What is the maximum pounds of steam per hour of a boiler called?

The maximum pounds of steam a boiler can produce in one hour is referred to as boiler capacity. This term specifies the boiler's ability to generate steam, which is critical for determining whether the boiler can meet the demands of the heating system or process it is serving. Understanding boiler capacity is essential in plant operations, as it helps in optimizing boiler performance, ensuring that it can handle load variations, and prevents operational inefficiencies.

In contrast, the steaming rate refers more specifically to the actual rate at which steam is produced under certain operating conditions rather than the maximum potential of the boiler. Heating surface denotes the area of the boiler that is involved in heat transfer, which affects efficiency but does not directly measure steam output. Water tube refers to a type of boiler design that uses water-filled tubes to generate steam. Understanding these distinctions helps in effectively evaluating and managing boiler operations within a plant setting.