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 NOX 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 NOX 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 NOX 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.
