Clayton Industries case history

Steam Generators Advanced Steam Boiler Technology that Is Safe, Efficient and Reliable

SAVES FUEL SAVES SPACE SAVES TIME SAVES MONEY

Advanced boiler technology for all steam applications, with many benefits

COMPACT, HIGHLY EFFICIENT, QUICK-STARTING STEAM GENERATOR SYSTEMS

COMPACT SIZE Smaller size means a smaller

RESPONSIVE Very rapid response to changing steam loads means the Clayton Steam Generator will automatically modulate to match your steam load profile while maintaining system steam pressure. SAFE Our once-through design eliminates the possibility of a steam or water- side explosion. The Clayton Steam Generator is simply the safest steam boiler available on the market.

LESS WATER WASTE Clayton’s design concentrates TDS blowdown significantly, reducing fuel, water and chemical costs. FAST START Full steam pressure and output in minutes from a cold startup saves fuel and labor cost over conventional designs and eliminates wasted fuel from idling.

AUTOMATIC Operation is automatically

RELIABLE Field proven reliability of the Clayton Steam Generator is unsurpassed, resulting in greatly reduced operator maintenance and attendance. QUALITY Steam quality in excess of 99.5% dryness is assured at all times. This is the highest steam quality of any competitor’s design. Less water and impurities further increase your energy efficiency.

space requirement. Clayton Steam Generators generally fit into any available area, reducing construction costs on new building installations. FUEL EFFICIENT Clayton’s high efficiency design translates into lower operating costs and improved overall system operation.

controlled. The Clayton Steam Generator can be started from a single switch or remotely using the automatic start option. LOW WEIGHT Its relatively light weight means that all sizes of Clayton Steam Generators can be easily moved and installed; even in areas with limited structural support.

Advanced boiler technology of the Clayton steam generator

COMPACT, HIGHLY EFFICIENT, QUICK-STARTING STEAM GENERATOR SYSTEMS

THE CLAYTON PUMP

THE CLAYTON PUMP | THE CLAYTON COIL | THE CLAYTON SEPARATOR

FEATURES

THE CLAYTON COIL The Clayton Pump has been designed specifically for the continuous supply of high-pressure and high-temperature feedwater to the Clayton Steam Generator and has exceptional durability. The pump does not have any glands or mechanical seals and the moving parts are semi-submerged in an oil reservoir. Faultless operation is achieved by the use of a reciprocating piston that pushes oil against a diaphragm that, in turn, moves water in a vertical column. The water inlet and outlet is at the top of the column so that heat from the water being pumped does not reach the pump mechanism. The complete assembly is housed in an extremely strong cast ductile iron block. The Clayton Pump is unsurpassed for long life, reliability and performance. The Clayton Coil has been developed for high heat transfer and long-term reliability. Its unique design allows water and heat to flow in opposite directions in a single pass. This counterflow pattern is the most efficient way to transfer heat energy and provides preheating of the incoming water. Each coil layer is carefully staggered, compared to the next. The spacing between each layer is varied so a constant high velocity is maintained as the flue gas density changes with temperature. The diameter of the tube also becomes larger as the water temperature increases and steam is produced. In the lower section, the coil forms a water wall around the combustion chamber that minimizes external heat loss. The result is fast heat transfer, even heat distribution and no hot spots. Mechanically, the coil acts like a spring to eliminate the effects of expansion. This allows Clayton Steam Generators to be started and stopped as frequently and as quickly as required without the possibility of mechanical damage. The Clayton Coil is the heart of the Clayton Steam Generator and has benefits that are not available with any other boiler. The Clayton Separator guarantees high-quality steam by combining cyclone separation and screen mist removal. The Separator operates in conjunction with the Clayton forced flow principle to guarantee steam quality of at least 99.5% dry saturated under all load conditions. The separator does not have any moving parts and no maintenance is required. A series of vanes produce a vortex flow pattern that removes water particles by centrifugal action. The separated droplets are collected and recycled. Impurities are simultaneously separated and can be removed by automatically blowing down a very small quantity of the collected water. No other blowdown is required and the total dissolved solids in the incoming water can be as high as 8,550 ppm. The Clayton Separator produces high-quality steam that is the best available from any type of boiler. THE CLAYTON SEPARATOR

The many advantages of using the Clayton Steam Generator is the result of combining three unique and proven technologies.

CLAYTON COIL l Counter Flow Heat Exchanger l No Refractory Insulation l Small Steel Mass l Low Heat Loss l Single Pass Heating l Upfired Burner l Rapid Heat Transfer

CLAYTON COIL

l

STEAM

CLAYTON PUMP

CLAYTON PUMP l Small Water Content l Pre-Heated Water l Controlled Water Flow CLAYTON SEPARATOR l Vortex Action l No Moving Parts l Automatic Blowdown

l

WATER

l

CLAYTON SEPARATOR

To produce steam in a Clayton Steam Generator, water goes in one end and high-quality steam comes out the other. The boiler feed water is pumped through the helical water tube coil from the top to the bottom while heat is passed over the coil in the opposite direction. The high efficiency separator at the outlet of the coil ensures that the steam is dry saturated. The principle of forced circulation of water using the Clayton Pump, Coil and Separator is the basis for the many benefits of using the Clayton Steam Generator.

