BOILERS
DIFINITION
A boiler is equipment used to heat feed water in order to produce steam.
DISCRIBTION
The energy released by the burning fuel in the boiler furnace is stored (as
temperature and pressure) in the steam produced. All boilers have a furnace or
combustion chamber where fuel is burnt to release its energy. Air is supplied to the
boiler furnace to enable combustion of the fuel to take place. A large surface area
between the combustion chamber and the water enables the energy of combustion,
in the form of heat, to be transferred to the water. A drum must be provided where
steam and water can separate. There must also be a variety of fittings and controls
to ensure that fuel oil, air and feed water supplies are matched to the demand for
steam. Finally there must be a number of fittings or mountings which ensure the
safe operation of the boiler.
TYPES
Fire tube
In which the hot gases from the furnaces pass through the tubes while the water is
on the outside, Fire tube boilers are used for auxiliary purposes to provide smaller
quantities of low-pressure steam on diesel engine powered ships.
Water tube
in which the water flows through the inside of the tubes while the hot furnace
gases pass around the tubes, The water tube boiler is employed for high-pressure,
high-temperature, high-capacity steam applications, e.g. providing steam for main
propulsion turbines or cargo pump, turbines.
BOILER
MOUNTINGS مركبات الغاليات
1-Safety valves: to protect the boiler against overpressure.
2-Main steam stop valve: fitted in the main steam supply line and is usually of the
non-return type.
3-Feed check or control valve: They are non-return valves.
4-Water level gauge: 'gauge glasses' are fitted in pairs, at opposite ends of the
boiler.
5-Pressure gauge connection: fitted to provide pressure reading.
6-Air release cock: to release air when filling the boiler or initially raising steam.
7-Sampling connection: for the sampling and analysis of feed water.
8-Blow down valve: This valve enables water to be blown down or emptied from
the boiler. It may be used when partially or completely emptying the boiler.
9-Scum valve: for removal of scum and impurities from the water surface.
COMPARISON
FT WT
LOW STEAM PRESS HIGH STEAM PRESS
NORMAL WATER QUALITY DISTILLED WATER
LESS WATER TREATMENT DAILY WATER TREATMENT
LARGE WATER QUANTITY LESS WATER QUANTITY
SLOW STEAMING FAST STEAMING
LARGE SPACE REQUIRED LESS SPACE REQUIRED
F/A HIGH F/A LOW
NORMAL OPERATORS HIGHLY SKILLED OPERATORS
EGB
In motor ships, an exhaust gas boiler (sometimes called a waste-heat boiler) is
often used to recover some of the heat carried in the exhaust gases from the main
engines.
STEAM TO STEAM GENERATOR
Steam-to-steam generators produce low-pressure saturated steam for domestic and
other services. They are used in conjunction with water tube boilers to provide a
secondary steam circuit which avoids any possible contamination of the primary-
circuit feed water. The arrangement may be horizontal or vertical with coils within
the shell which heat the feed water. The coils are supplied with high-pressure, high
temperature steam from the main boiler.
FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM
Marine boilers currently burn residual low-grade fuels. This fuel is stored in
double-bottom tanks from which it is drawn by a transfer pump up to settling
tanks. Here any water in the fuel may settle out and be drained away. The oil from
the settling tank is filtered and pumped to a heater and then through a fine filter.
Heating the oil reduces its viscosity and makes it easier to pump and filter. This
heating must be carefully controlled otherwise 'cracking' or breakdown of the fuel
may take place. A supply of diesel fuel may be available to the burners for initial
firing or low-power operation of the boiler. From the fine filter the oil passes to the
burner where it is 'atomized', i.e. broken into tiny droplets, as it enters the furnace.
A recirculation line is provided to enable initial heating of the oil.
FEED WATER PURITY
Most pure water will contain some dissolved salts which come out of solution on
boiling. These salts then adhere to the heating surfaces as a scale and reduce heat
transfer, which can result in local overheating and failure of the tubes. Other salts
remain in solution and may produce acids which will attack the metal of the boiler.
An excess of alkaline salts in a boiler, together with the effects of operating
stresses, will produce a condition known as 'caustic cracking'. This is actual
cracking of the metal which may lead to serious failure.
The presence of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide in boiler feed water can
cause considerable corrosion of the boiler and feed systems. When boiler water is
contaminated by suspended matter, an excess of salts or oil then 'foaming' may
occur. This is a foam or froth which collects on the water surface in the boiler
drum. Foaming leads to 'priming' which is the carry-over of water with the steam
leaving the boiler drum. Any water present in the steam entering a turbine will do
considerable damage.
FEED WATER TREATMENT
Feed water treatment deals with the various scale and corrosion causing salts and
entrained gases by suitable chemical treatment. This is achieved as follows:
1. By keeping the hardness salts in a suspension in the solution to prevent scale
formation.
2. By stopping any suspended salts and impurities from sticking to the heat transfer
surfaces.
3. By providing anti-foam protection to stop water carry-over.
4. By eliminating dissolved gases and providing some degree of alkalinity which
will prevent corrosion.
The actual treatment involves adding various chemicals into the feed water system
and then testing samples of boiler water with a test kit. The test kit is usually
supplied by the treatment chemical manufacturer with simple instructions for its
use.
For auxiliary boilers the chemicals added might be lime (calcium hydroxide) and
soda (sodium carbonate). Alternatively caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) may be
used on its own.
For high-pressure water tube boilers various phosphate salts are used, such as tri
sodium phosphate, disodium phosphate and sodium met phosphate. Coagulants are
also used which combine the scale forming salts into a sludge and stop it sticking
to the boiler surfaces.
Sodium aluminates, starch and tannin are used as coagulants. Final de-aeration of
the boiler water is achieved by chemicals, such as hydrazine, which combine with
any oxygen present.
FEED SYSTEM
