Steam Boilers and There Application By: Matt Hunt Date: November 2, 2005 Objective: to inform on the basic functions of a steam boiler and some of there applications.

Steam Boiler A steam boiler may be defined as a closed vessel partially filled with water under pressure from which steam is produced by the application of heat. This head is usually obtained from the combustion of fuel within a furnace. The steam is then used to supply heat to a heating system or manufacturing process or to produce mechanical power.

Boiler Principal A fuel source (typically an exothermic chemical reaction) heats water The steam is under pressure (ranging from psi residentially and up to 2 600psi at some industrial power plants) and allowing it to apply pressure to the various components of the boiler. Depending on the boilers application the heated water will turn to steam or stay in liquid form.

Application of Steam The steam or water can be directly used by flowing through various piping systems (such as Professor Lambert’s in floor heating system) giving off its heat to the surrounding environment. Alternately the steam can be used to provide work directly (like a steam engine train) or to a turbine which converts the kinetic energy into electric energy.

Heat Sources Most boilers are fueled by the burning of natural gas. This fuel is used residentially and industrially The next most typical form of heating is electric which is commonly used residentially. Another form of fuel is nuclear power, which is used on large industrial levels to produce immense amounts of power. Occasionally garbage and wood are used as a fuel source, but this is ill practice

Inside the Boiler Inside the boiler there are numerous tubes running along the walls of the boiler These tubes have water circulating through them The water/steam in adjacent pipes are always flowing in opposite direction to optimize heat exchange

Conclusions Boilers are systems using the exchange of thermal energy to kinetic energy of molecules in fluid. This fluid can than be put under pressure to do various forms of work or heat transfer.

References South Alberta Institute of Technology. Correspondence Courses Power Engineering, Section 3 Third Class Lecture 1-3 & 6. Boiler Classification. Calgary Alberta.