HIGH PRESSURE COMBUSTION AIR BLOWER

AIR/FUEL MIXER

AIR/FUEL DAMPER CONTROL

To meet increasing demands for cleaner technologies, Clayton has created an advanced ultra low NOx burner system available on all our gas-fired steam generator units. The FMB (Fiber Metal Burner) technology achieves ultra low emissions through a combination of improved fuel and air mixing and very low, short flame length. This proven system is automatically controlled and capable of meeting strict local air emissions standards. LOW NOx TECHNOLOGY

FMB CONE BURNER

GASFLOW CONTROL VALVE

PILOT AIR PILOT FUEL

MAIN GASLINE

Used by the world’s leading companies

COMPACT, HIGHLY EFFICIENT, QUICK-STARTING STEAM GENERATOR SYSTEMS

SKID MOUNTED SYSTEMS

MODELS UP TO 2,000 BHP WITH DESIGN PRESSURES UP TO 3,000 PSIG SATURATED AND SUPERHEATED STEAM

CONTAINERIZED UNITS

EXHAUST GAS BOILERS

OFFSHORE / MARINE

Woollen Mill Application - Two EG-125 Clayton Steam Generators

CLAYTON STEAM IMPROVES MEMORY

A well known woollen carpet and upholstery yarn manufacturer has replaced old inefficient traditional firetube boilers with modern Clayton Steam Generators to improve energy efficiency and increase output. Steam is a vital part of the production process and it is used to heat-set the yarn to give it the characteristic colour, texture and stability. Heat setting is also said to impart memory to the woollen yarn so that it always returns to its original form and prevents colour from fading - essential properties of quality carpet. The production facility runs 24 hours per day throughout the year and the two Clayton Steam Generators operate in duty/standby mode which gives continuity and flexibility of the steam supply to the fast moving process. The low fuel consumption of the new units has reduced running costs and lowered carbon emissions at the plant. The higher efficiency of the Clayton design is due to the principle of operation which is much different from the conventional types of firetube steam boiler. In a Clayton Steam Generator the steam is formed by pumping water through a heated helical

coiled steel pipe. This results in rapid steam formation and efficient heat transfer. Unlike the firetube boiler design the Clayton Steam Generator does not store a large quantity of hot water under pressure and it is therefore much smaller in size and weight so there is also less mass of water and steel that needs to be heated up before steam is produced. An added benefit of the design is that the steam is of high quality since it is virtually dry saturated and this makes it ideal for the heat-setting technique. When the standby unit is not required it is switched off but it will automatically stir into action when required since the start time is only five minutes from a completely cold condition. By comparison firetube boilers can

take over two hours to heat up from cold and the old standby boiler at the mill had to be kept warm all of the time, and consuming fuel, just in case is was needed. The space required for the new Clayton Steam Generators is one quarter of room needed for the old boilers and the new steam system is housed in a modern plant room near to the point of use. Clayton equipment has an enviable reputation for reliability and the Clayton Steam Generators at the plant are regularly inspected by Claytons own engineers who are dedicated trained specialists.

www.claytonindustries.com

REPRINTED FROM

Tannery Application - EHO-505 Steam Generators

STICKY SOLUTION

A Tannery in Germany now use an unwanted waste fat by-product as a valuable source of fuel instead of paying for it’s disposal – and they have reduced their environmental emissions at the same time. Südleder of Rehau in Southern Germany process over 3,000 hides per day in an energy intensive process. A significant proportion of this energy is in the form of steam that is used to heat water, dry leather and provide space heating for the production area. However, the old boiler plant was inefficient and could not cope with the highly fluctuating steam demand that is a feature a modern tannery operation. A feasibility study of the available options was carried out and this included tests on extracted animal fat from the subcutaneous connective tissue of raw hide (glue stock) which Südleder had long considered to be a potential source of fuel. Extensive investigation and analysis was undertaken before a new system was installed that has not only reduced energy consumption but has also minimised the companies reliance on fossil fuels. A major part of this project was the installation of a fat extraction unit and two 4900 kW Clayton Steam Generators which are capable of running on the recovered fuel. The Clayton Steam Generator is of a remarkable design that is ideal for this type of application. To produce steam, the feedwater is pumped through a single vertical continuous helical coil in the steam generator at a controlled rate from the top of the coil to the bottom. At the same time

the hot combustion gases from the bottom mounted burner pass heat upwards over the coil in the opposite direction. One of the many benefits of this forced circulation of water through the coil is flexibility of operation since the responses to changes in steam demand occur extremely rapidly. As well as running on the recovered fat the two new Clayton Steam Generators can burn natural gas or light oil as standby fuels. Changeover from one fuel to another happens automatically if the supply of fat runs out for any reason. Alternatively the changeover can be made manually from a touch screen display on the control panel. The light oil fuel can also be used to clear any deposits from the fuel train left behind by the fat. An added advantage of the vertical configuration of the Clayton Steam Generator is that the heat exchange surfaces can be easily cleaned by

flushing with water from top to bottom under gravity. Over time, certain light deposits from the recovered fat can form on the coil surface and it is possible to carry out the cleaning process very effectively and quickly using this method. On other boiler designs it would be necessary to perform a complete drain down which would produce a large water loss. The animal fat is regarded as carbon neutral and will actually produce considerably lower levels of emissions that normal fuel oil. When the emission figures were verified by an independent laboratory they were found to be much lower than the ‘Technical Instructions on Air Quality’. Südleder calculate that emissions have been lowered by 4,100 tons per year of CO 2 - which is equivalent to installing thermal solar panels on 2,500 family houses!

