The all-new gas-fired, vertical spiral-rib tubeless steam boiler from Fulton, the VSRT, is the first range to emerge from the company’s new ‘PURE Technology’ approach, an initiative that has resulted in a world-first design that is durable, long-lasting and boasts the highest efficiencies and ultra-low NOx emissions as standard.

By adopting a systems-engineering approach to design and implementing PURE Technology – the result of a clean-slate design approach that combines new people with new skills bringing a new approach to the design and optimisation of heat transfer solutions – Fulton’s VSRT radically challenges the heat transfer and mechanical design principles of traditional steam boilers. It is also claimed by the company to be the most radical change to vertical steam boiler design since Fulton pioneered the vertical tubeless boiler in 1949 and, for the right application, a worthy successor to the company’s renowned J Series.

Commenting for Fulton, sales and marketing manager Leigh Bryan says: “To meet ever-more stringent industry and environmental standards, our PURE Technology approach looks to enhance heat transfer, provide class-leading efficiencies, improve steam quality and reduce NOx emissions. So rather than improve existing products to achieve these goals, PURE Technology radically challenges conventional boiler design by engineering solutions that are fit-for-purpose and applications.”

With over 15 patents pending in three continents, the VSRT’s spiral-rib heat exchanger is a world first. It attains industry-leading heat transfer rates thanks to its unique spiral design, which achieves low stack temperatures by passing the flue gases through a spiral-wound heat exchanger that is fully immersed in water.

“This all-new spiral-rib design benefits from an extended heat transfer path and dual-direction heat flow, with the spiral annulus designed and optimised to create high heat transfer rates.” says Leigh. “This optimises heat transfer to create a longer-lasting boiler that we believe will beat the competition in every category of durability!”

The ground-breaking spiral rib heat exchanger design not only allows Fulton to improve boiler efficiency but, with virtually zero thermal stress, a thick walled construction and featuring vertical tubeless design architecture, the VSRT is one of the most durable steam boilers available.

It features a fully water-backed pressure vessel, which is wrapped in high-density insulation to achieve minimal thermal losses and low outer surface temperatures. The tubeless design has also enabled Fulton to create a compact boiler with minimal footprint. No refractory also means significantly lower weight (compared to traditional vertical steam boilers) for ease of installation.
 
Ultra-low NOx emissions of less than 20ppm are achieved thanks to the VSRT’s combustion technology, which features a modulating burner and furnace that have been purposely-designed as a single component and fully-matched with the VSRT in mind. This has helped Fulton to achieve up to 10:1 turndown capabilities and industry-leading performance of >82.5% gross thermal efficiency and 99.75% steam quality at 8 bar. When correctly sized for applications, the exceptionally high turndown will result in savings above and beyond those gained from the stated efficiencies.

With features including a tubeless design, no internal refractory and revolutionary cyclonic air filtration, the VSRT is extremely easy to maintain and operate. For applications where contaminated air can reduce boiler uptime – such as laundry and dry cleaning – the VSRT’s cyclonic air filter effectively separates debris and damaging particles from the combustion air and, because it won’t clog over time, eliminates the need for replacement filters. Maintenance is further improved compared to other vertical boilers thanks to the VSRT’s industrial control platform and easy access to the pressure vessel.

The VSRT is currently available with outputs from 160 to 960 kg/h, complies with the City of London Air Quality Strategy and anticipated MCPD regulations, is constructed to BS EN 12953 and CE marked to PED. Its pressure vessel and burner are backed by a five year guarantee as standard.

For further information on the VSRT Series, call Fulton on 0117 972 3322, email sales@fulton.co.uk or visit www.fulton.co.uk. 

Fulton Limited, the leading heat transfer specialist, has appointed Leigh Bryan as sales and marketing manager.

