Energy Conservation for Boiler Water Systems

In the last ten years energy costs have soared. The cost of coal and # 2 fuel oil have gone up by a factor of 3-5. Residual fuel oil cost has increased by approximately ten times. The cost of natural gas has gone up at an even higher rate. This paper reviews methods to conserve energy in industrial boiler water systems. Both mechanical and chemical approaches for energy conservation are discussed. The important aspects of efficient combustion are covered as well as other mechanical factors such as boiler blowdown heat recovery, economizers, air preheaters, and boiler blowdown control. The chemical aspects discussed for energy conservation include fuel additives, boiler internal treatment, and condensate treatments. The emphasis in this paper, for both mechanical and chemical approaches to energy conservation covers three areas: 1) maximizing the use of available Btu's in fuel through more efficient combustion, 2) improving the efficiency of heat transfer, and 3) recovering Btu's that have been previously considered uneconomical