What is the function of boiler in chemical industry?

What is the function of boiler in chemical industry?-Would you like to learn more about how boilers are used in the chemical industry? Want to learn what makes boilers so important to chemical production? Boilers are an important part of many chemical processes, from generating the steam and heat needed to distill or heat solutions to producing a variety of chemicals. Come along and learn why boilers play an important role in the success of today's chemical industry.

Fundamentals of boilers in the chemical industry

A boiler is a piece of equipment that basically works by burning various types of fuels (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil, biomass, etc.) to heat a liquid (usually water) to a high temperature or to produce steam, and the steam thus produced has a high temperature and pressure that can be used for a variety of purposes, including driving a turbine-generator, heating an industrial process, or providing motive power, and the key roles that boilers play in chemical production span the spectrum of energy supply, temperature control, waste disposal, energy efficiency and environmental protection. Through proper operation and maintenance, boilers can enable efficient and sustainable chemical production and reduce adverse environmental impacts, which makes them indispensable equipment in the chemical industry.

Heat demand in chemical production processes

The chemical industry involves numerous production processes, some of the common ones include chemical processes such as oil refining, synthetic reactions, distillation, and drying.

Petroleum refining is the specialised process of converting crude oil into a wide range of petroleum products, and this process requires a large amount of thermal energy as refineries have to heat, distil and separate different products from the crude oil. In addition to this, catalytic reactions such as cracking and hydrogenation also require high temperature and pressure conditions, which adds to the energy demand.

Synthesis reactions are commonly used to make chemicals and materials such as polymers, fertilisers and petrochemicals. These reactions require specific temperature and pressure conditions and often require large amounts of thermal energy to maintain reaction rates and efficiencies. For example, in polymer manufacturing, polymerisation reactions often need to be carried out at high temperatures.

Distillation is a common separation process in the chemical industry. It is used to separate different components of a mixture, including fraction separation and separation between gas and liquid phases in phase equilibrium. In these separations, heat is required to produce vapour, which is then cooled by a condenser to obtain a pure product.

Drying: In chemical production, drying is categorised into different methods such as air drying, adsorption drying and spray drying, which is required to remove water from the product to improve the quality and stability of the product. The drying process usually requires heat to evaporate or volatilise the water.

In summary, chemical production processes typically require large amounts of thermal energy. These processes involve high temperatures, high pressures, distillations, reactions and drying operations that require heating and cooling to maintain the required temperatures and conditions.

The critical role of boilers in chemical production

Boilers are of importance in the chemical industry. Firstly, they are responsible for supplying the necessary thermal energy to maintain the specific temperatures required in the chemical production process. This temperature control is to ensure that the quality of the chemical product is at the desired state.

In addition, boilers are tasked with maintaining the necessary pressure. In certain chemical reactions, high pressure conditions are necessary to achieve specific reaction conditions. And boilers are able to provide high pressure steam to meet these requirements, ensuring the proper operation of equipment such as reactors and distillation columns.

How do boilers ensure stable temperatures and pressures?EPCB boilers are typically equipped with highly automated control systems that monitor and adjust key parameters such as firing rate, combustion temperature, water level and steam pressure. These systems are based on the principle of feedback control and are able to respond to changes in real time to ensure that the boiler remains stable under varying loads and operating conditions. In addition to this, the combustion technology of the EPCB boiler is a key factor in ensuring temperature and pressure stability. Precise control of the mixing ratio of fuel and oxygen, combustion time and temperature distribution are important elements in keeping the boiler running.

Types of boilers in the chemical industry

Different types of boilers commonly found in the chemical industry include fire-tube boilers and water-tube boilers, which have their own applicable scenarios and characteristics in industrial applications.

Fire Tube Boiler

A fire tube boiler is a traditional boiler design in which the flue gases pass through a bundle of tubes through a potbelly. The flue gases from combustion flow through the boiler chamber while transferring heat to the water through the firetubes located in the boiler walls. The flow path of the flue gases through the firetube increases the contact area between the flue gases and the water, effectively improving the heat transfer efficiency.

