Industrial Steam Generator 101 : A Complete Guide

Industrial steam generators play a critical role in many industries, ranging from energy production to chemical manufacturing. These devices use a specialized process to produce steam that can be used for various applications, such as heating, power generation, and sterilization. In this article, we will explore the basics of steam generators, including their design, efficiency, and types. We will also discuss the pros and cons of using steam generators and highlight some of the industries that benefit from their use. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how these systems work and why they are essential for many industrial processes.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

What are Industrial Steam Generators?

Industrial steam generators are specialized devices used to produce steam for various applications in education facilities, chemical plants, and food processing. Unlike steam boilers, steam generators utilize a single tube coil instead of many smaller diameter boiler tubes to heat the water and produce steam.

How Do They Work?

Industrial steam generators work by utilizing a specialized process to heat the feedwater and produce steam. The feedwater is continuously pumped through the single tube coil, where it is heated by a combustion chamber or heating elements. As the feedwater heats up, it is converted into steam and exits the generator for use in various industrial applications.

In order to continuously pump the feedwater through the single tube coil, industrial steam generators use a specialized feedwater pump. This pump is designed to withstand the high temperatures and pressures present in the generator. It is also responsible for ensuring that the feedwater is continuously circulated through the coil, allowing for efficient steam production.

Difference between Steam Generators and Steam Boilers

While industrial steam generators and steam boilers both produce steam, they differ in their design and function. Steam boilers utilize many smaller diameter tubes to heat the water and produce steam, while steam generators use a single tube coil. This design difference results in steam generators having a smaller physical footprint, faster startup time, and lower maintenance requirements than steam boilers.

Another important difference is that steam generators can produce steam on-demand, which means they can be used to meet fluctuating demand for steam. These quick startup times can be extremely beneficial in some applications. Steam boilers, on the other hand, typically require more time to reach optimal steam production levels. They are better suited for continuous, high-demand steam production.

Pros and Cons

These systems offer several advantages, including high efficiency, low maintenance requirements, and the ability to produce steam on demand. However, there are also potential drawbacks to consider.

Advantages: Low cost, high efficiency, small footprint and ability to produce steam on demand.

Disadvantages: Lower capacity, water purging cycle is required, lower pressures.

Most Efficient Industrial Steam Generators

Efficiency is a key consideration when it comes to industrial steam generators, as it impacts both the cost and environmental impact of steam production. In the context of steam generators, efficiency is defined as the ratio of heat output to fuel input, expressed as a percentage.

Several factors contribute to the efficiency of industrial steam generators. One key factor is design. Steam generators with a well-designed heat transfer system and optimized combustion process can achieve higher levels of efficiency. The fuel type used also plays a role, with cleaner-burning fuels such as natural gas generally resulting in higher efficiency.

Among the various types of industrial steam generators, some are known for their high levels of efficiency. For example, electric steam generators are highly efficient, as they convert nearly all of the electrical energy input into heat energy. They also have a smaller physical footprint than other types of generators and can be used in a wide range of applications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, industrial steam generators are crucial for various industries. While steam generators offer high efficiency and low maintenance requirements, they also cannot meet the steam demands of some facilities. Despite this drawback, industrial steam generators have their applications and place in the steam generation industry. As technology advances, steam generators continue to improve in efficiency and effectiveness.

What's a steam generator?

Western Railroad Discussion > What's a steam generator?

Date: 07/07/02 02:33
What's a steam generator?
Author:

MagmaJctAz

I've seen a thread about SP locomotives. Steam generators are mentioned, what are they? What purpose do they serve?
--MagmaJctAz

Date: 07/07/02 03:11
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author: funnelfan


The other type of "steam generator" was the steam powered turbine generator that generated a small amount of electricity to power electric lamps on a steam locomotive that replaced the old oil burning lamps around the turn of the century (1900).

Ted Curphey
funnelfan@icehouse.net

In steam days steam from a locomotive boiler was used to heat passenger cars among other things. This was piped back through the cars via a steam line next to the air line. When diesels began to be used in passenger service, the cars still needed steam. So diesels in passenger service had a steam boiler installed to supply steam for the passenger cars. This boiler was often called a Steam generator.The other type of "steam generator" was the steam powered turbine generator that generated a small amount of electricity to power electric lamps on a steam locomotive that replaced the old oil burning lamps around the turn of the century (1900).Ted Curphey

Date: 07/07/02 05:29
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author:

Andy2472

Ted forgot to mention that some Air-Conditioning (read ATSF, for one) also had what was called Steam Ejector Air Conditioning. Somewhat like todays heat pump. To this day many old timmers say it is/was the best system. I remember it really cooling down the cars, they could have been used as meat lockers when allowed to cool to the bottom threshold. The connections between cars were a 2 to 3 inch pipe wrapped in Asbestos or other insulating material. These couplings were a real pain to keep from leaking and no where as flexable to work with at the trainline and signal hoses. Andy 2472

Date: 07/07/02 09:27
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author: czephyr17

Man, questions like that start to make me feel old:-)

It doesn't seem that long ago since I rode my last train heated with steam heat generated from the diesel locomotive ("Canadian" in 1984), but I guess that is almost a generation ago.

