionality of the boiler.

 Space Constraints.

For most auxiliary boilers, shell and tube boilers are used, where the boiler drum holds
the water reserve, and fire tubes run along the length of the drum. The hot gases
produced by the burner are carried in the fire tubes that provide more surface area for
heat transfer to the water. In most cases, the auxiliary boilers are horizontally oriented in
case there are no space constraints, as they prevent pressure fluctuations which is
more in case of vertically oriented boilers.

However, for exhaust gas economisers or exhaust gas boilers (These are boilers that do not
have a furnace. They are also fire tube boilers, where exhaust gases from the engine are
passed through the fire tubes to heat the water in the boiler drum.) vertical configurations are
preferable, as it provides less back pressure on the exhaust gas system. Exhaust gas boilers
are used when the vessel is on voyage, and when in port, the auxiliary boiler is used.

Steel Boilers
'''Steel boilers''' are generally divided into two types: ''fire-tube'' and ''water-tube''.

Fire-tube Boilers
In fire-tube boilers, combustion gases pass through the inside of the tubes with water surrounding
the outside of the tubes. The advantages of a fire-tube boiler are its simple construction and less
rigid water treatment requirements.
The disadvantages are the excessive weight-per-pound of steam generated, excessive time required
to raise steam pressure because of the relatively large volume of water, and inability to respond
quickly to load changes, again, due to the large water volume.
The most common fire-tube boilers used in facility heating applications are often referred to as
''scotch'' or ''scotch marine'' boilers, as this boiler type was commonly used for marine service
because of its compact size (fire-box integral with boiler section).
The name "fire-tube" is very descriptive. The fire, or hot flue gases from the burner, is channeled
through tubes ('''Figure 2''') that are surrounded by the fluid to be heated. The body of the boiler is
the pressure vessel and contains the fluid. In most cases, this fluid is water that will be circulated for
heating purposes or converted to steam for process use.

'''Figure 2: Fire-tube Boiler Gas Flow'''

Every set of tubes that the flue gas travels through, before it makes a turn, is considered a "pass."
So, a three-pass boiler will have three sets of tubes with the stack outlet located on the rear of the
boiler. A four-pass boiler will have four sets and the stack outlet at the front.
Fire-tube boilers are:

 Relatively inexpensive
 Easy to clean
 Compact in size
 Available in sizes from 600,000 btu/hr to 50,000,000 btu/hr
 Easy to replace tubes
 Well suited for space heating and industrial process applications

Disadvantages of fire-tube boilers include:

 Not suitable for high pressure applications 250 psig and above
 Limitation for high capacity steam generation
Water-tube Boilers
In a water-tube boiler ('''Figure 3'''), the water is inside the tubes and combustion gases pass around
the outside of the tubes. The advantages of a water-tube boiler are a lower unit weight-per-pound of
steam generated, less time required to raise steam pressure, a greater flexibility for responding to
load changes, and a greater ability to operate at high rates of steam generation.

'''Figure 3: Water-tube Boiler'''

A water-tube design is the exact opposite of a fire-tube. Here, the water flows through the tubes and
is encased in a furnace in which the burner fires. These tubes are connected to a steam drum and a
mud drum. The water is heated and steam is produced in the upper drum.
Large steam users are better suited for the water-tube design. The industrial water-tube boiler
typically produces steam or hot water primarily for industrial process applications, and is used less
frequently for heating applications. The best gauge of which design to consider can be found in the
duty in which the boiler is to perform.
Water-tube boilers:

 Are available in sizes far greater than a fire-tube design , up to several million pounds-per-
hour of steam
 Are able to handle higher pressures up to 5,000 psig
 Recover faster than their fire-tube cousin
 Have the ability to reach very high temperatures

Disadvantages of the water-tube design include:

 High initial capital cost

 Cleaning is more difficult due to the design
 No commonality between tubes
 Physical size may be an issue