Commenting on the appointment, managing director Carl Knight says: “Leigh’s appointment is a real benefit for the company and he joins Fulton with considerable knowledge of process steam, hot water and thermal fluid applications. His technical experience as a time-served combustion and steam boiler engineer has proved beneficial in his managerial and directorial roles in the industry, for companies including Watkins Hire, Robey-Wellman and Nu-Way.”

Leigh adds that he intends to continue placing great emphasis in providing sales and application advice to existing customers and a growing customer base in hospital and healthcare facilities, food and beverage processing, laundries and other applications.

“As identified by the recent launch of the ground-breaking VSRT steam boiler, our product range is evolving, making these exciting times for Fulton and a great time to join the company.” says Leigh.

For further information from Fulton, call +44 (0)117 972 3322, email sales@fulton.co.uk or visit www.fulton.co.uk.

Fulton Limited – the leading heat transfer specialist – has supplied an oil-fired, skid-mounted steam boiler system to Neal’s Yard Remedies, a UK-based manufacturer of natural, organic health and beauty products including essential oils, moisturisers, shower gels and soaps. The 60J oil-fired boiler was supplied with the necessary ancillary items including hot-well, water softening, chemical dosing and blowdown vessels.

Commenting for Neal’s Yard, a spokesperson says: “The Fulton boiler was suited to the processes demanded from Neal’s Yard Remedies and was of a style and type that was ideal for the location of the company’s new plant room, which is situated on a mezzanine floor.”

This is Neal’s Yard’s first steam boiler installation and it replaces an old electric element heating process, which used de-ionised water – an important ingredient in most products – introduced into small mixing vessels and heated using electric elements to produce a steam jacket. The new process line uses steam from the Fulton boiler to provide indirect heat – in excess of 90 degrees – to a heating pot containing products such as coconut oil. Two larger mixing vessels on the same line are also indirectly heated and contain only naturally-occurring products, blended to produce cosmetics including hand lotions, shampoos, face polishes, etc.

While the new process line features a much larger heating pot and mixing vessels, Fulton’s boiler system quickly raises steam and bring the vessels up to temperature, making it a very efficient way for the company to produce the indirect heat required for its processes.

The skid-mounted Fulton system has been designed to future-proof the Neal’s Yard operation and allow for the addition of a second boiler, which will be used during maintenance and shutdown periods and to cope with increased demands in throughput.

“The combination of larger vessels and a move to a steam-based process has enabled us to more than doubled the potential throughput of the new line.” says the Neal’s Yard spokesperson.

The Fulton name has been synonymous with steam since the company first introduced the vertical tubeless steam boiler in 1949 and Fulton was established in Bristol in 1966. Today, Fulton is still one of the world’s leading manufacturers, producing an unrivalled range of heat transfer solutions, including steam and thermal fluid systems, but increasingly these are ordered by customers as part of bespoke turnkey systems designed to meet exacting specifications.

Fulton’s renowned ‘J’ Series vertical gas- and oil-fired steam boilers includes eight models covering outputs from 96 to 960 kg/h. Its tubeless design, invented by Fulton, eliminates the coils and tubes traditionally used in steam raising plant and enables the Series ‘J’ to raise its full steam output in just 20 minutes. The simple design and robust construction from top quality materials make them ideal for arduous applications in a wide range of industries.

Fulton’s heat transfer solutions can be delivered as fully-prefabricated plant rooms or complete skid-mounted units, built to fit a prepared location and connect direct to pre-installed services. Using the latest CAD equipment, its design team can accommodate the most sophisticated engineering specifications in surprisingly compact spaces, locating components in the best possible position to suit the installation.

Further information on the products and services available from Fulton can be found at www.fulton.co.uk, by emailing sales@fulton.co.uk or by calling +44 (0)117 972 3322. 

Just three-and-a-half-years after their introduction, Fulton Limited – the leading heat transfer specialist – is celebrating having welcomed its 1,000^th trainee onto its City & Guilds Accredited training course.

The City & Guilds-certified, one-day training course was introduced by Fulton in 2013 and offers a mix of theoretical and practical operational assignments which, the company claims, bridges the gap between the more expensive courses (that can cost many thousands of pounds per employee), and cheaper, straightforward ‘toolbox’ training.

