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Anonymous
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Asked: 2020-01-23T22:27:13+00:00 In:

Fire tube boiler vs water boiler: What is the difference?

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The boilers are used for steam production in power plants. They are critical for the operation of a power plant and are mainly used in power stations where steam turbines serve as electricity generators.

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    1. Level 2
      This answer was edited.

      There are numerous factors which distinct fire tube boiler and water tube boiler from each other. Such features include fluid flow types within the tubes, vapour generation rate, floor area needed for steam generation, transport, efficiency fluctuating loads and operating costs.

      Differences between fire tube boiler vs water boiler

      Fire Tube Boiler

      • The fire tube boiler transfers hot gas into a series of tubes that are surrounded by water in the vessel to produce steam.
      • Steam produced by these boilers is about 25 bar pressurised and therefore belongs to the low-pressure boiler category.
      • These are bulky and difficult to transport.
      • Modern fire tube boilers with improved design and heat transfer rates achieved thermal efficiency of 80 to 85%.
      • The risk of exploding is lower. Bursting increases the risk of boiler damage.
      • It is not appropriate for large power stations but is used in small power stations.
      • The operating cost of a fire tube boiler is very low as compared to a water tube boiler.
      • Examples of Fire Tube Boilers include:
        • Simple Vertical Boiler
        • Cochran Boiler
        • Lancashire Boiler
        • Scotch Marine Boiler
        • Velcon Boiler
        • Cornish Boiler
        • Locomotive Boiler

      Water Tube Boiler

      • A water-tube boiler with high pressure is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire.
      • These boilers generate high-speed steam. Steam pressure is roughly 165 bars. These boilers fall into a high-pressure boiler category.
      • These are light in weight and therefore transport is not a problem.
      • The overall water tube boiler efficiency with economiser is up to 88-90%.
      • The risk of bursting is high due to its high steam pressure. The burst does not cause the entire boiler to be destroyed.
      • It is suitable for large power stations but is not appropriate for small power stations.
      • The operating cost of a water tube boiler is high as compared to the fire tube boiler.
      • Examples include:
        • Stirling Boiler
        • La-Mont Boiler
        • Benson Boiler
        • Yarrow Boiler
        • Babcock and Wilcox Boiler.
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