In the global energy system and industrial production, boilers, as core thermal energy equipment, fulfill crucial roles such as providing steam for production processes and heating buildings. Their performance and type directly impact a company's energy costs, environmental performance, and production stability. With the shift in energy mix and rising environmental awareness, the competition and choice between traditional fossil fuel boilers and renewable energy boilers are attracting increasing attention. Traditional gas-fired boilers, fueled by natural gas, have long held a significant market share thanks to their mature technology and stable supply. Meanwhile, renewable energy boilers fueled by biomass are becoming a new option for many companies due to their sustainable development and reduced dependence on fossil fuels. This article will provide a comprehensive comparative analysis of biomass and gas boilers, including their definitions, operating principles, advantages, efficiency, and maintenance, providing professional guidance for companies to make a scientific and rational choice between the two types of boilers.
A biomass boiler is a boiler fueled by biomass energy. Its core characteristic lies in its renewable nature, using fuel derived from biological organisms rather than non-renewable fossil fuels. In terms of fuel types, common biomass fuels include agricultural waste such as wood chips, wood pellets, straw, rice husks, and peanut shells, as well as scraps from forestry processing. These fuels undergo certain processing steps, such as crushing and compression molding, to facilitate their use in boilers. In terms of application scenarios, biomass boilers are widely applicable in sectors with relatively stable heat demand and readily available fuel. For example, in the food processing industry, they can be used for steaming and drying food; in the papermaking industry, they can provide the heat required for heating and drying pulp; and in district heating, biomass boilers can also serve as the primary heating equipment, providing stable heating services for residential or commercial buildings within a certain area.
The working process of a biomass boiler revolves around fuel combustion and heat energy transfer. First, pretreated biomass fuel is delivered to the combustion chamber through a fuel supply system. Under suitable oxygen conditions, the fuel undergoes a complete combustion reaction in the combustion chamber, releasing a large amount of heat energy. During the combustion process, high-temperature flue gases are produced, which carry a large amount of heat and flow through the boiler. The high-temperature flue gas then enters the heat exchanger, where it exchanges heat with water or other heat transfer media. During this process, the heat from the high-temperature flue gas is transferred to the heat transfer medium, raising its temperature and generating steam or hot water. This steam or hot water can be transported through a corresponding piping system to production processes or heating systems requiring heat energy to meet actual demand. Throughout the entire operation, the combustion chamber, heat exchanger, and fuel supply system are key components. The combustion chamber provides the necessary space and conditions for fuel combustion, ensuring sufficient combustion. The heat exchanger is crucial for heat transfer and directly impacts the boiler's thermal efficiency. The fuel supply system ensures stable and even fuel delivery to the combustion chamber, ensuring continuous combustion.
The most significant advantage of biomass boilers is that they use renewable fuel, which aligns with global sustainable development trends and is environmentally friendly. Biomass fuel absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide during its growth process, and the amount of carbon dioxide released during combustion is roughly equivalent to the amount absorbed during growth. This creates a carbon dioxide recycling cycle. Compared to traditional fossil fuels, this effectively reduces net greenhouse gas emissions and helps mitigate global warming. Furthermore, biomass fuel is mostly derived from local agricultural and forestry waste or specially grown energy crops. This allows the fuel supply for biomass boilers to support the development of the local fuel economy and reduce dependence on external energy sources. It also provides an effective way to dispose of local agricultural and forestry waste, mitigating the environmental impact of indiscriminate waste disposal. Furthermore, by replacing fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal with biomass fuel, businesses can significantly reduce their reliance on fossil energy, mitigate the impact of fossil energy price fluctuations on production costs, and reduce overall carbon emissions to a certain extent, helping businesses meet relevant environmental protection requirements and enhance their social image.
The typical thermal efficiency of a biomass boiler ranges from 75% to 85%, with the specific efficiency value affected by various factors. Fuel moisture content is a key factor affecting biomass boiler efficiency. If the moisture content of biomass fuel is too high, more energy is consumed to evaporate the water during combustion, resulting in less heat being used to generate effective heat and lowering the boiler's thermal efficiency. Conversely, fuel with too low a moisture content may experience unstable combustion and coking during transportation and combustion, similarly impacting efficiency. Combustion technology also plays a key role in biomass boiler efficiency. Advanced combustion technologies, such as stratified combustion and suspension combustion, allow the fuel to more fully engage with oxygen within the combustion chamber, achieving complete combustion and reducing unburned fuel loss, thereby improving thermal efficiency. Compared to traditional coal-fired or oil-fired boilers, biomass boilers offer competitive thermal efficiency. Traditional coal-fired boilers typically have a thermal efficiency of around 60%–70%, while traditional oil-fired boilers typically have a thermal efficiency of around 70%–80%. Overall, biomass boilers have higher thermal efficiency than traditional coal-fired boilers, and are comparable to or even higher than some traditional oil-fired boilers. Furthermore, biomass boilers outperform traditional coal-fired boilers in terms of carbon emissions and sulfur dioxide emissions, better meeting modern environmental standards.