Applicable Scenarios

Fire tube boilers are typically used in small to medium sized industrial applications such as heating, hot water supply, washing and some specialised applications. Since fire tube boilers burn fuel on the outside of the tube or fire tube and heat the liquid inside by radiation, they are suitable for applications that require rapid heating as the flame is in direct contact with the tube wall.

Features

• direct heating: fire tube boilers use direct heating, burning on the outside of the boiler and transferring heat to the liquid inside through the tube walls.

• Relatively simple: they usually have a relatively simple structure that is easy to maintain and operate, making them suitable for small industrial facilities.

• Fast Response: Because the flame is in direct contact with the tube wall, fire tube boilers typically have a fast response time and are suitable for applications that require rapid heating, such as washing processes.

Water Tube Boilers

Water tube boilers are the opposite of fire tube boilers in that water passes through a bundle of tubes through the drum. In a water tube boiler, flue gases from combustion flow around water tubes located inside the boiler, transferring heat to the water. Water tube boilers are able to withstand higher pressures than fire tube boilers and are suitable for industrial applications that require high pressure steam.

Applicable Scenarios

Water tube boilers are widely used in large industrial applications such as power generation, oil refineries, chemical plants, etc. for high pressure and high temperature steam requirements. Water tube boilers are suitable for industrial processes that require high pressure and high temperature steam, such as power generation and high temperature chemical reactions.

Features

• Water Internal Circulation: Water tube boilers place water inside the tubes and then heat the water through the heat generated by combustion. The water circulates through the tubes, absorbs heat and then produces steam.

• High efficiency: Water tube boilers usually have high thermal efficiency because they make full use of the exchange of flue gases and heat energy.

• High pressure capability: Water tube boilers can provide steam at high pressure and high temperature and are suitable for industrial processes that require such conditions.

Related post:Fire Tube Boiler VS Water Tube Boiler

Safety and environmental considerations in boiler operation

The safety and environmental protection of boilers in chemical production is crucial, mainly in the following aspects:

Safe operation

Personnel safety: Boiler operation involves certain hazards, such as high temperatures, high pressures, and combustion risks. Ensuring the safe operation of boilers is essential to protect personnel safety.

Production continuity: Boilers are a key part of the chemical process, and their failure or accident may lead to production interruptions, damaging the economic interests of the company.

Environmental protection: Safe boiler operation helps to reduce environmental pollution and avoid emission problems caused by improper operation.

Environmental Protection

• Emission control: Pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter in boiler emissions can be effectively reduced through the use of advanced emission control technologies such as flue gas desulphurisation (FGD), denitrification (denitrification) and particulate filters. These technologies help to ensure that the environmental impact of the exhaust gases produced during boiler operation is minimised.

• Energy efficiency: Improving the energy efficiency of boilers helps to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The use of energy-efficient technologies, such as waste heat recovery devices, low-NOx burners and high-efficiency heat exchangers, can reduce boiler fuel consumption and increase productivity.

• Monitoring and maintenance: Regular monitoring and maintenance are key to ensuring safe and environmentally friendly boiler operation. Through the use of modern monitoring equipment and sensors, the operating status of the boiler can be monitored in real time so that potential problems can be identified in a timely manner.

• Training and operating procedures: Employee training and the development of operating procedures are critical to the safe and environmentally friendly operation of the boiler. Employees need to know the proper operating procedures, how to respond to emergencies, and how to minimise unnecessary energy waste and emissions.

In conclusion, ensuring the safe operation of boilers is vital to the success of chemical production. By adopting appropriate technical means and monitoring measures, it is possible to protect the environment and reduce emissions while improving the energy efficiency of boilers, leading to safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly chemical production.

Conclusion

Boilers play a vital role in the chemical industry and their role and importance cannot be underestimated. They provide the necessary thermal energy and maintain the pressure within the system, which has a profound effect on reaction rates, product quality and environmental protection in chemical production. Therefore, proper boiler selection, operation and maintenance are essential to ensure the safety of personnel, improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. In addition, these practices can also help extend boiler life and contribute to sustainable production goals.

If you are in the chemical industry and have concerns about boiler selection, we welcome you to contact EPCB Boiler. We offer professional consulting services to assist you in making informed decisions to ensure your boiler system meets your needs and achieves optimal performance in your production process.