A vertical boiler is a type of fire-tube or water-tube boiler where the boiler barrel is oriented vertically instead of the more common horizontal orientation. Vertical boilers were used for a variety of steam-powered vehicles and other mobile machines, including early steam locomotives.
Detail of vertical boiler and associated steam engine in a working model steam launchTaffy a replica of Chaloner, a de Winton vertical-boilered narrow gauge railway locomotive
Small footprint – where width and length constraints are critical, use of a vertical boiler permits design of a smaller machine.
Water-level tolerance – The water level in a horizontal boiler must be maintained above the crown (top) of the firebox at all times, or the crownplate could overheat and buckle, causing a boiler explosion. For a vehicle application expected to traverse hills, such as a railway locomotive or steam wagon, maintaining the correct water level when the vehicle itself is not level is a skilled task, and one that occupies much of the fireman's time. In a vertical boiler, the water is all sitting on the top of the firebox, and the boiler would need to be extremely low on water before a gradient could cause a risk by uncovering the firebox top.
Simpler (major) maintenance – A vertical boiler is usually mounted on a frame on the vehicle, allowing easy replacement. Horizontal boilers, such as those on railway locomotives and traction engines, form an integral part of the vehicle – the vehicle is literally built around the boiler – and hence replacement requires the dismantling of the entire vehicle.
Disadvantagesedit
Swiss rack railway locomotive (built 1858) for operating on the steep slopes of RigiEast London Harbour 0-4-0VB by Alexander Chaplin & Co.A 1905 "Best" steam tractor with vertical boiler12 x 14 Empire (?) Steam donkey in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Maple Ridge, BC CanadaThree river steamboats with vertical boilers
The main disadvantages of a vertical boiler are:
Size – The benefits of a small footprint are compromised by the much greater height required.[1] The presence of over-bridges limits the height of steam vehicles, and this in turn restricts the size (and hence steam production) of the boiler.[2]
Grate area – This is limited to the footprint of the boiler, thus restricting the amount of steam that may be produced.[2]
Short tubes – Boiler tubes must be kept short to minimise height. As a result, much of the available heat is lost through the chimney, as it has too little time to heat the tubes.[2]
Sediment – Sediment may settle on the bottom tube sheet (the plate above the firebox) insulating the water from the heat and allowing the sheet to burn out.[2]
Applicationsedit
Railway locomotivesedit
Several manufacturers produced a significant number of vertical boiler locomotives. Notable amongst these were:
Alexander Chaplin & Co. of Glasgow, who produced a range of steam-powered industrial products which included steam cranes, hoists, locomotives, pumping and winding engines, ship's deck engines and sea water distilling apparatus. Between 1860 and 1899, it delivered 135 vertical boiler locomotives similar to the East London Harbour 0-4-0VB to customers around the world.[3]
Certain designs of steam roller departed from the conventional traction engine style of a horizontal boiler with an engine mounted above. Vertical-boilered rollers were built around a substantial girder frame chassis, with the boiler being mounted low down between the front and rear rolls. Such designs were not common in the UK.
Steam donkeysedit
The traditional form of steam donkey (as a mobile winch used in the logging industry) married a vertical boiler with a steam engine on a rigid base fitted with skids for mobility. Since the ground to be traversed would be rough and rarely level, the water-level -tolerant design of the vertical boiler was an obvious choice.
Steam shovels and cranesedit
Construction equipment such as steam cranes and steam shovels used vertical boilers to good effect. On a rotating base, the weight of the boiler would help to counterbalance the load suspended from the shovel bucket or crane jib, mounted on the opposite side of the pivot from the boiler. The compact boiler footprint permitted smaller designs than would have been the case for a horizontal type, thus allowing use on smaller worksites; the extra height of a vertical boiler being less critical for such a generally tall machine.
Marine applicationsedit
Some steam boats, particularly smaller types such as river launches, were designed around a vertical boiler. The small footprint of the boiler permitting smaller, more space-efficient designs, with less of the usable vessel being occupied by the means of propulsion rather than the payload.
Stationary applicationsedit
Vertical types such as the Cochran boiler provided useful, small footprint, package solutions for many stationary applications, including process and space heating.
Notesedit
^Edward N. Dickerson (May 21, 1864). "Martin's Boilers and the Board of Engineers". The New York Times.
^ abcdWhite, John H. (1979). A History of the American Locomotive: Its Development, 1830-1880. Courier Dover Publications. p. 95. ISBN978-0-486-23818-0.
^Abbott, Rowland A.S. (1989). Vertical Boiler Locomotives and Railmotors built in Great Britain. Oakwood Press. ISBN0 85361 385 0
^Boyd, James I.C. (1990). Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Volume 1: The West (2nd. ed.). The Oakwood Press. ISBN0-85361-273-0.
^Clingan, K. W. (December 1965). "The French Vertical Boilered 0-4-0 Shunter". The Industrial Railway Record. Industrial Railway Society (8): 161–171. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vertical boilers.
Rowland A. S. Abbott (1989). Vertical Boiler Locomotives. Oakwood Press. ISBN0-85361-385-0.
Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives. Ian Allan. 1948.
