There are numerous industries, processes and applications where steam boilers are still used.  Thanks to their efficiency, versatility, and reliability in generating steam for various purposes, they are widely used in commercial and industrial buildings for space heating, hot water and process hot water production. In healthcare facilities, for example, they are used for sterilisation of medical equipment and supplies; and within the food and beverage industry for cooking and distilling applications. And so, the list goes on, with manufacturers using steam boilers throughout the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, textiles, paper and pulp industries and many others.

Processes and applications using steam have revolutionised over the years, however, the same cannot be said for steam boilers themselves. That was until, in 2018, Fulton launched the VSRT vertical steam boiler.

Claimed to be the most radical change to vertical steam boiler design since it first pioneered the vertical tubeless boiler in 1949, Fulton’s VSRT has rocked the steam boiler market since its launch to become class-leading and a symbol of efficiency, with many users benefitting from excellent savings in gas and water consumption and reductions in CO₂ and NO_X emissions.

At launch, the seven-model VSRT range was available with outputs from 160 to 960 kg/h, but with demand increasing for an energy efficient boiler with larger outputs, Fulton is now expanding its range and introducing two new, re-designed VSRTs (VSRT-100 and VSRT-125) with outputs of 1565 and 1956 kg/h. But what are the benefits of these two larger output models for end users?

As Fulton’s managing director Carl Knight explains, these models are ground-breaking for their output range: “When you consider the new models, there are no truly efficient tubeless vertical steam boilers in the marketplace with similar output ranges, the VSRT is the only tubeless boiler available with the capability of efficiently producing nearly two tonnes per hour of steam. In short, what we are delivering with these new models is much higher output versions without compromising efficiency!”

The new VSRT models maintain exceptionally high operating efficiencies (up to 86% gross thermal efficiency compared to approximately 80% from typical boiler designs), which results in lower operating and lifecycle costs and improved return on investment. In fact, using the lower-output VSRTs as an example, many of Fulton’s customers are achieving fuel savings of between 20% and 30%, with the University of East Anglia reporting a reduction in gas consumption from a recent installation of nearly 28% and over 57% for water. In addition to the gas and water savings, the University’s sustainability report also identified an 85-tonne reduction in CO₂ annually, savings that can be credited towards its net zero goals, and an approximate 40% reduction in NO_X emissions throughout the burner firing range.

And, as Carl explains, Fulton fully expects the VSRT-100 and VSRT-125 to achieve the same savings. “Like lower output models, the latest VSRTs boast the same impressively high 10:1 turndown capability and continue to achieve ultra-low NO_X emissions of less than 20ppm or 40mg/Nm³ at 3% O₂, which falls well below MCPD’s requirement of <100mg/Nm³., The VSRT also therefore complies with the stringent City of London Air Quality Strategy requirements.”

These advanced, energy-saving and environmentally beneficial features are standard across the now expanded VSRT range. Compared to other steam boilers, the VSRT is also a more durable and, in many cases, compact boiler that is energy-efficient, produces an increased output of higher quality steam and is easy to maintain.

So how do the new VSRTs compare to other steam raising solutions with similar outputs?

As already mentioned, the new VSRTs are the only tubeless boilers available with the capability of efficiently producing nearly two tonnes per hour of steam. To achieve similar outputs, end users would have to consider horizontal shell and tube boilers or steam generators.

The water volume of the VSRT is equivalent to or greater than these alternatives yet, combined with an impressive steam chest volume, can react quickly to changes in steam demand. And despite the larger water volume, the larger VSRTs still boast a start-up time of less than one hour (compared to between 3 and 24 hours for a typical boiler) and achieve a steam quality of >99.75%, a detail most manufacturers are unwilling to publish.

Thanks to its unique design, the VSRT’s patented spiral-rib heat exchanger virtually eliminates thermal stress, so Fulton has therefore created a longer-lasting boiler that not only improves boiler efficiency but one that the company believes will beat the competition in every category of durability. This is why all VSRTs come with the assurance of a 10-year ‘unparalleled’ warranty on the pressure vessel, double that of the industry standard.

With features including a vertical tubeless design with no refractory whatsoever, and thanks to its industrial control platform and easy access to the pressure vessel, the VSRT is also extremely easy to maintain. Additionally, as it contains no refractory there is no requirement for five-yearly, non-destructive testing, which contributes to reduced lifecycle costs when compared to standard horizontal boilers.

Efficiency and operation stats aside, the VSRT’s footprint can be as little as 25% of an equivalent horizontal boiler, a significant saving when designing buildings, and a major factor when considering the lease cost of real estate.

But what does this all mean for the end user in terms of lifecycle costs?

The following 15-year comparative costs example uses a single boiler installation. Here, a typical three-pass, horizontal shell and tube steam boiler (without economiser) is replaced by Fulton’s new VSRT-125, both firing on natural gas, with each boiler having a steam output of 1,956kg/h. For this comparison, we have conservatively assumed the VSRT to be 20% more efficient than an equivalent horizontal boiler; and that each boiler has a total annual run time of 4,200 hours.

