A gas-fired boiler is an efficient heating system that uses either natural gas or propane as fuel. However, accessibility and costs can be a challenge depending on the region.

The key elements of a gas-fired boiler include burner nozzles, an ignition system for the flame, a gas metering system, an air compressor, and the necessary air and gas pipework. These components collaborate to enable the crucial combustion process in the boiler. Proper operation and maintenance are vital to ensure efficient combustion and optimal performance.

Common steam boiler types

• Fire-tube boiler

Fire-tube boilers are an established solution in the industrial sector due to their high steam generation capacity. The boiler design houses water in a large pressure vessel, which is heated via a network of tubes containing the fuel. However, these boilers can present operational challenges. They can take considerable time to reach desired steam pressure, and there's potential for mineral buildup in the feedwater system. Furthermore, outdated or poorly maintained systems risk dangerous levels of steam pressure and overheating.

Wetback and dryback are the two main firetube boiler designs. The shape of the rear wall is the primary distinction between a wetback boiler and a dryback boiler. A dryback boiler's rear wall is lined with refractory, while a wetback boiler's rear wall is encircled by water. The wetback boiler design can be thought of as being more efficient than the dryback boiler because the heat from combustion is utilised to heat the water.

Wetback firetube boilers have a better functional footprint because to their lift-off or split-hinged doors, which can be opened right away and don't need to cool down first. While internal pressure vessel maintenance (such as cleaning and tube removal) can be more extensive and difficult, there is no expensive refractory to maintain.

The boilers used by Oshima are wetback firetube boilers.

• Water-tube boiler

Increasingly favored for their adaptability, water-tube boilers are becoming more common. Within this boiler system, water circulates through tubes, linking a lower mud drum and an upper steam drum. Burning gases heat the water within the tubes, thereby producing steam. These boilers are best suited for facilities with significant steam requirements. While they offer safety, cost-efficiency, and swift steam production, their assembly and installation can be complex, time-consuming, and more costly than fire-tube boilers. They also require skilled personnel for maintenance due to their complex cleaning process.

• Condensing boiler

These boilers offer superior efficiency compared to standard steam boilers. Condensing boilers capitalize on the heat usually lost with exhaust gases in traditional boilers. They achieve this by cooling down the waste water vapor to heat the boiler water. This heat recovery means condensing boilers use less fuel to maintain the same heat level, contributing to cost and energy savings.

Benefits of oil-fired boiler

The first is that they outperform oil boilers in terms of efficiency and cost of operation. The most energy-efficient fuel for home heating is natural gas, which is also more affordable than oil. Gas boilers typically reduce your long-term heating costs.

Compared to oil, natural gas burns more efficiently, resulting in less greenhouse gas production. Burning natural gas has a less detrimental effect on the environment even if it is still regarded as a fossil fuel.

Unlike oil burners, gas boilers don't need to be stored. Along with saving room in your house, this will ensure that you never run out of gasoline.

Things to consider

Higher initial cost (constrained by pipeline configuration), Regular examination of the risk of explosion in the event of a gas leak.

Reasons to choose a gas boiler?

The environment and development policies of governments discourages the use of low-efficiency and high-polluting coal-fired and oil-fired boilers, and encourages the adoption of boilers that are fuelled by natural gas. Natural gas contains less soot, and boilers powered by natural gas is more cost-effective than boilers powered by oil or electricity. Therefore, it has become the preferred boiler for heating, hot water and stream generation.

If you're thinking about switching to a gas-fired boiler, we hope this has answered some of your questions and helped you decide whether a gas-fired boiler is best for you.