A smokebox is one of the main basic parts of a steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gas passes from the fire box through the tube where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. Smoke then enters the smoke box, and runs out into the atmosphere through a chimney (or funnel). Early locomotives do not have smokebox and rely on long chimney to provide natural design for fire but smokebox is soon included in the design for two main reasons. First and most importantly, the exhaust steam blast from the cylinder, when directed upwards through an airtight smokebox with the proper design of the exhaust nozzle, effectively pulls the hot gas through the boiler tubes and flues and, consequently, fresh combustion air into the fire box. Secondly, smokebox provides a convenient collection point for ash and ash ("char") pulled through boiler tubes, which can be easily cleaned at the end of the work day. Without a smoke box, all the charcoal must pass through the chimney or it will collect it in the tube and water it on its own, gradually blocking them.
Smokebox appears to be an advanced extension of the boiler although it does not contain water and is a separate component. Smokebox is usually made of steel plates nailed or welded and the floor is coated with concrete to protect the steel from hot and acidic charcoal or rainwater attack.
Video Smokebox
Blower
To help travel smoke and hot gas, a blower is often used. This is a pipe that ends with a ring containing a pin-sized hole, which creates a "ring" from a steam blast. The steam force emits smoke and draws further gas through the tube. This in turn causes air to be pulled through the scar and fire trunk, making the fire burn more hot.
Maps Smokebox
Blastpipe
When the locomotive is moving, the exhaust fumes past the blastpipe, which is located inside the smoke box. Steam is ejected through the chimney, again drawing fire. Blastpipe is what produces a distinctive "chuff" sound.
Smoked Smokebox
Ash and soot that may be present in the smoke are often stored in tobacco boxes. The front of the smokebox has a door opened to remove the sediment at the end of each working day locomotive. The handle should be tightened completely to prevent air leakage, which will reduce the draw on the fire and can also allow unburned charcoal at the bottom of the smoke box to catch fire there. Some smokebox doors have a single handle in the shape of a wheel; many locomotives built by the UK have a pair of door handles that resemble the hands of a clock; other designs also exist. In many steamrollers, the expansion into the smokebox body also accommodates bearings that support the front roller. Due to space limitations, this roller usually has a drop-down flap instead of a circular smokebox door.
Steam pipe
Smokebox combines the main steam pipe of the regulator (or superheater header), which leads to each crate valve, part of the cylinder casting. It may pass through the smokebox wall to join the cylinder (outside the steam pipe) or it can remain inside the smoke box profile (inside the steam pipe). Inside the steam pipe does not need to be left behind because the tobacco box keeps them warm, but outside the steam pipe is more common for locomotives with cylinders outside the frame. Some locomotive classes use both types depending on the date of manufacture (eg LNER Class V2).
Lagging
Because heat loss from smokebox is a small consequence, it's usually not left behind. In many cases, it appears that the same diameter as the boiler in the finished locomotive, but this is only because of the cladding of the boiler; boiler is more narrow. The tank machine usually has their water tank stopping short of a non-binding cigarette box as it can raise the water temperature sufficiently to cause problems with the injector.
Cleanse yourself from smokebox
The British Railways standard class uses this design, in which a strong mesh grille is inserted into the smoke box, forming a filter between the front tube and the exhaust. Each large chunk of charcoal passing through the boiler tube tends to break in impact with the mesh, creating fine particles that sweep the chimney instead of accumulating at the bottom of the smoke box. This does not obviate the need to clean up smokebox but reduces the amount of work that needs to be done. In the best case, cleaning of smokebox can be avoided between washing boilers, usually at two-week intervals.
Locomotive layout
The classic steam locomotive layout has a chimney and chimney on the front of the locomotive, referred to as traveling "smokebox-first". Some designs reverse the layout to avoid problems (shortness of breath and poor vision) caused by exhaust gas to the crew; this is called the front locomotive locomotive.
Spark arrester
Splash is often installed in the smoke box. This may be a cylindrical shape that flows from the top of the burst pipe to the bottom of the chimney. The purpose of the spark arrester is to prevent the hot ash part that is too large so as not to run out into an environment where they can pose a risk of fire. For this reason, spark arresters are generally installed in locomotives operating in dry environments. They should not be confused with external spark abductors being fitted to some locomotives. The presence of a spark arrester may have a thermodynamic effect, distorting the lifting of the air above the fire and thereby reducing the total power output. Thus its use can be a debate.
Superheating
Locomotives equipped with superheater usually have superheater headers in a cigarette case. Steam enters the header as a "wet" (saturated) vapor, and then passes the superheater element. This takes the form of a pipe that runs twice through an enlarged smoke tube inside the boiler. Steam enters a separate space in the header, this time as superheated or dry vapor. The advantage of superheating is that steam has broader properties when it enters the cylinder, so more power can be obtained from less water and fuel.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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