Control of steam boiler efficiency through measurement of gas and steam flow

Industrial steam boilers play a key role in various technological processes, including space heating, material drying, and equipment sterilization. These units convert the energy of the burned fuel by transferring heat to water to generate steam and have become one of the main drivers of the industrial revolution.

Today, traditional fuels such as coal, fuel oil, or wood waste are gradually being replaced by natural gas due to tightening environmental regulations. In this regard, improving the efficiency of steam boilers is of particular importance — both economically and in terms of reducing harmful environmental impact.

The key method for assessing the efficiency of a steam boiler is analyzing the balance between the energy released during fuel combustion and the enthalpy of the produced steam.

The following parameters are taken into account for this:

• natural gas consumption and its calorific value;
• the volume of generated steam and its enthalpy.

Comparing these data allows determining the system's energy balance and evaluating its operational efficiency.

Example of calculating steam boiler efficiency:

To accurately determine the efficiency of a steam boiler, control of two key parameters is required:

• Natural gas consumption (measured in standard cubic meters - sm³/h)
• Steam output (recorded in kilograms per hour - kg/h)

Specialized thermal flow meters VA 570 and insertion flow meters VA 520 provide highly accurate gas flow measurements under standard conditions. Their design feature allows these devices to be used as autonomous submeters without the need to install additional volume correctors.

Vortex flow meter VX 570 performs simultaneous measurement of:

• Mass flow of generated steam
• Operating pressure in the system
• Temperature indicators

The obtained data form a detailed picture of the energy balance, allowing comparison of input and output energy flows.

The built-in data logger DS 500 in the system solves several important tasks:

• Automated calculation of the current equipment efficiency
• Recording instantaneous operating parameters
• Creating a database for analysis

This solution ensures operational control of the boiler under any operating conditions, including variable loads and changing technological parameters.

Key advantages of the system:

• Full automation of efficiency calculations
• Minimization of human error in measurements
• Ability to identify suboptimal operating modes
• Reduction of operating costs through precise monitoring

This equipment complex allows not only evaluating the current efficiency of the boiler but also identifying reserves for further optimization of energy consumption.

For additional information about the devices and cooperation opportunities, you can contact IZMERKON by phone at +7 (812) 309 56 05 or via the feedback form.