AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Lecture: 04-08
Study of steam generation units with their accessories and
mountings

Lecture delivered by:

Md. Nur Alam Mondal
Lecturer
Mechanical Engineering Department
Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Boilers

Boiler is an apparatus or a closed vessel in which water is heated under pressure to produce
steam. Thermal energy released by combustion of fuel is used to make steam at the desired
temperature and pressure.

The steam produced is used for:

(i) Producing mechanical work by expanding it in steam engine or steam turbine.
(ii) Heating the residential and industrial buildings
(iii) Performing certain processes in the sugar mills, chemical and textile industries.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Steam Generation Theory

  Water boils and evaporates at 100°C under atmospheric pressure.

at higher temperature - e.g. a pressure of 10 bar equals an
By higher pressure, water evaporates
evaporation temperature of 184°C.

During the evaporation process, pressure and temperature are constant, and a substantial
amount of thermal energy is used for bringing the water from liquid to vapour phase.
 
When all the water is evaporated, the steam is called dry saturated.

In this condition the steam contains a large amount of latent heat.
 
 Further heating of dry saturated steam will lead to increase in temperature of the steam.
 
Superheated steam.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Steam Generation Theory


Within the boiler, fuel and air are force into the furnace by the
burner.

There, it burns to produce heat.
 
From there, the heat (flue gases) travel throughout the boiler.

The water absorbs the heat, and eventually absorb enough to
change into a gaseous state - steam.

To the left is the basic theoretical design of a modern boiler.

Boiler makers have developed various designs to squeeze
the most energy out of fuel and to maximized its transfer to the
water.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Steam Generation Theory


Water enters the boiler, preheated, at the top.

The hot water naturally circulates through the tubes down to the lower area where it is hot.

The water heats up and flows back to the steam drum where the steam collects.

Not all the water gets turn to steam, so the process starts again.

Water keeps on circulating until it becomes steam.

Meanwhile, the control system is taking the temperature of the steam drum, along with numerous other readings,
to determine if it should keep the burner burning, or shut it down.

As well, sensors control the amount of water entering the boiler, this water is know as feedwater.
Feedwater is not your regular drinking water.

It is treated with chemicals to neutralize various minerals in the water, which untreated, would cling to the tubes
clogging or worst, rusting them.

This would make the boiler expensive to operate because it would not be very efficient.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Steam Generation Theory


On the fire side of the boiler, carbon deposit resulting from improper combustion or impurities in
the fuel can accumulate on the outer surface of the water tube.

This creates an insulation which quickly decrease the energy transfer from the heat to the water.

To remedy this problem the engineer will carry out soot blowing. At a specified time the engineer
uses a long tool and insert it into the fire side of the boiler.

This device, which looks like a lance, has a tip at the end which "blows" steam.

This blowing action of the steam "scrubs" the outside of the water tubes, cleaning the carbon build
up.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Steam Generation Theory

 
 Water tube boilers can have pressures from 7 bar to as high as 250 bar.


The steam temperature's can vary between saturated steam, 100 degrees Celsius steam
  or be as high as 600 - 650 degrees Celsius, know as superheated
with particle of water,
steam or dry steam

 
 The performance of boiler is generally referred to as tons of steam produced in one hour.
 
In water tube boilers that could be as low as 1.5 t/hr to as high as 2500 t/hr.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Boiler properties:

1) Safety. The boiler should be safe under operating conditions.

2) Accessibility. The various parts of the boiler should be accessible for repair
and maintenance.

3) Capacity. Should be capable of supplying steam according to the requirements.

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Boiler properties:
4) Efficiency. Should be able to absorb a maximum amount of heat produced due to
burning of fuel in the furnace.

5) It should be simple in construction .

6) Its initial cost and maintenance cost should be low.

7) The boiler should have no joints exposed to flames.

8) Should be capable of quick starting and loading.

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Classification of Boiler
► Nature:- Stationary, Locomotive or Marine.

► Contents in Tube:- Fire tube - Cochran, Lancashire and Locomotive boilers

water tube- Babcock and Wilcox, Stirling, Yarrow boiler etc

► Axis of Shell:- Horizontal or Vertical

► Position of Furnace:- Internally fired - Cochran, Lancashire boiler etc.

Externally Fired - Babcock and Wilcox boiler, Stirling boiler
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Classification of Boiler
► Circulation:- forced circulation- Velox, Lamomt, Benson Boiler etc.
Natural circulation- Lancashire, Babcock and Wilcox boiler etc.

► No. of Tubes:- Single- Cornish, simple vertical boiler

multi-tube – rest are multi-tube boiler.