Lifecycle Service/Maintenance Costs (Inspections, etc.)

Horizontal Boiler: £68,700.00

VSRT Boiler: £39,000.00

Additional Recommended & Mandatory Maintenance Costs (NDT, Inspections, etc.)

Horizontal Boiler: £36,954.00

VSRT Boiler: £4,400.00

Extraordinary Maintenance & Repair Costs (D Patch, Re-tube, Refractory)

Horizontal Boiler: £44,000.00

VSRT Boiler: £2,000.00

Fuel Costs (Based on 0.06p per kW/h inc. Standing Charge)

Horizontal Boiler: £5,862,213.00

VSRT Boiler: £4,594,060.80

Footprint Costs (Based on £9/sqft/annum)

Horizontal Boiler: £74,250.00

VSRT Boiler: £19,440.00

Total Lifecycle Costs (Exc. Supply and Water Treatment)

Horizontal Boiler: £6,167.765.00

VSRT Boiler: £4,700,300.80.00

In summary, as these figures demonstrate, with lifecycle cost savings approaching £1.5 million over 15 years and payback achieved within a matter of months, Fulton’s VSRT delivers a solution to help with both the financial and environmental challenges that are at the forefront of mind for many decision makers.

Heat transfer specialist Fulton will be using BeerX to promote how its class-leading fuel-fired and electric steam boilers and portfolio of aftercare solutions can help with a brewery’s or distillery’s decarbonisation strategy and put your company on the Road to Net Zero.

While Fulton will continue to promote the many features and benefits of its Classic and award-winning VSRT vertical steam boilers the company will, at a time when fuel costs are soaring and efficiency is vital to an organisation’s on-going strategy, also be promoting its range of electric steam boilers.

Some believe that electric steam boilers are superior to fuel-fired steam boilers in many ways, believing that using electric boilers may be less expensive than using a fuel-fired boiler in the long term, whilst also possibly being more environmentally friendly.

Using Fulton’s portfolio of electric steam boilers as an example, including Compack, Electropack and Europack models, less ancillary equipment is required than a traditional steam boiler, therefore helping to reduce the installation costs that come with a fuel-fired boiler. Electric boilers also generally have a smaller footprint and can therefore fit into smaller areas thanks to the way they are constructed and the lack of ancillaries that a fuel-fired boiler needs to operate. Additionally, because no flue system nor fuel supply is required, electric steam boilers can sometimes be located closer to the process, which reduces pipe work losses and improves steam system efficiencies.

However, this doesn’t mean the end for fuel-fired boilers which, given the correct infrastructure and process requirements, will play a huge role in a company’s decarbonisation strategy.

Beyond its product portfolio, the company will also be showcasing the many solutions on offer from its aftercare division, which can support Fulton’s own installations and those from other boiler manufacturers.

As well as offering boiler spares and repair service for all makes and types of heat transfer equipment, Fulton’s aftercare portfolio also includes accredited boiler operator training to INDG436 and BG01-R2, technical boiler house risk assessments, boiler and water treatment service contracts, water treatment training to BG04 and EN12953, steam trap surveys, site mass balance assessments and system design, etc 

For further information on Fulton’s heat transfer and aftercare solutions, visit stand 85 at BeerX, call +44 (0)117 972 3322 or click www.fulton.co.uk.

Heat transfer specialist Fulton will be using BeerX to promote how its class-leading fuel-fired and electric steam boilers and portfolio of aftercare solutions can help with a brewery’s or distillery’s decarbonisation strategy and put your company on the Road to Net Zero.

While Fulton will continue to promote the many features and benefits of its Classic and award-winning VSRT vertical steam boilers the company will, at a time when fuel costs are soaring and efficiency is vital to an organisation’s on-going strategy, also be promoting its range of electric steam boilers.

Some believe that electric steam boilers are superior to fuel-fired steam boilers in many ways, believing that using electric boilers may be less expensive than using a fuel-fired boiler in the long term, whilst also possibly being more environmentally friendly.

Using Fulton’s portfolio of electric steam boilers as an example, including Compack, Electropack and Europack models, less ancillary equipment is required than a traditional steam boiler, therefore helping to reduce the installation costs that come with a fuel-fired boiler. Electric boilers also generally have a smaller footprint and can therefore fit into smaller areas thanks to the way they are constructed and the lack of ancillaries that a fuel-fired boiler needs to operate. Additionally, because no flue system nor fuel supply is required, electric steam boilers can sometimes be located closer to the process, which reduces pipe work losses and improves steam system efficiencies.

However, this doesn’t mean the end for fuel-fired boilers which, given the correct infrastructure and process requirements, will play a huge role in a company’s decarbonisation strategy.