During biomass boiler operation, fuel combustion produces a certain amount of ash and particulate matter. These particles easily adhere to the surfaces of components such as the combustion chamber and heat exchanger. If not cleaned promptly, they can accumulate, affecting heat transfer efficiency and even causing component corrosion and blockage. Therefore, regular ash and debris removal is a crucial part of biomass boiler maintenance. Typically, a reasonable cleaning cycle is established based on factors such as the boiler's operating load and fuel type, employing methods such as mechanical cleaning and high-pressure water jet cleaning. Biomass boilers place relatively high demands on operator skills and technical expertise. Operators must be familiar with the characteristics of biomass fuels and be able to adjust combustion parameters, such as air flow and fuel supply, to ensure stable combustion and efficient operation. Operators must also possess the ability to diagnose and troubleshoot equipment failures, promptly identifying and resolving operational issues. However, with the continuous development of automation technology, more and more biomass boilers are beginning to adopt automated control systems. These sensors monitor boiler operating parameters such as temperature, pressure, and flue gas composition in real time, and automatically adjust the combustion and fuel supply systems based on this data. This reduces the technical requirements for operators and improves the stability and reliability of boiler operation.
A gas boiler is a thermal energy device that uses gaseous fuels such as natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas as its energy source. The combustion of these fuels releases heat, which in turn heats water to generate steam or hot water. In the industrial sector, they are widely used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, electronics, and machinery manufacturing industries, providing the steam or hot water required for heating, reaction, and drying processes in production processes. They are crucial equipment for ensuring continuous and stable industrial production. Gas boilers are primarily categorized as condensing and non-condensing, depending on their heat exchange technology. During operation, non-condensing gas-fired boilers release water vapor from the high-temperature flue gas directly into the atmosphere, resulting in some heat loss. Condensing gas-fired boilers, on the other hand, use a specialized condensing heat exchanger to condense the water vapor into water, while also recovering the latent heat released during the condensation process. This improves the boiler's thermal efficiency and reduces energy consumption. Regarding fuel sources, natural gas, a clean and efficient fossil energy source, is typically delivered through city gas pipelines, offering a stable and convenient supply. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can be supplied via tanks or pipelines, making it suitable for areas without natural gas pipelines and providing flexible fuel options for businesses in different regions.
The core of a gas-fired boiler's operation is the combustion of gas and the efficient transfer of heat. First, a gaseous fuel, such as natural gas or LPG, enters the burner through the gas supply system. Inside the burner, it mixes evenly with air in a specific ratio to form a combustible mixture. This combustible mixture is then ignited by an ignition device within the combustion chamber, resulting in a vigorous combustion reaction and the release of large amounts of high-temperature flue gas. These high-temperature flue gases flow through the flue inside the boiler, passing through the furnace, convection tube bundles, heat exchangers and other heating surfaces in sequence, exchanging heat with the water inside the heating surfaces. In non-condensing gas-fired boilers, the high-temperature flue gases remain at a relatively high temperature after completing the heat exchange with the water. The water vapor in the flue gases is not condensed and is directly discharged into the atmosphere through the chimney. In condensing gas-fired boilers, the high-temperature flue gases, after passing through the conventional heat exchange process, enter a specialized condensing heat exchanger. At this point, the flue gas temperature is further reduced, and the water vapor in the flue gases reaches saturation and condenses into water. During the condensation process, a large amount of latent heat is released, which is absorbed by the water in the condensing heat exchanger, further raising the water temperature and achieving full heat recovery. The core components of a gas-fired boiler include the burner, heat exchanger, and control system. The burner is responsible for mixing gas with air and igniting it, ensuring sufficient and stable combustion. The heat exchanger is crucial for heat exchange between high-temperature flue gas and water, and its structure and performance directly impact the boiler's thermal efficiency. The control system ensures safe, stable, and efficient operation of the boiler by real-time monitoring and regulating operating parameters such as gas supply, air supply, water temperature, and water pressure.
