Do you know that thermal oil boilers are an efficient source of heat exchange with minimum costs and almost zero manual labor? Yes! You heard it right. You can use a thermal oil boiler to run different functions in your industry. These boilers are relatively safer to use and perform automatic operations.
Now you must be curious to know more about this thermal oil boiler. Don’t worry; you are at the right place because we have answered all your questions in this blog. So let’s get started.
Thermal Oil Boiler: An Overview
A thermal oil boiler is another reliable form of industrial boiler. It circulates the hot oil in its chambers to exchange heat for several operations in an industry. This type of boiler aims to provide an effective heat exchange by circulating the thermal fluids in the boiler.
A thermal oil boiler is a high efficiency steam boiler because it heats the oil effectively, and the heat from the oil is transferred to the desired location. After that, the oil returns to the source and is ready to heat again. This way, you can use the same oil repetitively in the chambers, and there is no need to change the oil constantly.
Let’s discuss its design and components to enhance the concept of a thermal oil boiler. We have mentioned the features and uses of all parts of the thermal boiler to make it more comprehensive for you.
Design Of A Thermal Oil Boiler
The thermal oil heating system design ranges extensively depending upon its use and capacity. It also varies from one steam boiler manufacturer to another. Let us have an insight into the most common and crucial design of the best high efficiency thermal oil boiler.
Thermal oil boilers are responsible for the production and transfer of heat through the process of radiation and convection. Based on the working process, we can divide the parts of the boiler into two categories. The first is the radiant part, and the second is the convection part. As per the name, these portions include the components that perform the attributed functions.
Let’s resolve your confusion and discuss its components in detail.
1. Radiant Parts
Radiant parts are responsible for the process of radiation. It involves combustion chambers, an oil heater body, and an air pre-heater. After the fuel enters the feeding system, it starts burning and heats the thermal oil present in the coils. The coil system in the combustion chamber is the top place for the radiation process. It helps to radiate heat outside through the coils.
It is important to maintain the temperature of the coils inside the combustion chamber to avoid blasts and damage. This area is responsible for greater heat exchange, so it is crucial to design it in a highly professional way. The coils’ diameter must be precise to ensure optimum heat exchange. A too-small or a too-large diameter can reduce the efficiency of the boiler and expose it to damage.
2. Convective Parts
Another process of heat transfer in the thermal oil heater&boiler is convection. It happens at the interface of the inside and outside coils of the combustion chamber. The placing of both coils is highly significant when designing a thermal oil heater/boiler. This part of the thermal oil boiler is a little risky as it involves a direct connection to both heating coils. The temperature of these must also remain optimum to prevent sparks and fires.
Thermal Fluid Heater System Components
The structure of a thermal oil boiler comprises various parts and portions to guarantee high efficiency. They are:
- Feeding system
- Combustion chamber
- Oil heater body
- Air pre-heater and feeding system
- Exhaust treatment system
- The method of collecting ash
- Circulating oil pump
- Oil tank system and expansion oil tank
· Feeding System
The first and foremost step in the working strategy is feeding fuel into the boiler. For this purpose, we have introduced a feeding system in the thermal oil heater. This feeding system consists of buckets, conveyors, excavators, etc., to automatically transfer fuel into the boiler.
· Combustion Chamber
Next in the line is the combustion chamber. The fuel goes slowly inside the combustion chamber and burns there. The fuel, after burning, gives off some ash that goes into the ash pit. The combustion process also requires some air to continue the burning; that’s why air enters the combustion chamber from the backside through air slots.
The combustion chamber also consists of two concentric coils. These coils absorb energy from the hot thermal fluid in the combustion chamber. The coils further enhance the efficiency of the thermal oil boiler.
Mostly, these two coils are connected in series. But in some boilers, these coils are parallel to offer large flows and heat differentials. Another good thing about these coils is that they are thermally insulated, which means the heat emitted from them through radiation will not leave the boiler because of the insulation. This way, you will be able to yield a maximum outcome.