Beyond its product portfolio, the company will also be showcasing the many solutions on offer from its aftercare division, which can support Fulton’s own installations and those from other boiler manufacturers.

As well as offering boiler spares and repair service for all makes and types of heat transfer equipment, Fulton’s aftercare portfolio also includes accredited boiler operator training to INDG436 and BG01-R2, technical boiler house risk assessments, boiler and water treatment service contracts, water treatment training to BG04 and EN12953, steam trap surveys, site mass balance assessments and system design, etc 

For further information on Fulton’s heat transfer and aftercare solutions, visit stand 85 at BeerX, call +44 (0)117 972 3322 or click www.fulton.co.uk.

The University of East Anglia (UEA) is no stranger to steam boilers from Fulton having been using the heat transfer specialist’s solutions for many years. But having replaced their ageing plant with new VSRT boilers, even they were surprised at just how efficient the installation would prove!

With steam being essential to the University and used extensively for humidification purposes – to ensure that the appropriate environmental conditions of 55% to 65% RH are maintained – and for the autoclaving of equipment and waste, any installation needed a form of redundancy in place from the outset.

Installed in 2004 and handed over to the facilities team in 2005, the University’s original installation therefore featured three J Series boilers, allowing for two to cope with daily requirement and the third as a standby for when steam demand was high or during servicing and maintenance schedules on the other boilers.

Commenting for UEA, Estates Project Lead Philip Page says: “Even during the original planning phases for the boiler plant room we knew that floorspace, headroom and access was going to be limited. With horizontal firetubes out of the question and many vertical boilers at the time requiring almost double the height of the boiler itself for maintenance purposes, Fulton’s J Series was the perfect solution.

“Fast forward to when we started the replacement programme for the J Series a review revealed that things, in the most part, hadn’t changed in the boiler market and no other boiler that could fit within the plant room was as capable or efficient. We therefore put the programme on hold.”

Thankfully for the University, when the time did come to complete the replacement programme, a market review in 2019 revealed that Fulton had just launched its all-new VSRT, the most radical change to vertical steam boiler design since the company pioneered the vertical tubeless boiler back in 1949; and the world’s first fully-wetted, refractory-free vertical tubeless boiler. The compact footprint of the VSRT also meant it was a perfect fit for the existing plant room.

Available with outputs from 160 to 960 kg/h, the VSRT boasts ultra-low NOx emissions of less than 20ppm, achieved thanks to the VSRT's combustion technology that 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.

Having been in constant use for over 14 years, the University replaced all three Fulton J Series steam boilers with an all-new heat transfer system featuring three VSRT-50 boilers complete with all necessary ancillary plant including water treatment, chemical dosing, blowdown vessel and feedwater tank.

Because of the plant room’s situation – located in the middle of the building on the second floor – a temporary steam main was installed and piped to an external boiler plant solution that was hired so the facility’s steam supply could be maintained. A crash desk was then built two floors up, the end wall of the building removed, and the J Series boilers removed and replaced with the VSRTs. In total, the entire replacement process took six weeks to complete.

Two years after the VSRT installation was commissioned and handed over to the University’s estates team, a review of energy savings was commissioned to compared the old and new installations, with the results proving significant.

“The sustainability team compared the last 12 months usage of the three VSRTs to that of the three J Series boilers’ pre-Covid usage in 2019 and has reported a reduction in gas consumption of nearly 28% and over 57% for water.” says Philip. “Even if you don’t to take into account the recent cost increases in gas, these savings are significant and really impressive!”.

In addition to the gas and water savings, the sustainability report also identified an 85-tonne reduction in CO2 annually, savings that can be credited towards the University’s net zero goals. The University is also seeing an approximate 40% reduction in NOx emissions throughout the burner firing range.

As part of the new VSRT package, Fulton’s SCOPE boiler sequencing system was also specified which, as Philip Page explains, the University sees as being vital to the installation’s longevity.

“We operate an N+1 strategy at the University and most of the time two of the three boilers are firing to meet demand. The autoclaves are not always in use and during these times only one of the boilers is needed. However, we’re keen on maintaining equal operating hours across all three boilers and balancing water treatment across them too, so Fulton’s new SCOPE system enables us to automate weekly boiler changeovers to vary the lead boiler.

And while Philip can’t attribute the savings achieved from the boiler installation to the SCOPE itself, he is confident that the sequencing system will help to reduce maintenance costs by balancing operating times across the three boilers.

Beyond the impressive savings achieved, the University’s Estates team has also noted that compared to the J Series installation, the VSRTs are noticeably quiet in operation thanks in part to the fully-modulating burners running at lower levels when steam demand is low.

Summarising, Philip Page says that in the years that the University had Fulton boilers they really do tick all boxes. “We can’t fault their operation, and we can’t fault the Fulton service or customer support.”.

