Boilers for the textile, leather and tobacco industry
For this industry TIPO Kotlogradnja designs and manufactures: industrial steam boilers; steam generators, rapid steam boilers; thermal oil boilers.
Each boiler is designed and manufactured to the required capacity, process requirements, fuel type and operating conditions of the plant.
Heat in textile, leather and tobacco processing
In textile mills the heat demand lies mainly in wet processing: fabric preparation such as washing, bleaching and mercerisation, followed by dyeing, printing and finishing. Steam and hot water heat the baths and liquors, and steam is also used for pressing and other finishing operations. Drying and heat setting on stenters and dryers form a second large heat consumer. There, a thermal oil boiler is a common indirect option: the boiler heats the oil, a heat exchanger warms the air, and fans circulate it over the fabric, which allows quick changes of settings between fabrics.
In tanneries, forced drying of leather is among the most energy-intensive operations, and better mechanical dewatering before drying reduces the thermal load; the BAT reference document notes that information on heat use in tanneries is limited. In primary tobacco processing, leaves and stems are conditioned with steam and hot air to make them pliable and to raise their moisture before the lamina is separated from the stems, and the lamina is then dried and brought to equilibrium moisture in a conditioning chamber. Studies report that steam moistening and gentle redrying give more uniform moisture and colour.
Process requirements and regulatory framework
Textile and leather plants run many machines on different schedules, so the heat supply must follow a changing load while keeping process temperatures stable from batch to batch. The choice between steam, hot water and thermal oil depends on the machine: baths and liquors can be heated with steam or hot water, while stenters can be heated directly with gas or indirectly with thermal oil. Indirect heating is described as flexible and low in maintenance but dearer to install and slower to start, which matters for equipment that does not run around the clock.
In the EU, installations within the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive are covered by BAT conclusions: for pretreatment and dyeing of fibres and textiles (published in 2022) and for tanning of bovine and ovine hides and skins above a capacity threshold (2013). The textile conclusions call for an energy efficiency plan with audits and energy flow diagrams, optimised steam systems with leak checks, insulation and heat recovery. Outside the EU, national rules apply. The boiler itself is designed to EN 12952 or EN 12953 and other agreed standards, and the applicable framework should be defined at the outset.
Energy sources and heat recovery
Fuel choice follows local availability and price: gas, liquid fuels and biomass are all possible, and the furnace and burner are designed for the selected fuel; biomass boilers come into question where solid fuel is available. The larger lever is usually the amount of heat that has to be generated. The textile BAT conclusions list recovery of heat from waste water, from waste gases including those of steam boilers, and from steam use such as hot condensate and boiler blowdown, as well as reuse of warm cooling water and process liquor. Heat recovery from waste gases applies only where the gas flow is sufficient.
Reducing the drying load comes first: mechanical dewatering before thermal drying, monitoring of humidity and exhaust air, and heating baths only as much as the process needs. Cogeneration is also mentioned, although its applicability in existing plants can be limited by layout and space. Where a hot process exhaust exists, waste heat recovery boilers can raise steam from it.
What to define before selecting a boiler
A boiler is selected from the actual consumers and their operating regime, not from the sum of connected machines. The following should be settled early, together with the manufacturer, with steam boilers as one of the options:
- Consumers and their heating medium: baths, finishing lines, stenters, dryers, conditioning
- Load profile over shifts, including start-up peaks and seasonal differences
- Steam, hot water or thermal oil, and the temperature stability the process needs; for rapid steam raising on intermittent loads consider steam generators
- Fuel, its supply and storage, and permitted emissions
- Feedwater quality and water treatment, condensate return, standby capacity 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 →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.
View →
Thermal oil boilers
Thermal oil boilers serve process heating in industrial plants that need high and stable operating temperatures.
View →Applications
Industrial steam boilers
- Textile industry
- dyeing, washing, drying and finishing
Thermal oil boilers
- Textile industry
- dyeing, drying and thermal treatment of textiles
Steam generators, rapid steam boilers
- Textile industry
- dyeing, washing, ironing and finishing
Frequently asked questions
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.
How are the capacity and pressure of a steam boiler chosen?
From the actual steam demand profile, the pressure and temperature required at the consumers, the fuel type and the operating regime. Our engineers run a thermal calculation on the investor's data and propose the type, size and configuration.
What equipment is delivered with a steam boiler?
Measuring and safety fittings, control and automation, a feedwater tank with pumps, a superheater, economiser and air heater where required, and service platforms. Delivery can also be a complete turnkey boiler house.
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.
Should stenters and dryers be heated with thermal oil or steam?
Both are used, and the answer depends on the plant. Indirect thermal oil heating is described as flexible, with low maintenance and operating cost in large plants running continuously, but it costs more to install and starts slowly. Plants with a few intermittently running machines may be better served by other solutions. The decision should follow the number of machines and their operating regime.
Do BAT conclusions apply to a plant outside the EU?
They are part of the EU framework under the Industrial Emissions Directive and apply to installations within its scope. Outside the EU, national permits and rules decide. The tanning conclusions cover only bovine and ovine hides and skins above a capacity threshold. The competent authority should be asked which requirements apply to the specific installation.
Where can a textile plant recover heat to reduce boiler load?
According to the textile BAT conclusions, heat can be recovered from waste water, waste gases, hot condensate and boiler blowdown, and warm cooling water and process liquor can be reused. The drying load can also be cut by mechanical dewatering first. Each measure has to be checked against the actual plant layout and the available gas and liquid flows.
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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