Boiler Blog | Nationwide Boiler Inc.

Recent studies show that companies are restructuring their culture, steering away from the competitive work environment with minimal employee recognition, and shifting towards adapting a more team-centric and collaborative working atmosphere.

Nationwide Boiler is proud to say that we have always been a company that encourages team building, and are more than happy to recognize and reward our employees as they excel in their position. In fact, in addition to 5-year length of service awards that are presented at our annual Christmas party, we recognize employees who make a big impact with our ‘Big Kahuna’ award at each quarterly birthday celebration.

To encourage camaraderie throughout our company, Nationwide Boiler coordinates multiple events for employees to take part in. This year we have a total of 6 sporting events in the lineup, including soccer, baseball, and college football. The next game we are looking forward to is the Oakland A’s vs. Texas Rangers, and of course, we will be rooting for the A’s! We also coordinate multiple barbeques & dessert socials throughout the year to satisfy our many food lovers and celebrate certain events. Most recently, we held our Independence Day barbeque the week of July 4^th. We had grill masters, Larry Day and Michele Tomas, cook up some delicious burgers and hotdogs; while Holly Lepo spoiled us all with her famous and delicious chili, yum! We can’t wait for the next one.

In addition to being sports enthusiasts and foodies, we also like participating and getting in on the action. We recently hosted a bowling lunch at our local bowling alley, Cloverleaf Family Bowl. The group was split into 8 teams (with fun, creative team names), in a competition to win the title of Nationwide Boiler’s 2019 Bowling Champions. In the end, Team Vapor & Team Combustion went head to head, but Team Vapor came out on top. Congratulations to Tim McBride, Phil Blake, Nic Petty, and Sandy Nevels. Let’s see who will take home the title at our next bowling event! 

The boiler rental business began over fifty years ago, solving multiple industries’ need for temporary and emergency steam. Nationwide Boiler was at the forefront of the boiler rental industry, starting off with one of the first mobile rental boilers; a 20,000 lb/hr, 300 psig design, O-type package watertube boiler. This boiler was designed for permanent use on a highway-legal open deck trailer, making it a true mobile boiler. This new idea allowed companies to cut capital costs, save time, and be more efficient in their operations. Now, rental boilers are available for small-scale projects to industrial sized applications.

In last month’s edition of Boiler Basics 101, we discussed why rental boilers are a great choice for boiler owners in a variety of industries. To continue the topic, we will now discuss the different types of rental boilers currently on the market.

Trailer-Mounted Boilers

• Permanently installed on highway-legal trailers for easy transport by truck
• Boilers of various sizes up to 125,000 lb/hr, both saturated and superheated steam
• Detachable goosenecks and booster extensions allow for easy removal when space is limited
• Not protected from the weather and precautions must be taken for freeze protection (heat tracing and insulation or temporary housing shelters)
• Separate feedwater and water treatment systems and other auxiliaries can be provided to support the boiler, as needed

Skid-Mounted Boilers

• Shop-assembled package boilers, without any true mobility
• Available in capacities up to 250,000 lb/hr
• Depending on the size of the boiler, skid-mounted boilers can be transported on a flat-bed trailer, step-deck trailer, or by rail
• Cranes and/or forklifts typically required for both loading and offloading
• Not protected from the weather and precautions must be taken for freeze protection (heat tracing and insulation or temporary housing shelters)
• Separate feedwater and water treatment systems and other auxiliaries can be provided to support the boiler, as needed

Containerized Mobile Boilers

• Typically includes a package firetube boiler, installed inside a container and mounted on a chassis for mobility
• Ideal for users who need a boiler-only package that is weatherproofed for outdoor operation in the wintertime
• Separate feedwater and water treatment systems and other auxiliaries can be provided to support the boiler, as needed

Mobile Boiler Rooms

• Complete steam plants, self-contained within enclosed vans, with all equipment required to produce steam:
  • *Package firetube boiler
  • Atmospheric feedwater system
    • * Water softener
    • Chemical injection tank
    • * Blowdown separator
• Typically available in capacities up to 1,000 hp
• Weatherproofed and better suited than alternatives for outdoor operation in the wintertime

Mobile Steam Plants

• Similar to a mobile boiler room, with all equipment required to produce steam
• Equipment is installed on an open, step-deck trailer
• Not protected from the weather and precautions must be taken for freeze protection (heat tracing and insulation or temporary housing shelters)

Transportable Steam Plants

• Complete steam plant, normally built inside of a standard 20 or 40’ shipping container
• Available with either a vertical or a horizontal boiler arrangement depending on requirements
• Cranes typically required for both loading and offloading
• These systems accommodate less capacity than a mobile boiler room
• Popular for overseas and government projects, due to ease of transportation 

Each type of rental boiler system explained above has their own unique advantage and may be better fit for one user over another. The requirements of operation, however, are the same: end-users must supply a fuel source (natural gas, #2 oil, propane, or other fuel), electrical power supply, and make-up water. Which type of rental system is best fit for your unique operation?