The new Classic from heat transfer specialist Fulton builds on the successes of its 70-year boiler manufacturing history to deliver a vertical steam boiler that is engineered to meet its customers’ requirements. An evolution of Fulton’s original vertical tubeless design, Classic is simple, compact and built to last, and is backed by more than 100,000 boilers installed around the world. 

Available with gas, oil, or LPG/Propane burners, Classic is available with outputs from 100kW to 300kW (160 to 480 kg/h) at 10.34 Barg and efficiencies up to 84%. Full steam output is available from a cold start within 20 minutes, meaning Classic steam boilers can meet the rapid steam requirements for numerous industrial applications, including pharmaceutical, healthcare, food and beverage. 

Classic uses proven technology to deliver steam economically, while maintaining the rugged, robust and reliable operation expected from a Fulton heat transfer solution. The pressure vessel is no less than 8mm thick; and the Classic's industry-leading vertical design eliminates tubes or coils that are subject to oxygen pitting, corrosion and burn out; ensuring decades of trouble-free operation. To ensure minimal downtime and maximum production availability, ease of maintenance is also a given of the Classic’s design.

Additionally, Classic steam boilers are exempt from expensive and time-consuming SBG01 non-destructive testing requirements.  

With more companies looking to hit the magic net zero target by 2030, Fulton’s Leigh Bryan asks what options there are for those businesses with processing facilities that are off grid and having to rely on sometimes ageing heat transfer solutions using high-carbon, oil-based fuels for firing.

According to official statistics for England and Wales, there are over 1.6 million non-domestic buildings, with nearly 300,000 of those located in areas not linked to the gas grid and many using fossil-based fuels for various heating purposes. Why? Because their location makes connection to the grid too expensive or, in some case, not even possible.

So, with heat transfer solutions in mind, what are the options for those operating a business that is situated off-grid and facing the challenge of sourcing a reliable and efficient source of energy?

Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)
When it comes to off grid, LPG is considered the cleanest, most efficient and effective fuel compared to traditional fuel types, including coal, oil and electricity. It emits almost no particulate matter, with oil emitting 10x the value and coal a massive 100x. Additionally, LPG emits 35% less carbon than coal and 12% less than oil; and, for those struggling to meet current MCPD regulations LPG can, utilising the correct burner equipment, also significantly reduces NOx emissions compared to traditional off-grid fuels, with oil seeing 50% more emissions.

Aside from the environmental benefits of LPG there’s also cost benefits to consider, with the UK government scrapping fuel duty on Class D Red Diesel from April 2022, which could see fuel costs for those operating oil-fired heat transfer solutions rise by as much as 50%.

For a recent installation at leading British condiments maker Tracklements, production capacity has been boosted and the company’s environmental credentials enhanced by replacing its existing oil-fired steam boilers with modern, efficient liquid gas-fired Fulton VSRT vertical steam boilers. 

With a relationship exceeding 40 years, Tracklements approached Fulton when specify a cutting-edge system that would help minimise its environmental impact. With a requirement for an off-grid solution, Fulton initially suggested a packaged system comprising of its Europack electric steam boilers but, following a site audit, it was realised that the infrastructure wasn’t in place to support a solution. So the company instead specified its award-winning VSRT steam boilers with LPG burners and recommended Flogas as the liquid gas supplier.

By modernising their steam raising equipment and changing their fuel type to liquid gas, Tracklements can expect an impressive 21% financial saving and a near 25% reduction in carbon emissions, with the cost savings being based on current oil prices before the planned withdrawal of tax relief on red diesel in April 2022 so, looking forward, they are actually far more favourable. 

These savings, along with improved carbon emissions, can be improved further by up to 30% when combined with the potential steam system efficiency savings by running the latest fully-modulating, high-turndown boilers – each genuinely capable of a 10:1 turndown – resulting in the production of high-quality steam at up to 99.75% dryness. What’s more, our liquid gas-fired VSRTs will help minimise other pollutants, with NOx levels at commissioning reduced by 75% compared to the previous oil-fired steam boilers.

Based on the current cost of 32 second oil combined with the planned increase in production and efficiency of the VSRT steam boilers, the customer expects a return on investment within 18 months. However, if the planned duty increases on fuel are factored in, that period will be significantly shorter.

The installation at Tracklements is also supported by both service and water treatment contracts from Fulton, who have also provided certified boiler operator training for several employees at the facility.

However, changing fuel type doesn’t always mean a completely new boiler. Following a site survey and steam load distribution analysis by Fulton and Weishaupt at a brewery in the South West in 2020, the steam boiler and burner specialists identified opportunities to reduce carbon emissions at the site and save money on fuel by upgrading the burner on a Fulton RBC2500 horizontal steam boiler that was installed in 2007.

