A sootblower is a device for removing the soot that is deposited on the internal furnace tubes of a boiler during combustion to prevent plugging of the gas passes and maintain boiler efficiency. The world market leader is Clyde Bergemann Power Group.[citation needed]
Types of soot blowers:
- Wall Blowers also known as IRs (Insertable Rotating)
- Long Retractable Sootblower (LRSB) or IK (Insertable Kinetic)
- Part-Retractable Sootblowers
- Oscillating Sootblowers
- Rake Sootblowers
- Air Heater Blower
- Rotating Element Sootblowers
- Multi-Media Sootblowers
- Fixed Rotating
Steam blowing medium:
- Steam
- Air
- High Pressure Water
- Dual-media air heater
Steam is normally used as a medium for blowing away the soot since capital cost of steam pressure reducing equipment and drain is less than the cost of compressors, motors and control of air systems.