1. Definition of Steam Boiler and Thermal Oil Heater

According to UNEP (2006), a boiler is a closed vessel where the heat of combustion is channeled into water until hot water or steam is formed. Hot water or steam at a certain pressure is then used to transfer heat to a process. Water is a useful and inexpensive medium for transferring heat to a process. If water is boiled to steam, its volume will be increased by about 1,600 times, producing a force similar to that of explosive gunpowder, so the boiler is an equipment that must be managed and maintained very well.

The boiler system consists of: feed water system, steam system and fuel system. The feed water system provides water to the boiler automatically according to steam requirements. Various faucets are provided for maintenance and repair purposes. The steam system collects and controls steam production in the boiler. Steam is routed through a piping system to the user point. In the whole system, steam pressure is regulated using a faucet and monitored by a pressure monitor.

The fuel system is all the equipment used to provide the fuel to generate the required heat. The equipment required for the fuel system depends on the type of fuel used in the system.
The water supplied to the boiler to be converted into steam is called feed water. The two sources of feed water are: (1) Condensate or condensed steam returning from the process and (2) Makeup water (treated raw water) which must be fed from outside the boiler room and process plant. To get a higher boiler efficiency, an economizer is used to preheat the feed water using the waste heat in the flue gas.

2.Thermal Oil Heater

Thermal Oil Heater is a heater using Thermal Oil Fluid as a heat conductor and can work up to a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius or more.

In contrast to steam which must use a pressure of up to 70 bar for the use of a temperature of 285 degrees Celsius, Thermal Oil Heater works only at the pressure of the circulation pump, so it is very safe and tools that require heating do not need to be designed with special construction.

The working life of the Thermal Oil Fluid used is generally more than 10 years and there is no need for any additions as long as there are no leaks in the pipes or heating equipment, and during that time no cleaning is needed because the inside of the heating coil is not crusty like in a Steam Boiler. Some of our Thermal Oil heater Units are still working well at the age of more than 20 years.

What are the advantages of Thermal Oil Heater compared to Steam Boiler?

• Working at high temperatures with atmospheric pressure
• Precise temperature control
• No need for water treatment etc. chemicals that require high costs
• No heat losses from condensate and blow down as in steam boilers
• No corrosion and crusting on the inside of the Boiler
• Very low maintenance costs
• Full Automatic and easy operation so it doesn’t require a special operator.

Design

Thermoblock Oil is generally supplied in Vertical construction which saves space and is very efficient because it uses an Integrated burner that utilizes exhaust gas for preheating combustion air so that the oil combustion is very complete. Heating Coil is made of Seamless Boiler Tube which is rolled continuously. Each weld joint is carefully checked with a Radiaography Test and a final pressure test using a pressure of up to 30 Bar. Thermal Oil flows inside the coil at a speed that is carefully designed to avoid overheating which can cause oil damage due to the formation of charcoal (coking).

The hot gas from the combustion heats the flow of thermal oil in the combustion chamber as radiant heat and then heats the oil in the convection coil through the gaps between the coils at a certain speed in 3 passes in the opposite direction to the direction of the thermal oil flow. The turbulence generated by the gas as it passes through the coil results in an increase in the efficiency of the heater and a coil cleaning effect of soot that may adhere to the outside of the coil. Scope of Delivery: Each unit is supplied complete with accessories, including:
• Heating Coil complete with cover
• Circulation Pump
• Expansion Tank & Deaerating Tank
• Control Panel