Fire tube boiler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire tube boiler systems face inefficiencies and operational discontinuity when heat demand decreases, as boilers are turned off, leading to unused units and negative consequences.
Innovation Solution
A fire tube boiler design with dual furnaces and a shared tube plate, allowing for efficient use of all tubes even when only one burner is operational, reducing exhaust gas temperature and increasing efficiency by maximizing heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a battery of fire tube boilers is operated in parallel to meet high heat demand, then the system can provide sufficient heating capacity, but when heat demand decreases, some boilers must be shut down causing operational discontinuity and efficiency loss
Solution Approach 1:
The single boiler is segmented into two independent furnaces (first furnace and second furnace) that share a common tube plate and water jacket. Each furnace can operate independently with its own burner, allowing the boiler to maintain continuous operation by switching between or combining furnaces based on heat demand, thereby resolving the contradiction between power capacity and operational continuity.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the burner of a fire tube boiler is turned off to match decreased heat demand, then energy consumption is reduced, but the boiler remains unused causing loss of operational continuity and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The boiler system dynamically adapts to varying heat demand by selectively operating one or both furnaces. The control system can switch between single-furnace and dual-furnace operation, ensuring the boiler remains in use rather than shutting down completely, thereby maintaining operational efficiency while adjusting energy consumption to match demand.
3Loss of energy
If exhaust gases are conveyed through all tubes even when only one furnace is operating, then heat exchange efficiency is maximized and exhaust gas temperature is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both furnaces share a common tube plate and water jacket, merging their heat exchange surfaces into a unified system. The exhaust gas collection chamber and stack serve both furnaces, creating a consolidated configuration that maximizes heat exchange efficiency while minimizing system complexity compared to having separate exhaust paths for each furnace.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures continuous operation and enhanced efficiency by utilizing all boiler components across varying heat demand conditions, reducing waste and maintaining optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
tubes (16) of the tube bundle connected to the tube plate (15), immersed in the water to be heated and conveying the exhaust gases generated in the two furnaces (13, 14), or in at least one of them, to a chamber (17) for collection and conveyance to the stack
Data Source
AI summary
A fire tube boiler (10), comprising a jacket (11) for containing the water to be heated and a tube bundle designed to convey exhaust gases, which is accommodated within the jacket (11), the boiler comprising at least two furnaces (13, 14; 18, 19) with a corresponding burner (13a, 14a; 18a, 19a) connected to a single tube plate (15; 20) to which the tubes (16; 21) of the tube bundle are connected at one end, the tubes leading at their end into an exhaust gas collection chamber (17; 22).