· Industrial Oil Heater Body
The industrial oil heater body has various heat exchange pipes and oil tubes. It is located above the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber produces hot smoke that goes into the hot oil tubes in the oil heater, and thermal oil heats up. In this part of the thermal oil heater, the temperature of the oil increases.
It is a highly significant and sensitive part of a thermal oil boiler. As it is responsible for carrying the oil and its temperature, we must keep the velocity of the oil in mind when designing and operating it. Because the oil may catch fire in this oil heater body if not maintained properly. That’s why it is necessary to determine the type of thermal fluid to ensure the boiler’s safety.
· Air Pre-heater
An air pre-heater is a system that supplies air in the combustion chamber of a thermal oil boiler. Combustion is best carried out in the presence of excess oxygen from the air. The outside air goes into the combustion chamber with the help of fans present in the air pre-heater located at the back of the combustion chamber.
The air pre-heater provides several benefits. It gives an excess amount of oxygen to carry out combustion quickly and efficiently. This excess supply of oxygen also guarantees a reduced production of ash. Moreover, the fans in the air pre-heater maintain the temperature of the combustion chamber and prevent it from blasting.
· Exhaust Treatment System
The exhaust treatment system is a necessary and crucial part of the best high efficiency thermal oil boiler. Its function is to treat the dangerous exhaust fumes emitted from the process of burning before releasing them into the environment. These fumes can be hazardous to the environment, so it is essential to reduce their hazards before releasing them into the atmosphere.
Different thermal fluids produce various kinds of fumes, each needing a different treatment system. So it is vital to know the type of thermal oil you use in the thermal oil boiler before installing the exhaust treatment system. The treatment may include wet filter treatment, dry filter treatment, ventury, bag filter, or electrostatic dust filter.
· The System Of Collecting Ash
All fuels convert into ash after burning. Fuels such as coal or wood used in the thermal oil heater also give ash as a residue, out of which maximum is immediately discharged from the combustion chamber directly into the water tank. The water tank cools down the hot burning ash. When the temperature of ash goes down, you can collect it from the water tank with the help of dragging chains. The remaining ash accumulates in the form of fumes and smoke in the exhaust treatment system.
· Circulating Oil Pump System
The circulating oil pumps transfer the oil which was heated in the oil heater body. This oil goes directly into the factory lines and transfers its heat there. The basic function of this oil circulating pump is to move oil from the oil heater body to the factory lines and pull the oil back to the oil heater body to continue heating. This system works in a closed continuous cycle.
It is essential to understand the thermal oil heater capacity calculation to install the accurate size of the circulating pump. A circulation pump of non-exact size will result in either damage or too slow working principle. Therefore, it is crucial to use a suitable circulating oil pump to save operations costs and ensure the boiler’s safety.
· Oil tank system and expansion oil tank
We use two types of oil tanks in the thermal oil boiler. One is a simple oil tank, and the other is an expansion oil tank. The oil tank is usually installed underground. Its purpose is to store oil when a thermal oil boiler needs a repair or cleaning treatment. You can say that it works as a store or vault for thermal fluid.
On the other hand, the expansion oil tank is present above the oil heater body. Its function is to collect the expanding oil from the oil heater. When you increase the temperature of the oil, it expands and rises, and there is a chance that oil may boil and leave the oil heater body. That’s why an expansion tank is present above the combustion chamber to store the expanding oil. It also saves a lot of oil from going to waste.
All these above-discussed functions of each part of the thermal oil boiler explain the working principle of a high efficiency thermal oil boiler. It may have answered all your queries, but if you still have a question about any part of a thermal oil boiler, don’t worry; we got you covered. We give our customers a thermal oil boiler pdf guide to better understand their purchase.
Thermal Fluids And Steps To Choose An Ideal Thermal Fluid For Your Boiler
Thermal oil is a hot fluid that is often low-viscous. This oil transfers heat from one source to the other. Thermal oil gets heat from combustion and transfers it to the factory production system to carry out further operations.