Water-tube boiler
a boiler whose primary heating surface is composed of many small tubes, filled with water.
Tubes of 3 inch diameter and above are termed "large-tube" boilers. Later water-tube
designs used smaller "small-tubes" of 2 inches or less.
Basic Construction
This design allows the use of lower quality feed. It is easy to clean and easy
to maintian and replace tubes. Disadvantages are the large number of
handhole doors and the extensive brickwork. The drum is all welded and the
casing bolted.
Front fired studded wall refractory covered boiler
Roof fired membrane wall modern Radiant heat boiler: -
Components
Steam drum
In the early designs the drums were riveted or solid forged from a single
ingot, but for modern boilers the drum is generally fabricated from steel
plate of differing thicknesses and welded. The materials used are governed
by classification society rules. Test pieces must be provided.
The cylindrical drum is normally constructed from four plates. Two dished
End plates, a thick wall tube plate ( thicker to accommodate the holes drilled
in it without increased stress) and completed with a thinner wrapper plate.
Construction takes the form of rigidly clamping the descaled, bent wrapper
and tube plates together. In addition test pieces cut from the original
material are attached to the construction in such a way that the longitudinal
weld extends either sided of the join. These pieces are later removed and
shaped test shapes cut out from specified areas including across the weld.
The longitudinal weld is critical ( taking twice the circumferential stress) and
is normally carried out by specialised automatic machinery using submerged
arc techniques.
The dished end pieces are accurately aligned and welded.
On completion the construction is cleaned and non-destructive testing- such
as x-ray photography, carried out. Final machining is carried out and any
stub pieces and doublers attached. The now complete drum is heat treated
at 600 to 650'C.
The final process is hydraulic testing to classification requirements. Natural
circulation within a boiler is due to the differing specific gravities of the water
at the differing temperatures, the steam drum provides a reservoir of cool
water to give the gravitational head necessary for natural circulation. Cool
water entering the steam drum via the feed lines provides the motive effect
for the circulation distributing it to the down-comers.
Also the space within the drum provides for the separation of the steam and
water emulsions formed in the water walls and the generating tubes. Water
droplets entrained with the separated steam are removed by separating
components fitted in the drum as well as the perforated baffle plates fitted
at the water line.
The space above the water line provides for a reserve steam space needed
to maintain plant stability during maneuvering conditions.
Also fitted is the chemical injection distributing pipe and the scumming plate.
The smaller the drum is made, the less thickness of material that is
required. However, the limitation to how small is that sufficient space must
be allowed for the separation of water from the steam before passing out to
the super heater space otherwise dryers must be used. Also, due to the
smaller reserve of water, larger fluctuations in water level occur during
maneuvering.
Water drum
Distributes feed water from the downcomers to the headers and generating
tubes. Provides a space for accumulating precipitates and allows them to be
blown down.
Water drum size is limited to that required to receive the generating tubes,
for modern radiant heat boilers with only a single bank of screen tubes and
no generating tubes between the drums, the water drum has been replaced
by a header and the downcomers fed straight to the waterwall headers. With
system blow down is done at the steam drum. Too small a water drum can
cause problems of maintaining ideal water level and little steam reserve.
Headers
These have a similar purpose to the water drum but are smaller in size. Due
to their reduced size they may have a square cross section without resorting
to exceptional thickness. .
Generating tubes
Consists of a large number of small diameter tubes in the gas flow, more
commonly found in boilers of an older design.
For roof fired boilers the generating bank may consist of one or two rows of
close pitched tubes. For a modern radiant heat boiler the generating bank
has been omitted to allow the replacement of the water drum by a
distribution header, a bare tube economiser is fitted generating 5% of the
steam capacity. The generation bank is normally heated by convection
rather than radiant heat.
For a set water circulation the tube diameter is limited to a minimum as the
ratio of steam to water can increase to a point where the possibility of
overheating could occur due to the lower heat capacity of the steam.
The number of tubes is limited to prevent undercooling of the gas flow
leading to dew point corrosion.
Screen tubes
These are larger bore tubes receiving the radiant heat of the flame and the
convective heat of the hot gasses. The large diameter keeps the
steam/water ratio down hence preventing overheating. Their main duty is to
protect the superheater from the direct radiant heat. On a modern marine
radiant heat boiler the screen wall is formed out of a membrane wall.
Waterwall tubes
Contains the heat of the furnace so reducing the refractory and insulation
requirements.
It comes in four designs:
 water cooled with refractory covered studded tubes
 Close pitched exposed tubes
 Monowall
 Membrane Wall
Mono and membrane walls greatly improve on the older designs in being gas
tight.
 Advantages of roof firing over side firing
 Increased efficiency due to the longer length allowed for the flame giving
more time for complete combustion. This also allows more heat to be
released as radiant rather than convective cutting down the required number
of screen wall generating tubes.
 The longer period allowed for complete combustion means that less excess
air is required, this has the knock on effect of lowering the Dew Point of the
flue gasses.
 Equal length flames.
 Better gas flow.
 For roof fired the effect of each flame is the same, for side firing it differs. To
keep within the design limitations the boiler must be operated to the highest
effect flame with the other two operating at reduced effect.
Ligament (ligature) Cracking Mechanics
Generally associated with failure of refractory plug located beneath steam
drum. The ligature is the space between the tube plate holes. Classification
rules typically allow isolated ligature cracks to be gouged and re-welded. For
continuous cracks repairs are not normally allowed and a new drum/tube
plate may be required.
Hot gasses acting on the thick section tube plate set up a temperature
gradient leading to creep, plastic flow to relief thermal stress and high
tensile stress on the surface at cool down. In addition grain growth leads to
the metal becoming brittle.
A more severe form may lead to distortion of the entire drum in two possible
directions. The thick section tube plate is exposed to the heat of the furnace
and is subject to overheating. Thermal distortion takes place leading to
stressing. This stressing is relieved by creep. When the drum cools a set
distortion is in place
The distortion may occur in three ways, in a radial or axial direction as
shown below.
 Advantages of Water tube boilers over smoke tube
(Tank)
Advantages over tank
 Savings in weight of about 3:1 for a comparable heating surface area
 Possibility of using higher temperatures and pressures without unduly
increasing wall thickness increases plant efficiency.
 More efficient combustion space allowed
 Greater flexibility of the structure and rapid circulation prevents the
problems of thermal stressing in the tank boilers which leads to grooving. In
water tube boilers roof and floor tubes are sloped at 15' to ensure circulation
 thinner tube materials allow rapid steam raising and faster heat transfer
rates.
 Saving in space for same steaming rate.
 Wider safety margins- limited tube diameters and protected drum surfaces
mean failure in tubes releases a flow of steam dependent on tube diameter.
 Thin tubes are easier to bend, expand and bell mouth.
Disadvantages
 Lower reserve of water means a more efficient water level control is
required.
 High quality feed required.
 little allowance to corrosion.

