“Boilers are in my blood,” explained 44-year-old Shane Hall, a third-generation Weil-McLain representative.

What are engineers making time to read?

In 1973, an energy crisis led to the development of ASHRAE Standard 90. This event served as a catalyst for the creation of building design efficiency requirements, which eventually led to the creation of what is now known as the energy code for buildings.

Boilers are closed pressure vessels that are used to heat fluids -- either water or steam. They range in size, fluid to be heated, temperature of fluid, and design configurations. This paper is the first in a series to explain total system efficiency with a focus on condensing hot water boilers used for space heating, process applications, and/ or domestic hot water heating.

Since 1914, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME’s) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) has served as a worldwide model for assuring the safety, reliability, and operational efficiency of boilers. In July, ASME will release the 2019 version of its BPVC code, updating each of the “living document’s” 12 sections.

Heat Transfer Products Group LLC (HTPG) debuted its ColdZone Dual-Pak Multi-refrigerant Air Cooled Condensing Units for walk-in cooler and freezer applications.

Lochinvars’ CREST Condensing Boiler family is engineered to achieve higher thermal efficiencies in major commercial applications. The company reports that its CREST Condensing Boiler upgrade provides up to 96 percent thermal efficiency in six models ranging from 2.5 million to 6 million Btuh.

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.