Commenting for Fulton, customer services manager Jeff Byrne says: "This is a real milestone for the company. We are delighted to have welcomed Muhammad Ateeb Farooq, our 1,000^th trainee, who successfully completed the course and gained the City & Guilds certificate. We operate the courses throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland and at our Bristol-based manufacturing facility, which has a dedicated training room.”

He goes on to say that with no two boiler systems being the same, Fulton prefers to run its training courses at customers’ own facilities, so technicians and engineers learn on the equipment they will be monitoring day-to-day. However, Fulton’s in-house facility can accommodate training for its range of electric, gas, oil and dual-fuel-fired vertical and horizontal steam boiler systems.

City & Guilds certification adds value to the training courses and supports both the Safe Management of Industrial Steam and Hot water boilers Guidelines BG01 (SAFed) and INDG-436 (HSE) regarding operation and training.

The Fulton Operator Routines & Maintenance course is designed for boiler operators and covers basic day-to-day operation and monitoring; and provides employees with the knowledge required to monitor a boiler and ensure it is running efficiently and safely. It also includes training in operational procedures, daily blowdowns, and checking of water levels, alarms, etc. the course also examines the importance of correctly treated feedwater and what boiler inspectors will look for during routine insurance inspections.

“We have always promoted the benefits of operator training to our customers and enjoy seeing technicians and engineers grow in confidence as they improve their knowledge.” says Jeff.

Fulton’s training has proven to be invaluable to employers, with operators managing more of their own maintenance and repairs and avoiding costly call-outs that require no more than the simple flick of a switch to resolve.

“Real examples like this prove that a Fulton one-day Operator Routines & Maintenance course could potentially save the cost of many expensive and unwanted engineers’ visits.” says Jeff.

For further information on Fulton’s City & Guilds Accredited training programme, call 0117 972 3322, or email jeff.byrne@fulton.co.uk. 

Fulton will be using its stand at ISH2017 to launch its SRT Series steam boiler onto the European market and promote the company as a Global provider of heat transfer solutions. 

“Fulton’s all-new SRT Series is the most radical change to vertical steam boiler design since the company pioneered the vertical tubeless boiler in 1949,” says Carl Knight, managing director of Fulton Ltd.

By adopting a system engineering approach to design, and using its own ‘PURE’ Technology, Fulton’s SRT Series challenges the traditional heat transfer and mechanical design principles of vertical steam boilers. The SRT boasts industry-leading performance with an 84.5% Gross (93.5% Net) thermal efficiency from a fully-water-backed design with no refractory.

“With 30+ worldwide patents pending, the boiler’s spiral-rib tubeless design is a world first and creates a compact boiler with the industry’s smallest footprint.” says Knight. “In fact, compared to Fulton’s equivalent 30hp models, the SRT is an impressive 40% smaller.”

Using in-house modelling with CFD and finite element analysis, the SRT’s ‘PURE Optimised’ architecture makes it durable and reliable, with up to 6:1 turndown through its fully-modulating burner.

The SRT is CE marked and complies with anticipated EU regulations, with its combustion technology being reconfigured and the mesh burner and furnace designed as a single component, resulting in NOx emissions of less than 40mg/kWh.

With manufacturing facilities in the United States, Great Britain and China, Fulton is a global manufacturer of steam, hydronic and thermal fluid heat transfer systems. Backed by over 60 years of research, innovation and experience, Fulton is building on a tradition of success and is focused on improving life through heat transfer solutions. The company also provides sales and application advice, with full commissioning and after sales service, to a growing customer base in numerous sectors including pharmaceutical, process, petrochemical, healthcare, food & beverage, processing, etc.

For further information on Fulton or its all-new SRT Series, call the European headquarters on +44 (0)117 972 3322, email sales@fulton.co.uk or visit www.fulton.co.uk.