Downcomers
These are large diameter unheated i.e. external to the furnace, their purpose
is to feed water from the steam drum to the water drum and bottom
headers.
Riser/Return tubes
These return steam from the top water wall headers to the steam drum.
Superheater tubes
These are small diameter tubes in the gas flow after the screen tubes. Due
to the low specific heat capacity of the saturated steam they require
protection from overheating in low steam flow conditions, say when flashing.
Superheater support tubes
These are large diameter tubes designed to support part of the weight of the
superheater bank of tubes.
Material requirements
Tube temperatures for the water cooled sections is considered to be
saturation temperature plus 15oC. Solid drawn mild steel is generally used.
Tube temperatures for convection superheater sections is considered to be
final superheat temperatures plus 30oC. For Radiant heat a higher
temperature is considered.
For Superheater tubes operating above 455oC a Chrome Molybdenum
alloyed steel is required.

Advantages of membrane/monowalls
These were originally introduced in land power stations after experience had
been gained in making the lower parts of the furnace sufficiently tight to
hold liquid ash. This was achieved by welding steel strips between the floor
tubes. Further development resulted in completely gas tight furnace wall
panels being constructed by welding together either finned tubes or normal
plane tubes with steel strips in between and welded. In both methods the
 longitudinal welds are done by automatic processes and panels of the
required size are built up in the factory ready for installation into the boiler
in one piece.
 Entire walls may be prefabricated.
 Maintenance costs, particularly of insulation are lower.
 Lower quality fuels may be used due to the much reduced amount of
insulation, reducing problems of slagging.
 Simplified water washing procedures.
 Due to gas tight seal there is no corrosion of outer casing.

A disadvantage would be that tube replacement following failure is more

difficult. Also, the possibility of entire walls parting from the drum can occur
during a furnace explosion.
Boiler System Major Components
Boiler systems are comprised of the major components described below and shown in '''Figure 7'''.

'''Figure 7: Boiler Room Schematic'''

Feedwater Heaters
Feedwater heaters are energy recovery devices generally found only in large steam generating
plants where all of the steam generated is not reduced to condensate by the steam user. This "waste
steam" is reduced to condensate for return to the boiler in the feedwater heater. The boiler feedwater
is used as a cooling medium to reduce the steam to condensate, which increases the temperature of
the feedwater and, thereby, increases the thermal efficiency of the boiler.

