Vertical Water-Tube Boilers - Wickes Water Tubes Vertical Straight-Tube Single-Tube Non-Sectional

VERTICAL WATER-TUBE BOILERS - WICKES: WATER TUBES VERTICAL, STRAIGHT-TUBE, SINGLE-TUBE, NON-SECTIONAL Let us now consider a water-tube boiler having vertical tubes. Fig. 62 shows the general arrangement of the parts of the Wickes vertical water-tube boiler. At the top is a cylindrical steam and water drum into which the upper ends of the vertical tubes are expanded. At the bottom is a cylindrical mud drum of the same diameter as the upper drum. The tubes are straight and plumb when in position; they are arranged in parallel rows with a clear space between rows to admit a small hoe to remove any soot that may accumulate on the tube sheet of the mud drum.

The tubes are divided into two compartments by heavy firebrick tile. The tubes in the section next the furnace are called those in the rear are the "downcomers," because the heated water rises to the steam drum through the front tubes, and the cooler water flows down those in the rear. The feed water is introduced into the upper drum. The direction of flow of hot gases is the same as that of the water. A baffle plate in the steam and water drum directs the water to the downcomers.

The furnace is external and built entirely of brick. The hot gases from the fire come in contact with the tubes without passing through a combustion chamber.