Industrial plants need steam for heating and other processes. Boilers are commonly used to provide this steam, and you may be called on to operate the boilers in your plant. The first step toward the safe and productive operation of boilers is a good working knowledge of boiler fundamentals.
The function of boilers is to produce steam. Steam is produced by heating water to its boiling point. When water reaches its boiling point, it changes from a liquid phase to a vapor phase. It’s this vapor that we call steam. To produce steam, you essentially need two things — water and heat. To generate the heat needed for steam production, boilers rely on the process of combustion, which is the burn of fuel to provide the required heat.