In an industrial setting, there are few things as important as the boiler system. This unit provides heat, heated water, and steam for specific mechanical processes. However, not every boiler system is the same; in fact, there are several different types of boiler systems. One of the oldest and most traditional is the fire tube steam boiler, which is also sometimes referred to as a shell boiler or a smoke boiler. If you are in the process of picking the right boiler system for your facility, you are bound to want to get a little more information. Here are a few of the pros and cons of the fire tube steam boiler system. 

Pro: Fire tube steam boilers cater to changing steam needs. 

In large facilities, steam demands can be extremely great when needed for powering equipment, but it can also be minimal at certain times. Whatever your needs may be, the fire tube steam boiler can adjust to your changing needs without problems. The steam is stored in the water receptacle at all times and continues to accumulate whether you need it or not, so it is always there and ready to feed steam lines as needed. 

Con: The heat exchanger of the fire tube steam boiler can be inefficient. 

The heat exchanger inside of a fire tube steam boiler is not the most efficient thing. Modern systems make use of thermal radiation to harvest heat, but the old-fashioned design of the fire tube steam boiler does not make thermal radiation feasible. If you are looking for the most efficient boiler, this model may not be the best option because of this limitation. However, most industrial facilities find that the advantages of the system and its multifunction design far outweigh the disadvantage of needing more energy to operate the boiler. 

Pro: Fire tube steam boilers are easier to maintain. 

Fire tube steam boilers are pretty simplistic in their design; they do not have a lot of complicated or technological components. Therefore, the fire tube steam boiler can be called easier to maintain that some other types of boiler systems. Not only are the units easier to clean than some of the newest versions, they do not have as many small parts or parts that can become worn and damaged due to age or heavy use. In an industrial setting where everything else needs a lot of care and attention, this pro can be highly advantageous.