Eckrohr Steam Boiler

By Lars Josefsson

Eckrohr Boiler, Corner Tube Boiler, is a boiler for all kinds of fuel. Originally it got its name because it has downcomers in the four corners. It is a natural water circulation single drum boiler and it needs no circulation pump.
Downcomers, headers and waterwalls are welded together to a gas-tight tube cage.
The Eckrohr Steam Boiler is self-supporting and needs no supporting structure. It stands on its own downcomers.
Due to the cage structure with downcomers, headers and overhead pipes the Eckrohr Steam Boiler is earthquake safe.

The new Eckrohr marine steam boiler

This Corner Tube Marine Boilers are designed to be installed on tankers, which are used as utilities providing station for offshore platforms.
The Corner Tube Boiler is a natural circulation boiler and they are available as auxiliary boilers operating on oil or waste heat from the diesel engine. The weight of Corner Tube Marine Boiler is significantly low. The support structure on the ship is simple. The Corner Tube Marine Boiler configuration is particularly suited for marine duty as the water circulation is tolerant of high roll angles and will maintain safe water circulation at high inclination angles. In the steam overflow system a preseparation of water and steam takes place. The steam dryness is very high. High steam purity can be achieved also with poor feed water quality. The corner tube boilers distinguish themselves by a robust and clear design best fitted for the demands of power stations or industrial applications. Corner Tube boilers are designed and built for low maintenance and high reliability.
ERK, Eckrohrkessel means Corner Tube Boiler.

Eckrohr Boilers water and steam flow diagram

  1. Unheated downcomers
  2. Header
  3. Mixture tubes
  4. Riser tubes (evaporator)
  5. Overflow tubes
  6. Unheated drum
  7. Unheated downcomers

The water-steam mixture flows upwards through the riser tubes (4). In the upper mixture tube (3) steam is already separated from water and a part of the water flows through unheated return tubes (1) to the header (2). The separated steam flows through the overflow tube (5) to the steam space of the drum (6). The remaining mixture runs through mixture tube (3) into the drum. The final separation of water and steam takes place in the drum, the water flows through the downcomers (7) to the headers (2).

Eckrohr boilers intstalled aboard a ship

This ship is a mobile marine oil-pumping platform and the three Eckrohr steam boilers, with there yellow funnels, are used to generate steam for a steam-turbine that generates power for driving oil pumps. The boilers are normally crude oil fired but they can also be fired on gas.