What’s the working principle of power plant boiler

A power boiler is the primary source of steam in most utility and industrial facilities. Its purpose is to create steam by combusting fuels to generate heat and transferring that heat energy to water. Steam is the primary form of power generation in most of the world through the use of turbine generators. Steam turns the turbine which spins the generator in a magnetic field generating a current (electricity).

A boiler is a closed, pressure vessel in which water is being converted to steam (and possibly superheated) by the transfer of energy from a fuel source – typically oil, gas, or coal. The steam exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications such as manufacturing equipment, central heating, steam-based power generation, cleaning, cooking, and so on.

Made from thick steel plates, boilers can generate extremely high pressures. Steam pressure and temperature are both key factors for power generation. Generally, the higher the pressure and temperature of a power boiler – the better the overall efficiency.

For starters, power plant boilers are much bigger and the system involved in the combustion process is much more complex. Unlike heating boilers, the steam pressure of a power boiler exceeds 150 psig. They are used to generate power and are intended for operations at temperatures exceeding 500°F.

Power boilers are typically used at power plants as well as other large industrial applications where extremely high-steam pressure is required.

Power plant boiler operation is highly complex and involves several stages. First, the fuel – coal, natural gas, fuel oil– is being burned to generate heat. The water is usually heated to just below its boiling point in feedwater heaters and economizers before entering the boiler. Once in the boiler the water undergoes a phase change to become steam. The steam is then superheated to reach a higher energy level which increases the power plant’s output and efficiency. We will explain the process in detail later in the article.

An essential system, designed to effectively transfer heat and energy from the fuel to water, a boiler can account for between 20% to 30% of the total cost of a power plant.

ZBG has many types of power plant boilers, include gas/oil power plant boiler, circulating fluidized bed power plant boiler, biomass power plant boiler, waste heat re recovery power plant boiler, etc. If you are interested in power plant boiler, please consult our online customer service, we will try our best to help you.