Every Industry has its own unique terminology. Sometimes these terms can be confusing so we thought a boiler dictionary would be helpful. The following definitions can be found in a number of texts.
Glossary of Boiler Terms and Definitions
W, X, Y, Z
Waste fuel – Any by-product fuel that is waste from a manufacturing process.
Waste heat – Sensible heat in non-combustible gases.
Water column – A vertical tubular member connected at its top and bottom to the steam and water space respectively to a boiler, to which the water gage, gage cocks, high and low water alarms and fuel cutoff may be connected.
Water gage – The gage glass and its fittings for attachment.
Water hammer – A sudden increase in pressure of water due to an instantaneous conversion or momentum to pressure.
Water level – The elevation of the surface of the water in a boiler.
Water tube – A tube in a boiler having the water and steam on the inside and heat applied to the outside.
Water vapor – A synonym for steam, usually used to denote steam of absolute low pressure.
Weep – A term usually applied to a minute leak in a boiler joint which forms droplets (or tears) of water very slowly.
Wet back – Baffle provided in a firetube boiler joining the furnace to the second pass to direct the products of combustion that is completely water-cooled.
Wet steam – Steam containing moisture.
Windbox – A chamber below the grate or surrounding a burner, thru which air under pressure is supplied for combustion of the fuel.
Windbox pressure – The static pressure in the windbox of a burner or stoker.
Zero governor – A regulating device that is normally adjusted to deliver gas at atmospheric pressure within its flow rating.
Sources:Sources for this listing were found in the ASME Boiler Codes, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York; ABMA; Metals Handbook, American Society for Metals; ASHRAE Handbooks; and Boiler Operator’s Guide by Anthony L. Kohan, The John Zink Combustion Handbook, Charles E. Baukal, Jr., editor.