The boiler was originally fitted with a high/low, conventional control box oil-fired burner, which was achieving a turndown ratio of less than 2:1. Partnering with Weishaupt, a micro-modulating LPG burner with integrated digital burner management system – air and gas servo motors accurate to within 0.1° – was specified and installed, with Fulton also specifying optional burner motor variable speed drive to reduce electrical power consumption and oxygen trim to maximise combustion efficiency. Additionally, with NOx levels reduced thanks to the upgrade, the RBC2500 is now also fully MCPD compliant.

The result of the partnership between Fulton, Weishaupt and Flogas (as the off-grid LPG supplier) is an upgraded steam boiler with turndown improved to at least 7:1 which, combined with the added burner options, is predicted to save the brewery in excess of 20% in fuel consumption alone. Impressive reductions in carbon emissions by changing to a cleaner, lower-carbon fuel like liquid gas will also be achieved and add to the efficiency savings.

“The cost savings predicted for the upgrade project at the brewery are expected to deliver a payback period of between nine and ten months and will go a long way in assisting the company’s Road to Net Zero efforts.” says Fulton’s Leigh Bryan. 

Electricity Grid 
Some experts believe that electric steam boilers are superior to fuel-fired steam boilers in a few ways. They believe that using electric boilers may be less expensive than using a fuel-fired boiler in the long term, whilst also being more environmentally friendly. 

Using Fulton’s portfolio of electric steam boilers as an example, less ancillary equipment is required than a traditional steam boiler, therefore helping to reduce the installation costs that come with a fuel-fired boiler. Electric boilers also generally have a smaller footprint and can therefore fit into smaller areas thanks to the way they are constructed and the lack of ancillaries that a fuel-fired boiler needs to operate. And thanks to their small footprints and the fact there are no flue requirements to consider, they can often be used for point-of-use steam requirements, making them a good choice for many smaller operations, including small-batch distillery, micro-brewery and autoclave applications.

Electric boilers are sometimes overlooked as a potential solution to steam generation due in part to the higher cost of electricity versus the cost of traditional fuels such as LPG, kerosene (gas oil), etc. However, with the UK government scrapping fuel duty in April 2022 and the cost of gas oil set to increase dramatically as a result, many companies are now turning to more sustainable methods of generating electricity, including solar or wind generation, with such schemes offsetting, or at least partially offsetting, the higher fuel costs.

Traditional fuel-fired steam boilers generally require multiple elements to operate successfully. In contrast, electric boilers are relatively simple devices. Additionally, because electric steam boilers do not use complicated forms of heat exchange, they do not contain many of the potential hazards that are commonly present in a fuel-fired boiler. Electric boilers are also generally easier to maintain because they don’t require tube replacements, burner maintenance or statutory non-destructive testing (NDT), all of which fuel-fired boilers often require. 

Electric steam boilers are more efficient than fuel-fired boilers because they require less energy to be put into them for operation at capacity. This is because there is little energy lost when the transfer of heat from the heating element to the water occurs, unlike traditional fuel-fired boilers where there is a substantial amount of energy loss from the air flow required to supply oxygen to the flame. 

Additionally, because electric steam boilers can be fitted, in some cases, with as many as 12 electrical elements (dependent on model), they have a high turndown – up to 12:1 in the case of Fulton’s electric steam boiler range – so are able to modulate efficiently to varying steam loads.

Electric boilers are, as already stated, more efficient and recognised as having smaller carbon footprints than their fuel-fired counterparts, but for large generating capacities are frequently impractical to install due to large supply cables and infrastructure requirements. However, with no burner service and no NDT inspection required every five years, the actual maintenance costs can be up to 50%* less than those of fuel-fired steam boilers. Generally, the only major parts that are periodically changed are the electric elements themselves, yet these are often replaced quickly and cost effectively. This balances lower life cycle costs against the high maintenance requirements of fuel-fired boilers, including refractory repair/replacement, 5-year NDT requirements, burner maintenance, flue maintenance, and the requirement for highly-skilled and often highly-paid plant operatives.

Blended Fuels
With the UK government scrapping fuel duty on Class D red diesel in April 2022, many companies unable to invest in upgrading existing or installing new plant are looking to equivalent blended fuels to fuel their steam boilers which, at present, are not subject to the implementation of the fuel duty scrappage.

The use of blended fuels requires little change to an existing boiler setup, with only minimal re-commissioning of the burner required. However, blended fuels burn at the same calorific value as Class D oil, there will also be minimal benefit from the reduction in carbon emissions or NOx levels achieved from switching to electric or LPG. 

Compared to Class D oil, there is also a shortage of blended fuels in the marketplace. Additionally, like many other fuel types, there are winter and summer grades to be aware of. So, if you’re still running a summer-grade fuel in the winter, you need to be conscious of potential waxing of the fuel pipes, filters and other burner components. 

Many blended fuels also required agitation to ensure the fuel mix remains consistent. This can be achieved with a simple two-pipe system that runs back to the tank to achieve circulation, but without this type of system, the installation of an in-tank agitator is recommended to ensure there is no stratification of the fuel.

