Experiment no.

Benson Boiler

Introduction :

The benson boiler is a high pressure, Forced circulation water tube

boiler. The main feature of this boiler is the absence of the steam separating

drum.

Specifications -

Generation capacity 150 tons/hr

Working pressure 220 bar

Obtained temp 5400 C

Efficiency of boiler- as high as 90 %

Construction details : Boiler consists of :

(a) Air preheater in which air is preheated for economical combustion.

(b) Economiser in which sensible heat is added to feed water.
(c) Radient Evaporator Radiative surface of tubes where most of the heat

is transmitted and water gets heated almost to the critical temperature.

(d) Convective Evaporator : Where evaporation of water is complete and

super heating begings.

 (e) Superheater Section : In which steam is super heated and used for

work.
Working : The water is passed through the economiser into the radiant

evaporator. In radiant evaporator maximum amount of water is converted into

steam. The remaining water is evaporated in convective ecaporator where heat

of hot gasses are utilized by convection. Now, this steam is finally passed

through superheated and take off by valve (B) and used to run the prime

movers.
During starting , the water is passed through Economiser, Radiative

evaporator, convective evaporator, superheater and back to the feed line via

starting valve A. During this starting the valve (B) is closed. As the steam

generation starts and it becomes superheated , the valve (A) is closed and valve

(B) is opened.

Advantages of Benson Boiler:

1. There is no pressure limitation.

2. Cost of drum is eliminated as drum is absent.
3. The boiler is self-contained unit and can be readly located out doors.
4. Lighter in weight, higher specific output with higher factor of safety.
5. Evaporation is quick
6. Absent of circulating pump and down corners.

Disadvantages of Benson Boiler:

1. Major difficulty is of salt formation in the transformation zone

(evaporators) when all the remaining water is converted into steam.

2. Removing of deposite salt is required after each 4000 working hour by

special means.
3. Since storage capacity is only tube (small) and hence requires close

coordination between steam, feed water and fuel input.

4. On evaporative tubes there is chance of corrosion.
5. Overheating of tubes in case of insufficient water supply.