Dampfkessel

A Dampfkessel is a pressure vessel in which water is heated to generate steam. It provides steam for power transmission, heating, processing, and other industrial processes. Depending on design, Dampfkessel systems operate at low, medium, or high pressures and can be part of stationary installations or marine and mobile equipment.

Common designs are fire-tube boilers, in which hot flue gases pass through tubes surrounded by water; water-tube boilers, where water circulates inside tubes heated by combustion gases; and once-through boilers, in which water is heated directly to steam without a steam drum. Packages or modular boilers are factory-built assemblies for rapid installation.

A Dampfkessel typically consists of a combustion system (burner and furnace), a heat exchanger (furnace, tubes, or coils), a boiler shell or pressure vessel, steam and water spaces, and a feedwater and condensate system. Steam is separated from water in drums or headers, then delivered to equipment. Control systems regulate water level, pressure, and fuel-air ratio. Safety devices include pressure relief valves, low-water cutoffs, and rupture discs.

Safety is critical due to the risk of explosion from high pressure. Boilers are governed by national and international codes, such as ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and European EN standards. Regular maintenance includes water treatment to prevent corrosion and scale, periodic inspections, blowdown to control dissolved solids, and testing of safety devices.

Historically central to the industrial revolution, steam boilers remain in widespread use for electricity generation, district heating, and process industries. Modern systems emphasize efficiency and emissions control, with integrated cogeneration, waste-heat recovery, and automated control.