www.claytonindustries.com

The Clayton Advantage Installed A Case Study: Mittal Steel Steam Generator Operates On Waste Gas

Mittal Steel’s Warren, OH plant produces Metallurgical Coke which is used in blast furnaces for the smelting of iron. Coke is obtained by the destructive distillation of coking coals which is basically, heating the coal between 1650° F and 2000° F in a controlled atmosphere. A by-product of this process is Coke Oven Gas. COG is a low BTU (500 – 600 BTU’s/cu. Ft.) gas with considerable impurities, includ- ing sulphur and tar. This coke oven gas is typically “flared” off as a waste prod- uct. Since any boiler large enough to burn this by-product gas as a fuel to provide the amount steam used by the plant would require full time licensed opera- tors in Ohio, the Warren, OH plant does not have steam boilers. They purchase their steam from a steel mill next door at considerable expense. Plant Engineer, Joe Magni decided to find out what equipment options were available. One company he spoke with was Clayton Industries. Clayton Steam Generators are forced circulation vertical water tube boilers. Due to their unique design, they do not fall under the Ohio Boiler Operator requirements and can be operated un-attended, eliminating the high cost of dedicated boiler opera- tors. They are available up to 700 bhp and pressures up to 2,500 psig. Clay- ton had successfully fired this type of

to clean while the steam generator continues to operate on natural gas. The Clayton Steam Generators are PLC based controls and utilize a variable speed feed water pump. Installed and placed into operation in Dec, 2007, the Clayton units have performed very well. They burn the cog cleanly and efficiently. The equipment runs 24/7 and provides approximately 15,000 lbs of steam per hour at 175 psig to the plants steam system. The steam generators have been in operation over three months and a recent inspection showed no sooting or tar buildup on the burners or boiler tubes. Since the fuel is a by-product of their process, the Mittal plant has realized a project payback of less then three (3) months. Also, burning the COG in the steam generators, under controlled conditions, is more environmentally friendly than flaring the gas off to the atmosphere.

Clayton 250 BHP Steam Generator equipment on coke oven gas in Europe, but did not have installation in the US. With the operator issue out of the way, Joe Magni could concentrate on the combustion issue. Clayton Senior Sales Engineer, Mike Sabol provided Joe with drawings of the Clayton cog burner used in Europe. Since the design used large opening and high velocities the potential for fouling is minimized. Generators and feedwater treatment equipment to support them. These are 250 bhp, 250 psig design units, each capable of producing up to 7,500 lbs of steam per hour at 175 psig to the plants steam system. Each steam generator was equipped with dual gas trains, one for natural gas, and the other for coke oven gas. The COG train is SST and uses Maxon, pneumatic assisted valves to insure safe shutoff, even if dirty. The COG train is designed for easy removal Mittal Steel USA placed on order for two (2) Clayton Model SEG-254-2.5 Steam

Coke Oven Gas Fuel Train

Your Single Source For Steam Technology Since 1930

Industry has turned to Clayton Steam Generators time and again over the decades, simply because they do so many things so well. From single unit packaged skids to complex multi-unit installations plus heat recovery in CHP projects, Clayton Steam Generators supply premium steam as a vital ingredient in your process, boosting in-plant efficiency, lowering costs and economizing on fuel.

Clayton Steam Generators, setting world standards since 1930 for operating efficiency, fuel savings and safety, are backed by extraordinary customer service. Factory direct service technicians provide start-up and training plus pre- ventative maintenance programs tailored to fit your company’s needs. In addition, Clayton offers a complete line of Coil Guard water treatment chemicals supported by a dedicated chemical service group.

www.clayton.be

G-1043 6/08

C A S E S T U D Y

Clayton’s steam technology saves 2 million pounds of perfect tomatoes from going to waste and helps launch a new brand. Seaside Farm lost 8% of its tomato crop each year because it was too ripe to ship. I t’s all about the tomato,” says Ross Taylor, a fifth-generation heir of the family tomato farming business, Seaside Farm. Based on Saint Helena Island in South Carolina, every year the family sells 20 million pounds of their tomatoes to restaurateurs and local grocers a passion to concoct the perfect Bloody Mary mix. One thing led to another, and soon Ross had an idea of how to put all that wasted fruit to good use. Recipe in hand, Ross recruited Uncle Mac to

