Virtual prototyping in fire-tube boiler design

The paper describes the software developed by authors for virtual prototyping. The software allows estimating fire-tube boiler operation by visual and math tools in real conditions of operation on design stage. Moreover it performs pre-operational checks of efficiency of the main units and equipment with minimum effort. The designed software is hybrid CAE/CAD system and allows estimation of possible engineering solutions efficiency in the design process. Functionality of the developed software allows the designer to work out the different units of power plants in real time, to design its appearance, and, also, to make optimizations of structural elements based on mathematical calculations. With the use of the designed software existing layouts of water-heater fire tubes for burning methane were analyzed. The results of performed analysis can be used for modernization suggestions of the considered fire-tube boilers, as well as for new boiler units design.