Equipment for the generation of thermal energy has been used by humans for several centuries. Over this time, the design of the units has changed, allowing owners to receive ever higher operational performance. Nowadays, this segment of industrial equipment is represented by many options that differ in size, performance, type of fuel used and other parameters. In the new generation, industrial boilers also acquire automatic control systems with functional relays and control panels. Such add-ons contribute to the ergonomics and reliability of the units.
Features of industrial boilers
Unlike household models, industrial equipment is designed to service production facilities that require high heat output. Manufacturers of boilers are oriented towards this task. Usually these are massive constructions, which are a complex multicomponent system of mechanisms and communications. In classic units, devices are used that provide the production of water vapor or hot water. The traditional set of elements that industrial boilers have includes fire chambers, smoke exhausters, water treatment and feed plants, as well as protective devices. As the requirements for production indicators increase, this list expands, supplemented by new components of the working infrastructure.
What are the functions of industrial boilers?
A traditional unit of this type serves to generate steam, which is then used as a medium for driving engines. In particular, such tasks are performed in the power units of steam locomotives and turbines of power plants. For modern industry, steam production is less relevant, and the function of supplying thermal energy comes to the fore. A kind of technical heat is required for the needs of various industries, including textile production and agriculture. In public services, industrial heating boilers are also used, which provide the preparation of hot water. Depending on the operating conditions and equipment requirements, a boiler is selected with certain properties and capabilities. To understand the differences between the variations of such units, you should familiarize yourself with their classification.
Equipment classifications
Two approaches to the separation of industrial boilers are distinguished - based on the types of coolant and the fuel used. As for the first sign, water is most often used as the working medium, although steam also does not lose its relevance. Less commonly used is mercury, various antifreezes and other mixtures, which mainly perform the functions of technological support of target objects. The structural features possessed by industrial boilers are more pronounced in the classification of units by the type of fuel used. In this case, equipment that works on solid-state resources, gas mixtures, electricity, etc., is allocated.
Steam units
Representatives of this category, as the name implies, are designed to generate steam. Aggregates of industrial type produce it for the needs of technical support. In particular, such equipment is used in woodworking enterprises. Steam exposure allows you to maintain optimal humidity parameters in the drying chambers. In medicine, industrial steam boilers are used to sterilize work clothes and work equipment, and agriculture uses them in the manufacture of fertilizers and animal feed. It is important to separate saturated and superheated steam . In the above industries, just saturated coolant is used. Superheated steam, in turn, is used in special turbines of power plants. Therefore, boilers of this type are also called energy. Often, units that produce superheated steam are used in a single complex with generators of saturated thermal media. This nuance allows us to attribute power plants to industrial boilers.
Hot water boilers
This is one of the most extensive categories of industrial boilers. Hot water models are used to prepare high-pressure media. Boiling water in the equipment is not allowed, and the pressure indicators at all points do not exceed the threshold values to create saturation conditions for the coolant. Hot water installations are mainly used for the purpose of heat supply. In particular, they are used in public utilities to service district boiler houses. Industrial boilers designed to provide the function of thermal power plants are also common . These are the so-called peak aggregates, whose functions are reduced to the allocation of additional heating. At the same time, boilers of this type are also divided into water and gas pipe models. Water tube installations have a screen heating surface, which includes boiling elements with a liquid coolant content. The heat exchange process is implemented by heating the pipes with combustion products. Gas-tube models also contain small pipes on the heating working surface, but the products of combustion are used directly as the heat carrier.
Gas boilers
Gas-fired engineering and utility equipment is traditionally considered the most economical in terms of operating costs. In addition, the complete cycle of processing of combustion products is reflected in the minimum emission of harmful particles into the atmosphere. Also, the advantages of such boilers include a high heating rate, which allows serving large areas without delay. It is not yet all over the country, but on the whole there is a tendency to stable gas supply, and therefore the relevance of such equipment is increasing. But industrial gas boilers also have serious disadvantages. The main one is security. Still, the exploitation of gas in the form of a fuel component and partly a coolant theoretically poses a risk of explosion. Understanding this nuance, manufacturers seek to minimize such risks. For such purposes, automatic control systems for boilers are improved, and their bodies are made of high-strength modern materials.
Solid fuel equipment
Such boilers use firewood, peat, pellets, coal, etc. as a fuel resource. The design of the unit provides for an ash pan to which processed products are sent as fuel burns. One of the main drawbacks of such models is the need for constant maintenance of equipment with cleaning and cleaning ash pans and loading solid fuel components. However, it is industrial units in this sense that are not so problematic, since they are equipped with automatic mechanisms for carrying out maintenance tasks. In addition, industrial solid fuel boilers are autonomous. While most analogues require connecting to the main engineering communications, such a unit is completely independent and requires only timely fuel delivery. The duration of the work with the return of thermal energy is small, which limits the scope of the solid fuel boiler.
Universal boilers
The concept of universal equipment today is most fully disclosed by the example of solid fuel and bio-boilers. The relevance of models that can operate on several types of fuel is due to the desire of manufacturers to popularize biofuels. Not all consumers are ready to switch to fuel pellets, so developers almost as an option supply classic industrial boilers with cameras for working with the same pellets. The result is hybrid designs that are versatile and financially efficient.
Expertise of industrial boilers
It has already been noted that gas boilers are considered the most dangerous equipment in their class, but the operation of units of other types also involves certain risks. To prevent unwanted situations, special examinations are carried out at enterprises, the purpose of which is to check the condition of equipment and the quality of compliance with maintenance standards. An examination of the industrial safety of boilers is carried out in the following cases:
- After the development of the assigned resource of the unit.
- After recovering from the consequences of the accident.
- After repair operations or equipment upgrades.
Also, the need for examination may be caused by doubts about the quality of the implementation of the operating rules. Especially if violations of the instructions or defects in the boiler itself were detected.
Manufacturers
The segment is wide enough and for almost any task you can find a suitable option. For example, the Byworth brand produces reliable and durable hot water boilers with a capacity of 1000-5000 kW. The range includes models for working on solid fuel, and diesel. If high industrial safety of boilers is required, then it makes sense to turn to De Dietrich Thermique products. The company produces a family of reliable combined operation units with cast iron bodies that can be used in the maintenance of public utilities and manufacturing enterprises. For smaller tasks, it is worth considering Turkish models of Erensan boilers. Units are suitable both for work on gas fuel, and for liquid supply.
Conclusion
In addition to the principle of operation and structural design, boiler equipment is also distinguished by operational indicators. The capacity of the furnace, the generated power, as well as the volumes of thermal energy are no less important parameters characterizing the operation of the unit. Recently, the security issues of such equipment have also increased. Regular industrial examination of boilers allows timely detection of equipment malfunctions, as well as deviations from the standards for its maintenance. However, the manufacturers themselves in different directions increase the safety of their products. It is enough to note the improvement of boiler control and management systems, the additional strengthening of the hulls and the increase in maintenance requirements.