An economiser is a heat exchanger that recovers waste heat from the flue gases (exhaust) of the boiler and uses it to preheat the feed water entering the boiler.

Main Benefits of Using a Boiler Economiser

1.     🔥 Improved Boiler Efficiency

o   Recovers heat from exhaust gases.

o   Increases the overall thermal efficiency of the boiler by 5–8%.

2.    💰 Fuel Savings

o   Reduces fuel consumption by preheating the water.

o   Saves fuel costs (coal, gas, diesel, or biomass).

3.   🌱 Reduced Emissions

o   Lower fuel use means less CO and NOx emissions.

o   Helps meet environmental regulations.

4.   💦 Preheats Feedwater

o   Reduces the temperature difference between the feedwater and boiler water.

o   Lowers thermal stress on boiler parts, increasing their lifespan.

5.   🛠️ Extended Boiler Life

o   Smooth temperature changes reduce metal fatigue and corrosion risk.

o   Increases durability of the boiler tubes.

6.    📉 Reduced Operating Cost

o   Less fuel + less maintenance = lower OPEX.

7.    ⏱️ Faster Steam Generation

o   Preheated water boils faster.

o   Useful in applications requiring quick startup.

Working Principle of a Boiler Economiser

1.      Hot flue gases exit the boiler:

o   When fuel is burned in a boiler (like gas, oil, coal, or biomass), it produces hot gases that exit through the chimney or stack.

o   These gases can be 300–400°C or higher, and much of this heat is usually wasted.

2.     Flue gases pass through the economiser:

o   Instead of going directly outside, the flue gases pass through the economiser, which contains a series of metal tubes or coils.

o   Inside these tubes is cold feedwater coming into the boiler.

 

3.     Heat transfer occurs:

o   The hot flue gases transfer heat to the cold feed water through the metal surfaces of the economiser.

o   As a result, the feed water temperature rises before entering the boiler drum.

4.     Preheated water enters the boiler:

o   Because the feedwater is already heated, the boiler needs to use less fuel to convert it into steam.

o   This improves thermal efficiency and saves fuel costs.


⚙️ Simple Diagram (Text)-How to work Economiser?

CSS
  Flue gases ---> [ECONOMISER] ---> Chimney
                   
            Cold feedwater in
                   
             Preheated water to boiler


Thanks for Study.