Boilers for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry
For the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry we supply steam, hot water and thermal oil boilers, steam generators and electric boilers for process heating, sterilisation and precise temperature control.
Each boiler is designed and manufactured to the required capacity, process requirements, fuel type and operating conditions of the plant.
The role of steam and heat in chemical and pharmaceutical processes
In chemical and pharmaceutical plants, heat usually reaches the process indirectly, through steam, hot water or thermal oil. Steam serves reactor heating, distillation, evaporation, drying and stripping, as well as the sterilisation of equipment and piping. Reactors are heated through jackets, double bottoms or internal coils, and the same fluid can both supply and remove heat, which matters for exothermic reactions and multi-step temperature profiles. Thermal oil allows high working temperatures without high system pressure, which is why it is widely chosen for reactors, process vessels and distillation columns.
Batch and continuous operation load the heat source differently: batch work brings abrupt load changes and frequent heating and cooling cycles, while continuous work calls for a steady supply. The choice between steam boilers, thermal oil boilers and steam generators therefore depends on how the plant is run, not only on the temperature level of the process. One heat source can also serve several consumers through separate branches, each with its own control valve.
Steam quality, safety and regulations
The pharmaceutical sector distinguishes grades of steam by use. Plant steam is made from treated water with additives that protect against corrosion and is used only for indirect heating. Steam without chemical additives and pure steam require progressively purer feedwater, and pure steam comes into direct contact with equipment and product during sterilisation. For large steam sterilisers EN 285 is commonly cited; it sets qualitative limits on dryness, non-condensable gases and superheat. Pure steam is normally produced in a dedicated pure steam generator, in which plant steam acts only as the heating medium and never touches the pure steam.
For thermal oil systems the key criterion is technical tightness, as addressed in DIN 4754: welded joints, few flanges, hermetically sealed pumps, vent and relief lines routed to a safe place outside the building, and regular oil analysis. In the EU, chemical sites may fall under Directive 2012/18/EU (Seveso III), which requires a major accident prevention policy and, for larger sites, a safety report. Pressure equipment is subject to PED 2014/68/EU; the applicable codes and certifications should be agreed at the start of the project.
Fuel, energy and sustainability
Decarbonising process heat in the chemical sector follows several routes. Direct electrification is often described as the simplest, but cost and infrastructure remain constraints, and the economics depend on the ratio of electricity to fuel prices and on the price of carbon. Heat pumps and steam compressors can lift low-grade waste heat to steam level. Where process gases carry usable heat, waste heat recovery boilers turn it into steam, so electric boilers, heat recovery and conventional gas- or oil-fired boilers are assessed together.
Biomass is used in industry mainly at lower temperature levels and requires secure supply, storage space and control of fuel quality. For existing gas-fired sites a hybrid arrangement is possible, with a solid-fuel boiler for base load and a gas boiler for peaks. Where flue gases contact the material directly, their composition is decisive; indirect heating avoids that question. Fuel logistics, storage and quality control add complexity that should be assessed from the design stage.
What to define when selecting a boiler
Boiler selection in a chemical or pharmaceutical plant starts from the process, not from the boiler. Before an offer is prepared, the points below should be settled, because they determine the boiler type, its design and the scope of auxiliary equipment. The approach is described in our guide on how to choose an industrial boiler. TIPO Kotlogradnja builds boilers to the investor's requirements. These answers are best recorded in a technical specification, since every later decision on design, standards and scope of supply rests on them.
- Load profile: batch or continuous operation, peak loads and number of consumers
- Heat carrier: steam, hot water or thermal oil, according to the temperature level of the process
- Steam and feedwater quality, including whether pure steam is made in a separate generator; see water treatment
- Fuel or energy source, its availability and storage, and the decarbonisation plan
- Standby capacity, applicable standards, hazardous-area classification and available space
Boiler types for this industry
Industrial steam boilers
Saturated or superheated steam for industrial, process and power applications. Shell and water-tube boilers for solid fuel, biomass, liquid and gaseous fuel.
View →Thermal oil boilers
Thermal oil boilers serve process heating in industrial plants that need high and stable operating temperatures.
View →Steam generators, rapid steam boilers
FAST-P is a steam generator for rapid production of dry saturated steam, with forced water circulation and a three-pass design, built for liquid and gaseous fuels.
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Electric boilers
Electric boilers produce steam, warm water, hot water or process heat using electricity as the heat source.
