boiler-tube

boiler-tube

A technician inspects a boiler-tube inside a large industrial boiler.

Definition

Noun: A "boiler-tube" is a tube within a boiler through which water or steam circulates, and which is heated by the combustion gases. It serves as a heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the hot gases to the water, thereby generating steam.

Usage Examples
  • (Each individual tube inside the boiler was checked for damage.)
  • (A damaged tube may release high-pressure steam.)
Advanced Usage
  • "Boiler-tube failure": the rupture or breakdown of a tube in a boiler, often due to overheating or pressure.
    • Boiler-tube failure can lead to a complete shutdown of the steam system. (The malfunction of a tube stops the boiler's operation.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Boiler (n): a device that heats water to produce steam.
    • The ship's boiler was replaced after decades of use. (The steam-generating device was swapped out.)
  • Tube (n): a long, hollow cylinder used to convey fluids.
    • The plumber replaced a rusty tube in the heating system. (A cylindrical pipe was swapped.)
Synonyms
  • Heat-exchange tube: a tube designed to transfer heat between fluids.
  • Steam tube: a tube that carries steam within a boiler.
Related Idioms