CFD Analysis of Steam Boiler Used in Power Plants with Diverse Materials

Abstract

Boilers are widely used in power plants and industrial applications to generate steam for heat and power production. In a steam boiler, water is converted into steam by the application of thermal energy, and the generated steam is supplied to various power-generating and heating systems. After performing useful work, the steam is condensed and returned to the boiler, completing the thermodynamic cycle. In this project work, a steam boiler tube is modelled using SolidWorks parametric design software and analysed using ANSYS Workbench. Structural, thermal, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses are performed to evaluate the mechanical strength, heat transfer characteristics, and flow behaviour of steam inside the boiler. CFD analysis is carried out for steam inlet velocities of 25 m/s, 30 m/s, 35 m/s, and 40 m/s to determine pressure distribution, heat transfer coefficient, and heat transfer rate. Thermal analysis is conducted using Steel 440C, Stainless Steel 316L, and Brass by applying heat transfer coefficients obtained from CFD results. Static structural analysis is performed by applying internal steam pressure to evaluate deformation, stress, strain, and factor of safety for the selected materials.

Introduction

The text presents a comprehensive study on the design, modeling, and analysis of a steam boiler using SolidWorks and ANSYS. A boiler is defined as a closed vessel used to heat water or generate steam for applications such as power generation, heating, cooking, and sanitation. A steam generator, a type of boiler with forced circulation and compact design, is highlighted for its safety and efficiency, especially in auxiliary ship applications.

The literature review summarizes prior research on improving boiler performance through advanced coatings, functionally graded materials, and optimized welding techniques to reduce erosion, corrosion, and improve mechanical properties. These studies support the need for material optimization in boiler design.

The project aims to design a steam boiler using real-time dimensions and evaluate its performance through static structural, thermal, and CFD analyses under different materials and operating conditions. The boiler model is created in SolidWorks, imported into ANSYS, meshed, and analyzed using Stainless Steel 410, Brass, and Stainless Steel 316L, along with steam and water as working fluids.

Structural analysis results show that Stainless Steel 316L provides the best overall performance, exhibiting low deformation, moderate stress, and the highest factor of safety, making it the most suitable material for pressure-bearing boiler applications. Brass, while structurally safe, shows higher deformation, limiting its use where dimensional stability is critical.

CFD and thermal analyses at varying inlet steam velocities (25–40 m/s) reveal that increasing velocity leads to higher pressure, heat transfer coefficient, mass flow rate, and total heat transfer. Brass exhibits the highest heat flux due to its high thermal conductivity, resulting in greater heat loss, whereas Steel 316L shows lower heat flux, indicating better heat retention and higher efficiency for steam generation.

Conclusion

In the present study, a steam boiler model was developed using SolidWorks and analyzed in ANSYS Workbench to evaluate its structural, thermal, and fluid flow (CFD) performance under realistic operating conditions. Three materials—Stainless Steel 410, Brass and Stainless Steel 316L—were considered to assess their suitability for boiler applications. The analyses were conducted under identical boundary conditions to ensure a consistent and meaningful comparison of material behavior. The results of the static structural analysis indicate that the steam boiler can safely withstand a maximum internal pressure of 2.5 MPa for all the materials considered. Among them, Stainless Steel 316L exhibits the highest factor of safety, demonstrating superior resistance to yielding and enhanced structural reliability under high-pressure conditions. This confirms that Stainless Steel 316L provides a greater safety margin compared to Steel and Brass, making it more suitable for pressure vessel applications. The thermal analysis results show that Brass exhibits the highest heat flux, while Steel and Stainless Steel 316L display comparatively lower and closely similar heat flux values. Although the higher thermal conductivity of Brass enhances heat transfer, it also leads to increased heat loss to the surroundings, which adversely affects boiler efficiency. Consequently, despite its favorable heat conduction characteristics, Brass is less suitable for steam boiler applications where thermal energy retention is critical. The CFD analysis further reveals that Stainless Steel 316L produces higher outlet temperature values with relatively lower heat transfer coefficients, indicating its ability to retain thermal energy within the boiler while allowing controlled heat transfer. This behavior is desirable for efficient steam generation, as excessive heat transfer to the surroundings reduces system performance. Materials exhibiting higher heat transfer coefficients tend to experience greater thermal losses, thereby lowering overall efficiency. Based on the combined assessment of structural integrity, thermal behavior, and fluid flow performance, Stainless Steel 316L is identified as the most suitable and optimum material for steam boiler applications among the materials investigated. Its superior factor of safety, controlled deformation, balanced thermal performance, and stable fluid flow characteristics make it a reliable choice for real-time boiler operation. Hence, Stainless Steel 316L can be recommended as an effective alternative to conventional steel for high-pressure and high-temperature steam boiler systems.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 C Anil, Dr. M. T. Naik. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.