S T E AM G EN E R ATO R S

“

help design the process, facil- ity and equipment needed for production. Obviously, they’d have to work with a high volume of ripened fruit in real time during harvest – six to eight hours per day, from the last week of May through the first week of July. Yet there was little available land on

mostly along the East Coast. “We pick them mature green. We can’t ship a ripe toma- to,” said Mac Sanders, Ross’s uncle and one of the family’s current crop of patriarchs. To- matoes ripen to their luscious red color naturally when the plant produces ethylene, an odorless, tasteless chemical. “We inject atmospheric eth- ylene to ripen the tomato prior to the point of sale,” Mac said.

the island, so to keep start-up costs low they would have to build a space-efficient facility to suit the purpose. Ross specified the right kettle for the job – an Italian-made FMT-brand processing mix- er-cooker for tomatoes that could be used to heat 400 gallons in 20 minutes. Mac’s due diligence for the right steam boiler led them to Pack Expo in Chicago, and after speaking with

“We pick them mature green. We can’t ship a ripe tomato.”

But fruit waste was always a problem. Come picking time every year, about 2 million pounds of tomatoes were too ripe to ship, so they paid to have them thrown away. Then during harvest a few years ago, Ross and some visiting college buddies seized on

Advanced Steam Boiler Technology that Is Safe, Efficient and Reliable

“Seaside Farm has fed us, been good to us for a century or better. We hope the Good Lord will continue to smile on us so we can continue to do what we love.”

continued on next page

Clayton helps save 2 million pounds of tomatoes a year

continued from previous page

development, bottling, co-packing, and fulfillment, further extending the value of their investment in the new processing equipment. “The equipment will soon pay for itself,” said Mac, “and that’s good for the future of the family. We just want to continue to farm.” Will pointed out, “The Clayton family is happy to join the Seaside family in creating business solutions that will help secure the futures of both families.

The fact pattern led Will to specify the SigmaFire SF50 Steam Generator 50BHP. The unit’s compact size and low weight would be ideal for the Seaside Farm building and mesh well with the FMT food processing equipment. It is capable of full steam pressure with a five-minute cold start for use on demand, generates the highest steam quality of any com- petitive design to prevent contamination, with a fuel efficiency that would help keep operating costs low for this fledg- ling business concern. “They don’t have to leave it running overnight, and it’s extremely safe – guar- anteed not to have a steam explosion,” said Will. Due to the scale of the Seaside operation, it took just six months from meeting at the trade show to completed installation. Will said, “We monitored the installa- tion process throughout to make sure everything was done properly. The island is so beautiful we always looked forward to our site visits, but we do the same for every customer.” The swift process helped the family get the new venture up and running by the following harvest, processing up to fifteen 400-gallon batches per day during peak season. “The SigmaFire SF50 Steam Generator could keep up with the job we needed without breaking a sweat,” said Ross. “The operation costs are fantastic. The burn usage – propane and everything – have been nominal to the degree that we’re not sure how many times we get the tank filled. And we run it hard, six to seven days a week.” Clayton helps fifth-generation farm reach for the future. A new business brand was created – Sea- side Grown, promising a “Farm to Table, Field to Glass” product line featuring their tomato-based original Bloody Mary mix, salsas, hot sauces, and barbecue sauces. The family has already expanded from there to include a wide variety of jams, non-tomato sauces, and hand sanitizer. Another family venture, Frogmore Bottling Company, now offers turn-key partnership for recipe formulation, brand

several competitors, the Seaside Farm team zeroed in on Will Brozowski, Sales Engineer for Clayton Industries. “Mac and Ross came to our booth with a clear idea of what they needed: an extremely safe, small footprint, high-effi- ciency steam boiler capable of generating the necessary on-demand heat to keep their kettle operating at peak capacity,” Will said. After the convention, Mac sent Will a spec sheet for the FMT equipment and the floor plan for the optimized building. He continued: “Those tomatoes would be already ripe, at their most fla- vorful, and there would be a lot of volume. The Seaside Farm challenge was to bottle that flavor before it was lost, in the space they had, and to do it cost-effectively.” Though every Clayton customer brings a unique challenge, most deal with much greater volumes and processing complex- ity than Seaside’s. “Compared with most of Clayton’s customers, our start-up op- eration was small. But Will and the rest of his team gave us all the timely attention to detail we hoped they would,” Mac said. “Every customer is different,” said Will, “but they all have to solve a business problem that matters to their success. They did their homework on us – it was our turn to help them find a great solu- tion.” As a start-up effort, Seaside didn’t have room for a do-over.

SigmaFire SF50 Steam Generator 50BHP: The unit’s compact size and low weight is ideal for the Seaside Farm building and meshes well with the FMT food processing equipment.

800.423.4585 sales@claytonindustries.com 17477 Hurley Street City of Industry, CA 91744 www.claytonindustries.com

During harvest a few years ago, Ross and some college buddies seized on a passion to concoct the perfect Bloody Mary mix.

F rom a family farm to an agricultural powerhouse , G eorge S ant and S ons G reenhouses has been continuing their family tradition for more than seventy years .

