Boilers are an integral part of many industries, and have been since the first models appeared in the mid 1700’s; these machines use the steam from super-heated water to create energy. The energy created from the steam has (over the years) been used to power everything from cars to trains to large factories. Because advances in technology have introduced alternative fuel sources (petrol, coal, nuclear), the use of steam power has been essentially relegated to industrial applications. However, even with limited applications, these machines still provide an invaluable service to many industries.

Though there have been many changes in design since the 1700’s, the concept remains the same; use a source of heat to generate steam, which in turn provides energy. The basic design consists of a heat source (wood, coal, even nuclear), tubes that are designed to move cold water through the heat source, and tubes that allow the energy from the steam to do the intended job. The size of the equipment will be dependent on its purpose; if the purpose is to provide energy to a huge power plant, the boiler will be very large.

The fact that boilers have been around for over 300 years shows that they provide a needed service; it also shows that the process works! As technology advances and environmentally friendly business practices become more and more important, one would expect that these machines will experience changes that reflect those changes, but the concept and even basic design will most likely remain the same.