Date: 07/07/02 11:53
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author:

TopcoatSmith

Pretty much a self-explanatory question but...

czephyr17 wrote:

It doesn't seem that long ago since I rode my last train
> heated with steam heat generated from the diesel locomotive
> ("Canadian" in 1984), . . .
The Skeena in '89 from Prince George to Jasper, with a steam generator car behind the F-40.
Ahhh, now I feel old . . . .


TCSmith - the Canadian was still steam heat at that time as was the Super Continenetal behind real Fs.

Date: 07/07/02 14:45
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author: filmteknik


I have a bit about steam generators including drawings and some first hand accounts on my web page:

http://steve.filmteknik.com
Scroll down to the train area and click on All About Steam Generators

BTW, I would really love it if some operating train museum or tourist railroad would get a steam-ejector A/C going. Coldness from steam is, um, cool. (Yeah, I know about steam driven absorption units in big buildings...) Ditto simply being able to ride a steam heated car in winter with all wisps of steam from under the train.

One of my favorite memories as a teen was to watch the S/B Amtrak Panama Limited making its station stop in south suburban Homewood. There was a period when regular power was a P30CH and an E unit which had to lead because of signal (ATS?) requirements. Being steam heated that meant one of those ex-E9B turned steam generator cars placed behind the POOCH since the latter lacked steam pipes. One night a pipe had broken somewhere (less than 30 miles out mind you) on the SG car and steam was billowing like mad and you could tell the steam generator(s) was working like mad to try to keep up pressure given all the smoke it was blowing.

Just to elaborate a bit, the typical steam generator was fairly automated and consisted of nested coils of tubing with a diesel fuel burning oil burner blasting down the middle with the hot gases passing between the coil tubing and going outward and upward out a stack. Water was pumped in at one end and steam with a bit of water came out the other end and went through a separator. The idea was that a bit more water than would be evaporated would keep the tubing flushed from scale buildup to some extent. The whole thing was supposed to automatically follow steam demand such that more demand would cause more water, more fuel oil and more forced airblast through the thing. I'll leave it to someone who actually used one to expand on how well they did or didn't work. Not all steam generators were this way--I think the Pennsy GG-1 electrics used something akin to a small vertical firetube boiler. But this was the typical Vapor-Clarkson (brand name) steam generator.I have a bit about steam generators including drawings and some first hand accounts on my web page:Scroll down to the train area and click on All About Steam GeneratorsBTW, I would really love it if some operating train museum or tourist railroad would get a steam-ejector A/C going. Coldness from steam is, um, cool. (Yeah, I know about steam driven absorption units in big buildings...) Ditto simply being able to ride a steam heated car in winter with all wisps of steam from under the train.One of my favorite memories as a teen was to watch the S/B Amtrak Panama Limited making its station stop in south suburban Homewood. There was a period when regular power was a P30CH and an E unit which had to lead because of signal (ATS?) requirements. Being steam heated that meant one of those ex-E9B turned steam generator cars placed behind the POOCH since the latter lacked steam pipes. One night a pipe had broken somewhere (less than 30 miles out mind you) on the SG car and steam was billowing like mad and you could tell the steam generator(s) was working like mad to try to keep up pressure given all the smoke it was blowing.

Date: 07/07/02 17:00
4449 steam question?
Author: kyounger

While visiting the Artrain in Hillsboro OR the other day, I noticed a couple of the cars behind the 4449 still had steam connections under their couplers. These were the "Tool car" I think it is called, and the next car back. (Not the actual Artrain cars) Are these steam lines still functional? or just nobody went to the effort to remove them?

Thanks,
Keith

Date: 07/07/02 20:07
Re: 4449 steam question?
Author:

sarge

The steam connections on the cars you looked at are still functional. They would be connected to the 4449's train steam line to provide heat to the cars. Steam to the cars is controlled from the cab of the locomotive.

Date: 07/07/02 20:14
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author:

MagmaJctAz

My father told me this is how submarines in the Navy were (are?) cooled. Now sure how it worked, but one could use steam for cooling purposes.
--MagmaJctAz

Andy2472 wrote:

> Ted forgot to mention that some Air-Conditioning (read ATSF,
> for one) also had what was called Steam Ejector Air
> Conditioning. Somewhat like todays heat pump. To this day many
> old timmers say it is/was the best system. I remember it really
> cooling down the cars, they could have been used as meat
> lockers when allowed to cool to the bottom threshold. The
> connections between cars were a 2 to 3 inch pipe wrapped in
> Asbestos or other insulating material. These couplings were a
> real pain to keep from leaking and no where as flexable to work
> with at the trainline and signal hoses. Andy 2472
>
> [%sig%]

Date: 07/07/02 20:41
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author: Evan_Werkema

Has the Grand Canyon Ry. converted their fleet
from steam to electric heating? They were
still using steam generator cars in winter a
few years ago, but I had heard noises that they
were planning to go electric.

Date: 09/04/10 13:12
Re: What's a steam generator?
Author: aeyb701

I'm replying to a post from 2007, but in any case I noted on youtube a video showing one of their FPA-4's displaying what look like wisps of steam from the top rear of the engine, distinct from the darker exhaust.
As the train recedes you can catch a wisp or two of what looks like steam (diesel exhaust is not wispy, but ejected forcefully high up) from the SGU.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdBe63j2uCo&feature=related
Jon Archibald
CN/VIA/train horn enthusiast