Fuel Heater
Many boilers firing heavy fuel oil require fuel heaters to reduce the fuel viscosity, so the fuel can be
atomized by the burner system for complete combustion.
Deaerators
A deaerator is a special case of feedwater heater that is designed to promote the removal of non-
condensable gases from the boiler feedwater. The principal gases of concern are oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and ammonia, which are major contributors to boilers, and steam and
condensate piping corrosion problems. In small steam plants, a portion of the steam generated by
the boiler is used to operate the deaerator if "waste steam" is not available. Failure to maintain and
properly operate the deaerator can lead to early failure of the boiler, steam using equipment, and the
steam and condensate piping.

Pumps
In most hot water systems, the system circulating pumps are electric motor-driven, end suction
centrifugal pumps. In steam systems, the condensate return pumps are typically electric motor-
driven, end suction, centrifugal or turbine-type pumps. Feedwater pumps are generally electric
motor-driven, multiple-stage, end suction centrifugal pumps. The shutoff head of the pump must be
greater than the steam or hot water system operating pressure.

Combustion Air Blowers

In many packaged boiler installations, the combustion air fan is designed and provided by the boiler
manufacturer and is integral with the boiler housing. In installations where a stand-alone fan is
provided, low-pressure centrifugal blowers are commonly used. An important characteristic of the
blower is the ability to maintain a relatively constant air pressure over a wide range of airflows.

Flue
Flues (boiler firebox exhaust duct or boiler discharge stack) must be large enough to conduct the
products of combustion away from the boiler with a minimum of duct friction loss. Flues may be
fabricated from any material suitable for the operating temperature and pressure. Common materials
of construction associated with packaged boiler installations are carbon steel and stainless steel.

Economizer
An economizer is an energy recovery device that uses the hot exhaust gases from the boiler (waste
heat) to heat combustion air or feedwater.

Steam Traps
Steam traps are installed throughout steam systems to remove condensate (spent steam), air, and
non-condensable gases from the steam system. There are five types of steam traps in general use
today, as described below.

1. The heart of a '''balanced pressure thermostatic trap''' is the flexible bellows that moves the
valve head from its seat to discharge the condensate. The bellows is filled with a volatile fluid
and hermetically sealed. The fluid has a pressure-temperature relationship that closely
parallels, but is approximately 10 degrees Fahrenheit below that of steam.
2. The '''liquid expansion steam trap''' has for its operating element a liquid-filled cartridge.
Within this cartridge is a hermetically sealed bellows which is attached to the valve head and
plunger.
3. '''Float and thermostatic steam traps''' provide immediate and continuous discharge of
condensate, air, and non-condensables from a steam system as soon as they reach the trap.
The trap consists of a ball float connected by a leverassembly to the main valve head. As
condensate reaches the trap, the ball float rises, positioning the valve to discharge the
condensate at the same rate as it reaches the trap.
4. The '''inverted bucket steam trap''' is a type of trap with an inverted bucket attached to the
valve head by a lever mechanism and operates to open and close the trap. When
condensate enters the trap, a water seal is formed around the bottom of the inverted bucket
which, since it is filled with air, becomes buoyant and rises and closes the trap. A small hole
 in the top of the inverted bucket allows air to escape with condensate taking its place inside
the bucket. The inverted bucket loses its buoyancy and sinks to the trap bottom, opening the
valve to discharge the condensate.
5. '''Thermodynamic steam traps''' are a type of steam trap that responds to differences in
kinetic energy between steam and condensate to open and close the valve for discharging
condensate.

