The correct sizing and manufacture of a blowdown receiver is essential. The blowdown receiver is a key part of the makeup of a boilerhouse running correctly, as regular blowing down of your steam boiler is paramount in maintaining healthy feed water stats, and the removal of scale and sludge.
We manufacture our blowdown vessels according to the latest Pressure Equipment Regulations. They are custom-built to specific customer requirements and finished to the highest standards, complete with a builder’s plate. We are also approved suppliers of Byworth Boiler products, so if quick supply is essential, their large stock of vessels can ensure a fast turnaround.
What Is a Blowdown Receiver?
A blowdown receiver or vessel is a boiler plant component designed to handle water at extreme temperatures and pressures. Steam boilers suffer from the build-up of contaminants, and suspended and dissolved solids as a natural consequence of superheating water. As a result, the boiler’s waterside must be cleaned out of this sediment to continue functioning correctly and ensure that the optimal internal conditions of the boiler are preserved.
The process of removing these solids is known as blowing down, where water at very high temperatures and pressures is forced out of the boiler, through interconnecting pipework and into the blowdown receiver. This vessel contains cold water which cools the incoming water, while the steam escapes through a vent on top of the receiver and evaporates into the atmosphere. The vessel water levels rise when fed the contaminated water from the boiler, cooling the incoming water and overflowing into a connected drainage system. Once dispersed, the vessel water levels return to normal.
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Installation of a replacement Blowdown Receiver at Black Sheep Brewery, North Yorkshire
Why Is a Blowdown Receiver Important?
This blowdown process is essential to the efficient operation of a boiler plant, and a failure to perform it regularly can lead to catastrophic issues. Sediment build-up can mislead the sensors into believing there is more water in the boiler than there actually is.
Steam Boiler water level controls are very sensitive to the build-up of solids, historically floats, but more commonly now a series of probes that detects the water level within. Built-up sediment can create a bed on which the float can rest above the water line, which gives a false reading and allows the boiler to continue firing even when empty of water.
Operating without enough water, known as dry firing, is the single greatest cause of accidental boiler damage and in some extreme cases, catastrophic failure. Daily blowing down is a vital part of daily boiler operation but still remains an issue on a number of sites.