► Fuel:- Solid, Liquid or Gas

► Pressure:- High pressure (> 80 bar) - Babcock and Wilcox,Velox, Lamomt, Benson Boiler
Low pressure (< 80 bar) - Cochran, Cornish, Lancashire and Locomotive boiler
Sub and Supercritical boiler (=/> 250 bar)
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Classification of Boilers

According to what flows in the TUBE

1. Water tube.
2. Fire tube.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Fire – tube Boilers

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Water tube boilers

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Merits of Water Tube Boilers over Fire

Tube Boilers

• 1. Generation of steam is much quicker due to small ratio of water content to steam
content. This also helps in reaching the steaming temperature in short time.

• 2. Its evaporative capacity is considerably larger and the steam pressure range is
also high-200 bar.

• 3. Heating surfaces are more effective as the hot gases travel at right angles to the
direction of water flow.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Merits of Water Tube Boilers over Fire

Tube Boilers

• 4. The combustion efficiency is higher because complete combustion of fuel is

possible as the combustion space is much larger.

• 5. The thermal stresses in the boiler parts are less as different parts of the boiler remain
at uniform temperature due to quick circulation of water.

• 6. The boiler can be easily transported and erected as its different parts can be
separated.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Merits of Water Tube Boilers over Fire

Tube Boilers

• 7. Damage due to the bursting of water tube is less serious. Therefore, water
tube boilers are sometimes called safety boilers.

• 8. All parts of the water tube boilers are easily accessible for cleaning,
inspecting and repairing.

• 9. The water tube boiler's furnace area can be easily altered to meet the fuel
requirements.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Demerits of Water tube boiler:

• 1. It is less suitable for impure and sedimentary water, as a small deposit of scale
may cause the overheating and bursting of tube. Therefore, use of pure feed water is
essential.

• 2. They require careful attention. The maintenance costs are higher.

• 3. Failure in feed water supply even for short period is liable to make the boiler over-
heated.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Advantages of fire tube boilers are

as follows
• Low cost

• Fluctuations of steam demand can be met easily

• It is compact in size

• Less Draught is required

• Unskilled workers can run the boilers

• Reliability in operation
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

We are gonna study…………

• Cochran Boiler
• Lancashire Boiler
• Locomotive boiler
• Babcock Wilcox Boiler
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Fire – tube Boilers

 
Cochran Boiler
The outstanding features of this boiler are :
• It is very compact and requires
minimum floor area
• Any type of fuel can be used with
this boiler
• Well suited for small capacity requirements
• It gives about 70% thermal efficiency with
coal firing and about 75% with oil firing
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

 
Cochran Boiler
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Fire – tube Boilers

 
Lancashire Boiler
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Lancashire Boiler
• It is stationary fire tube, internally fired, horizontal, natural circulation boiler.
• This is a widely used boiler because of its good steaming quality and its
ability to burn coal of inferior quality. These boilers have a cylindrical shell
2 m in diameters and its length varies from 8 m to 10 m. It has two large
internal flue tubes having diameter between 80 cm to 100 cm in which the
grate is situated.
• This boiler is set in brickwork forming external flue so that the external part
of the shell forms part of the heating surface.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
Fire – tube Boilers
  Advantages:
Lancashire Boiler
• The feed pipe projecting into the boiler is
perforated to ensure uniform water
distribution.
• Its heating surface area per unit volume at
the boiler is considerably large.
• Its maintenance is easy.
• It is suitable where a large reserve of hot
water is needed. This boiler due to the large
reserve capacity can easily meet load
fluctuations.
• Super-heater and economizer can be easily
incorporated into the system, therefore;
overall efficiency of the boiler can be
considerably increased (80-85%).
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
 
Lancashire Boiler
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Locomotive Boiler
• Locomotive boiler is a horizontal fire tube type mobile boiler.
• The main requirement of this boiler is that it should produce steam at a
very high rate. Therefore, this boiler requires a large amount of heating
surface and large grate area to burn coal at a rapid rate.
• In order to provide the large heating surface area, a large number of fire
tubes are setup and heat transfer rate is increased by creating strong draught
by means of steam jet.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

 
Locomotive Boiler





AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

 
Locomotive Boiler
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

 
 Locomotive Boiler

 Advantages:
• 1. Large rate of steam generation per square metre of heating surface. To
some extent this is due to the vibration caused by the motion.
• 2. It is free from brickwork, special foundation and chimney. This
reduces the cost of installation.
• 3. It is very compact.

The pressure of the steam is limited to about 20 bar.