‘Not too many people use real soil anymore,’ muses Rick Sant, co- owner and co-operator of George Sant and Sons Greenhouses, ‘we’re very unusual in that regard.’ What originally started as a family farm to provide food and a source income for a young immigrant family from Malta, the Sant family business underwent a dramatic change in 1957 to meet the growing demands for bedding flowers. Since then, the family owned and operated greenhouse has grown exponentially, now covering a sprawling 100-acre property in rural Ontario. With forty full time staff and over one hundred and fifty workers during their seasonal peak, the greenhouse is currently owned and operated by the third generation of the Sant family, still proudly plying the family trade as the fourth generation begins

Rick Sant, Co-Owner and Co-Operator of George Sant and Sons Greenhouses, alongside Clayton’s Vice President Glenn Adgey

wood, or other unwanted foreign debris, while simultaneously removing any clumps from the soil and transitioning it into a fine, shredded quality. From there, the soil is subjected to a sterilization process before being relocated to a conveyor system. It’s at this point that the soil is introduced to a series of natural additives, including lime, peat moss, bark, and wood fibers, which guarantee natural aeration, ideal pH levels, and promote plant growth. The wood fibers have been a recent change to the greenhouse’s typical additive formula, replacing perlite as a more environmentally friendly alternative, which has always been important to the company. ‘We don’t use too many chemicals,’ Rick continues, ‘a lot of it is just biological.’ From this stage, the soil is transported to the various sections of the property for use in seeding machines, potting,

to enter the family business and continue the legacy. Rick goes on to explain the process by which they ensure that their soil is of an acceptable quality before beginning the planting process. Raw soil begins by moving through a shredder, removing any rocks,

Alongside cuttings and seeds, Sant’s is also well known for their production and sale of more traditional perennials and potted plants

Company George Sant And Sons Green Houses

and other planting operations throughout the greenhouse. After an appropriate amount of time spent cultivating under the warmth of the greenhouse glass and the watchful eyes of the faculty, the product is loaded and shipped out to their various customers across the United States and Canada. Previously, the company was making use of a 200 horsepower firetube boiler to provide the steam required for their soil sterilization, which was converted from an aging hot water boiler, explains Rick. Part of the Sant family’s method of ensuring a high quality product is that all soil receives a thirty minute ‘steam bath’ sterilization at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in an increase to crop yields, unlocking further nutrients within the soil, and a complete purge of weeds, bacteria, fungus, and other viruses. ‘We used to run on coal, then light oil before gas. The boiler room was four times the size where they were, you walk anywhere near it you couldn’t have a conversation. Even the neighbors would complain about the rumble at night,’ he says with a laugh. That however is no longer the case. ‘This one,’ Rick continues, ‘you can come in here and actually talk.’ When the time came to replace the aging equipment, the greenhouse made the switch to Clayton Industries, and now relies on a Sigma Fire 75 Horsepower gas fired boiler for their soil sterilization. The boiler itself had previously seen use within an industrial cleaning facility, and was given a complete refurbishment by Clayton as part of the sales process. Since the installation, Sant’s has been able to do away with several inconveniences beyond the noise levels. Their current boiler produces steam in under

“Not too many people use real soil anymore. We’re very unusual in that regard.”

Location Bolton, Ontario, Canada

Industry Agriculture

Application Soil Sterilization

five minutes, a vast improvement from their previous model, and the company is no longer required to have a licensed operator on site due to Clayton’s inherently safe design. Their new unit is properly sized and performs well regardless of the firing rate, which is a must for the changing steam demands the greenhouse sees over the course of the year, representing significant savings in operational costs. And finally, their new boiler takes up less than a third of the space of their previous system, allowing for a compact installation in a smaller section of the greenhouse, with the previous area being converted into brand new office space. From their humble origins as a family farm, the Sant name has become a major force in the industry, growing to become a wholesale provider to garden centers across North America, producing over 10 million cuttings a year, in addition to seeds and perennials of a stunning variety. James Adgey serves as a Sales and Marketing assistant with Clayton Industries.

Challenge Excessive operational costs and high noise levels from an oversized, outdated, and inefficient firetube boiler system

Solution Removal of previous system, followed by

purchase and installation of a refurbished Clayton Sigma Fire boiler Result High efficiency design results in low operational costs, coupled with a quiet operation and compact installation

For more information, visit www.claytonindustries.com

BEFORE YOU BUY: An Introduction to Boiler Efficiency A general understanding of boiler terminology and operating principles can help you make an assured and confident industrial boiler purchase. July 21st, 2020

Boiler efficiency is undoubtedly the most important and widely used term when the subject of purchasing a new industrial steam system begins. Unfortunately, the goal of some boiler manufacturers at times seems to be to make the process of understanding efficiency as difficult as possible. (It is not uncommon to see a cluster of terms and equations provided in the language of a seasoned engineer. Often, the differences among these terms are not clear to a casual user.) While there are numerous factors that can contribute to boiler efficiency, having a perfect understanding of a boiler’s efficiency is not critical. A general understanding of the terminology and principles, however, can go a long way in helping prospective users make a confident decision. The following article will break down the subject of boiler efficiency and how it relates to making a new purchase. It also will include tips for the prospective buyer as well as a few of the hard questions to ask any potential supplier.

