Comparison of Steam Generators
A spiral-wound generator reaches steam quickly but is sensitive to water quality; a fire/flue-tube generator takes longer to reach operating conditions but requires less maintenance and is more efficient.
STEAM GENERATOR COMPARISON TABLE
You can find the operating and usage differences between a fire/flue-tube steam generator and a spiral-wound water-tube steam generator in the technical file below.
The biggest advantage of coil-type steam generators is that they can produce steam in a short time. However, especially under peak demand, the quality of the steam they produce can be lower due to wet steam and pressure fluctuations. They are very sensitive to scale formation from poor water conditions and require a highly skilled operator for best performance. Although their time to steam-up is short, the time needed for manual water top-up and reaching operating conditions is long.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences between a spiral-wound water-tube steam generator and a fire/flue-tube steam generator?
A spiral-wound water-tube generator reaches steam in 3-5 minutes but is sensitive to hard water, and requires constant operator attention and manual water top-up. A fire/flue-tube generator reaches operating conditions in 10-15 minutes, but is unaffected by hard water, carries no blockage risk, runs automatically, is more efficient, and has lower operating costs.