EXPERIMENT No.

-1

AIM :- To study the Cochran and Babcock & Wilcox Boilers.

APPARATUS USED :- Model of Cochran and Babcock & Wilcox Boilers.

THEORY :- A closed vessel in which steam is produced from water by combustion of fuel.
According to A.S.M.E, “combustion of apparatus for producing or recovering heat together with the
apparatus for transferring the heat so made available to the fluid being heated and vaporized.
The primary requirements of steam generator or boiler are:
1. Water
2. Water drum
3. Fuel for heating

TYPES OF BOILERS :-
a. Water tube boiler
b. Fire tube boiler
In the water tube boilers, the water are inside the tube & hot gases surrounds the tubes.
The various water tube boiler are following :
(i) Babcock & Wilcox boiler
(ii) Sterling boiler
(iii) Lamont boiler
(iv) Loeffler boiler
(v) Benson boiler
(vi) Velox boiler
The various fire tube boiler are following :
(i) Lancashire boiler
(ii) Locomotive boiler
(iii) Scotch marine
(iv) Cochran boiler
(v) Cornish boiler

COCHRAN BOLIER :-

SPECIFICATIONS :-
Size = 1m. dia. X 2m. high (evaporation 20 kg/hr)
= 3m.dia.x 6m.high (evaporation 3000kg/hr)
Heating surface = 10 to 25 times grate area
Heating pressure = upto 20bar
Efficiency = 70 to 75 %

CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING:

Simply vertical boilers of the fire tube type find favour in small plats requiring small
quantities of steam and where the floor area is limited. The most common application are steam
rollers, pile drivers, steam shovels, portable hoisting rigs and certain other mobile applications.

Page 1
 The coal is fed through the fire door to the grate with fire bars on it. The boiler can also work
as an oil fired unit by fitting an oil burner at fire door. The grate is then dispensed with and a lining
of fire bricks are provided beneath the furnace. The furnace has no riveted seams exposed to flame
and is pressed hydraulically from one plate to finished shape. This makes the furnace suitable to
resist the intense heat produced by the combustion of fuel.
The coal, on burning, produces hot flue gases and these hot products of combustion from the
fire box enter through the small flue pipe into the combustion chamber which is lined with fire
bricks on the outer wall of the boiler. The dome shaped furnace and the combustion chamber prevent
the loss which could otherwise occur because of combustion being retarded and much unburnt and
combustible matter leaving the furnace. The unburnt fuel is deflected back to the grate and complete
combustion is achieved in combustion chamber where high temperatures are maintained.
The hot gases passing through the horizontal smoke tubes give their heat to the water and in
doing so convert water into steam which gets accumulated in the upper portion of the shell from
where it can be supplied to the user. The flue tubes are generally of 62.5 mm. external dia. And are
165 in number. The crown of the shell is made hemispherical in shape which gives the maximum
space and strength for a certain weight of material in the form of plates. Finally the flue gases are
discharged to the atmosphere through the smoke box and the chimney.

BABCOCK & WILCOX BOILER :-

The water tube boilers are used exclusively, when pressure above 10bar and capacity in excess of
7000kg./hr. is required.

DIMENSION & SPECIFICATIONS :

Diameter of the drum 1.22 to 1.83m.
Length of the drum 6.096 to 9.144m.
Size of the water tubes 7.62 to 10.16cm.
Size of the super heater tubes 3.84 to 5.71cm.
Working pressure 40bar (max.)
Steaming capacity 40000kg./hr.(max.)
Efficiency 60-80%

CONSTRUCTION & WORKING :-

Babcock & Wilcox boiler with longitudinal drum. It consists of a drum connected to a series
of front end and rear end header by short riser tubes. To these headers are connected a series of
inclined water tubes of solid drawn mild steel.
The inclination of tubes to the horizontal is about 15 degree or more. A hand hole is provided
in the header in front of each tube for cleaning & inspection of tubes. A feed valve is provided to fill
the drum and level of water indicates by water level indicator. Fire is burnt on the grate. The hot
gases are forced to move upwards between the tubes by baffle plates provided. The water from the
drum flows through the inclined tubes via down take header & goes back into the steam the steam
space of the drum. The steam then enters through the anti-priming pipe and flows in the super heater
tubes where it is further heated and is finally taken out through the main stop valve and supplied to
the engine when needed.
In the cross drum there is no limitation of the number of connecting tubes. In case of cross
drum:
Pressure --------------------------100 bar

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Steaming capacity --------------upto 27000kg./hr.

APPLICATIONS :-
The steam generated is employed for the following purpose :
1. For generating power in steam engines or steam turbines.
2. In the textile industries for sizing & bleaching etc. and many other industries like sugar mills,
chemical industries.
3. For heating the building in cold weather & for producing hot water supply.
4. Steam turbine propelled ships and other marine vessels.
5. Agriculture field machineries, saw mills etc.
6. Steam locomotive.
7. To study steam to the steam engine for driving industries hoists, road rollers, in road
constructions, pumps in coal mine.

PRECAUTIONS :-
 Do not feed water fully the drum.
 Water level should be checked properly.
 Pressure should not be over the rating pressure.
 Clean the boiler time to time.
 Boiler operator should be present there.

