A complication often develops when people use certain words and phrases interchangeably to describe objects that are not the same thing. Such is the case with a steam generator and a steam boiler. While it is true that both have steam involved, that is where the similarities end. Knowing and understanding what makes these two industrial appliances different is key when choosing which device to install in your own industrial plant.
The Steam Generator
Comprised of far less steel than the boiler and utilizing much less space, the steam generator spins water through a single coil inside a single tube to create steam. What a company does with that steam is entirely up to them, but most plants use the steam for heat and heating. Others may use the steam to melt items. The steam may also be used to move machinery components, but again, that depends on the factory. When you have very little space for one more piece of equipment, the generator is the ideal choice.
The Steam Boiler
By sheer definition, all boilers are really steam boilers. They create steam by boiling water. In the case of an industrial boiler, you have a massive amount of steel creating one huge cylinder in which several fire rods or fire tubes are heating up to boil the water they touch and create steam. Once the steam is created, it is sent out through a series of pipes.
Because of the size of an industrial boiler, it can produce immense amounts of steam and continue to produce those volumes of steam all day and all night. If you have the room and you need a lot of steam for any purpose, the boiler is a better option over the generator. If you are not entirely certain which to choose, consult with boiler and generator manufacturers and seek out advice from mechanical engineers who will know which industrial appliance will work best for your plant.
Working in the Same Capacity
These machines do not work in the same capacity. Ergo, if you start with a generator, and decide you want to "upgrade" to a steam boiler, it will not be an easy conversion. What your plant's equipment was doing before the switch will be vastly different from what your plant's equipment can do after the switch has been made.
To learn more about steam generators or boilers and the capacity they both have, contact a company near you.