Finally, there’s the residue found in boilers from blended fuels and their associated bio-components not burning as efficiently. Any residue will impact the overall efficiency of the boiler and we have seen cases where we estimate at least a 12% loss in efficiency due to the insulating properties of the residue in the boiler causing an increase in flue gas temperatures of around 90ºC.

What does the future hold?
We have of course only looked at three firing options for operating steam boilers off-grid in this article, but there are others. And what about the future?

At Fulton, we are already developing hybrid steam boiler solutions that combine a LPG-fired boiler with electric, where the base load of the process is picked up by the electric boiler and seasonal swings and high loads by the traditional boiler; all of which helps to dramatically reduce carbon emissions. We are also working with partners, such as Weishaupt, and looking at the future of hydrogen, although a move to 100% hydrogen-fired steam boilers is unlikely for off grid solutions.

With the withdrawal of fuel duty due in April, many businesses operating steam boilers have been considering the alternatives to red diesel/fuel oil.

A point of interest that Fulton has noted recently is that some fuel suppliers have acknowledged that a high percentage of light oil fuels tested on site (approximately 80% of samples) are contaminated in one form or another. Contaminants in fuel can include particulate matter and water that can affect the flow of oil and cause waxing and corrosion, which can lead to boiler lockout, incomplete combustion and/or wear on components, corrosion of fittings and pipework, etc., all of which affects a boiler's efficiency.

Example of Fuel WaxingThis is why with our current range of steam boilers, including the award-winning VSRT, liquid petroleum or natural gases are considered the optimum and most stable and efficient methods of firing a steam boiler because they avoid the use of potentially contaminated fuel oils, or the requirement for costly fuel polishing to remove moisture and debris from contaminated oil installations. 

However, we understand that moving from oil to liquid gas can be cost and even geographically prohibitive, so steps should be taken to ensure that fuel oils remain stable. These include regular checks for moisture and particulate matter in the fuel and tanks; and ensuring the steam boiler itself is regularly maintained and serviced according to manufacturers' guidelines, which should include valve inspections and oil filter changes. 

Example of Fuel Polishing. Image courtesy of Crown OilsFor those where cost and geography do not pose an issue, moving to a cleaner fuel (such as liquid gas from Flogas) and one that is easier to manage does come with huge benefits to businesses operating steam boilers. For example, following a site survey and steam load distribution analysis by Fulton and Weishaupt at a brewery in the South West of England in 2020, the two companies identified opportunities to reduce carbon emissions at the site and save money on fuel by upgrading the burner on a Fulton RBC2500 horizontal steam boiler that was installed in 2007.

The boiler was originally fitted with a high/low, conventional control box oil-fired burner, which was achieving a turndown ratio of less than 2:1. Partnering with Weishaupt, a micro-modulating LPG burner with integrated digital burner management system – air and gas servo motors accurate to within 0.1° – was specified and installed, with Fulton also specifying optional burner motor variable speed drive to reduce electrical power Soot buildup in a horizontal boiler.consumption and oxygen trim to maximise combustion efficiency. Additionally, with NOx levels reduced as a result of the upgrade, the RBC2500 is now also fully MCPD compliant.

Commenting for Fulton, Leigh Bryan says: “The result of the partnership between Fulton and Weishaupt, with Flogas also involved as the liquid gas supplier, is an upgraded steam boiler with turndown improved to at least 7:1 which, combined with the added burner options, is predicted to save the brewery in excess of 20% in fuel consumption alone. Impressive reductions in carbon emissions by changing to a cleaner, lower-carbon fuel like liquid gas will also be achieved and add to the efficiency savings.

“The cost savings predicted for the upgrade project at the brewery are expected to deliver a payback period of less than 12 months and will go a long way in assisting the company’s impressive Road to Net Zero efforts.”

As Balfour Beatty decommissions its Hinkley Point C Marine Works concrete batching plant at Avonmouth, two-and-a-half years after their installation and commissioning, we look at the processes and arduous operating conditions that the three Fulton VSRT steam boilers (amongst the first to be delivered and installed in the UK) have endured.

Embarking on one of the most complex marine engineering projects in the world at the time, Balfour Beatty excavated and constructed three cooling water tunnels under the seabed (two 3.5km intake tunnels and one 1.8km outfall tunnel) that will supply EDF’s two nuclear reactors at the 3,200 MWe Hinkley Point C with cooling water from the Bristol Channel.

In 2017 Balfour Beatty took ownership of a large, purpose-built concrete batching facility at Avonmouth Docks, which saw the beginning of a multi-year contract to supply 38,000 concrete tunnel segments destined for the nuclear facility. The batching plant is responsible for producing concrete segments for the reactor tunnels, with each tunnel ring consisting of six 6m x 4m sections and each of the two 3.5km intake tunnels comprising approximately 2,300 rings and 14,000 segments each.

