Why Industrial Boiler Should be Equipped with Economizer

From various boiler auxiliary lists, we can always see economizer on that. Then what is boiler economizer and why industrial boilers should be equipped with economizer?

What is a boiler economizer?

In industrial boilers, economizers are heat exchange devices that heat fluids, usually water, up to but not normally beyond the boiling point of that fluid. Economizers are so named because they can make use of the enthalpy in fluid streams that are hot, but not hot enough to be used in a boiler, thereby recovering more useful enthalpy and improving the boiler’s efficiency. They are a device fitted to a boiler which saves energy by using the exhaust gases from the boiler to preheat the cold water used to fill it.

What is boiler economizer effect?

A boiler economizer may be used to increase a boiler’s operating efficiency. We know the boiler economizer is a device that is designed to increase the operating efficiency of a boiler, cutting down on its operational costs over the lifetime of the boiler.

In most cases, industrial boiler is pretty efficient, but there is some heat loss may occur. The boiler economizer can act as a waste heat recovery device, ensuring that this heat does not go unused. Instead, the heat is used to essentially preheat the water, so that less heat is required to bring the water to a temperature high enough to make steam.

Except for using an economizer for preventing heat loss, it can also extend boiler service life. Temperature changes caused by using cooler feedwater can create wear and tear on the boiler over time as the fittings heat and cool down cyclically. When the feedwater is heated, the temperature differential is less extreme, putting less strain on the boiler and giving it a longer operating life.