1,000 BTU = 1 lb. of steam

150 BTU = 1 sq. ft. of hot water
34.5 lbs steam/hr = 1 boiler horsepower
1 boiler hp = 140 sq. ft. steam radiation
240 BTU = 1 sq. ft. of steam
34,500 BTU = 1 boiler horsepower

Boiler Blowdown
Blowdown of steam boilers is very often a highly neglected or abused aspect of routine boiler room
maintenance. The purpose of boiler blowdown is to control solids in the boiler water. Blowdown
protects boiler surfaces from severe scaling or corrosion problems that can result otherwise.
There are two types of boiler blowdowns: ''continuous'' and ''manual''.
A continuous blowdown uses a calibrated valve and a blowdown tap near the boiler water surface.
As the name implies, it continuously takes water from the top of the boiler at a predetermined rate. A
continuous blowdown is an optional feature and may not be included on your steam boiler; however,
all steam boilers should include a means for manual blowdown as standard equipment.
Manual blowdowns are accomplished through tapings at the bottom of the boiler. These openings
allow for the removal of solids that settle at the bottom of the boiler. Manual blowdown is also used
to keep water level control devices and cutoffs clean of any solids that would interfere with their
operation. All steam boilers require manual blowdown whether or not they are supplied with
continuous blowdowns.

Frequency of Manual Blowdown

When continuous blowdown is used, manual blowdown is primarily used to remove suspended
solids or sludge. The continuous blowdown removes sediment and oil from the surface of the water
along with a prescribed amount of dissolved solids.
When surface or continuous blowdown is not used, manual blowdown is used to control the
dissolved or suspended solids in addition to the sludge.
In practice, the valves of the bottom blowdown are opened periodically in accordance with an
operating schedule and/or chemical control tests. From the standpoint of control, economy, and
results, frequent short blows are preferred to infrequent lengthy blows. The length and frequency of
the blowdown is particularly important when the suspended solids content of the water is high. With
the use of frequent short blows, a more uniform concentration of the pressure vessel water is
maintained.
In cases where the feedwater is exceptionally pure, or where there is a high percentage of return
condensate, blowdown may be employed less frequently since less sludge accumulates in the
pressure vessel. When dissolved and/or suspended solids approach or exceed predetermined limits,
manual blowdown to lower the concentrations is required.
It is generally recommended that a steam boiler be blown down at least once in every eight-hour
period, but frequency may vary depending upon water and operating conditions. The blowdown
amounts and schedule should be recommended by your local Cleaver-Brooks authorized
representative.
A hot water boiler does not normally include openings for surface blowdown and bottom blowdown
since blowdowns are seldom practiced. Always be alert to system water losses and corresponding
amount of raw water makeup. A water meter is recommended for water makeup lines.
Proper blowdown is performed as follows:

1. Blowdown should be done with the boiler under a light load.

2. Open the blowdown valve nearest the boiler first. This should be a quick-opening valve.
3. Crack open the downstream valve until the line is warm. Then open the valve at a steady
rate to drop the water level in the sight glass 1/2 inch. Then close it quickly being sure that
the handwheel is backed off slightly from full close to relieve strain on the valve packing.
4. Close the valve nearest the boiler.

Repeat the above steps if the boiler has a second blowdown tapping. Water columns should be
blown down at least once a shift to keep the bowls clean. Care should be taken to prevent low water
shutdown if this will affect process load.
Please keep in mind that all blowdown piping should be checked once a year for obstructions.

Blow Down Purpose

The purpose of blow down is to control the amount of solids and sludge in the boiler water. The blow
down process involves partially draining the boiler to remove sludge and to maintain pre-determined
concentration levels of solids.
As the water is turned into steam, the solids remain behind. Unless there is 100% condensate
return, the solid content tends to build up when the boiler takes on make-up water. On hot water
systems, there is generally no make-up water. Therefore, the solid concentration remains constant
and no blow down is needed.
The amount and frequency of blow down differs for each boiler application and should be
determined by your water management consultant. Blow down is affected by the type of boiler,
operating pressure, water treatment, and the amount and quality of make-up water.
Blow down piping should be at least the same size as the blow down tapping on the boiler. Blow
down valves should be sized in accordance with the ASME code and piped to a safe point of
discharge. There should be either two slow opening valves or one quick opening valve and one slow
opening valve piped in series. A slow opening valve is defined as needing five complete 360 degree
turns to go from fully closed to fully open. A quick opening valve goes from fully closed to fully open
in one complete motion. In the case of one quick and one slow opening valve, the quick opening
valve should be located closest to the boiler. If possible, the blow down valves should be piped on
the same side of the boiler as the water column gauge glass.
To blow down the boiler:

 Open the quick opening valve (valve closest to the boiler) first.
 Open the slow opening valve last.
 Blow down the boiler for the required amount of time, per your water management
consultant, by opening and then closing the slow opening valve.

'''Remember''': Pay close attention to the water level in the gauge glass. Certain loads may require
several blow down cycles of short duration to maintain proper water level in the boiler.

