Experiment No.

AIM: To understand the construction and working of various types of boilers.

APPARATUS:
1. Cochran Boiler 2. Lancashire Boiler 3. Locomotive Boiler 4. Babcock & Wilcox Boiler

THEORY:

Boiler or Steam generators

It is a closed vessel in which steam is produced from water by combustion of fuel. This steam
generation is mostly classified in three steps: Sensible heating, Latent heating, Super Heating.

Diagram (Make on left side, unlined page)

Classification of Boilers

1. According to their Axis (Horizontal, Vertical or Inclined)

i. If the axis of the boiler is horizontal, the boiler is called as horizontal.

ii. If the axis of the boiler is vertical, it is called vertical boiler.
iii. If the axis of the boiler is inclined, it is known as inclined boiler.

2. Fire Tube and Water Tube

i. In the fire tube boilers, the hot gases are inside the tubes and the water surrounds the tubes.
Examples: Cochran, Lancashire and Locomotive boilers.

ii. In the water tube boilers, the water is inside the tubes and hot gases surround them.
Examples: Babcock and Wilcox boiler.
3. Externally Fired and Internally Fired
i. The boiler is known as externally fired if the furnace is outside the shell.
Examples: Babcock and Wilcox boiler.

ii. In internally fired, the furnace is located inside the boiler shell.
Examples: Cochran, Lancashire boiler etc.

4. Forced Circulation and Natural Circulation

i. In forced circulation type of boilers, the circulation of water is done by a forced pump.

ii. In natural circulation type of boilers, circulation of water in the boiler takes place due to
natural convention currents produced by the application of heat.

5. High Pressure and Low-Pressure Boilers

i. The boilers which produce steam at pressure of 80 bar and above are called high pressure
boilers. Examples: Babcock and Wilcox boilers.

ii. The boilers which produce steam at pressure below 80 bar are called low pressure boilers.
Examples: Cochran, Lancashire and Locomotive boilers.

6. Stationary and Portable

i. Stationary boilers are used for power plant-steam, for central station utility power plants,
for plant process steam etc.

ii. Mobile boilers or portable boilers include locomotive type, and other small units for
temporary use at sites (Large Ships).

7. Single Tube and Multi-Tube Boilers

The fire tube boilers are classified as single tube and multi-tube boilers, depending upon
whether the tube is one or more than one.

COCHRAN BOILER

It is one of the best types of vertical multi-tubular boiler and has a number of horizontal fire
tubes, it is also a Low-Pressure Boiler.

Diagram (Make on left side, unlined page)

Construction
Cochran boiler consists of a cylindrical shell with a dome shaped top where the space is
provided for steam. The furnace is one-piece construction and is seamless. Its crown has a
hemispherical shape and thus provides maximum volume of space.

Specification
• Shell diameter: 0.9 m to 2.75 m
• Height: 5.78 m
• Working pressure: 6.7 bar
• Steam capacity: 568 kg/hr
• Heating surface: 120 m²
• Efficiency: 75%

Working:-
The fuel is burnt on the grate and ash is collected and disposed of from ash pit. The gases of
combustion produced by burning of fuel enter the combustion chamber through the flue tube
and strike against fire brick lining which directs them to pass through number of horizontal
tubes, being surrounded by water. After which the gases escape to the atmosphere through
smoke box and chimney.

Lancashire Boiler
Lancashire boiler is simple in design, easy to operate and have less operating and
maintenance cost. It is one of the most commonly used stationary boilers.

Diagram (Make on left side, unlined page)

Construction
The separate furnaces are intended to be fired alternatively so that the mixture of smoke and
un-burnt gases from the newly fired furnace may be consumed in the flues by the aid of the
high temperature of the gases from the bright fire of the other furnace. Generally, it is 7 to 9.5
meters in length and 2 to 3 meters in diameter, though the smaller sizes are more usual. Flue
tubes have diameter of about 0.4 times that of the shell. Working pressure range in modern
Lancashire Boilers is up to 2 MPa.

Working:-
Water fed in to shell through feed check valve. Water level is adjusted with help of water
level indicator. Coal is added to grate through fire hole. Coal is then burnt. Position of
damper is adjusted in such a way that necessary air required for combustion of coal can be
supplied. Combustion will produce hot gases and then these hot gases will move along flue
tubes. They are deflected by firebrick arch. They are made to pass all along the length of
main flue tubes (MFT). At end of MFT, they deflect again and are made to pass through
bottom flue tubes (BFT). At front of shell, the gases in bottom flue tubes (BFT) is divided
into two side flue tubes (SFT) and sent back. From side flue tubes, (SFT) gases enter into
smoke box and finally go to the chimney. Gases pass through MFT heats water centrally,
from below (BFT) and from sides (SFT) and thus transfer maximum heat to the water. Water
is then converted into steam. Steam collected in steam collector pipes from where it is taken
out for further use with help of steam stop valve.