To meet the target of producing the huge number of segments for the tunnels within the contracted period, a 24h concrete batching process was required, with steam from Fulton’s VSRT vertical steam boilers used to expedite the process by reducing the concrete curing time from a typical 24 hours to just 8 hours per segment. This allowed for 120 segments to be manufactured per day, all of which are cured in four, steam-filled automated curing chambers.

Consistency and quality are paramount in the manufacture of the tunnel segments, with engineers working on the high-performance concrete mixes since 2012. And while the design of the nuclear mix is itself not particularly special, the way it must be handled during the moulding and curing of each segment is extremely important.

The Fulton designed steam boiler system, which was specified by Avon Combined Electrical Services of Bristol and installed and commissioned by Fulton in February 2019, consists of three skid-mounted VSRT boilers packaged with feedwater tank, water treatment and chemical dosing plant and automatic blowdown. 

The steam system uses over 45m3 of treated feedwater and operates at 7.5 bar to provide steam for the four curing chambers at between 55C and 60C. As approved Flogas partners, gas from six large liquid gas tanks is piped to the gas-fired Fulton VSRT steam boilers, which use 4,500 litres of liquid gas per day and are located in a plant room adjacent to the batching plant.

To ensure the boilers operate in accordance with manufacturer guidelines throughout the contract, Balfour Beatty also has water treatment and service contracts in place with Fulton who, given the Avonmouth-based location of the batching plant, can respond to any demands and be on site extremely quickly. 

The VSRT steam system has operated throughout the entire batching contract on an N+1 configuration (one boiler on, one on setback and one boiler off), ensuring two of the three boilers are always operational in any 24h period.

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

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.

Commenting, Fulton’s Carl Knight says: “PURE Technology aims to enhance heat transfer, provide class-leading efficiencies, improve steam quality and reduce NOx emissions.

“Rather than further-improve products like our J Series to achieve these goals, PURE Technology – the culmination of Fulton’s clean slate approach to design – challenges the industry status quo on conventional boiler design by engineering solutions that are fit-for-purpose and fully-optimised for all applications.” says Carl.

In 2015, with business improving but original process equipment reaching end-of-life, Rebellion Beer Company bucked the trend and, with impartial advice from heat transfer specialist Fulton, replaced its ageing steam boiler for a thermal fluid system. Now, six years on, we approached Rebellion’s Mark Gloyens to update us on how brewery life has coped with the switch.

Anyone running a brewery will tell you just how critical the boil phase of the brewing process is; and when Rebellion set out on its journey from steam to thermal, they were warned that they’d never succeed in getting that clean flavour achieved from a steam-driven rolling boil.

“The move from steam to thermal was a leap of faith on our part, but the warnings received from other breweries have been proven to be incorrect!” says Rebellion Beer Company’s Mark Gloyens. “Product quality has improved because we now have more control over temperature for the wort boiling process than ever before. We’re getting a very good quality boil that is controllable and we have achieved everything we wanted from the move from steam to thermal fluid”.

Thanks to the control and flexibility that the thermal system affords Rebellion, the brewery has had the ability to achieve various size batches as and when required. Until recently, this has enabled them to process research and development batches and has been especially useful throughout the pandemic when, at the beginning, throughput was decimated because pubs were forced to close. However, as lockdowns came and went, Rebellion successfully pivoted its business and started selling direct to the consumer via a home delivery service, which meant throughput very quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels, currently two to three batches per day, with each boil lasting up to 90 minutes.

“The beauty of the thermal fluid installation is its flexibility and ability to very easily adapt our changing brewing strategies.” says Mark. “Historically we would have been doing two brews per day to achieve maximum output, but because of its flexibility, we are now able to shut the thermal fluid heater down for a day per week to deep clean the brewhouse and increase output to three brews per day for the remainder of the week. Something that would have been very difficult to achieve with steam.”

Beyond the control and flexibility, there are many other factors that have had a positive impact on Rebellion Beer Company, as Mark explains: “A steam boiler is essentially a pressure vessel and regulations state that pressurised systems must undergo an annual insurance inspection. This inspection would often take the steam boiler offline and mean our brewing processes were down for a day or more, with disruption from the downtime potentially being felt for several days after. Additionally, with even the best water treatment programme in place, steam at pressure can be very corrosive, leading to problems with steam traps, flanges and pipework, which we always seemed to be maintaining and was always therefore another potential for process downtime. 

“With thermal being more of a closed loop system, we’ve not experienced the same issues with leaking gaskets, flanges, etc., making the whole installation not only look but also feel so much more reliable than steam!”.

In putting a figure on the annual cost savings of maintaining a steam system – including servicing, water treatment, chemical dosing, etc. – compared to thermal fluid, Mark Gloyens estimates that the thermal fluid system is much lower and could be at least half that of the previous steam boiler installation. And six years on, Mark estimates that the savings made compared to maintaining the old steam system – and despite the thermal fluid installation being a more expensive capital outlay initially – has certainly contributed significantly to the return on investment, with the investment now fully paid for.