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Babcock Wilcox Boiler

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Babcock Wilcox Boiler

Features:
• 1. The evaporative capacity of this boilers is high compared with other
boilers (20,000 to 40,000kg/hr). The operating pressure lies between
11.5 to 17.5 bar.
• 2. The draught loss is minimum compared with other boilers.
• 3. The defective tubes can be replaced easily.
• 4. The entire boiler rests over an iron structure, independent of brick
work, so that the boiler may expand or contract freely. The brick walls
which form the surroundings of the boiler are only to enclose the furnace
and the hot gases.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Boiler performance

Evaporative capacitycan be expressed in terms of:

a) kg of steam/hr

b) kg of hour/hr/m2 of heating surface

c) kg of steam/kg of fuel fired

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Equivalent evaporation

• But different boilers give out steam at different temperature

and pressure,
• Evaporative capacity expressed in terms of mass of water
getting converted to steam doesn’t give a good comparison
m
a= Evaporation ratio.

me= ma(h-hf)/hfg
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Factor of evaporation
• It is defined as the ratio of the heat received by 1 kg of water at the working
conditions to that received by 1 kg of water evaporated from and at 1000C

Fe = (h –hf)/2257 KJ
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Boiler efficiency
• Ratio of heat actually utilized in the generator to the heat supplied by the fuel.

Efficiency= ma(h-hf)/C
Where C is the calorific value
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Boiler Problem

Determine: Equivalent evaporation and boiler efficiency ????

AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

BOILER MOUNTINGS
&
ACCESSORIES

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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

Mountings:
Boiler mountings are primarily intended for the safety of the boiler and
for complete control of steam generation process.

Accessories:
Boiler accessories are installed to increase the efficiency of the boiler plants
to help in proper working of boiler unit.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

MOUNTINGS

1. Water Level indicator

[Link] Gauge
3. Safety valves
A. Dead weight safety valve
B. Spring loaded safety valve
C. Lever controlled safety valve
D. High steam & low water safety valve
4. Fusible plug
5. Blow-off cock
6. Steam stop valve
[Link] check Valve
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

MOUNTINGS
Water Level indicator

Normally two water level indicator are fitted to the boiler.

these are fitted at the front end of every boiler. Water
level indicator consist three cock as steam cock, water
cock, drain cock and glass tube. The steam cock connect or
disconnects the glass tube with steam space. while water
cock connect or disconnect the glass tube with water in the
boiler. the drain cock is used to drain out the water in from
glass tube at interval to ensure that the steam and water
cock are clear in operation. The glass tube protected by
means of a cover, and made of special materials.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Water Level indicator

Working principle: When steam cock and water cock

opened, steam rushes from upper passage and water rushed
from lower from passage to the glass tube. This will indicate
the level of water in the boiler. Two ball are places at the
junction of metal tube. Under normal operating condition the
ball are kept free in the passage. In case the glass tube is
broken, steam will rushes from upper passage and water from
lower passage due to pressure difference between boiler
pressure at atmospheric pressure. The ball are carrier along
the passage to and of glass tube and then closed passages.
This position of ball shown in fig by dotted circle. Thus flow
of water and steam out of boiler is prevented.

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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Pressure Gauge

To indicate level of steam pressure inside the boiler. The

gauge is usually mounted on the front top of the shell or on
the drum. It is having dial which graduated to read pressure
in bar, above atmosphere A bourdon tube gauge with its
interior mechanism is shown in fig. The circular bent
bourdon tube of oval-cross section is close at one end and
connected at the other end to steam space of boiler through
siphon (U-tube). The siphon is filled with water which
prevents hot steam from entering the pressure gauge and
keeps the gauge cool. Closed end of bourdon tube is
attached to a toothed quadrant with help of link and pin.
This quadrant meshes with a small pinion on the central
spindle.
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Pressure Gauge

When pressure is applied to inside of oval bourdon

tube. It cross section tends to becomes circular, and
free end of bourdon tube try to becomes straight, so
turning the spindle by the links and gearing. This
causes the needle to move and indicate pressure on
graduated dial.

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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Safety valves

• Function : Safety valves are located on the top of the boiler. They guard the boiler against
the excessive high pressure of steam inside the drum. If the pressure of steam in the boiler
drum exceeds the working pressure then the safety valve allows blow-off the excess quantity
of steam to atmosphere. Thus the pressure of steam in the drum falls. The escape of steam
makes a audio noise to warm the boiler attendant.

A. Dead weight safety valve

B. Spring loaded safety valve
C. Lever controlled safety valve
D. High steam & low water safety valve

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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

MOUNTINGS
Safety valves
Dead weight safety valve: It consists of valve V is placed upon a
valve seat which is fix upon a long vertical pipe having a flange at
the bottom for fixing at the top of the boiler. The weight carrier D
suspended from the top of the valve which carries cast iron rings
(weight) as shown figure. The total weight must be sufficient to keep
the valve on it seats against the normal working pressure.

