Analysis of the Relationship Between Fuel and Industrial Boiler Selection

August 26, 2022

With the rapid development of the world economy, the construction of industrial enterprises, and the transformation of old enterprises, a large part of the boiler needs to be selected.


Whether in production practice or in the network, we often see questions about boiler selection. It can be seen that boiler selection is a very broad issue. There are many factors that cause boiler selection obstacles, of which the lack of technical strength of the construction unit itself is a key point. They often make two mistakes in boiler selection: one is blindly listening to the opinions of salesmen; the other is completely relying on design Units, in fact, design engineers are not necessarily "thinking for users".

 


Under the constraints of these two factors, to a large extent, the result will bring irreparable defects to the enterprise.

 

For example, the circulating fluidized bed boiler was created for the low-quality coal. It was invented and created for the consumption of a large amount of coal gangue in coal mines. . Due to the advantages of "circulating fluidized bed boiler", such as full combustion, high thermal efficiency, and the ability to burn low-quality coal, it became the focus of the industry at that time. Many boiler plants also launched this kind of boiler, which was hyped by various companies.

 


As a result, users blindly follow the trend without considering their own characteristics. In the end, some are forced to stop operation due to factors such as raw material cost, some because fly ash is difficult to handle, some because of difficult control, and some because of frequent failures.

 

The reason is not that this boiler is not good, but caused by improper selection.

 

The following is a brief discussion on how to select boilers based on fuel characteristics, and EPCB briefly talks about it for the reference of colleagues.

 

The Relationship Between Fuel Cost and Model Selection

 


For the four input forms of coal, gas, fuel, and electricity, the boiler operating cost relationship (specially referring to fuel) can be roughly given, and the proportional relationship is roughly 1:2:4:6, respectively.

 

At present, the price of commercial saturated steam in the market is about 200 yuan. The factors that constitute this price include fuel, electricity, water, maintenance, labor, equipment depreciation, management fees, and taxes.


Taking an industrial boiler with the same parameters as an example, the coal consumption, gas consumption and oil consumption to generate 1 ton of steam are 0.180 ton (measured), 84 m3 (theoretical), and 64 kg (theoretical). Because electric boilers cannot be used in industry, no comparison is necessary.

 

If starting from the fuel cost, coal-fired is the most economical choice. However, not all boilers that require new installations are selected this way.

 

Economic Comparison of Coal-Fired Boiler and Oil (Gas) Boiler

 

Oil (Gas) Boiler Advantage


(1) Small footprint and space saving;


(2) The installation cost is low, which is 50% of coal-fired;


(3) Environmental protection, hygiene, and less maintenance;


(4) There are fewer auxiliary machines;


(5) The power consumption of auxiliary machines is 20% of that of coal;

 

Coal-Fired Boiler Advantage


(1) Good fuel economy.


(2) The price of boiler equipment is lower.

 

Economic Comparison

 

(1) In terms of the total construction cost of the boiler room, the oil-fired boiler is equal to the coal-fired boiler, although the cost of civil construction, auxiliary machinery and installation costs are omitted. However, the price of the boiler itself is offset by the additional oil storage (gas storage) system and safety guarantee system.


(2) Running cost is the key. Fuel oil is 4 times that of coal. Gas is twice as much as coal.

 

Environmental Issues That Cannot Be Ignored

 


Why do some regions choose oil-fired (gas) boilers?

 

As we all know, environmental protection is a concern of the entire human race. When coal-fired boilers are running, the proportion of pollutants produced by different coal types is also different, but they will all produce a large amount of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, dust, etc., compared to oil-fired boilers and gas-fired boilers. A small amount of nitrogen oxide Emissions, the pollution of coal-fired boilers is far higher than the pollution of gas-fired clean fuels, although corresponding measures have been taken.

 

In order to improve the environment in many areas, in urban areas, whether it is heating or industry, gas or oil-fired boilers must be used. In many tourist areas and nature reserves, there are the same requirements, so they have to choose oil or gas boilers when choosing a boiler. However, some users, due to the high added value of products, such as restaurants, entertainment and other service industries, precision smelting, etc., also choose oil or gas boilers due to process requirements and environmental factors.

 

To sum up, no matter how great the advantages of oil-fired gas boilers are in terms of environmental protection and hygiene, they cannot offset the huge fuel cost. As an enterprise, under the premise of not violating national policies, laws and regulations, it is the real purpose to maximize economic benefits.

 

Conclusion

 

Combining the relationship between the above three points of fuel characteristics and boiler selection, I believe you have made your own choice. Enterprises should not blindly pursue high-priced fuels, but should choose suitable and affordable fuels to ensure the normal operation of boilers and reduce production costs. For more information on boiler selection or for assistance in choosing a boiler for your industry, please contact EPCB. We are happy to assist you.


EPCB, your personal boiler system expert!

Further Reading:


Which Boiler has the Lowest Fuel Cost? EPCB: Your One Stop Shop For Boiler Selection


Energy-Saving Technology of Steam Boiler in Petrochemical Enterprises


Pharmaceutical Industry Boiler Selection Guide--EPCB Boiler Helps You Become a Leader in Your Field



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