A key advantage of gas-fired boilers is that natural gas, as the primary fuel, is relatively abundant globally and boasts a well-developed supply network. This is particularly true in urban and industrial areas, where extensive natural gas pipeline coverage provides a stable and continuous fuel supply for gas-fired boilers. This eliminates the need for businesses to worry about fuel shortages, ensuring continuous boiler operation and, in turn, stable production and heating. Furthermore, gas-fired boilers offer high system reliability and ease of operation. Because the gas combustion process is relatively stable and gas-fired boilers have a high degree of automation, during operation, operators only need to set relevant parameters, such as outlet water temperature and pressure, through the control system. The boiler then automatically handles fuel supply, ignition, and combustion adjustments, eliminating the need for frequent manual intervention and significantly reducing operational difficulty and labor intensity. Furthermore, gas-fired boilers primarily produce carbon dioxide and water, and produce minimal solid waste, such as ash and particulate matter. This reduces waste disposal workload, minimizes wear and corrosion on internal boiler components, and improves system reliability and service life. Furthermore, gas-fired boilers are relatively small and compact, requiring less installation space. Whether in the equipment layout of a new plant or in the retrofit of existing plants, they offer significant flexibility, adapting to varying site conditions and reducing space constraints and construction difficulties during installation.
Gas boilers generally have high thermal efficiency. Non-condensing gas boilers typically have an efficiency of around 90%. Condensing gas boilers, due to their ability to recover latent heat from flue gas, achieve even higher efficiencies, typically exceeding 95%. Some advanced condensing gas boilers even exceed 100% (based on low calorific value). In terms of performance, gas boilers offer excellent load regulation, allowing them to stably cope with load fluctuations. When a business's demand for steam or hot water fluctuates, the gas boiler's control system can rapidly adjust the gas and air supply, altering combustion intensity. This allows for rapid adjustment of output load to meet thermal energy needs under varying operating conditions, avoiding system instability or energy waste caused by load fluctuations. In addition, the combustion process of gas boilers is stable, the flame temperature is high and uniform, and they can continuously and stably generate steam or hot water. They are very suitable for companies with continuous and stable demand for steam or thermal energy, such as the production links in the chemical industry that require continuous chemical reactions, and the scenarios in hospitals that require 24-hour hot water and steam supply, etc., which can provide reliable thermal energy guarantee for the production and operation of these companies.
Compared to biomass boilers, gas boilers require less maintenance. This is because gas combustion produces minimal solid waste, preventing the accumulation of ash and debris inside the boiler, thus reducing the need for cleaning components such as the combustion chamber and heat exchanger. However, regular inspections are still essential to ensure safe and efficient operation of gas boilers. The burner is a key component to inspect, requiring regular checks for nozzle blockage, proper flame shape, and ignition sensitivity to ensure proper ignition and sufficient combustion. The flue also requires regular inspection for blockage and corrosion to ensure smooth flue gas discharge and avoid increased furnace pressure caused by flue blockage, which could impact boiler operation. Furthermore, the gas supply pipeline must be regularly inspected for leaks, ensuring the personal safety of operators and the safety of the company's assets. In terms of operation, gas-fired boilers are highly automated. Most are equipped with comprehensive automatic control systems, enabling automatic ignition, automatic load adjustment, and automatic alarms. Operators only need brief training to master basic operating procedures and troubleshooting methods to complete daily boiler operations and management, requiring relatively low technical expertise.
Biomass boilers rely on local solid biomass fuel. The establishment of their fuel supply chain is closely tied to the distribution and availability of local agricultural and forestry resources. Companies need to establish partnerships with local fuel production, processing, and transportation companies to ensure a stable fuel supply. Solid fuel storage requires adequate space and protective measures. Gas-fired boilers, on the other hand, primarily rely on natural gas or liquefied gas pipelines. In areas with natural gas pipeline coverage, fuel supply is extremely convenient; simply connecting to the pipeline eliminates the need for large-scale fuel storage. However, in areas without pipeline coverage, using liquefied gas carries storage and transportation costs and is significantly affected by liquefied gas market price fluctuations.
Biomass fuels produce a certain amount of ash and particulate matter during combustion. Although their carbon emissions are relatively low, they still require appropriate dust and slag removal equipment to meet environmental emission requirements. Gas combustion, on the other hand, is relatively clean, with combustion products primarily consisting of carbon dioxide and water. Pollutants such as ash and particulate matter are minimal, and sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions are also low, resulting in a smaller environmental impact and relatively low environmental treatment costs.
