How Watertube Boilers Outperform Firetube Boilers
When it’s time to select a new boiler, there are typically two options: water tube boilers and fire tube boilers. Part of the choice is dependent on your needs, your budget, and your industry. In most cases, water tube boilers are considered to be the better choice, outperforming fire tube boilers in several key areas.
EFFICIENCY
Water tube boilers blow fire tube boilers away in regards to efficiency. Water tube boilers require far less water to function, and at the same time, they also have a higher rate of steam generation than fire tube boilers. This helps to reduce the amount of water and fuel necessary to make a water tube boiler run compared to the alternative option. The edge in efficiency helps those with water tube boilers reduce both their environmental impact and their energy costs. Water tube boilers don’t just save energy, they also save time. The most advanced water tube boilers require just a few minutes to reach full steaming capacity, compared to the hours it could take a fire tube boiler to reach the same capacity.
SIZE
There’s a considerable difference in size between the two types of boilers. A fire tube boiler will take up much more floor space, forcing you to waste valuable real estate for a boiler room that is larger than it needs to be. They can also be more difficult to transport. Modern-day water tube boilers mitigate this issue because they are light in weight and don’t take up nearly as much space as a fire tube boiler. If space is at a premium, water tube boilers are usually the better choice.
SAFETY
Most importantly, water tube boilers are significantly safer. This fundamental difference between the two types of boilers is directly related to the amount of water they use. In fire tube boilers, if the metal were to shrink as a result of the water level getting too low, additional cold water being fed into the boiler would cause the metal to expand too quickly, resulting in an explosion that could be potentially catastrophic.
However, with far less water being necessary for water tube boilers to function, this isn’t an issue. If a water tube does rupture, the release of energy is a much smaller and localized problem, preventing the kind of catastrophic explosion that is sometimes seen with fire tube boilers. Best of all, water tube boilers designed and manufactured by companies like Miura have safety measures in place that alert you of a potential problem before it becomes a serious issue.