Glossary Terms Book 1 Flashcards
Baffle
A wall, barrier or panel used to change the direction of flow of a liquid or gas. On the water side of a boiler, baffles may be used to direct the flow of water inside drums or headers. On the fireside of the boiler, baffles may be used to redirect the flow of hot combustion gases through banks of tubes. Fireside baffles are usually made of high temperature refractory material.
Drum
The boiler shell together with the heads form a drum to contain the fluid being heated. The term drum is normally applied to watertube boilers whereas the term shell is commonly used when referring to firetube boilers.
Economizer
Also used in large high pressure steam boilers to preheat the boiler feed water before it enters the boiler
Forced Draft Fan
This is the fan that blows air for combustion into the furnace through the windbox
Header
A larger pipe that supplies to or collects from a series of smaller pipes or tubes. It is also called a manifold
Heating Surface
This includes all parts of the boiler plates and tubes that have water or steam on one side and are swept by fire or hot combustion gases on the other side. The amount of heating surface a boiler contains is used to determine the kW or horse power rating of the boiler.
Mud Drum
This is the lower drum on watertube boilers where mud or sludge will collect and be removed from the unit. Also called a lower header
Stack
This is the hollow duct through which combustion gases are elevated for discharge to the atmosphere. It may also be called a smokestack or chimney.
Superheater
Used in large high pressure steam boilers to increase the temperature of the steam above the original boiling point temperature. It produces very dry steam
Uptake
The duct used to convey the spent combustion gases from the boiler proper to the stack. Also known as the flue vent or breeching.
Water Line
The actual level of water in a boiler. It is the point at which water and steam separate.
Watertubes
These tubes have water circulating inside the tube with heat being applied to the outside.
Combustion Chamber
The area of a boiler where air and fuel combine to cause burning. The combustion process should start and finish here. This is also called the “furnace” or “firebox”.
Combustion or Flue Gases
These are the hot gaseous products from the burning of the fuel
Gas Passage
These are the areas in a boiler through which the flue gases travel in order to transfer the heat to the boiler metal, then the water. One pass is the travel of the gases “once” along the length of the boiler. If the gases are reversed and pass through another section of the boiler, this is a second pass.
Water Legs
These are narrow water-filled sections found in some types of boilers. They usually are located around the furnace area to transfer more heat to the water in the boiler. Some types require extra support depending on the internal boiler pressure.
Dry-back Boiler
A firetube boiler that has brickwork or insulated metal at the rear reversing chamber to redirect the flue gases
Externally Fired Boiler
A boiler that has the combustion chamber located outside of the shell or drum and surrounded by brickwork. The first types of firetube boilers were constructed like this.
Firetubes
These are the smaller diameter cylindrical tubes through which the flue gas travels inside and are surrounded by water on the outside
Handhole
A handhole is a small hand-sized inspection, cleaning and maintenance port leading from the outside of the boiler into the pressure area of the boiler. A handhole cover assembly and gasket seals the port during operation
Heads
These are the steel plates that close off the ends of the boiler drum. Also referred to as end plates. They can be flat, curved, or dished. Curved heads are used on watertube drums whereas flat heads are used on firetube shells.
Internally Fired Boiler
A boiler that has the combustion chamber located within the shell of the boiler. Modern firetube boilers are constructed this way
Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP)
This is the pressure that the boiler has been designed to withstand while in operation. It is stamped on the boiler and must not be operated above this pressure. A factor of safety is also applied so the boiler can safely withstand pressures above this level.
Packaged Boiler
A boiler supplied by the manufacturer completely assembled and equipped including controls and mounted on its own base
Refractory
The protective insulation material that is applied to parts of the boiler to withstand high temperatures
Shell
This is the larger cylindrical section of a firetube boiler that contains the firetubes. An internally fired boiler would would also have the furnace inside the shell
Stays
Metal sections of various designs that are installed at various locations in firetube boilers to provide extra strength and support to flat surfaces. Areas to be stayed include tubesheets and water legs.