When the steam pressure exceeds the normal limits, this high
pressure stream creates upward force on valve, thus valve V lift with
its weights and the excess steam escapes through the pipe to the
outside. The construction of this valve is simple. It gives satisfactory
operation for low pressure and stationary boilers. It is not suitable for
moving boilers as the force of the weights should always work
vertically downward. It is also not suitable for high pressure boiler as
the weight becomes to large.
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Safety valves

Spring loaded safety valve: It consists of a cast iron body having two
branch pipes. Two separate valves V are placed over the valve seat as
shown in figure. A lever is placed over the valve by means of two
pivots. The lever is held tight at its proper position by means of a spring.
One end of spring is connected with the lever while other end with the
body of the valve. The valve is kept on it seats with help of spring force.

In the normal condition, the downward force due to spring is higher

than upward force applied by steam. The valve is closed due to spring
force. When steam pressure exceeds the normal limit, upward force due
to steam pressure is became higher than downward force due to spring.
Thus the valves are lifted from their seats opening the passages for
steam to release out of boiler.
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

MOUNTINGS
Safety valves
Lever safety valve: The main disadvantages of dead weight
safety valve as heavy weights required for high pressure
boiler is eliminated in a lever safety valve by use of a lever.
The valve rests over the gun metal seat which is fixed to a
mounting block. The mounting block is fixed upon the boiler.
One end of the lever is hinged while the other end carries a
weight W as shown in figure. The thrust of the lever with its
weight is transmitted to the valve by a short strut. The position
and amount of weight W decides the safe pressure limit.

When the pressure exceeds the normal limit, the upward force on valve is become higher than
the downward thrust on valve due to weight W on lever. Thus the valve lifted from it seat with it
weight and excess steam will come out of the boiler.
This safety valve used only for stationary boiler. It used at a pressure higher than that of dead
weight safety valve. 49
AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
High steam & low water safety valve
Actuates in 2 situations

1. Water level lowers 2. steam pressure increases

The steam automatically escapes

out when the level of water falls
below a normal level.

It automatically discharges the

excess steam when the pressure
of steam rises above a normal
pressure.
This valve is generally used in
Cornish or Lancashire boiler.
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Fusible Plug
Function is to extinguish (switch off )fire when water
level in boiler falls below certain limit Fusible
material is having low MP
e.g. brass, gunmetal

It is fitted on the fire box crown plate or over the

combustion chamber. The fusible plug consist of two
hollow guns and one conical plug a shown in figure. A
hollow gun metal body is screwed to the fire box
crown plate of boiler. Another hollow gun metal is
screwed to the first body. Third plug is made from
copper is locked with second plug by pouring metal in
to the grooves provided on the both plugs.
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Fusible Plug

In normal working condition, the upper surface of

fusible plug is covered with water which keeps the
temperature of the plug below its melting point while
other end of plug is exposed to fire or hot gases. The low
melting point (tin or lead) does not melt till the upper
surface of plug is submerged in water. But in case of
water level in boiler falls below the danger levels, the
fusible plug uncovered by the water and get exposed to
steam. This overheats the plug and the fusible metal
having low melting point which melts quickly. Thus the
third plug drops down and second hollow gun became
open, the steam rushes into the furnace and puts out the
fire (stop).
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Blow Off Cock
The function of blow-off cock is to discharge mud and other
sediments deposited in the bottom most part of the water space in
the boiler, while boiler is in operation. It can also be used to drain-
off boiler water. Hence it is mounted at the lowest part of the boiler.
When it is open, water under the pressure rushes out, thus carrying
sediments and mud.
It is fitted on the boiler shell directly or through the short branch
of pipe at lowest part of the water space. It consists of gun metal
conical plug having a rectangular hole, spindle with yoke a shown
in fig. The plug meshes accurately into the similar casing.

