Ready to buy & sell reliable, fuel‑efficient used firetube boilers without waiting months for a new build? Industrial Exchange gives plant managers and equipment dealers one streamlined hub for sourcing or monetising surplus assets. Our mission is simple: lower your acquisition cost, speed up project timelines and keep perfectly serviceable machinery in productive circulation instead of scrap piles.
Browse listings from respected makers like Cleaver Brooks, Johnston and Superior Boiler, each vetted for condition and performance. If you have second hand or used firetube boilers for sale,click here to publish your listing today.
800 HP Cleaver-Brooks Firetube Boiler; Model CBI-700-500-150; Year 2000; 150 PSI MAWP; Natural Gas Burner; Oil Pump; 15 HP Blower Motor, 480 V, 60 Hertz, 3-Phase. Pumps Available Separately.
Two (2) Superior Boilers 1200 HP and 800 HP Available Together. 1200 HP Superior Steam Boiler with Dual burners for Nat. Gas and #2 Fuel Oil; Model 6-5-6000 Heating Surface Area: 6000 Square Feet; Capacity: 41400 Lbs./Hr. Steam; Year 1998; Boiler was overhauled and reinstalled in good condition in 2007 and has seen only test hours since. 800 HP Superior Steam Boiler with Dual burners for Nat. Gas and #2 Fuel Oil; Model 6-5-4000 Heating Surface Area: 4000 Square Feet; Capacity: 27600 Lbs./Hr. Steam; Year 1993; Boiler was overhauled and reinstalled in good condition in 2007 and has seen only test hours since. Can include DA Tank and Condensate Return Tank and Feedwater Pumps.
Popular in food processing and small manufacturing, these compact boilers route hot gases through three separate passes, squeezing more BTUs from every therm than older single pass models while staying easy to maintain. Rated 50–800 HP, they retrofit seamlessly into tight utility rooms.
Featuring a water cooled rear turnaround, wet back designs protect the tube sheet from thermal shock, extending life cycles and enabling higher continuous duty loads. Plants running 24/7 breweries, dairies, textile mills appreciate the extra durability and lower refractory maintenance.
When you need 250 psig process steam for chemical reactors or autoclaves, high pressure firetubes deliver saturated or slightly superheated steam in a footprint smaller than comparable watertube units, driving down total installed cost and simplifying operator training.
Many of our pre owned Cleaver Brooks and Superior models include field installed low NOx burners and FGR systems, letting facilities meet stringent air quality permits without a full boiler house overhaul ideal for urban districts and eco label manufacturing lines.
How Used Firetube Boilers Work
Used firetube boilers operate on a proven and efficient design that produces saturated or slightly superheated steam for industrial applications. The process begins with a burner that mixes fuel and air, igniting the mixture in a cylindrical furnace. The resulting hot gases travel through a series of firetubes surrounded by water, with each pass designed to maximize heat transfer. This method effectively converts chemical energy into steam, which is ideal for use in turbines, process heaters, and clean-in-place (CIP) systems.
Within the boiler shell, steam naturally separates from the water surface, rises through the dry pipe, and exits via the main header. Built-in separators help reduce moisture carryover, ensuring dry, high-quality steam reaches downstream systems, protecting control valves and sensitive instrumentation. To maintain safety and efficiency, modern firetube boilers incorporate advanced controls such as flame safeguard relays, modulating feedwater valves, and oxygen trim systems. These components work together to regulate combustion, water levels, and airflow, supporting reliable performance and compatibility with predictive maintenance platforms.
Troubleshooting Tips for Second Hand Firetube Boilers
Keep your used firetube boiler efficient and safe with these simple, field-tested checks:
Monitor Water Chemistry Closely: Even minor deviations in alkalinity or hardness accelerate pitting; implementing continuous conductivity blow down and scheduled softener regeneration keeps tube stress low and extends uptime.
Inspect Refractory & Gasket Seals: After relocation, vibration can loosen access doors; reseating gaskets and patching refractory early prevents hot gas bypass that robs efficiency and scorches tube sheets.
Verify Burner Air Fuel Ratio: Portable combustion analysers confirm O₂ and CO; recalibrating linkages or VFD settings returns stack values to spec, cutting fuel costs up to 5 % almost overnight.
Clean Fireside Surfaces Regularly: 1 mm of soot cuts heat transfer by 10 %; scheduled tube brush runs and air pulse cleaners restore rating capacity and comply with insurance inspector benchmarks.
How to Choose the Right Firetube Boiler for Your Business
Selecting the right firetube boiler ensures long-term success in performance, safety and cost control:
Define Steam Load Profile: Map hourly demand across a full year peaks, valleys, start ups then size horsepower so base load firing runs 70 %–80 % of capacity, minimising cycling fatigue and fuel waste.
Match Pressure & Temperature Needs: A bakery’s 100 psig kettle differs drastically from a petrochemical autoclave at 250 psig; select a shell thickness, nozzle rating and safety valve set point that fit both code and process duty.
Evaluate Fuel Options: Compare natural gas, LPG and dual fuel burners; factoring local tariffs, supply security and emission caps ensures long term operating economics stay favourable.
Assess Footprint & Logistics: Verify doorway widths, crane height and stack penetrations; choosing a boiler that rolls straight into the boiler room avoids costly demolition or skid disassembly.
Application Areas of Firetube Boilers
Used firetube boilers serve a wide range of heat and steam applications across critical sectors:
Food & Beverage Production:
Textile & Laundry Services:
Chemical & Pharmaceutical Plants:
District Heating & Campus Utilities:
Why Buy Used Firetube Boilers From Us?
Our marketplace simplifies the sourcing, vetting and shipping of high-quality second hand firetube boilers:
Strict Vetting & Inspection: We hydro test, ultrasound and boroscope every shell before listing, providing transparent condition reports that de risk your purchase more than any auction house can offer.
Marketplace Depth: With hundreds of Cleaver Brooks, Johnston and Superior models rotating through inventory, you’ll find matching spares, controls, or even an entire parallel plant on one screen.
Negotiation Tools & Financing Help: Integrated bid counters, escrow options and SBA friendly lenders make closing deals quick while protecting both sides against surprise setbacks.
Logistics & Export Expertise: Our in house team handles rigging, shrink wrap, ocean freight and customs clearance, ensuring your boiler arrives on spec, on budget and on time, worldwide.
Dedicated Seller Services: Listing surplus units is free; our commission triggers only after successful sale, incentivising us to promote your equipment aggressively across email, social and trade portals.
Ready to power your operation with a cost effective, field proven fire tube steam boiler? Browse our live listings now or contact us to unlock hidden value in your surplus assets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much do used firetube boilers cost? Pricing depends on horsepower, pressure and controls, but mid range 200 HP units typically list between USD 50,000 and USD 90,000 - about half the price of new builds.
Can I sell my used firetube boiler through your platform? Absolutely. Create a seller profile, upload photos and specs and we’ll showcase your unit to buyers actively searching “used firetube boilers” worldwide.
Are used firetube boilers reliable? Yes, properly maintained boilers can run 25 years or more. We provide detailed equipment records so you can verify condition and plan maintenance before installation.
How do I choose the right firetube boiler for my business? Consider steam load, pressure, fuel costs and footprint. Our technical advisors can help shortlist models that align with your process and local code.
Do you offer any after sales support for used firetube boilers? While ownership transfers at sale, we can connect you with certified installers, part suppliers and service contractors for smooth commissioning and long term performance.
