Steam Solutions Comparison

What is the difference between an industrial boiler and a steam generator? Boilers create steam by boiling water in a pressure vessel  by heating the water and creating creating molecules. As the water boils (the boiling temperature depends on the pressure generated) steam is obtained at the saturated pressure.  They represent  older steam technology (because Tsaturated and Psaturated are linked for such a method to produce steam at a temperature different than the atmospheric pressure).

Steam generators on the other hand are modern devices with instant on-off features, steam velocity control features and significant high-temperature steam capability without the need of pressure vessels or pressure.

Traditional boilers yield saturated steam (Tsat and Psat are linked).  Thus boiler steam may be wet and contain water droplets.  For example with  a boiler one needs a high 10 Bar and even then the saturation temperature is only 180°C  – even at 100 Bars the saturation temperature is only 311°C.Steam generators do not have to operate at high pressure for the high temperature- typically thus offer high-temperature dry-steam.

Steam Generators can operate at room pressure.  Thus one can get high temperatures in the steam-gas without use of unwieldy pressures.   High temperatures even up to 1300C are obtained.

Industrial boilers have worked well but they are 19th and 20th century type technology machines with low efficiencies. They can reach 85% efficiency in many configurations, but they still have significant drawbacks in temperature capability.  For boilers as the pressure rating increases the efficiency falls.  Steam generators, like the OAB or HGA type routinely offer over 95% efficiency even to 1000°C and beyond  (a temperature unimaginable for boiler steam)

1. Temperature Limitations – Industrial boilers are temperature limited by pressure. To obtain higher temperatures, higher pressures are required. Not so for steam generators.
2.  To operate at lower temperatures than rated, boilers typically sacrifice efficiency or safety.  Not so for steam generators.
3. Combustion Process – Nearly all industrial boilers utilize the combustion process. This leads to CO2 and NO_X production as well as fossil fuel consumption. Combustion processes typically result in low efficiencies and high energy losses.
4. Safety – Pressure vessels can fail and explode (although this is rare as many boiler makers follow the best  practices). Low water levels can result in boiler overheating and potentially the explode. Gas leaks pose an inhalation danger as well as an explosion risk.
5. Certifications  – Any boiler or pressure vessels require certifications and inspections. Review the boiler regulations for your state.
6. Difficult to Use Boilers – Boiler operation is typically dependent on specific, trained individuals who are trained to read dials and follow numerous safety measures as per local code. Boilers are complicated.

Steam Generators use 21st century technology. No combustion or pressure vessels. OAB and HGA patented technologies allow steam generators to operate with unparalleled efficiencies, saving you time, money and improving your process.

Steam Without the Wait

BoilerFree^TM technology allows nearly instant steam production. Most MHI steam generators produce superheated in under a minute from a cold start. With a variety of outputs and configurations available, MHI likely has an energy efficient high-productivity solution for your steam application.

Feature	One Atmosphere (OAB) Steam Steam Generator Models, Plasma Steam Models and Steam Chambers	Water Tube Steam Boilers	Electric High Pressure Steam Boilers
Maximum Steam Temperature1	300-1300°C Standard. Choice of Models. Always high flow. No moisture. High performance.	Sometimes up to 600°C with Economizer and Superheater.	134°C for 3 bar steam.
Delivery to Initial Start up.	Models are easily installed in a day and there is no anticipated wait for certifications to start.	Unknown	Small units could be plug and play. Large units may require certification time
Efficiency	>95%	<85-90%	~85-95%
Idle Energy Waste	Low (Choice of Continuos or On-Off steady-state steam)	High	Moderate
Non Steam Producing Energy Usage Time (Start Up Time2)	Nearly Instant. Generally within a minute.	60+ Minutes. Becomes slower with higher pressures and volume requirements	~60 Minutes. Becomes slower with higher pressures and volumes. (Not including cool down and pressure release for autoclaves)
Suggested Inlet Temperature3	Tap	40-60°F	20-35°C
Capital Cost per Kg of Steam3	Low. Financing available when qualified.	High	Moderate. Depends on temperature/pressure required.
Operational Costs4	Low even up to 1300°C.	High	Low-Moderate
Unit Footprint	Starting at 1’x1’x1′. Small and remotely locatable power panels.	Large	Depends on size and pressure requirements.
Plug & Play Operations	Yes	No	No
Requires Boiler Certifications5	No	Yes	Yes
Downtime6	Low (Unit can be used for continuous steady-state steam). On account of the low foot print and modular designs the MHI-Never-Down Service™ is available for all steam units as applicable.	Low-Moderate	Low
Utilizes Combustion7 (Requires Ventilation)	No	Yes	No
Energy Needed to produce 100 Kg/hr steam from cold start	~100 kWh @~350°C. Water at Room Temperature to Steam.	~150-200 kWh Equivalent (Including start up time consumption). Not always reported from room temperature water.	~150kWh Equivalent (Including start up time consumption). Not always reported from room temperature water.
Power Weight [Kg Equipment/(Kg/hr) of steam] for a 100kW Generator	~2 Kg per Kg/hr of steam.	~5Kg per Kg/hr of steam (Weight increases with temperature/pressure)
Maximum Work Potential (Based on second law limitation) Base is 1 Bar 100C liquid water for all.	672 kJ/Kg for 500°C superheated steam 1973 kJ/Kg for 1300°C superheated steam	755 kJ/Kg for 10 Bar saturated steam 1169 kJ/Kg at 100 Bar saturated steam	Generally not used for creating work.
Enthalpy (heat) Content	3489 kJ/Kg for 500°C superheated steam at 1 Bar	2777 kJ/Kg for 10 Bar saturated steam Saturation steam temperature 180°C	2725 kJ/Kg for 3 Bar saturated steam Saturation steam temperature 134°C
Running at Partial Capacity	With MHI Electronic Controls, No loss of efficiency	Significantly lower efficiencies, if model is capable	Lower efficiencies
Air Contamination Effects	Extremely high operation temperatures diminish effects of air	Air contamination harms output	No air contamination is allowed (strict)
Piping Losses	Discrete, locatable units reduce necessary piping. The one atmosphere pipe can be better insulated and lighter.	High pipeline pressure combined with long piping distances leads to heat loss and dangerous conditions in the event of pipe failure. Pipes can be heavy.	High pipeline pressure combined with long piping distances leads to heat loss and dangerous conditions in the event of pipe failure. Pipes can be heavy.
How far can I run my pipe? Infographic.
Typical Improved Efficiencies (Energy)	Application dependent – sometimes over 50%
Improved Water Efficiency	Application dependent – sometimes over 50%	–	–