Wetback -vs- Dryback

Brad White

Hi guys- Busy patch at work and at home... Tim White of Timco notified me about this thread..

UniR has it.

A wetback or wet-base boiler has water on all sides of the combustion chamber. The wetback boiler specifically has water on the side opposite the flame gun or "target brick" in the old-style boilers. In a wetback style this is iron usually. A dry-back example might be an old porkchop style boiler where a refractory chamber and target brick wall is built up the back side.

The advantage of a wetback boiler is greater wetted surface area compared to combustion area so more heat from the flue gasses can be absorbed. Another advantage is, depending on internal boiler circulation, a natural convection is allowed all around the boiler which reduces thermal stresses.

There is no "advantage" I can think of to a dry-back or dry-base boiler. They are inherently less efficient but I presume that they exist as a limitation of their design. Except for the large "pork chop" boilers and the sizes they allow in cast iron boilers, I cannot see a reason to use them with what we have available today.

If I understand the question correctly, that is my take on it.

No, such boilers are not made south of Texas, so let's not go there :)

Bernie McGee

Wetback -vs- Dryback

What are the pros and cons of wetback versus dryback boilers?

Thank You,
Bernie

bovide_4

insert joke here:

ScottMP

I can't

Maybe Brad ???

Scott

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jackchips_2

Yes, Brad.

Although, is it true that he has left for the Denver Wetstock by stagecoach? He hasn't been heard from in a while.

:-)

Jack

Uni R_2

Back = Base

You might want to do a Google search on ["Wet Base" "Dry Base" Boiler Advantages]. Basically, a wet base boiler will be a 2 or 3 pass boiler where the combustion area is surrounded by water passages which can mean more efficient heat transfer.

Bob Bona_4

I know

Brad would be all over it. That wasn't just a open door, it was an open garage door!