Locomotive Boiler
Locomotive boiler is easy to operate and have less operating and maintenance cost. It is one
of the most commonly used boilers with larger steam generation rate.

Diagram (Make on left side, unlined page)

Construction
Modern Locomotives have to haul very high loads at high speeds, which necessitates the use
of boilers of increased dimensions and high-pressure locomotive boiler meets this demand.

Two general designs are commonly in use:

A. The water bottom type in which the firebox is entirely surrounded by water.
B. The open bottom type in which the firebox is submerged on all sides but not on the
bottom.
Water bottom boilers are self-contained and required no setting but the open bottom boilers,
particularly those fitted with the enlarge fire boxes frequently require masonry ash in it. It is
available in standard sizes from 17 to 275 m2 of heating surface, but larger units have been
built up for special purposes. The steaming rates are as high as 55 to 70 kg of steam per m2 of
the heating surface. It is used for output between 900 to 4000 kg an hour. Working pressure
may range upto 25 to 35 bar.

Specifications
• Length of barrel: 5.206 m
• Diameter of barrel: 2.095 m
• Diameter of super heater tubes: 14 cm
• No. of super heater tubes: 38
• Diameter of ordinary (fire tubes): 5.72 cm
• No. of ordinary fire tubes: 116
• Working pressure: 12.6 bar to 21 bar
• Grate area: 4.27 m²
• Steaming capacity: 900 to 4000 kg/hr
• Coal burnt: Approximately 1750 kg/hr
• Efficiency: 70%
Working:-
Water is fed into shell through feed check valve. Water level is adjustable with the help of
water Level indicator. Through firebox whole coal is added on grate and coal is burnt. Hot
gases, then produced by combustion of coal firstly heats water surrounding the firebox. This
gas then passes though horizontal tubes placed in barrel. This gas then goes to smoke box.
Hot gases transfers heat to water surrounding the tubes. Due to this heat, water is converted
into steam. A regulator is provided inside cylindrical dome. This is operated by regulator
shaft from engine room by driver. This steam then enters in to header. Header is divided into
two parts, one is inlet header or saturated steam chamber and second is superheated steam
chamber. Steam pipe leads the steam from regulator to the saturated steam chamber. It then
leads steam to super heater tubes. After passing through these tubes, steam returns back to
superheated steam chamber. Superheat steam now flows into cylinder. The draught is due to
exhaust steam from cylinder, which is discharged through exhaust pipe. Since chimney is
short, artificial draught is produced to drive out the burnt gases.

The methods used for this are:

a) Due to motion of locomotive boiler on rail tracks.
b) Periodic rush of spent steam, from engine cylinder into firebox to blast pipe, vacuum thus
created sucks hot gases and helps their discharge into atmosphere.
c) Blower mounted at the inlet of chimney, which is run by steam supplied directly by boiler
the blower is operated only when the supply of steam to engine is cut off.

Babcock and Wilcox Boiler

Babcock and Wilcox are a water-tube boiler is an example of horizontal inclined tube boiler.
It is also a High-Pressure Boiler.

Diagram (Make on left side, unlined page)

Construction
It consists of a drum connected to a series of front end and rear end header by short riser
tubes. To these headers are connected a series of inclined water tubes of solid drawn mild
steel. The angle of inclination of the water tubes to the horizontal is about 15° or more.

Specifications
• Diameter of the drum: 1.22 to 1.83 m
• Size of water tubes: 7.62 to 10.16 cm
• Maximum working pressure: 140 bar
• Maximum steaming capacity: 40,000 kg/hr
• Efficiency: 60%-80%

Working:-
Through the fire door the fuel is supplied to grate where it is burnt. The hot gases are forced
to move upwards between the tubes by baffle plates provided. The water from the drum flows
through the inclined tubes via. down take header and goes back into the shell in the form of
water and steam via. uptake header. The steam gets collected in the steam space of the drum.
The steam then enters through the anti-priming pipe and flows in the super heater tubes
where it is further heated and is finally taken out through the main stop valve and supplied to
the Steam turbine or Steam engine when needed.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the difference between Fire tube and water tube boiler?
2. What are the special features of the Cochran Boiler?
3. What is the specialty of Locomotive boiler and where it used?
4. What are the features of Babcock & Wilcox boiler?
5. What is the specialty of Lancashire boiler and where it used?