Curious Boiler ???

I saw this on Craig's List this morning. Does anyone know if this beastie burns coal?

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/zip/908629514.html

It appears to be a water tube, coal fired steam boiler. It could easily and cheaply converted to hot water. Let me guess, at least 500,000 BTUs and could be twice that.

It's not a water tube boiler. It's a really old cast iron boiler, probably steam as evidenced by the header above the unit. Need to see more pictures to be sure.

coaledsweat wrote:It appears to be a water tube, coal fired steam boiler.

It is a water tube, steam boiler. The presence of the tubes in the firebox make it a tube boiler and the water in the tubes (as opposed to fire= firetube) makes it a watertube boiler. Note the sight glass at the right front at the top. The water must be in that sightglass and the tubes you see inside are filled at least to some point in the bottom half of the sightglass. The headspace above the waterline allows it to make steam.

Water tube boilers are more expensive and more efficient than firetube boilers.

From Wikipedia:

"Sectional boiler. In a cast iron sectional boiler, sometimes called a "pork chop boiler" the water is contained inside cast iron sections. These sections are assembled on site to create the finished boiler."

I forgot to to mention this in my first post. It's a sectional cast iron boiler. It's interesting in that each section appears to be piped separately.

The sight glass has nothing to do whether the boiler is a fire or water tube boiler. It just lets the operator know that the proper water level is present in the boiler.

From the boiler: Tubes with water in them make it a water tube, cast, sectional, steam, coal fired boiler.
The sightglass makes it a steam boiler.

Tubes with water in them make it a water tube, cast, sectional, steam, coal fired boiler.

Exactly. Sections were added as needed to create the proper output for the installation.

envisage wrote: Does anyone know if this beastie burns coal?

I'll bet this one was converted to gas or oil. Would be surprised if any coal parts are left.

Interesting how the inside looks freshly painted but inside of doors are not??

I'll concede if no one is wrong...

Cast is sectional and it has been converted.

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I love this forum!

The manifolds on the top and bottom (each side) are where the water tubes in each cast section are connected.

Because of the method of construction I believe all cast sectional boilers are water tube design.

Thats not too curious of a boiler if you have ever worked on them. [many years ago,nothin special just big and heavy].They are pretty straightforward. If you have intentions of ownership,take along a big lunch bucket stuffed with carbohydrates. It is nicknamed a pork chop boiler and that is just what you will need plenty of before the wrestling match begins. Regards, Mike

It is highly unlikely that I will try to wrangle that beastie! It was just a point of curiosity for me, and an opportunity to share with the forum!

That AIN'T NO BABCOCK and WILCOX! LOL!
That is what we called a PORK CHOP boiler. It is of cast iron sectional construction. It was originally designed as a coal burner but it has been converted to oil.

It's probably in the 700K range.A month ago it was worth more in the junkyard than it would ever be as a boiler. Moving it would cost more than it's worth, unless you use a sledgehammer.

A water tube boiler is usually comprised of three drums, the lower (or mud drum), an intermediate drum, and the top(or steam) drum. Hundreds of tubes connect the mud drum to the intermediate drum and connect the intermediate drum to the steam drum, and some even have tubes connecting the mud drum to the steam drum. It adds a tremendous amount of heating "surface area" to boil the water faster.Return water is pumped into the mud drum and as it's heated it makes it's way throught the tubes to the intermediate drum and flashes to steam on it's way to the steam drum.

Are you describing the construction of a high pressure boiler? The typical residential cast iron low pressure boiler is not all like you describe.