Construction and Working Principle of Babcock and Wilcox Boiler

We already know that the Boiler is an essential part of a thermal power plant. The boiler also uses in several industries like Dyeing Industry, Poultry Farm, and others. This type of boiler called an Industrial Boiler.

What is a Water Tube Boiler?

If a boiler having a system of water flow inside of its tube and a heat flow system present outside then it will be called a Water Tube Boiler. Water Tube Boiler can have Straight and Bent Tube, Cross, and Vertical Drum, Horizontal, Vertical and Inclined Tubes, Single or Multi Drum, Sectional and Box type Header. By the manufacturing name, this type of boiler can be divided into five types and those are,

1. Babcock or Wilcox Boiler
2. La-mont Boiler
3. Benson Boiler
4. Loeffler Boiler
5. Velox Boiler

Related: Definition of Boiler and Various Types of Steam Boiler or Steam Generator

In this post, we will know about the Construction and Working Principle of Babcock and Wilcox Boiler. Don’t worry; I will discuss another four types of boiler Construction and Working Principle in a different article.

What are Babcock and Wilcox Boiler?

Babcock and Wilcox Boiler is a horizontal type drum axis, natural circulation, stationary, high pressure, solid fuel-fired water tube boiler. In the year of 1967, it was introduced by George Herman Babcock and Stephen Wilcox. After that Babcock and Wilcox Boiler was named by its inventor Babcock and Wilcox and till now we are using this name.

Construction and Working Principle of Babcock and Wilcox Boiler:

Generally, a Babcock or Wilcox Boiler means it is an inclined water tube boiler. In this type of boiler, all tubes usually stay straight and attached with a header. All tubes tilted with a concrete wall which usually presents the upper side of furnaces and it also attached with a steam drum. On the steam drum Safety Valve, Manhole, and Super Heater system present. Steam Flow Pipe stays attached to the Super Heater.

Read More: What is Bus Bar? 

When the boiler is operational that time water from inside the tube turns to steam by the heat from the furnaces and generated steam stored in a steam drum. The pressure inside the Steam Drum will increase when it’s having a large amount of generated primary steam. Then for protecting the entire boiler from damage, the safety valve releases some steam and remains constant steam pressure inside the steam drum.

Due to water and steam flow, a spot overlie inside the water tubes and steam drum and it’s called “Scale” and the processes called “Scaling”. For this reason, this Scale needs to clean from inside and outside of the water tube randomly by routine inspection. Because it’s very dangerous for boiler operation. The heat circulation system always restores completely by cleaning the “Scale” in time.

Related: Why Boiler Explode and How to Prevent Explosion

Boiler Tube maintains a 15-degree angle with the header from its center point and it remains attached to the header. For this reason, it has a Drain system for cleaning the liquid dust particle from a boiler water tube.

This type of boiler can generate 3725000 lbs (1693181.9 kg) steam in one hour. But the total amount of steam generation will always depend on boiler size and its types.

When steam comes out from the water tube and store in the steam drum then this primary steam sent to Super Heater for removing all remaining water particles from the steam that can be used in the next process.  This superheated steam contains more energy than primarily generated steam. For this reason, this superheated steam always uses for rotating steam engines or turbines.

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