Expanding on the flexibilities of the thermal fluid system, Mark has also announced that Rebellion is about to tap into the existing brewhouse line to create a small-batch development brewery and yeast propagation plant on the site. “It’s been such an easy expansion to achieve. We’ve just been able to tap into the existing thermal fluid line and use the system for another duty without impacting on everything else.” says Mark.

The new development line is capable of brewing five hectolitre (500 litre) batches and will enable development or commercial batches – such as strong beers or one-off batches that may not appeal to the wider consumer – to be processed without having to invest in a full 4,000 litre brew.

Summarising, Mark Gloyens says that whenever he’s asked if Rebellion is happy with the thermal fluid installation from Fulton, he simply tells them to come and take a look because it speaks for itself. “It’s just a neat, compact installation that’s relatively maintenance free and extremely flexible!”.

And when asked about his advice to anyone considering a new brewhouse or complete overhaul of existing plant; and perhaps sitting on the fence when it comes to considering steam versus thermal? “You obviously need to consult the experts as we did when we approached Fulton over six years ago. They were completely unbiased because they manufacture both steam and thermal fluid solutions.”. says Mark. “But for Rebellion Beer Company, a thermal fluid solution was a no brainer. It’s more cost-effective, more reliable, relatively maintenance free and a much neater, more compact system that still provides the quality of heating needed for brewing. It’s just a better way of doing it!”

With a requirement for new steam boilers with increased capacity, higher efficiency and more eco-friendly emissions when expanding their operations at a second facility in Romania, Universal Alloy Corporation had no hesitation in turning to heat transfer specialist Fulton, the supplier of steam boiler solutions already installed at its facilities in Romania and Vietnam.

Heat transfer specialist Fulton has supplied, assisted with installation and commissioned two gas-fired, horizontal RBC3000 steam boilers for Romania-based Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC), a manufacturer and fabricator of high-strength, hard alloy extrusions for aircraft structures or where precision-engineered products are critical. This is UAC’s second Fulton installation in Romania – at an all-new facility built to cope with increased demand from the airline industry – and third installation across its sites in Europe and Vietnam.

In accordance with strict Romanian regulations on the installation of new plant equipment, including steam boilers, as the OEM Fulton had to be in attendance at the system testing stage, ensuring reliable, maintainable steam could be provided ahead of a planned visit by several prestigious UAC customers. This meant that Fulton’s engineering services supplied support from the UK and, in line with current COVID-19 guidelines, had to self-isolate for two weeks following the test-fire visit.

Under normal operating conditions, the two RBC steam boilers at the new Romanian facility are setup for N+1, with steam being used to heat water in several large vessels via coils, with the water being used for quenching purposes during component processing. Steam is also being passed through coils for a heater-dryer system at the end of the same processing line.

For the steam boilers supplied to UAC, Fulton partnered with renowned burner manufacturer Weishaupt and supplied the RBCs with two low-NOx, fully-modulating burners and reconfigured the boiler steam outlet nozzles to run at just 2 bar. The use of a Siemens high integrity digital burner management sytsem means the boilers are capable of achieving at least 7:1 turndown, something not always achievable from large horizontal firetube boilers.

Additionally, unlike typical gas pressures in the UK of approximately 20 mbar or 60 mbar on the continent, the supply at UAC’s site in Romania was 1.6 bar, so Fulton and Weishaupt provided an over-protection rig for the gas components in the gas train. While the gas supply to the gas train is now regulated to 95 millibar, the over-protection rig ensures that a slam-shut system is enabled should the gas pressure exceeds 180 millibar, completely negating any possible component damage.

In addition to November’s test-firing visit, two of Fulton’s engineers visited Romania in September to service the RBC boiler at UAC’s original facility and commission the two boilers at the new plant. Again, both engineers followed COVID-19 guidelines on self-isolating when returning to the UK.

Both visits also provided an opportunity for the training of key boiler operators at UAC’s new manufacturing facility which, as well as the usual instruction and guidance, also ensured that operators were educated on the start-up procedures in both low fire hold and auto modulation modes for these particular boilers 

Offering higher capacities than the 2500 kg/h maximum for its VSRT range of vertical boilers, with outputs to 4787 kg/h and a maximum working pressure of 10.34 bar, Fulton’s RBC range can be specified with matched multi-stage oil, modulating gas or dual-fuel burners as standard, with other burners available on request. The boilers are constructed to BS12953 standard, meet current and anticipated legislation and have been engineered to provide a substantial performance margin.

For further information on Fulton’s horizontal RBC and vertical VSRT steam boilers, call +44 (0)117 972 3322, email sales@fulton.co.uk or visit www.fulton.co.uk.