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Waste heat recovery boilers
A WHRB (Waste Heat Recovery Boiler) is a steam generator that uses the waste heat of exhaust gases from industrial processes to produce saturated steam.
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Hot water boilers
Hot water for industrial and energy systems and district heating. Shell and water-tube boilers for all common fuels.
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Hydrogen-fired steam boilers
TIPO Kotlogradnja develops tailor-made energy solutions, focused on boiler systems that use biomass and alternative energy sources such as hydrogen.
View →Applications
Industrial steam boilers
- Chemical and process industry
- process steam and process heating
- Chemical and petrochemical industry
- process heating, temperature control and production
- Pharmaceutical industry
- sterilisation, process steam and controlled processes
Hot water boilers
- Chemical and process industry
- process heating and temperature control
- Chemical and petrochemical industry
- temperature control and process heating
Thermal oil boilers
- Chemical and petrochemical industry
- heating of reactors, process vessels and distillation columns
- Pharmaceutical industry
- processes with stable and precise temperature control
Electric boilers
- Pharmaceutical industry
- sterile processes and precise parameter control
- Chemical industry
- process steam, warm water and special processes
Steam generators, rapid steam boilers
- Pharmaceutical industry
- sterile processes and equipment preparation
- Chemical industry
- heating of processes, reactors and lines
Waste heat recovery boilers
- Chemical industry
- process steam from waste heat of process gases
- Petrochemical industry
- energy recovery from process and flue gases
Frequently asked questions
When should I choose a thermal oil boiler instead of steam?
When the process needs high, precisely controlled temperatures without high-pressure operation: thermal oil carries heat at high temperature and low pressure, with no evaporation or water treatment.
Which heat transfer fluid to choose: water or thermal oil?
The choice depends on the required operating temperature and the process requirements. Water is the right choice for heating systems and processes at lower temperatures. Thermal oil is chosen when the process needs higher, stable temperatures, precise control and heat transfer without the high pressures typical of water systems at a comparable temperature level. The final solution is defined by the required capacity, operating temperature, pressure and plant operating conditions.
Which fuels does a thermal oil boiler use?
Liquid and gaseous fuels (model TKT-TU), solid fuels and biomass, or electricity (model VAT-V-TU) where no flue gases or burners are wanted.
Which standards apply to steam boilers?
EN 12953 for shell boilers, EN 12952 for water-tube boilers, EN 13445 for pressure vessels, EN 13480 for piping, and ASME BPVC or AD 2000 for export markets. Pressure equipment carries the CE mark under PED 2014/68/EU.
What is the difference between a shell and a water-tube steam boiler?
A shell (fire-tube) boiler has a large water content, is built to EN 12953 and suits small and medium capacities with stable operation. A water-tube boiler has a small water content, is built to EN 12952 and is used for larger capacities, higher pressures and superheated steam.
Can pure steam for sterilisation be taken directly from an industrial steam boiler?
As a rule, not directly. Pure steam for direct contact is made in a dedicated pure steam generator from purified feedwater without additives, while boiler-house steam serves only as the heating medium and never touches the pure steam. The boiler is therefore one link in the chain. The exact requirements follow the applicable standards and the plant's own GMP requirements.
What does technical tightness mean for thermal oil systems?
It is a design criterion under DIN 4754: the system is built so that leaks are not expected, with welded joints wherever possible, hermetically sealed pumps and relief lines routed to a safe place outside the building. The degree of tightness decides whether an area is classified as an explosion hazard zone, so it should be clarified early in the project with the safety officer.
Can process heat in a chemical plant be supplied with electricity?
Yes. Electric technologies are often described as the simplest route to decarbonising process heat, including electric boilers and heat pumps that lift waste heat to steam level. The economics depend on the ratio of electricity to fuel prices, the price of carbon and available grid infrastructure, and are assessed separately for each site.
Standards we design and build to
TIPO Kotlogradnja designs and manufactures boilers and complete boiler plants according to the investor's requirements, fuel type, capacity and operating regime. The process covers requirement analysis, solution proposal, offer, design, material procurement, manufacturing, erection, testing and commissioning. Whatever the complexity of the project or the market, the equipment is designed and built to European and international standards, including EN 12952, EN 12953, EN 13445, EN 13480, ASME BPVC and AD 2000, in line with the project documentation and the investor's requirements.
Other industries
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