What Are Economizers?

Function:

Economizers are heat exchangers that recover heat from the flue gas before it is released into the atmosphere.

Location:

Typically located in the boiler flue stack, downstream of the boiler.

Heat Recovery:

The primary purpose is to recover heat from the hot flue gases and use it to preheat the boiler feedwater.

Preheating Feedwater:

By preheating the feedwater before it enters the boiler, economizers reduce the amount of fuel needed to bring the water to the desired operating temperature, thus improving overall boiler efficiency.

Fuel Savings:

The use of economizers can result in significant fuel savings and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Types:

There are different types of economizers, including non-condensing economizers and condensing economizers, depending on whether water vapor in the flue gas is allowed to condense.