Gas boilers have a relatively simple startup process. Simply igniting the burner quickly brings them to rated operating temperature and pressure, resulting in a short startup time. Furthermore, when responding to load fluctuations, they can quickly adjust the gas supply to accommodate rapid load changes, resulting in a fast load response. Biomass boilers, on the other hand, require fuel preheating and ignition during startup, and combustion requires a gradual temperature increase, resulting in a relatively long startup time. Regarding load adjustment, because biomass fuels have a relatively stable combustion rate and heat release, load adjustments require simultaneous adjustments to both the fuel supply and air volume. This results in a relatively slow load response, making it difficult to quickly adapt to drastic load fluctuations.
Gas boilers generally have slightly higher thermal efficiency, especially condensing gas boilers, which can reach over 95%. Biomass boilers, on the other hand, typically have a thermal efficiency between 75% and 85%. However, with the continuous advancement of combustion technology, some advanced biomass boilers have achieved thermal efficiency levels approaching those of gas boilers through optimization of combustion processes and improvements to heat exchange structures, narrowing the gap.
In addition to the installation space for the boiler itself, biomass boilers require dedicated space for storing biomass fuel. This fuel storage area must be moisture-proof, fire-proof, and well-ventilated, resulting in a relatively large footprint. Gas boilers, on the other hand, require less space because they don't require large amounts of fuel storage and have a compact boiler structure. They occupy far less space than biomass boilers, making them more suitable for businesses with limited space.
Because biomass boilers involve the combustion of solid fuels and the emission of pollutants, they are subject to more stringent environmental regulations and emission approval procedures. Before installation and operation, companies must apply for an emission permit from the relevant environmental protection department and ensure that the boiler's emission indicators meet regulatory requirements. While gas boilers are also subject to environmental and safety regulations, their relatively clean combustion products simplify the emission approval process. However, strict gas safety regulations must be adhered to regarding gas use, ensuring the safe operation of gas pipelines, valves, and other equipment to prevent gas leaks and accidents.
Because biomass boilers require regular ash cleaning and fuel supply system maintenance, maintenance is more frequent and complex, requiring a higher number of maintenance personnel and a higher level of expertise, resulting in relatively high long-term operation and maintenance costs. Gas boilers, on the other hand, offer relatively simple maintenance, longer maintenance cycles, and lower technical requirements for maintenance personnel, resulting in lower overall operation and maintenance costs than biomass boilers.
The initial investment in a biomass boiler is relatively high. In addition to the boiler itself, it also includes investments in auxiliary equipment such as fuel storage facilities and dust and slag removal equipment. However, in the long term, biomass fuel prices are relatively stable and often lower than those of natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and other fuels, resulting in lower fuel costs and a certain advantage in long-term lifecycle costs. Gas-fired boilers, on the other hand, have a relatively low initial investment, primarily covering the boiler itself and gas connection equipment. However, because gas prices are significantly affected by international energy markets, long-term fuel costs are higher. Especially in the event of a significant gas price increase, lifecycle costs may exceed those of biomass boilers.
From an energy efficiency comparison perspective, under standard operating conditions, gas-fired boilers, particularly condensing gas-fired boilers, generally have higher thermal efficiency than biomass boilers due to their efficient heat exchange technology and clean combustion process. These boilers can more effectively utilize fuel energy and reduce energy waste. However, actual energy efficiency is affected by various factors, such as fuel quality, operating load, and operator performance. For biomass boilers, if the biomass fuel used has excessive moisture content or impurities, or if operators fail to adjust combustion parameters promptly based on fuel characteristics, actual energy efficiency will fall below the designed value. Similarly, for gas-fired boilers, problems such as burner failure and heat exchanger fouling can also affect energy efficiency.
