| Issue |
EPJ Web Conf.
Volume 347, 2026
2025 SAIMechE Central Branch Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Related Disciplines (SCMERD 2025)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 01002 | |
| Number of page(s) | 10 | |
| Section | Thermofluids and Heat Transfer | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202634701002 | |
| Published online | 14 January 2026 | |
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202634701002
A Comparison of compressed air and steam soot blowers in steam boilers
1 Leonine International Inc., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
2 Frigavac (Pvt) Ltd, Harare, Zimbabwe.
* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published online: 14 January 2026
Ash and soot fouling of boiler tubes impairs heat transfer, elevating fuel consumption and emissions while reducing overall plant performance. Soot-blowers clean boiler tubes on-line. This study presents a comparative analysis of steam and compressed air soot-blowing systems on coal-fired industrial boilers in South Africa. This work quantifies the capital, operational, maintenance, and emission costs. The report addresses the technical performance and practical application such as pressure stability, moisture-related erosion, and cleaning effectiveness. For similar capital costs, the compressed air soot-blowers have a 60% lower operation cost, 80% lower carbon emissions and save eighty-five cubic meters of water annually. This analysis supports soot blower selection to optimise economic, and environmental outcomes.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2026
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