But before choosing thermal oil for your boiler, you must understand the characteristics of the thermal fluid and go through a complete process of testing and selecting of right thermal oil. We have enlisted these characteristics and the selection process for your ease. Let’s continue reading.
Characteristics Of Thermal Oil
Various properties make thermal oil suitable for thermal oil boilers. Let’s enlist them one by one.
- Low viscosity: Less viscous oils are light in weight and thin. It means they will heat easily, and the circulating pump can easily pump them into the system – giving efficient results.
- Quick heating: The oil must have the ability to heat up quickly. It saves time and increases the production rate. So, make sure you check this characteristic before choosing one.
- Easy transfer of heat: The oil must have a high heat transfer rate to transfer heat to the factory lines easily. This feature will also help to save time by increasing the production rate.
- Low vapor power: Low vapor power means less expansion and rising of the oil. It will save the system from explosions.
- Low chemical reactivity: Thermal oil must have a low chemical reactivity rate to avoid any chemical reaction inside the thermal oil boiler.
- Less extinguishing: Thermal oils must be less explosive to avoid fires inside the boiler.
- Cost efficiency: Every business wants an inexpensive input that can yield a profitable output, so the oil must be cost-friendly.
- Quick cooling: Thermal oil should easily release heat and cool down quickly to prevent the excessive temperature inside the boiler, which is dangerous.
Process Of Selection
Thermal oil is the primary and only heat-transfer medium used in the thermal oil boiler. Your company’s heating system depends on it. That’s why it is vital to choose thermal oil wisely to get maximum yields with friendly costs and fewer risks. Let’s discuss some necessary steps to select a thermal fluid wisely.
- The fluid that you are opting to choose must be lightweight and easy to pump.
- The efficiency of the fluid is also essential to determine before making a purchase. Its efficiency means its ability to absorb and release heat efficiently.
- Another critical point is the pressure requirement of your thermal oil boiler. You need to consider the pressure handling capability of your boiler first and then buy thermal oil according to your boiler’s oil pressure requirements.
- The price of thermal oil is also a determining factor when making a purchase. You need to consider buying thermal oil that can give maximum yields by using minimum capital to run a profitable industry.
These are some of the immediate considerations while choosing the correct thermal oil for your thermal oil boiler.
Reasons Of Why Hot Oil Is Better Than Steam For Industrial Heating
Steam is a good option to produce heat for several processes running in industries, but do you know that it has several limitations? These limitations can hinder the expansion of your working modes and affect your industry. On the other hand, thermal oils surmount these limitations and work at high temperatures by giving maximum heat exchange.
Hot oil is more reliable when it comes to deciding the temperature of the boiler. It holds uniform temperatures and produces optimum heat exchange. Also, they have less pressure than steam, which means it is less likely to explode.
Hot Oil Boiler Systems: Safe By Design
Safety is the core point when designing a thermal oil boiler. Non-professional designing and construction can cause dangerous accidents, risking life and property on a wide scale. We have introduced some safety features in our thermal oil boiler to mark a safety level in thermal oil boilers. These factors are:
- Insulation around the combustion chamber to prevent heat transfer in the surroundings.
- Welded and seamless piping system to prevent leaking of oil.
- Use an expansion tank to prevent oil from boiling and spreading all over the boiler, which can cause severe accidents.
- Use of water tank and cooling fans to quickly drop the exceeding temperature in the system.
All these safety features are essential for the optimum working of a thermal oil boiler.
Conclusion
A thermal oil boiler is not only a good heat exchange source, but it is also a reliable and convenient mode of heat transfer in an industry. It has more safety features and needs less manual labor.
Now you know why a thermal oil boiler is an excellent option for your industry, you may consider buying it. Well, there are many options to choose from as many progressing companies provide the best options. But try to choose the one that offers complete usage strategies and testing samples to ensure safety and reliability.
As per customer demands, we have many options with reasonable thermal oil boiler prices tested and trusted after undergoing several experiments. If you are in need of one, contact our customer support for guidance.