Why Boiler Efficiency Matters Boiler efficiency is important because of the fuel bill. In the average industrial scenario, the final purchase cost of a new steam system, including delivery and installation, pales in comparison to the amount that will be spent on fuel over the lifetime of the boiler. It is not unheard of to spend two to three times the purchase amount in fuel in the first year alone. This represents an annual expense that will be incurred as long as the boiler is in operation. This is why efficiency is so important. It directly impacts the annual operating costs. As little as 1 percent difference in terms of efficiency can equal tens of thousands of dollars. While the natural inclination may be to pursue a lower cost upfront, this decision could result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel bills in the years to come.

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With fuel supply dominating nearly 80% of your operational costs, maintaining a high level of efficiency is important to maximizing your annual savings.

What Is Efficiency? Boiler efficiency represents the difference between the energy input and output, expressed as a percentage. Another way to think of it is as how much steam a boiler is able to produce relative to the fuel usage. As a term, however, “boiler efficiency” often is used as a general blanket description to summarize any and all of the factors that may be contributing. As a result, when the term “boiler efficiency” is used, it is important to understand what is or is not being represented. This is something your potential supplier should be able to provide to you. For an existing boiler, to get a quick breakdown of the efficiency rating, simply take the boiler’s output and divide by the input. This will provide a starting point for any inquiries. Keep in mind, however, that this does not take into consideration all of the factors that may affect efficiency. Oftentimes, a supplier may provide this number as the final efficiency rating, so be sure to ask the supplier. Further, energy inputs and outputs should be listed clearly on any boiler company’s website in their technical documentation, so anyone can run the numbers themselves. If these numbers are difficult or impossible to find, ask the supplier why.

Terminology and Calculations Several considerations contribute to determining a boiler’s true efficiency. Here are some of the terms that may be encountered when discussing this subject. Thermal Efficiency. When used in reference to steam boilers, thermal efficiency refers to the effectiveness of the heat exchanger or, more directly, how well heat is being transferred from the fuel supply into usable steam. The focus of this measurement is on the heat exchanger and not on the boiler, however, even though this term is often mistakenly applied to boilers. Thermal efficiency is a factor in the overall efficiency, but it is not the be all and end all. As a result, it is not a useful term when comparing one boiler to another. Combustion Efficiency. A measure of how well your boiler is burning fuel, combustion efficiency specifically refers to the total heat released during combustion minus heat that is lost during the combustion process. Under ideal circumstances, a boiler’s combustion will result in low levels of unburned fuel and low levels of excess air. In real-world applications, however, combustion conditions are never perfect. They will always require some measure of excess air to burn

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To get a quick breakdown of your efficiency rating, simply take your boiler’s output and divide by your input.

completely, and finding this balance becomes crucial. Not enough air will result in unused fuel and the production of soot and carbon monoxide. Too much air will result in heat losses. Both scenarios have a negative impact on cost savings. Taking a combustion efficiency measurement is done easily through an analysis of the combustion air by means of a combustion analyzer. This is a good way to compare performance between boilers. Heat Losses. While not technically a measure of efficiency, heat losses affect every boiler and contribute to the overall efficiency in the form of wasted energy. Three types of heat loss can occur: • Convection losses, which refer to heat that is lost from airflow surrounding the boiler. • Radiation losses, which refer to losses from heat that

radiates from the boiler shell. • Stack losses, which refer to heat that is lost by exhaust gases that exit the boiler stack, having never transferred their heat into the feedwater. When entering a boiler room, do you immediately notice how hot the room is? Do you hesitate to get too close to the boiler out of fear of burning yourself? These are signs that a boiler is experiencing high heat loss. Fuel-to-Steam Efficiency. This is the best possible measurement of efficiency. It considers the final amount of energy that is being converted into steam, taking into consideration all of the factors that contribute to a boiler’s overall efficiency. When a potential supplier begins to discuss products, this is what should be presented.

Fuel-to-steam efficiency is the best possible measurement of efficiency. It considers the final amount of energy that is being converted into steam, taking into consideration all of the factors that contribute to the boiler’s overall efficiency.

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Efficiency is so important because in the average industrial scenario, the final cost of your new steam system, delivery and installation pales in comparison to the amount you will spend in fuel over the lifetime of the boiler.

A Few Words of Caution As can see seen, there is a great deal to cover when it comes to boiler efficiency. Moreover, there are other factors to take into consideration — examples include feedwater temperature, steam pressure and blowdown rates — when determining the true boiler efficiency. Many industry tricks can be used to artificially boost efficiency numbers, and you do not want to find out too late that you are losing money. The best way to avoid this situation is to ask any potential supplier to provide a real-world efficiency rating for their boiler. Different manufacturers may call this by different names, but what you should get is a realistic efficiency rating based on the conditions of your plant. Do not settle for a manufacturer providing you with a hypothetical rating based on “ideal conditions.” (The easiest way to boost efficiency ratings is to run the boiler under perfect conditions with ideal water temperature, perfect fuel combustion — and without any heat losses whatsoever.) These conditions seldom exist in the real world, so make sure that the number being provided is realistic to you and your

needs. What temperature will your feedwater be? At what pressure will you be operating? There is an old saying about comparing apples to apples and how it relates to drawing an even comparison. Comparing a real-world rating with one under “ideal conditions” is not an equal assessment. Getting this information from multiple suppliers allows you to make an accurate decision among them. This article has only just scratched the surface when it comes to breaking down boiler efficiency. You do not need an encyclopedic knowledge, however, to make an informed decision. By following a few basic steps and asking a few questions of any sales personnel, you will be well on your way to making an informed decision about your new steam system. James Adgey provides marketing and sales coverage with the Canadian Division of Clayton Industries, located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. For more information from Clayton Industries, call 800- 423-4585 or visit www.claytonindustries.com