VIVA-QUESTIONS :-
 What is the main pre-requirement for boilers ?
 How many types of water tube boilers ?
 How many types of fire tube boilers ?
 How many types of mountings in boiler ?
 What is the functions of mountings ?
 How many types of accessories in boiler ?
 What is the functions of accessories ?
 Why use super heater & air-pre-heater ?

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 Introduction to Steam Generating Unit (Boiler)
A boiler is a closed vessel in which steam is produced from water by
combustion of fuel.
How a Boiler works:
† Water is pumped into the boiler at operating pressure
† Heat of flue gases vaporizes water to form steam
† Steam formed is passed into steam space above the water space
Applications of steam generators (Boilers)

The steam generators or boilers are integral components of steam turbines which are used as prime
movers to drive generators to produce electricity in all thermal and nuclear power plants.
These are used in the industry for example in heating systems or for cement production, textiles.
These are used to produce distilled water for medicines, pharmaceuticals and other usage.
The boilers are used in cold countries for heating large buildings, in agriculture as well for soil steaming.
Components of a steam generator (Boiler)

† Boiler drum, tubes, furnace

† Boiler mountings
† Boiler Accessories
Boiler mountings are devices which are required for proper operation, safety and control
of the boiler. Examples are water level indicator (WLI), pressure gauges (PGs), steam
stop valve, safety valves, fusible plug, feed-check valve, blow-off cock, manhole and
mudhole, etc.
Boiler accessories are devices which are used to increase the efficiency of a boiler.
Examples are air preheater, economizer, superheater, feedpump or injector, baffles, etc.

Boiler classification:

1. Tube content: (i) Fire tube boiler and (ii) water tube boiler
2. Axis of shell: (i) Horizontal, (ii) vertical, (iii) inclined
3. Location of furnace: (i) Externally fired, (ii) internally fired
4. Method of circulation: (i) Natural, (ii) forced
5. Mobility: (i) Stationary, (ii) portable
6. Pressure: (i) High, (ii) low
7. Tubes: (i) Single-tube, (ii) Multi-tube
How a Fire Tube Boiler works:

† Hot flue gases are fed through the tubes.

† Tubes are surrounded by water.

Cochran Boiler (A Fire Tube Boiler):

Fig: Cochran Boiler

9 Vertical mulititubular 9 Low initial cost

9 Efficiency 70 - 75% 9 Suitable for fluctuating loads
9 20 kg/hr to 3000 kg/hr
How a Water Tube Boiler works:

† Small parallel tubes contain water connected to drum with the header

† Gases pass outside tubes containing water

Babcock and Wilcox Boiler ( A Water Tube Boiler:

Fig: Babcock and Wilcox Boiler

9 High pressures and capacity
9 Higher Efficiency
9 Suitable for power plant
Comparision of Fire tube and water tube boilers

Criterion Fire Tube Water tube

1. Flow of hot gases and Gases in tubes surrounded by Water in tubes and gases flow
water water outside outside

2. Location of furnace Internal External

3. Floor area for given Large Small

output
4. Capacity 10000kg/hr 50000kg/hr
5. Evaporation Slow Fast
6. Pressure range 15 to 20 bar 170 to 200 bar
7. Efficiency 80% 92%
8. Safety Large water content and low Small water content and large
steam so better safety steam generation. Needs expert
attention.
9. Explosion Lesser risk due to lower P Higher risk due to higher P
10. Application Not suitable for large power Suitable
plant
11. Skill Less More
12. Water Treatment No Yes
13. Construction Difficult Simple
14. Shell Diameter More Less
15. Transportation Difficult Simple

Boiler Efficiency :
Boiler efficiency is the ratio of the quantity of heat utilized actually by the water and steam to
the quantity of heat supplied, i.e.,

Boiler efficiency = Heat actually absorbed by the water and steam / quantity of heat supplied

Boiler Capacity:
Boiler capacity is defined as the amount of steam a particular boiler can supply per hour
usually expressed in kg (of steam)/hr or tons/day.

Boiler Pressure:
The designated operating pressure of a boiler at which it can safely deliver the steam at
its rated capacity.
Boiler mountings and accessories:

Bourdon Tube Pressure Gauge Fusible Plug

Water Level Indicator

Lever Safety Valve Flue gas before entering chimney

Economizer and Superheater

Functions of Boiler mountings:

Water level indicator: This is required to indicate the safety level of water inside the
boiler shell.
Pressure gauge: This is required to indicate the steam pressure inside the boiler shell.
Steam Stop Valve: The valve used to regulate the supply of steam to the turbine.
Fusible plug: This is required to stop the boiler if the boiler gets dry to prevent damage to
the boiler. It is a metallic plug installed in the water pathway. If the boiler temperature
exceeds a safe value, it melts and allows shell water to pass through extinguish the furnace
fire.
Safety valves: These are required to release the internal boiler pressure if the pressure
exceeds a predetermined safety level.

Functions of Boiler accessories:

Air preheater: This is usually used to utilize the waste heat of the chimney to preheat the
furnace air thus increasing the boiler efficiency.
Economizer: This is usually used to utilize the waste heat of the chimney to preheat
the boiler feed water thus increasing the boiler efficiency.
Superheater: This is usually used to utilize the waste heat to dry and/or superheat the steam
leaving the boiler on the delivery side, thus increasing the steam quality and boiler efficiency.
Baffles: These are built inside the boilers. These baffles significantly increase the efficiency
by helping feed water in extracting heat from the flue gas.