What are Steam Boiler Auxiliary Equipment?
It usually consists of condensate degasser system, economizer, water softening system, sand filter and chimney. Your need for steam boiler auxiliary equipment varies according to the project and your business.
CONDENS TANK
The steam produced in steam boilers starts to condense after it is used in operation. Condensate tanks are part of this condensate return system and are used to store all condensate returning from the steam system. After the condensate tanks, the hot water is transferred to the degasser and if there is no degasser in the system, it is sent back to the boiler.
Condensate tanks are an important part of the steam system because they increase the overall efficiency of the boiler and since the system is closed, there is no steam leakage to the outside environment. Since the feed water to be sent to the boiler waits in the heat insulated condensate tank without losing its heat, the amount of heat required to heat the water in the boiler is reduced. This results in fuel savings and lower operating costs.
DEGASTER TANK
Gases such asO2 and CO2 in steam boiler feed water cause corrosion in steam boilers. This corrosion damages the boiler surface over time, reduces the thermal efficiency of the system and shortens the boiler life. Deaerator tank is used to purify the feed water from these harmful gases. In this way, the steam boiler system life is extended and the decrease in boiler efficiency is prevented.
In order to purify the boiler feed water from these harmful gases, it must be degassed by passing through the degasser device.
ECONOMIZER
Economizers are steam boiler auxiliary elements that help to reduce operating costs by saving fuel. The temperature of the exhaust gases coming out of the boiler is very high. If we throw out this heat directly through the chimney, we will cause huge energy losses in the system. Instead, by putting a heat recovery device(Economizer) between the boiler and the chimney, we bring the waste heat back into the system. In other words, economizers are used in steam boilers to capture the waste heat from the boiler flue gases and transfer it to the boiler feed water. An economizer that recovers waste heat can typically reduce fuel requirements by 5% to 10% and pay for itself in less than 2 years.
WATER SOFTENING SYSTEM
Another must-have steam boiler auxiliary equipment is the water softening system. Water softening systems are used to purify the lime-forming ions in the water and protect the steam boiler system against damage caused by calcareous water, as well as preventing unwanted problems such as narrowing, abrasion, puncture and blockage that may occur in the pipelines due to lime.
Hard water has a higher boiling point due to its ion structure. For this reason, more energy is used in the heating of hard water than soft water and hard water sticks to the boiler surface as it boils, which causes calcification on the boiler surface. This calcification shortens the life of the steam boiler over time and reduces its efficiency. To prevent this, a water softening tank should be used in steam boiler systems.
SAND FILTER SYSTEM
Sand Filters are a part of the water softening system and are a filtration system to retain the solids in the water. Depending on the need for water to be supplied to the steam boiler, this auxiliary equipment may need to be included in the steam boiler system as needed.
BOILER CHIMNEY
The steam boiler equipment necessary for the safe removal of harmful gases released as a result of the combustion of solid, liquid or gaseous fuels in steam boilers is called a chimney. While the chimney expels harmful gases, it also creates the necessary traction to ensure combustion in the steam boiler.
