Which boiler design is commonly used for high pressure power generation?

The water tube (water wall) boiler is commonly used for high-pressure power generation because it is designed to handle higher pressures and temperatures than other types of boilers. In a water tube boiler, water circulates through tubes that are heated externally by the combustion gases. This design allows the water to be heated more efficiently and enables it to reach higher pressures, making it ideal for power generation applications.

The water tube configuration also allows for a greater surface area for heat transfer, facilitating rapid steam production. Furthermore, because the water is contained within the tubes, this design offers advantages in terms of safety; in the event of a failure, the risk of a catastrophic explosion is minimized compared to fire tube boilers, where the water surrounds the combustion gas and can be more susceptible to rupture under failure conditions.

In contrast, fire tube boilers typically operate at lower pressures and are more suited to heating applications rather than high-pressure power generation. Electric boilers are generally limited in capacity and are not designed for high-pressure steam production. Similarly, steam locomotive boilers, while historically significant, are not used in modern power generation contexts due to their inefficiency and inability to manage the high pressures often required in industrial settings.