When rectangular hole of plug is brought in line with casing

hole by rotating spindle, the water flow out. When the solid
portion of the plug is in front of casing hole (this position shown
in the fig.) the water cannot flow out of boiler.
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals

MOUNTINGS
Steam Stop Valve
Regulates the flow of a steam
Function : to shut off or regulate the flow of steam from the
boiler to the steam pipe or steam from the steam pipe to the
engine

The spindle it rotated by help of hand wheel due to rotation of

spindle the valve move up and down. When the valve sits over
the valve seat, the passage of steam is completely closed. The
steam passage may be partially or fully opened by moving the
valve up, help of rotating the hand wheel the clearance (passage)
between valve and valve seat regulates the flow of steam out of
boilers. in locomotive boilers, the supply of the steam is regulated
by means of a regulator which is placed inside boiler cell and
operated by a handle from driver’s cabin
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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Feed Check Valve

• To allow the feed water to pass in to the boiler

• To prevent the back flow of water from the boiler in
the event of the failure of the feed pump

The feed check valve is fitted in water space of the boiler

just below the normal level of the water. It consist of non-
return valve, water inlet pipe, out let pipe, spindle, gland
and wheel as shown in fig. the outlet pipe of valve
connected with and of delivery pipe of feed pump

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AIE 227: Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals
MOUNTINGS
Feed Check Valve
• To allow the feed water to pass in to the boiler
• To prevent the back flow of water from the boiler in the
event of the failure of the feed pump

The feed check valve is fitted in water space of the boiler just
below the normal level of the water. It consist of non-return
valve, water inlet pipe, out let pipe, spindle, gland and wheel as
shown in fig. the outlet pipe of valve connected with and of
delivery pipe of feed pump
Inlet and outlet pipe of valve expose different pressure . At inlet
of valve the feed pump pressure acts and outlet pipe of the valve
the boiler pressure act . When feed pump is in operation,
The pressure on the feed pump side(inlet) is more than
pressure on the boiler side(outlet).This pressure difference lifts the
non return valve, And allows water flow into boiler.
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ACCESSORIES

(1) Feed pump

(2) Injector
(3) Economiser
(4) Air preheater
(5) Superheater
(6) Steam separator

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ACCESSORIES
Feed Pump

• Used to deliver feed water to the boiler.

• It is desirable that the quantity of water supplied should be at least equal
to that evaporated and supplied to the engine
• three types of which are commonly used as feed pumps are

• (1) reciprocating pump

• (2) rotary pump
• (3) centrifugal pump

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ACCESSORIES

Reciprocating Type Boiler Feed Pump

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ACCESSORIES
Injector

The injector consists of a body containing a series

of three or more "cones" containing nozzles along
one axis.
It uses the Venturi effect of a converging-diverging
nozzle on a steam jet to convert the pressure energy
of the steam to velocity energy, reducing its
pressure to below atmospheric which enables it to
entrain a fluid (eg. water)

Most of the heat energy in the condensed steam is returned to the boiler, increasing the
thermal efficiency of the process.
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ACCESSORIES
Economiser

Economiser increases the temperature of feed

water using waste of heat to flue gases leaving
the boiler through chimney.

Economiser consist of a large vertical cast iron or

steel water pipes, one end of vertical pipes is
connected with top horizontal pipe and other end
with Bottom. Hot flue gases from boiler pass over
the vertical tubes .The heat transfer take place
from flue gases to cold water rising in vertical
tubes

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ACCESSORIES
Air Preheater
An air preheater is a general term to describe any device designed to heat air before another
process (for example, combustion in a boiler) with the primary objective of increasing the thermal
efficiency of the process. They may be used alone or to replace a recuperative heat system or to
replace a steam coil.
Air preheater is installed between economiser and
chimney. It consists of large number of tubes which are
arranged in the path of the flue gases. Hot flue gases enters
into the tube from the top of the shell and leaves from the
bottom of the chimney. The inlet air at room temperature is
admitted into the shell at the lower end with the help of
fan. The air passes upward around the tubes in the opposite
direction of the flow of the hot gases. Baffles are provided
in the Air preheater. The soot hooper provided at the
bottom is used to collect soot during cleaning operation of
the tubes
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ACCESSORIES
Superheater
The function of super heater is to increase the temperature of the steam above its saturation point.

Superheated steam has the following

advantages :
i) Steam consumption of the engine
or turbine is reduced.
ii) Losses due to condensation in
the cylinders and the steam pipes
are reduced.
iii)Erosion of turbine blade is eliminated.
iv) Efficiency of steam plant is increased

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ACCESSORIES
Steam Seperator
A Steam separator, sometimes referred to as a moisture
separator, is a device for separating water droplets from steam.
The simplest type of steam separator is the steam dome on a steam
locomotive. Stationary boilers and nuclear reactors may have
more complex devices which impart a "spin" to the steam so that
water droplets are thrown outwards by centrifugal force and
collected.
Steam separator is important to remove
water droplets from steam because:
In all engines, wet steam reduces the thermal efficiency In piston
engines, water can accumulate in the cylinders and cause a hydraulic
lock which will damage the engine In thermal power stations, water
droplets in high velocity steam coming from nozzles (or vanes) in a
steam turbine can impinge on and erode turbine internals such as turbine
blades.
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