To improve the performance of both types of boilers, a series of optimization technologies can be implemented. For biomass boilers, improvements to fuel pretreatment, such as drying and compression molding, can reduce fuel moisture content and enhance combustion efficiency. Furthermore, advanced combustion control technologies, such as fuzzy control and PID control, can be introduced to precisely control the combustion process, ensuring complete fuel combustion and reducing unburned fuel losses. Optimizing the heat exchanger design and using high-efficiency heat transfer materials to enhance heat transfer can also effectively improve the thermal efficiency of biomass boilers. For gas-fired boilers, further optimization of the condensing heat exchanger design can improve latent heat recovery efficiency, while burner performance can be enhanced to achieve an optimal gas-to-air ratio and reduce incomplete combustion losses. Furthermore, both biomass and gas-fired boilers can be equipped with energy monitoring systems to monitor operating parameters and energy consumption in real time, promptly identifying energy efficiency anomalies and implementing adjustments to avoid long-term inefficient operation. For example, if the energy monitoring system detects an abnormally high exhaust temperature in a biomass boiler, the heat exchanger can be checked for ash accumulation and cleaned to restore heat exchange efficiency. If a gas-fired boiler's combustion efficiency decreases, the burner nozzles can be checked for blockage or an imbalance in the air-to-gas ratio, allowing for timely maintenance and adjustments. Furthermore, regular boiler energy efficiency testing and evaluation, and the development of targeted improvement plans based on the test results, are also important measures to improve long-term boiler energy efficiency. Enterprises can also rationally manage the boiler's operating load based on their own production patterns to avoid operating the boiler in a prolonged period of underload or overload. Underload can lead to incomplete combustion and increased energy waste, while overload can accelerate equipment wear and reduce thermal efficiency. Only by operating within a reasonable load range can energy efficiency and equipment life be balanced.
When choosing between a biomass boiler and a gas-fired boiler, businesses need to consider multiple factors and make a decision based on their specific needs. First, consider energy consumption requirements: The company's thermal energy demand, demand stability, and load fluctuation range must be clearly defined. If the company's thermal energy demand is consistently stable with minimal load fluctuations, both types of boilers can meet the demand. However, if the company experiences frequent load fluctuations or requires rapid response to load changes, the rapid load adjustment capabilities of a gas-fired boiler will be more advantageous. If the company's thermal energy demand is large and stable over the long term, the long-term fuel cost advantage of a biomass boiler may be more significant.
Second, fuel availability is a key factor influencing boiler selection. If the company's location is rich in agricultural and forestry resources, the biomass fuel supply is plentiful, transportation costs are low, and there is a mature local biomass fuel processing and supply system, choosing a biomass boiler can reduce fuel supply chain risks. Conversely, if the company is located in an area with stable and reasonably priced natural gas supply, the convenient fuel supply of a gas-fired boiler will be more advantageous. In areas without natural gas pipelines and insufficient biomass fuel supply, companies need to weigh the transportation and storage costs of liquefied gas or re-evaluate the feasibility of both types of boilers. Spatial conditions are also crucial. Companies should consider the available space within their existing or planned plant to select a boiler type. If space is limited and insufficient fuel storage is available, a compact gas-fired boiler that doesn't require extensive fuel storage may be more suitable. If sufficient space is available and a dedicated fuel storage area can be planned, a biomass boiler may be a better choice.
Compliance with regulations is a prerequisite for companies, and they should fully understand local laws and policies regarding boiler emissions and energy use. Some regions have strict restrictions on carbon and particulate matter emissions. If local regulations on biomass fuel combustion are particularly stringent, companies should assess whether they can afford the additional investment and operating costs of dust and slag removal equipment. If local regulations encourage the use of clean fuels such as natural gas and provide subsidies, gas-fired boilers may be more compatible with these policies. Furthermore, some regions offer incentives for renewable energy use, and choosing a biomass boiler may offer tax breaks or subsidies, which should also be considered in the decision-making process. Finally, consider the company's long-term goals. If achieving carbon neutrality and enhancing its image of sustainable development are its long-term strategies, the renewable energy properties of biomass boilers better align with these goals and help the company establish a positive reputation in the environmental protection field. If a company prioritizes short-term return on investment, operational stability, and ease of maintenance, the low initial investment and reduced maintenance complexity of gas-fired boilers may better suit their needs.
Recommendations vary depending on the scenario. In industrial scenarios, for companies with long production cycles, stable heat demand, and abundant biomass resources in nearby areas, such as food and papermaking, biomass boilers can reduce overall production costs through long-term, stable fuel supply and lower fuel costs. In industries such as chemicals and pharmaceuticals, which require extremely high production continuity and face frequent load fluctuations, the rapid startup and stable load regulation capabilities of gas-fired boilers can better ensure the stability of production processes and reduce production losses caused by equipment failure or untimely load response. In commercial scenarios, such as district heating projects, if there is a biomass fuel supply around the service area and the project plan has sufficient storage space, biomass boilers can help achieve a sustainable supply of regional energy. For places such as hospitals and hotels that have high requirements for the stability of heating and hot water supply and limited space, the compact structure, low maintenance requirements and rapid response capabilities of gas boilers can better meet their daily operational needs.
