Advantages and Disadvantages of Fire Tube Boiler

Each steam boiler type has its advantages and disadvantage as well as with the type of fire tube boiler. The following are advantages and disadvantages if the owner of power plant choose fire tube boiler as his boiler.

Advantages of fire tube boiler:

1. The water is supplied in shell and outside tubes while hot gas is supplied inside tubes so the water volume can not be shaken easily when the fire tube boiler is running.
2. Fire tube boiler is so easy to use, operate, clean and maintain
3. Fire tube boiler can be used in small scale industries.
4. Fire tube boiler is relatively cheaper than water tube boiler.

Disadvantages of fire tube boiler:

1. From the furnace combustion side, required time to fill water is longer than to increase temperature and pressure.
2. The efficiency of heat transfer (heat transfer efficiency) is bad enough because of the heat exchanger does not use thermal radiation.
3. In case of bombers fire tube boiler would be very dangerous if a large amount of hot water and steam have been accumulated inside (leakage occur).
4. The fire tube boiler can not produce steam at a pressure higher than 250 pounds per square inch.
5. Capacity of generated steam is limited.