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Steam for Pharmaceutical Processes

Pfizer Ltd

Clayton Steam Generators now operate at one of Europe’s largest science and technology parks where ground breaking research and manufacture is being carried out. Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent is where Pfizer's most important lifesaving and life changing medicines were developed and is the home of Pfizer's unique solid and liquid dose pilot plant production and manufacturing. The site includes a wide variety of facilities such as laboratories, incubator space, specialist manufacturing, R&D facilities as well as warehouse and commercial office space. It is because of the diverse range of process that are conducted at Discovery Park that the Clayton Steam Generators were chosen by Pfizer to serve the entire facility.

that is the heart of the Clayton design. The feedwater to be converted into steam is pumped through the coil from the top to the bottom and is heated uniformly as it travels downwards. Water goes in one end and steam comes out of the other while the speed of the feed pump - as well as the heat input rate - are accurately modulated so that the output can be varied as necessary. The Clayton Steam Generator is an automatic, responsive and powerful steam making machine. Two high efficiency Clayton Steam Generators Model EG- 404-2 were provided along with the feedwater supply system, chemical treatment plant, chimneys and main control centre. The entire steam facility was designed, installed and commissioned by Clayton Steam Systems to comply with the strict technical requirement of Pfizer Ltd and to meet their demanding schedule.

widely varying rates throughout the day and night. The steam requirement therefore fluctuates from low to high levels and can also be required suddenly to operate large autoclaves or other fast acting steam using machinery. No boiler can follow peaks and troughs better than a Clayton Steam Generator. Unlike a firetube type boiler, for example, the Clayton Steam Generator will not lose pressure when it is delivering the maximum output and there is no water level that can drop during periods of high demand.

The Clayton Steam Generator will also ramp up and down as fast as the heat can be increased and decreased and will provide maximum output continuously, when required, without faltering.

The and research facilities that require steam at the park operate at manufacturing

This major benefit is due to the unique helical coil water tube

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Clayton Multiple Steam Generator Applications

COMPACT DESIGN – RAPID RESPONSE

By using steam raising technology for the 21st Century, multiple Clayton Steam Generators are undoubtedly the best way to deliver large quantities of steam. This guarantees high steam quality, inherent safety, quick start-up, rapid response, fuel efficiency, flexibility and controllability. The design of the Clayton Steam Generator is very different from the traditional firetube (or drum type) steam boiler. In a firetube boiler a large mass of hot water is stored under pressure and steam is produced by means of natural circulation. circulation of water through a helical coil. Only a small amount of water is contained inside the coil and the steam output can be rapidly adjusted by passing more or less water through the coil as required and simultaneously adjusting the heat input. Because of the method of steam production in a Clayton Steam Generator it is also much smaller in size than the traditional firetube design By comparison, the Clayton Steam Generator uses the forced

A large number of significant advantages result from using this principle of steam production. Firstly, the start-up time is extremely rapid. Because the amount of water being heated is only the amount required to make steam (plus a small excess) the start up time is only five minutes from cold on standard pressure models. Hand-in-hand with the rapid start- up comes extremely rapid response to changes in the demand for steam.

The range of Clayton Steam Generators has been developed over the past 75 years and it is now no longer necessary to use the firetube design of boiler where large quantities of steam are required. By using multiple Clayton Steam Generators high steam outputs can be achieved and the flexibility that comes from the high level of automation means that this concept is ideal for many large steam using applications. Clayton Steam Generators are used in all industries where steam in required including petrochemical plants, power stations, manufacturing plants and many more. Were a reliable source of steam is required the Clayton Steam Generator has been proven to be unbeatable.

However, one of the main advantages of

using a Clayton Steam Generator is that is not possible to have a steam explosion with this design. This is a significant safety advantage since the risk of a steam explosion is completely eliminated.

A Clayton Steam Generator (left) that has Twice the Output of the Firetube Boiler Alongside.

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on steady supply of steam

As Featured In

British hospital laundry relies on steady supply of steam

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. — Steam generators now supply the busy Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust laundry, where 4.5 million pieces of linen are washed every year. Two energy-efficient Clayton genera- tors have been installed at the Trust’s Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge, England. Each generator is capable of producing nearly 4 metric tons of steam per hour and designed to operate unattended. Fuel to fire, the boilers can be either oil or nat- ural gas. Because of Clayton’s forced- circulation monotube coil con- cept, it isn’t necessary to contain large volumes of water. Advantages include lower operational costs and fast response time. When the steam generator is in stand-by mode and completely cold, start-up within approximate- ly five minutes is possible, the company says. Its low water-storage require- ment eliminates the possibility of a steam explosion, Clayton adds. The laundry is vital to Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust, a lead- ing international center for bio- medical research and medical edu- cation. As well as being the local district hospital for 480,000 peo- ple, the Fulbourn Hospital is also being developed as a major center for treatment and research on a European scale.

