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Scotch Marine Boiler Design

Wetback vs Dryback
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Goal
The purpose of this presentation is to
provide project decision-makers with
fundamental, and critical, boiler design
information.

Wetback vs Dryback
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Two Basic Designs

Dominate the Scotch Marine
Boiler Market:
Wetback
Dryback

Wetback vs Dryback
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Wetback vs. Dryback

This presentation will show you the differences

Basic construction comparison

Design principles
Technical considerations
Total operating costs comparison

Wetback vs Dryback
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Three-Pass Wetback

Wetback vs Dryback
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Wetback Design Principles

Separate tube sheets between all major
temperature changes (between tube passes)
Rear turnaround is totally surrounded by water
No expensive refractory to maintain
Rear doors are either lightweight lift off type or
split-hinged
Sealing materials are inexpensive, non-proprietary
Efficient functional footprint

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Four-Pass Dryback

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Dryback Design Principles

Common rear tube sheet between passes
Rear turnaround is a refractory wall
Door refractory is a maintenance item
Rear door is vessel-sized in diameter,
extremely heavy, and hinged or davited
Sealing materials are typically proprietary
Large functional footprint

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Tube Sheets
Wetback Dryback
Separate rear tube Common rear tube
sheets sheet

Separate tube sheets Common tube sheet

are free to expand and experiences extreme
contract at their own thermal stress in
rate in response to the response to temp.
1300 1600 F temp. differentials,
differential between increasing the
passes. likelihood of leaks.

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Rear Tube Sheets

Wetback is Separate Dryback is Common

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Rear Turnaround
Wetback Dryback
Surrounding water Rear refractory wall
absorbs burner heat, reflects burner heat,
improving efficiency by promoting greater
1 to 3%. exterior radiation losses.
Efficiency is Hot flue gases erode
sustainable, as refractory baffle
turnaround does not resulting in short
deteriorate over time. circuiting, and loss of
efficiency.

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Rear Refractory Replacement

Wetback Dryback
NO expensive Refractory must be
refractory to maintain inspected regularly
and replaced
Significant periodically
maintenance cost Replacement costs are
savings over the life of burdensome, involving
ownership proprietary sealing
kits, special rigging
and down time

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Doors
Wetback

Front Doors are typically split-hinged, or davited

Rear Doors are lightweight (< 60#) lift-type
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Doors
Wetback

Larger models typically feature hinged, or davited

rear doors
Split doors maintain efficient functional footprint
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Doors
Dryback

Annual inspections are typically more costly for the dryback, requiring proprietary door sealing
kits, special tools, and considerable manpower in muscling massive, and typically sagging,
doors into bolt-thru alignment.
Wetback vs Dryback
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Doors
Dryback

Large, heavy, single

front door offers
complicated multi-
sectioned design
Additional costs for
seal kits and labor can
significantly impact
annual operating
expenses

Wetback vs Dryback
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Sealing Kits
Wetback

Simplified design requires far fewer seals

All are non-proprietary, inexpensive, and easy to install
Wetback vs Dryback
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Sealing Kits
Dryback

Watch Case design requires numerous proprietary sealing

kits for each inspection, and every vessel service
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Functional Footprint
Dryback

Wetback

Dryback: Vessel-diameter door means a larger functional footprint, demanding

additional floorspace

Wetback: Lift-type or split-hinged doors have minimal impact on floorspace

requirements
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The Wetback Advantage:

Summary
Wetback Boilers -
Offer far fewer maintenance concerns:
- No rear door refractory to repair
- No refractory baffling to burn-out
- Far less thermal stress on tube sheets, and tube ends

Dont require proprietary parts

Offer maximum sustainable efficiency: Maintenance-

free water backed turnaround provides better heat
absorption at the most critical heat transfer point.
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Maintenance Costs Comparison

Bottom Line
We surveyed a few of our service reps who perform
repair/maintenance work on boilers and
specifically asked them to share dryback
expenses.
We averaged them together and came up with the
following maintenance report;

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Based on repairs costs of a 300 HP boiler with

a life span of 25 years

Average cost to replace refractory rear door;

$6,000 each time
Average cost to replace proprietary door
gaskets; $500 each time

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The rear door needs to be replaced every 3

years, or 8 times. The gaskets need replaced
2-3 times per year.
Refractory door; $6,000 x 8 times = $48,000
Door gaskets; $500 x 2 times/year x 25 = $25,000
Wetback gaskets; $30 x 1/year x 25 years = $750
Total maintenance costs for 25 years $72,250

They could have bought a new boiler

and burner!!
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Add In Consideration to
Sustainable Efficiency
Improvement.

Dont You Think Someone

Should Know That Before Making
an Equipment Decision?

Any Questions?
Wetback vs Dryback