Nationwide Boiler maintains an inventory inclusive of all types of boilers listed above, ranging in size from 47.5 hp to 200,000 lb/hr. Visit our website to find a complete listing of rental boilers available, and contact a Nationwide Boiler Sales Representative for additional details and pricing. 1-800-227-1966

June is typically a busy month filled with various industry events, and this year is no different. Next week we are sending Sales Engineer Luke Honnen to Indianapolis, IN to man our booth at this year’s Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo. Being held in the “Crossroads of America” June 10-12, the event is the longest running ethanol conference in the world, providing industry professionals with cutting-edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities. This year’s agenda is segmented into five concurrent tracks:

1. Production & Operations
2. Leadership & Financial Management
3. Coproducts & Product Diversification
4. Infrastructure and Market Development
5. Advanced Biofuels

Nationwide Boiler will be co-exhibiting with our representative Combustion Systems Inc., as well as Babcock & Wilcox and Zeeco. Luke and the crew will be located at booth #1619, eager to discuss how we can assist with your next boiler or combustion-related project.

That same week, our Director of Sales Bill Testa will be in Houston, TX attending the Downstream Conference, the world’s largest downstream industry event. With over 7,000 industry professionals within Process Engineering, Engineering & Construction, Reliability & Maintenance, Shutdowns & Turnarounds, and Supply Chain & Logistics, the conference will tackle core challenges with world-class experts. If you will be in the Houston area that week, feel free to reach out to connect with Bill and our rep from HTS during or after the show.

At the end of the month, President & CEO Larry Day will head to Asheville, NC with Bill Testa to attend the ABMA’s Annual Summer Meeting, a four-day event that provides educational and networking opportunities geared for the boiler manufacturing industry. The focus of this year’s meeting will be leadership and innovation, two key factors of a successful business model.

Our last event of the month is the IDEA Annual Tradeshow and Conference, scheduled for June 24 – 27 in Pittsburgh, PA. This year’s theme is, “Energy for More Resilient Cities”, focused on building a better tomorrow. Nationwide Boiler’s Eastern US Business Manager, Jim Barbeau, will be at booth #95. Be sure to stop by to learn about how Nationwide Boiler’s family of companies can support the district heating industry with temporary and permanent boiler solutions, environmental control equipment, and integrated combustion controls.

Established in 1967 by late founder and pioneer Dick Bliss, Nationwide Boiler began with a mission to provide mobile, temporary boilers to steam users during planned and unplanned boiler outages. At the time, our rental fleet wasn’t much of a ‘fleet’ and consisted of just one 20,000 lb/hr trailer-mounted, O-type watertube boiler. Throughout the years, our inventory has grown to consist of over 100 rental boilers and related equipment, all with various specifications and capabilities. And with multiple storage locations throughout the country, we are capable of shipping our boilers to customers not just nationwide, but worldwide.

With a goal of being the #1 emergency boiler supplier, we understand the importance of educating steam users on emergency preparedness and the benefits of utilizing a rental boiler not just during emergencies, but also during planned outages and periods of high demand.

Reasons to Rent a Boiler

• Unforeseeable Situations
  •  A boiler shuts down unexpectedly, needing maintenance and/or repairs
  •  Disasters and natural causes that lead to a temporary steam need

Nationwide Boiler has come to the rescue in many emergency situations. One notable instance was the tragedy on September 11^th, 2001, where we responded quickly to assist ConEd with the supply of heat to New York city. 

• Increase in Demand
  • Companies face periods of increased demand due to varying factors, requiring additional steam capacity

Nationwide Boiler has a great deal of experience renting boilers when additional steam is needed. In fact, we have an annual rental with a tomato processing company to support their seasonal increase in demand.

• Planned Outages or Repairs
  • Annual boiler inspections or routine repairs that require a temporary steam source while a facility boiler is taken offline

Nationwide Boiler has over 50 years of experience in providing boilers and related equipment for companies that have planned outages and need temporary steam.

• Capital Resources
  • A company has budgetary restrictions and is unable to invest in a new boiler
  • Nationwide Boiler has a large inventory of 100+ rental boilers. We provide rental programs that are flexible to a company’s budget, and can assist with financing options.

 Whatever the reason for renting a boiler may be, make sure to rent from the best. Nationwide Boiler provides value with reliable equipment and top-notch customer service, and customer needs are always our priority.

Check out our recent article in Chemical Processing’s Steam System eHandbook for additional details on putting a contingency plan in place and forestalling your next steam system outage.