This partial calculator applies an entered heating value and entered efficiency to an entered fuel rate, then divides the resulting selected useful-energy rate by an entered specific enthalpy rise. It is an arithmetic ledger, not a Sterling boiler rating or steam-production guarantee.
Sterling Boiler - Entered Fuel/Energy Ledger
Explore an entered fuel rate, heating value, efficiency and enthalpy-rise energy ledger.
Equation Used
- Fuel rate and lower heating value are entered values.
- Efficiency is an entered multiplier, not a predicted boiler efficiency.
- Enthalpy rise is independently entered and applied uniformly.
- The mass result is labeled ideal steam-equivalent rather than actual steam production.
- Boiler design, operating losses, steam state, emissions, code compliance and safety are excluded.
The secondary figure is a normalized energy ledger, not boiler geometry or a heat-transfer simulation.
Entered fuel/energy ledger
Fuel input rate equals mass rate times entered lower heating value. Selected useful-energy rate equals that input times the entered efficiency. Dividing by an independently entered enthalpy rise produces an ideal steam-equivalent mass rate for this ledger.
What the calculator determines
Use it to check the unit-consistent arithmetic of a selected energy balance. The diagram shows bounded energy-flow bars; it is not boiler geometry.
Selected relationships
Q_in=m_f H/3600; Q_selected=eta Q_in; m_equiv=m_f H (1000 eta)/Delta h; specific equivalent=m_equiv/m_f.
Selected-input example
At 2500 kg/h fuel, 27 MJ/kg entered LHV, 80 percent entered efficiency and 2381 kJ/kg entered enthalpy rise, the ledger gives 18.75 MW input, 15 MW selected useful energy and about 22,679.55 kg/h ideal steam-equivalent rate.
Not a boiler rating
Fuel composition, combustion, excess air, stack and radiation losses, feedwater state, steam pressure and quality, blowdown, auxiliaries, heat-transfer surface, circulation, draft, fouling, emissions, controls, code compliance and safety are excluded.
Questions
Is the result actual steam output?
No. It is an ideal equivalent based entirely on the entered efficiency and enthalpy rise.
Is the efficiency predicted?
No. It is an input. DOE references distinguish several boiler-efficiency metrics, so the candidate does not assign one automatically.
Does this rate the Sterling boiler design?
No. No Sterling-boiler construction or operating data is present.
Authoritative references
- U.S. DOE Operations & Maintenance Best Practices Guide — discusses boiler fuel use and efficiency as operating quantities.
- U.S. DOE Purchasing Energy-Efficient Boilers — distinguishes boiler efficiency metrics and relates input, output and efficiency.
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9 — gives the avoirdupois-pound to kilogram conversion.
References & Further Reading
- Wikipedia contributors. Stirling boiler. Wikipedia
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