[DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]

PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

BOILER DRAUGHT

What is boiler draught?

Is defined as the small difference between the pressure of outside cold atmospheric air and that
of gases within a furnace or chimney.

The draught is necessary to force air through the fuel grate to help in proper combustion of fuel
and to remove the products of combustion. Draught is maintained inside boilers using fans.

Purpose of Boiler Draught

1. To provide an adequate supply of air for fuel combustion.

2. For throw out the exhaust gases of combustion from the combustion chamber.
3. To discharge these gases to the atmosphere through the chimney.
4. To provide sufficient quantity of air for combustion, to make the resulting hot gasses,
to flow through the system and to discharge these gasses to the atmosphere through the
chimney.

CLASSIFICATION OF BOILER DRAUGHT

1
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

Types of Boiler Draught

In general, the draughts may be classified into the following two types,
1. Natural or Chimney Draught
2. Artificial Draught
Draught is broadly classified into 2-types:

Natural Draught

Natural draught system employs a tall chimney as shown in the figure. The chimney is a
vertical tubular masonry structure or reinforced concrete. It is formed for enclosing a
column of flue gases to produce the draught.

In this case the amount of draught directly depends upon the height of chimney. It is produced
due to the difference in densities between the column of hot gases in the chimney and a similar
column of cold air outside the chimney.

Advantages of Natural Draught

1. It does not require any external power for producing the draught.
2. The capital investment is less. The maintenance cost is low as there is no mechanical
part.
3. Chimney keeps the flue gases at a high place in the atmosphere which prevents the
contamination of the atmosphere.
4. It has a long life.

2
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

Disadvantages of Natural Draught

1. The maximum pressure available for producing natural draught by the chimney
is hardly 10 to 20 mm of water under the normal atmospheric and flue gas
temperatures.

2. The available draught reduces with increases in outside air temperature and
for generating enough draught, the exhaust gases have to be discharged
at relatively high temperatures resulting in the loss of overall plant efficiency.
Thus maximum utilization of Heat is not possible.

2. Artificial Draught:

Far producing much draught, the chimney height has to be increased considerably, which is
neither convenient nor economical. Also, since the draught depends upon the climatic conditions,
some mechanical equipment’s are used for producing the required draught and the draught so
produced is called as the artificial draught.

Advantages of Artificial or Mechanical Draught

1. It is more economical and its control is easy.

2. The desired value of draught can be produced by mechanical means which cannot
produced by means of natural draught.
3. It increases the rate of combustion by which low-grade fuel can also be used.
4. It reduces the smoke level and increases the heat transfer co-efficient no flue gases side
thus increases the thermal efficiency of the boiler.
5. In mechanical draught, It saves the energy and the heat of flue gases can be best utilized
by it.
6. In this way, it reduces fuel consumption and makes boiler operation cheaper.
7. It reduces the height of chimney which now is only controlled by the requirement of
pollution norms.

Disadvantages of Artificial or Mechanical Draught

1. The initial cost of mechanical draught system is high.

2. Running cost is also high due to the requirement of electricity but that is easily
compensated by the savings in fuel consumption.
3. Maintenance cost is also at a higher rate.
4. Noise level of boiler is also high due to noisy fan/blower etc.

3
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

Types of Artificial or Mechanical Draught

The following are the two types of Artificial or Mechanical draught:

1. Steam jet draught

2. Mechanical or fan draught

1. Steam Jet Draught

It is a very simple and easy method of producing artificial draught without the need for an
electric motor. It may be forced or induced depending on where the steam jet is installed. Steam
under pressure is available in the boiler.

When a small position of steam is passed through a jet or nozzle, pressure energy converts to
kinetic energy and steam comes out with a high velocity. This high-velocity steam carries, along
with it, a large mass of air or flue gases and makes it flow through the boiler. Thus steam jet can
be used to produce draught and it is a simple and cheap method.

Actually the steam jet is directed towards a fix direction and carries all its energy in kinetic form.
It creates some vacuum in it’s surrounding and attracts the air of flue gases either by carrying
along with it. Thus it has the capacity to make the flow of the flue gases either by carrying or
including towards chimney. It depends on the position of the steam jet.

Types of Steam Jet Draught

The following are the main two types of steam jet draught:

1. Induced steam jet draught.

2. Forced steam jet draught.

1. Induced Steam Jet Draught

The jet of steam is turned into a smoke box or chimney. The kinetic head of the steam is high but
static head is low i.e., it produces a partial vacuum which brings the air through the grate, ash pit,
flues and then to motor box and chimney.

4
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

This type of induced steam jet draught arrangement is used in locomotive boilers. Here the steam
jet is absorbing the exhaust gases through boiler so it is Induced Steam Jet Draught.

2. Forced Steam Jet Draught

Steam from the boiler after having been throttled to a gauge pressure of 1.5 to 2 bar is supplied to
the jet or nozzle installed in the ash pit. The steam rising out of nozzles with a great velocity
drags air by the fuel bed, furnace, flue passage and then to the chimney. Here the steam jet is
pushing or forcing the air and flue gases to flow through boiler hence it is forced steam jet
draught.

Advantages of Induced Steam Jet Draught

1. It is quite simple and cheap.

2. The induced steam jet draught has the capability of using low-grade fuels.
3. It occupies very less space.
4. It is quite simple and cheap.
5. The initial cost is low.
6. Maintenance cost is low.
7. Exhaust steam from the steam engine or turbine can be used easily in the steam jet
draught.

