Malwa Institute of Science & Technology, Indore

Experiment No. 4
Aim: Study of Locomotive Boiler.
Apparatus: The model of Locomotive Boiler.
Introduction: The Locomotive Boiler is a horizontal, multitubular, natural
circulation, artificial draught, internally fired, portable boiler. The unit is designed
to meet the sudden & fluctuating demands of steam.
Working pressure range up to 18 bar
Capacity = 50- 70 Kg/m2 of heating surface per hour.
Construction:
a) Shell or barrel: 1.5m diameter, 4m length, shell contains water surrounding
all the tubes.
b) Rectangular fire box: It is fitted at one end of the shell.
c) Smoke box: It is fitted at another end of shell.
d) Grate & fire door: The coal to be used in boiler is manually fed on the grates
through fire door.
e) Fire tubes: All the fire tubes are fitted in the main shell, in which hot flue
gases after combustion travels &transfer the heat to water to produce steam.
Some of the fire tubes are of larger diameter (13cms) fitted at the upper part
of shell & others of small diameter (4.5cms) are fitted to the lower part of
the shell. The larger diameter tubes acts like super heater tubes.
f) Mountings: Necessarily water level indicator, pressure gauge located at the
front of the fire box, blow of cock at the bottom of the water wall. The
spring loaded safety valve & fusible plug are also located.

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Basic Mechanical Engg.

Malwa Institute of Science & Technology, Indore

Working: The coal is burnt on the grate & hot flue gases rising upward are
deflected by a fire brick arch & comes in contact with walls & roof of the
fire box.During the travel of hot gases they transfer the heat to water to form
steam. Since only single pass is provided for the gases, & hence temperature
of leaving gases from chimney is high. To utilize more & more heat, the fire
tube length should be sufficiently long. The hot gases after transferring the
heat, discharged to atmosphere through a chimney.The steam is collected in
a steam dome with the help of a pipe mounted in the steam dome, steam is
enter into steam header is divided into 2 parts one is saturated steam header
& second is super heated steam header. Steam from saturated steam header
flows through the pipe to super heated steam tubes. The super heated steam
is then used to run engine.
Here artificial draught is provided by induced blower
at inlet of the chimney. Because in locomotive boilers the
height of chimney is kept low to pass the locomotive from
tunnel & under bridge.

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Basic Mechanical Engg.

Malwa Institute of Science & Technology, Indore

Applications: It is used in railway, road rollers, saw mill
plants etc.

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Basic Mechanical Engg.