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(Photo: Clayton Industries)

“The laundry is one of the essen- tial back-up services which are needed to support the medical work of the Trust,” says Malcolm Creek, estates manager at Fulbourn Hospital.“It is important, therefore, to have a reliable source of steam to keep the laundry running.” Two generator models EOG-254 are positioned side by side, and the feedwater treatment equipment is mounted on a skid base, which was preassembled as a packaged unit for ease of installation. The feedwater equipment includes a hot well, chemical injec- tion system, and transfer pumps

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with interconnected piping, valves and fittings. The hot well provides feedwater for the steam generator and acts as a reservoir for returned condensate. The hot well is a partial deaerator capable of removing most of the oxygen, which is a major cause of corrosion in feedwater, Clayton says. The hot well is steam-heated to maintain the temperature at around 95 C (203 F). ALN

“THE LAUNDRY IS ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL BACK-UP SERVICES WHICH ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE MEDICAL WORK OF THE TRUST. IT IS IMPORTANT, THEREFORE, TO HAVE A RELIABLE SOURCE OF

STEAM TO KEEP THE LAUNDRY RUNNING.”

Malcolm Creek, Fulbourn Hospital

World Headquarters • 17477 Hurley Street • City of Industry, CA 91744-5106 800.423.4585 tel • 626.435.0180 fax • email: sales@claytonindustries.com • www.claytonindustries.com

FACILITY MANAGEMENT

BY GLENN ADGEY

T he hard fact of running any facility is that no equip- ment lasts forever. No matter the make, model, degree of use, or quality of maintenance, every thing eventu- ally reaches the end of its useful lifecycle. This can end in costly repairs or full-out replacements. How a facility manages this transition differs from industry to industry, but for those in the financially constrained healthcare industry, an extra effort must be made to find solutions with financial, envi- ronmental and energy efficiency benefits. This was the challenge for British Columbia's Kootenay Lake Hospital, when its management was faced with deciding the fate of its failing 57 and 58 Cleaver-Books boilers, which had served the facility well for over 40 years. “Those boilers were old, they were getting to their lifecycle end,” Kootenay Lake Hospital's chief engineer Mario Campese Remote B.C. hospital brings in the new with boiler replacements OLD “Considering its remote location in Nelson, B.C., Kootenay Lake Hospital's engineers like to know the ins and outs of every piece of equipment that enters the facility, lessening their reliance on outside service calls.” recalls, “The lifecycle of a boiler is such that when you're start- ing to push 40 years, you really should be looking at replace- ment as opposed to constant repair. In our case, we had to decide whether to retube the boilers or replace them, and in the end we decided it was time for a replacement due to cost of repair and maintenance.” Out with the

The decision to replace its Cleaver-Brooks boilers opened the hospital to a number of options. To ensure their dollars would be spent in the most effective way possible, management employed the help of a mechanical engineering consultant firm, Cobalt Engineering, which assisted in selecting three pairs of smaller, more efficient boilers, which would be allocated to different parts of the facility. “In replacing those two boilers, they went to six in total smaller boilers, but each pair of boilers had discreet duties,” Campese explains. “As a result, we had two for domestic hot water use, two for heating the building, and two Clayton steam boilers for process steam required in our laundry, [operating room], sterilizing department, and kitchen and laboratories.” The addition of the six new boilers brought many benefits to the facility. A prime example of this was the installation of two, monotube Clayton boilers to handle the facility's steam operations. They feature faster heat up times, quicker response

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to load change, enhanced safety and a design that diminished heat and chemical loss. The boilers represented a marked improvement from their predecessors. What's more, an inde- pendent study by the San Diego University, reported that the Clayton Steam Generator averaged 5.8-percent higher effi- ciency across the entire operating range than the Clever Brooks firetube boiler — another key motivator behind Kootenay Lake Hospital's purchase. “They wanted the best efficiency on the market which was the benefit of a Clayton,” notes Dave Stalker of Pacific Boiler, the Clayton distributor that worked with the hospital. “They could put two smaller units in that would take less physical foot- print and give them more area in their boiler room. So it came down to efficiency and significant space saving.” Overall, Stalker adds, “Clayton produce more steam for less fuel than the existing steam boilers. When I say high efficiency I mean substantial fuel savings.” Considering its remote location in Nelson, B.C., Kootenay Lake Hospital's engineers were accustomed to learning the ins and outs of every piece of equipment that entered the facility, lessening their reliance on outside service calls. With Pacific Boiler situated nearly ten hours away, the same in-house train- ing was required with the new boilers, and Pacific Boiler was more than willing to accommodate the hospital’s needs. “Most companies don't want to be trained, they just want to be able to call the service department. But because they're

DIAMOND CHAIN 1/2 hor

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