November 27, 2023
vertical, boiler, vertical, boiler, type, fire, tube, water, tube, boiler, where, boiler, barrel, oriented, vertically, instead, more, common, horizontal, orientation, were, used, variety, steam, powered, vehicles, other, mobile, machines, including, early, st. A vertical boiler is a type of fire tube or water tube boiler where the boiler barrel is oriented vertically instead of the more common horizontal orientation Vertical boilers were used for a variety of steam powered vehicles and other mobile machines including early steam locomotives Detail of vertical boiler and associated steam engine in a working model steam launchTaffy a replica of Chaloner a de Winton vertical boilered narrow gauge railway locomotive Contents 1 Design considerations 1 1 Tube arrangements 1 2 Advantages 1 3 Disadvantages 2 Applications 2 1 Railway locomotives 2 2 Steam lorries 2 3 Steam tractors 2 4 Steam rollers 2 5 Steam donkeys 2 6 Steam shovels and cranes 2 7 Marine applications 2 8 Stationary applications 3 Notes 4 ReferencesDesign considerations editTube arrangements edit Many different tube arrangements have been used Examples include Fire tubesVertical fire tube boiler Vertical boiler with horizontal fire tubesWater tubesVertical cross tube boiler Field tube boiler Thimble tube boiler Spiral watertube boilerAdvantages edit The main advantages of a vertical boiler are Small footprint where width and length constraints are critical use of a vertical boiler permits design of a smaller machine Water level tolerance The water level in a horizontal boiler must be maintained above the crown top of the firebox at all times or the crownplate could overheat and buckle causing a boiler explosion For a vehicle application expected to traverse hills such as a railway locomotive or steam wagon maintaining the correct water level when the vehicle itself is not level is a skilled task and one that occupies much of the fireman s time In a vertical boiler the water is all sitting on the top of the firebox and the boiler would need to be extremely low on water before a gradient could cause a risk by uncovering the firebox top Simpler major maintenance A vertical boiler is usually mounted on a frame on the vehicle allowing easy replacement Horizontal boilers such as those on railway locomotives and traction engines form an integral part of the vehicle the vehicle is literally built around the boiler and hence replacement requires the dismantling of the entire vehicle Disadvantages edit nbsp Swiss rack railway locomotive built 1858 for operating on the steep slopes of Rigi nbsp East London Harbour 0 4 0VB by Alexander Chaplin amp Co nbsp A 1905 Best steam tractor with vertical boiler nbsp 12 x 14 Empire Steam donkey in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest Maple Ridge BC Canada nbsp Three river steamboats with vertical boilersThe main disadvantages of a vertical boiler are Size The benefits of a small footprint are compromised by the much greater height required 1 The presence of over bridges limits the height of steam vehicles and this in turn restricts the size and hence steam production of the boiler 2 Grate area This is limited to the footprint of the boiler thus restricting the amount of steam that may be produced 2 Short tubes Boiler tubes must be kept short to minimise height As a result much of the available heat is lost through the chimney as it has too little time to heat the tubes 2 Sediment Sediment may settle on the bottom tube sheet the plate above the firebox insulating the water from the heat and allowing the sheet to burn out 2 Applications editRailway locomotives edit Several manufacturers produced a significant number of vertical boiler locomotives Notable amongst these were Alexander Chaplin amp Co of Glasgow who produced a range of steam powered industrial products which included steam cranes hoists locomotives pumping and winding engines ship s deck engines and sea water distilling apparatus Between 1860 and 1899 it delivered 135 vertical boiler locomotives similar to the East London Harbour 0 4 0VB to customers around the world 3 De Winton of Caernarfon who produced at least 34 narrow gauge locomotives mainly for use in the slate quarries of Wales 4 Sentinel Waggon Works of Shrewsbury who produced a large number of shunters using their high pressure vertical boilers These were mainly used on industrial railways in Britain Societe anonyme John Cockerill produced 891 standard gauge shunting locomotives between 1867 and 1942 using a standard design with five sizes 5 Steam lorries edit The Sentinel Waggon Works also produced a range of road lorries steam wagons based on their high pressure vertical boilers Steam tractors edit The Best Manufacturing Company of San Leandro in California produced a range of steam tractors that used vertical boilers Steam rollers edit Certain designs of steam roller departed from the conventional traction engine style of a horizontal boiler with an engine mounted above Vertical boilered rollers were built around a substantial girder frame chassis with the boiler being mounted low down between the front and rear rolls Such designs were not common in the UK Steam donkeys edit The traditional form of steam donkey as a mobile winch used in the logging industry married a vertical boiler with a steam engine on a rigid base fitted with skids for mobility Since the ground to be traversed would be rough and rarely level the water level tolerant design of the vertical boiler was an obvious choice Steam shovels and cranes edit Construction equipment such as steam cranes and steam shovels used vertical boilers to good effect On a rotating base the weight of the boiler would help to counterbalance the load suspended from the shovel bucket or crane jib mounted on the opposite side of the pivot from the boiler The compact boiler footprint permitted smaller designs than would have been the case for a horizontal type thus allowing use on smaller worksites the extra height of a vertical boiler being less critical for such a generally tall machine Marine applications edit Some steam boats particularly smaller types such as river launches were designed around a vertical boiler The small footprint of the boiler permitting smaller more space efficient designs with less of the usable vessel being occupied by the means of propulsion rather than the payload Stationary applications edit Vertical types such as the Cochran boiler provided useful small footprint package solutions for many stationary applications including process and space heating Notes edit Edward N Dickerson May 21 1864 Martin s Boilers and the Board of Engineers The New York Times a b c d White John H 1979 A History of the American Locomotive Its Development 1830 1880 Courier Dover Publications p 95 ISBN 978 0 486 23818 0 Abbott Rowland A S 1989 Vertical Boiler Locomotives and Railmotors built in Great Britain Oakwood Press ISBN 0 85361 385 0 Boyd James I C 1990 Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire Volume 1 The West 2nd ed The Oakwood Press ISBN 0 85361 273 0 Clingan K W December 1965 The French Vertical Boilered 0 4 0 Shunter The Industrial Railway Record Industrial Railway Society 8 161 171 Retrieved 12 December 2018 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vertical boilers Rowland A S Abbott 1989 Vertical Boiler Locomotives Oakwood Press ISBN 0 85361 385 0 Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives Ian Allan 1948 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vertical boiler amp oldid 1001733343, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
