ABSTRACT
This chapter describes fossil fuel-fired furnaces and boilers—devices that convert the chemical energy in fuels to heat or produce thermal energy for meeting building heat loads. We start by reviewing the basic principle of stoichiometric combustion and the need for excess air intake and then describing different types of fuels and their properties. Next, notions pertinent to combustion efficiency and operational efficiency as well as the impact of part-load operation are discussed. We then describe different types of furnaces and boilers along with their design, selection, and operational and safety controls. How the efficiency of the boiler can be tracked by monitoring the flue gas characteristics is also addressed. We end by providing a broad overview of combined heat and power (CHP) systems that are a more efficient and proven alternative to simultaneously meet electricity, heating, and cooling loads especially in large buildings and campus type of environments.