The food industry is a key area of typical biomass boiler applications. For example, large-scale food processing plants require a constant supply of heat for processes like steaming and drying food. Plants located near agricultural production areas have easy access to biomass fuels such as straw and rice husks. Using biomass boilers not only reduces dependence on natural gas but also lowers energy costs by utilizing local, inexpensive fuel resources. For example, a grain processing company uses biomass boilers to heat its grain drying equipment. The fuel primarily comes from wheat straw and rice husks harvested from surrounding farmland. By collaborating with local farmers to establish a fuel recovery and processing system, they ensure a stable fuel supply. Over time, fuel costs have been reduced by approximately 30% compared to using gas-fired boilers. Furthermore, due to the carbon-neutral nature of biomass fuel, the company's total carbon emissions have been significantly reduced, successfully passing carbon emission audits by local environmental protection authorities.
The papermaking industry also widely uses biomass boilers. During the papermaking process, the heating and drying of pulp consume significant amounts of heat energy. Paper mills also generate significant amounts of waste, such as wood chips and paper scraps. These wastes can be used as fuel for biomass boilers, achieving resource recycling. A medium-sized papermaking company processes the wood chips and paper scraps generated during production into biomass pellets for use as boiler fuel. This not only solves waste disposal issues (reducing landfill volume by approximately 80%) but also reduces the cost of purchased fuel. The boiler maintains a stable thermal efficiency of around 82%, meeting the thermal energy needs of pulp production while reducing the environmental impact of fossil energy consumption.
District heating is also a key application for biomass boilers. In small towns in some European countries, local governments are introducing biomass boilers as core equipment for district heating systems to achieve regional energy transition and promote sustainable heating. These towns are surrounded by abundant forest resources, which allow them to generate biomass fuel from logging residues and wood processing scraps. The boiler system, equipped with dedicated fuel storage and transportation facilities, provides winter heating services for hundreds of households within the town. Operational data shows that this biomass heating system reduces carbon emissions by approximately 75% compared to traditional gas-fired heating systems. Furthermore, by sourcing local fuel, it has boosted the development of the surrounding forestry processing industry and created local employment opportunities.
Gas-fired boilers are particularly popular in the chemical industry. In chemical production, many chemical reactions must proceed continuously at specific temperatures, placing extremely high demands on steam supply stability and pressure control precision. Gas-fired boilers' rapid start-up and precise load regulation capabilities effectively meet these requirements. A large chemical company uses multiple condensing gas-fired boilers to supply steam to its production system. The boilers maintain a stable thermal efficiency of over 96%. An automated control system adjusts steam output in real time based on the heat energy requirements of the chemical reactions, eliminating the risk of reaction failures caused by steam pressure fluctuations. Furthermore, natural gas combustion produces minimal pollutants, eliminating the need for companies to invest heavily in complex dust removal and desulfurization equipment. Environmental protection costs are low, meeting the strict environmental requirements of the chemical industry.
Hospitals are another important application for gas-fired boilers. Hospitals require 24/7 continuous heating and hot water supply, and some medical equipment (such as sterilization equipment) relies on steam for operation, placing extremely high demands on boiler reliability and stability. A general hospital uses two non-condensing gas-fired boilers as its primary heating equipment. These boilers have a fast startup time, reaching rated operating pressure within 15 minutes. Even if one boiler fails, the other can quickly take over, ensuring uninterrupted medical services. Furthermore, gas-fired boilers require minimal maintenance, requiring only regular inspections of the burner and gas supply piping. This eliminates the need for frequent maintenance and interruptions to heating, ensuring continuous operation. The compact design also saves space.
Biomass boilers, with their core advantage of renewable fuel, are suitable for enterprises with abundant biomass resources and a strong focus on environmental protection. However, they present challenges such as high initial investment and complex maintenance. Gas-fired boilers, with their stable supply and efficient operation, are more suitable for applications requiring high stability. However, their long-term fuel costs are significantly affected by market fluctuations. When selecting equipment, companies should comprehensively evaluate factors such as heat demand and fuel availability, consult professional organizations for life cycle cost analysis, and regularly monitor and maintain the equipment after operation to ensure efficient and safe operation.