 Close the slow opening valve first.

 Close the quick opening valve (the valve closest to the boiler) last.
 Open the slow opening valve again to drain the line between the quick and slow opening
valve.
 Close the slow opening valve again and double-check for tight shutoff after the valve has
cooled off.
'''NEVER''' pump the quick opening valve to blow down the boiler! This may cause water hammer,
which could damage piping and valves and may cause personal injury. Also, NEVER leave an open
blow down valve unattended!
'''Remember: The quick opening valve (the valve closest to the boiler) is opened first and closed last,
which ensures its protection from the wear associated with blow down. This will make this valve
more reliable so maintenance and repair can be performed on the slow opening valve furthest from
the boiler, without draining the boiler.

Superheaters
Whatever type of boiler is used, steam will leave the water at its surface and pass into the steam space.
Steam formed above the water surface in a shell boiler is always saturated and cannot become
superheated in the boiler shell, as it is constantly in contact with the water surface.

If superheated steam is required, the saturated steam must pass through a superheater. This is simply a
heat exchanger where additional heat is added to the saturated steam.

In water-tube boilers, the superheater may be an additional pendant suspended in the furnace area
where the hot gases will provide the degree of superheat required (see Figure 3.4.4). In other cases, for
example in CHP schemes where the gas turbine exhaust gases are relatively cool, a separately fired
superheater may be needed to provide the additional heat.

Fig. 3.4.4
A water tube boiler with a superheater

If accurate control of the degree of superheat is required, as would be the case if the steam is to be used
to drive turbines, then an attemperator (desuperheater) is fitted. This is a device installed after the
superheater, which injects water into the superheated steam to reduce its temperature.
 Superheater Temperature Control in Boilers

Steam temperature control is carried out in all boilers to get a constant temperature within a range. Methods like desuperheating
by water injection, flue gas flow diverting, burner tilting are few systems adopted. Main steam and reheat outlet temperature are
controlled by these methods in boiler.

 All boilers used for both process and power generation plants have to maintain steam parameters within a particular range. The
pressure and temperature of steam at superheater and reheater outlets are to be maintained to achieve an optimum plant
efficiency. In large capacity boilers, injection type desuperheating is more popular. Reheaters in power boilers can also be
technically classified as superheaters, however the type of control adopted is mainly varying the heat available from the flue gas
side by bypassing the flue gas to the superheater side and the burner tilt to vary the radiant heat availability.

Superheating system
Superheaters in large capacity boilers are of both convective and radiant type. The convective type superheaters are placed in the
second pass of the boiler, and these are also called low temperature super heaters. Generally about a 40 to 60 degree centigrade
temperature pick up takes place on the steam side in this superheater.The steam from this moves to a radiant type superheater
called the panel or platen superheater, and about a 70 to 100 degree centigrade pickup take place there. This is followed by the
final superheater, and the remaining required temperature is picked up here. One has to understand that the designer can vary the
pickup pattern depending upon his way of practice or requirement. But in all the methods adopted, the final temperature must be
within a narrow range generally plus / minus five degrees centigrade. The superheaters are so surfaced that, for the design fuel of
the boiler, there will not be any desuperheating requirement.

Desuperheating system
Three major systems are adopted the world over: the injection type, the flue gas flow diverting type, and the burner tilt. The last
two are adopted for reheater steam temperature control. The first one is adopted for superheater temperature control. It also used
in reheaters during emergencies when there is a need to quench the temperature even after reaching the maximum of control on
the normal system adopted. The material selection for the superheater before the injection will be greatly influenced by the
quantity of injection.

Injection type desuperheating

In almost all large capacity boilers there are two injection points provided. The first desuperheater is placed between the low
temperature superheater and the platen/panel superheater. The second one is placed between the platen/panel and the final
superheater. The control is done mostly by the desuperheater, and the second one is more for fine tuning, as the response time for
the first is long. In both the cases the feed water is tapped at an appropriate point and injected as fine spray through nozzles in the
steam pipe of the desuperheater. The mechanical design aspect includes liners so that the temperature differential is not directly
felt on the pressure part side of the desuperheater.