5
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

Disadvantages of Steam Jet Draught

1. It can operate only when some steam is generated.

2. Draught produced very low.

2. Mechanical or Fan Draught

The draught, produced by means of a fan or blower, is known as mechanical draught or fan
draught. The fan used is, generally, of centrifugal type and is driven by an electric motor.

In an induced fan draught a centrifugal fan is placed in the path of the flue gases before they
enter the chimney. It draws the flue gases from the furnace and forces them up through the
chimney. The action of this type of draught is similar to that of the natural draught.

In case of forced fan draught, the fan is placed before the grate, and the air is forced into the
grate through the closed ash pit.

Types of Mechanical or Fan Draught

The following are the three types of mechanical or fan draught:

1. Induced draught.
2. Forced draught.
3. Balanced draught.

1. Induced draught

In induced draught, the blower is placed near the base of the chimney instead of near the grate.
The air is absorbed in the system by decreasing the pressure through the system below the
atmosphere. The induced draught fan sucks the burned gases from the furnace and the pressure
inside the furnace is reduced below atmosphere and includes the atmospheric air to flow through
the furnace.

6
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

The action of the induced draught is related to the action of the chimney. The draught produced
is free from the temperature of the hot gases, therefore, the gases may be released as cold as
possible after recovering as much heat as possible in air-preheater and economiser.

2. Forced Draught

In a forced draught system, a blower is installed near the base of the boiler and air is forced to
pass through the furnace, flues, economiser, air-preheater and to the stack.

This draught system is known as positive draught system or forced draught system because the
pressure and air are forced to flow through the system.

The arrangement of the system is shown in the figure. A stack or chimney is also in this system
as shown in the figure but its function is to discharge gases high in the atmosphere to prevent the

7
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

contamination. It is not much significant for producing draught, therefore, the height of the
chimney may not be very much.

3. Balanced Draught

It is always better to use a combination of forced draught and induced draught instead of forced
or induced draught alone. If the forced draught is applied alone, the furnace cannot be opened for
firing or inspection because high-pressure air inside the furnace will quickly try to blow out and
there is every possibility of blowing out the fire completely and furnace stops.

If the induced draught is used alone, then also furnace cannot be opened either for firing
inspection because the cold air will try to rush into the furnace as the pressure inside the furnace
is under atmospheric pressure. This reduces the effective draught and dilutes the combustion.
Comparison Between Forced Draught and Induced Draught

Forced Draught Induced Draught

Fan or blower is placed before the grate Fan or blower is placed after the grate
The pressure inside the flue gases is slightly The pressure inside the flue gases is slightly less
more than atmospheric pressure than atmospheric pressure
Fan requires less power Fan requires more power
The flow of the flue gases through the boiler is The flow of the flue gases through the boiler is
more uniform less uniform
The danger of fire in case pf leakage of flue No danger of fire in case of leakage of flue
gases. gases.

Read also:

8
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

i. Forced Draught:

In a Forced draught system, a Fan or Blower is provided is shown in figure which forces the air
in the combustion chamber. In the combustion chamber combustion of air and fuel takes place
and hot gases generated. These gases are forced to pass through the flues, economiser, air pre-
heater and then they are exhausted after recovering heat of flue gases. This draught system is
known positive draught system, since the pressure of gases throughout the system is above
atmospheric pressure.

It is to be noted that, the function of chimney use is to discharge the gases high in the atmosphere
to reduce air pollution and it is not much significant for producing draught.

ii. Induced Draught:

In this system, the Blower or Induced Draught fan is located near the base of chimney. The air is
sucked in the system, by reducing the pressure through the system below atmosphere. The flue
gases, generated after combustion are drawn through the system and after recovering heat in the
economiser, air-preheater, they are exhausted through the chimney to the atmosphere.

Here it is to be noted that the draught produced is independent of the temperature of hot gases, so
the gases may be discharged as cold as possible after recovering as much heat as possible.

iii. Balanced Draught:

It is always preferable to use combinations of I.D. and F.D. instead of Forced or Induced draught
alone.

9
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

If Forced Draught alone is used then the furnace cannot be opened for firing or for inspection.
Because the high pressure air/gases inside the furnace will try to blow out, and there is every
chance of blowing out of the fire completely and the furnace may stop.

If Induced Draught fan alone is used, then also furnace cannot be opened either for firing or for
inspection. Because the cold air will try to rush into the furnace, which reduces the effective
draught.

To overcome both these difficulties Balanced Draught is used. In this case I.D. fan and F.D. fan
are provided as shown.

Boiler draught is the pressure difference between the atmosphere and the internal of a boiler.

It is necessary to draw the required amount of air for combustion and to remove all of the flue
gasses out of the system itself.

The purpose of a boiler producing draught is to provide sufficient quantity of air for combustion,
to make the resulting hot gasses, to flow through the system and to discharge these gasses to the
atmosphere through the chimney.

Boiler draught is defined as the difference between absolute gas pressure at any point in a flow
passage and the ambient (same elevation) atmospheric pressure. Draught is achieved a small

10
 [DEETAF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING]
PLANT MAINTENANCE WORK SERVICE-PRACTICE March 11, 2021

pressure difference which causes the flow of air or gas to take place. It is measured in millimetre
(mm) or water.

11