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Posted by steamplants on March 04, 2004 at 20:07:20:
In Reply to: Re: Fire tube Boiler Applications posted by Boiler Guy on March 04, 2004 at 06:00:35:
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: You made me have to step back into the discussion.
Sorry Boiler Guy ...but it is a good discussion.
: Steamplants, all parameters are NOT equal when comparing the two. Your argument is flawed for a very important reason:
Perhaps you misunderstood --- What I said was "only through proper design, construction, operation and maintenance is that danger minimized. Assuming all THOSE parameters are equal ...."
THOSE parameters being proper design, construction, operation and maintenance and when selecting a boiler, one would have to assume both boilers are equal in that regard, as the first (2) are mandated by law, and I hope no one making that decision intentionally plans on misusing the equipment.
:Your statement that you will be less dead is again also flawed:
Not really, because there are no degrees of deadness..I think that was my point.
I agree with you completely in that comparing a catastrophic failure of both boilers, the big firetube will release far greater amounts of rapidly flashing hot water than the watertube. There is no argument there. I think we also agree that niether scenario would be good. My point here again is that the above parameters being equal.. an unpredictable catastrophic failure is not any more likely to occur in one over the other. To illustrate further, the DA that supports a plant with several decent sized water tube boilers may sit some 20' above the operating floor and easily contain 40,000 - 50,000 pounds of water under pressure. Would you advocate not using a DA for the same reason?
I'm thinking you would advocate proper design, construction, operation, maintenance and inspections to minimize the risk.
:My point from the start has been when the only differentiating factor between a watertube and firetube of this high capacity is cost, in my opinion the price difference (which is not very significant at those capacities) is not worth the significantly greater potential for significant damage should "stuff happen" some point 5, 10, 20 years down the road.
Again, purchase price is not the only difference. Life cycle costs - fuel, repairs, etc. are going to be less with the firetube, and the difference can be significant.
I'm not trying to change your mind Boiler Guy. I just disagree with your assertion that firetube boilers over 800 HP shouldnt be considered on the sole basis that they are just "too large"