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Flue gas diverting design

Here the flue gas path in the second pass of the boiler is divided in two. One houses the superheater and part of economizer; the
other houses the reheater and part of the economizer. The superheater here is the low temperature (also called primary)
superheater. The reheater here is called the horizontal reheater and forms a considerable portion of the total reheater surface.
There are dampers provided in the bottom of each pass which can vary the flow in the section including a bypass flow area in
between the two flow paths. By varying the flue gas flow in the reheater section, the pickup can be varied to control the final
 reheat steam temperature. Here also the superheater temperature control is done by injection, however there will be an effect on
the heat transferred in the superheater section.

Burner tilt method

This method of reheater steam temperature control is applicable to only tilting tangential firing system boilers. Here the burners
arranged in the corner are tilted up or lowered down so that the flame envelope in the furnace can move up or down causing a
good variation in the amount of radiation heat the reheater receives. Many designers provide an emergency injection system for
reheater temperature control. Feed water is injected in the cold reheat steam side to control the final temperature.

There are other methods like gas recirculation, non-contact type desuperheating, etc., which are adopted in cases of combination
fuel firing, lower capacity units, etc.

 About the Author

Dr V T Sathyanathan is a boiler consultant with 35 years of experience in various areas of high pressure boiler trouble shooting.
He holds a PhD in coal combustion in boilers.

Related Reading
How Long Term Overheating Tube Failures Happen in Boilers - Long term overheating tube failures are due to operating metal
temperature of the boiler tubes going above the allowable limit. These types of failure are seen in steam cooled tubes like
superheaters and reheaters and in water cooled tubes of waterwalls

Boiler Operation Made Easy:

Procedure for Starting and Stopping a
Boiler
A boiler is one of those machineries that gets the ship going. A boiler is something,
which though not required continuously in operating a ship, cannot be done away with.
Moreover, it’s a dangerous equipment which generates steam at extremely high
pressure, and it is for this reason that proper care should be taken while operating it.

In this article we have brought to you a step-by-step procedure for starting and stopping
a boiler on a ship. With this procedure you can never go wrong, as far as boilers are
concerned. Starting and stopping a boiler was never so easy.

Starting a Boiler
It is to note that the following steps may not apply to all types of boilers and each boiler
requires some additional steps to be followed as per its system design. However, the
basic steps remain the same:

1. Ÿ Ensure that the vent valve on the boiler is open and check there is no pressure in the
boiler.
2. Ÿ Check that the steam stop valve is closed.
3. Ÿ Check that all the valves for fuel are open, and let the fuel circulate through the system
until it comes to the temperature required by the manufacturer recommendation.
4. Ÿ Check and open the feed water valves to the boiler and fill the water inside the boiler
drum to just above the low water level. This is done because it is not possible to start the
boiler below the low water level due to safety feature which prevent boiler from starting.
Also, the level is not filled much because if filled too much, the water inside the boiler
might expand and over pressurize the boiler.
5. Ÿ Start the boiler in automatic mode. The burner fan will start the purging cycle which will
remove any gases present in the furnace by forcing it out through the funnel.
6. Ÿ After the pre-set purge time the pilot burner will ignite. The pilot burner consists of two
electrodes, through which a large current is passed, via the transformer, producing the
spark between the electrodes. The pilot burner is supplied with diesel oil and when the oil
passes over, the former ignites.
7. Ÿ The main burner which is supplied by heavy oil catches fire with the help of pilot
burner.
8. Ÿ Check the combustion chamber from the sight glass to ensure the burner has lit and
the flame is satisfactory.
9. Ÿ Keep a close eye on the water level as the pressure increases and open the feed water
when the level of water inside the gauge glass is stable.
10. Ÿ Close the vent valve after the steam starts coming outside.
11. Ÿ Open the steam stop valve.
12. Ÿ Once the working steam pressure is reached, blow down the gauge glass and float
chambers to check for the alarms.

Stopping a boiler

1. Ÿ If the boiler is needed to be stopped for longer duration for maintenance or opened up
for survey, change the fuel to distillate fuel.
2. Ÿ If separate heating arrangement for heavy oil is present then there’s is no need to
change over to distillate fuel and the oil is kept on circulation mode.
3. Ÿ Stop the boiler automatic cycle.
4. Ÿ Close the steam stop valves.
5. Ÿ Close the boiler feed water valves.
1.6. Ÿ When the boiler pressure is just reduced to over atmospheric pressure the vent valve
is kept open to prevent vacuum formation inside the boiler.