page_title: Vertical boiler
section_title: Disadvantages
hierarchical_section_title: Vertical boiler / Design considerations / Disadvantages
caption_attribution_description: English: Oakland Museum's Best stream tractor, 2005 Author: Dan Crow
context_page_description: A vertical boiler is a type of fire-tube or water-tube boiler where the boiler barrel is oriented vertically instead of the more common horizontal orientation. Vertical boilers were used for a variety of steam-powered vehicles and other mobile machines, including early steam locomotives.
context_section_description: The main disadvantages of a vertical boiler are:
  Size – The benefits of a small footprint are compromised by the much greater height required. The presence of over-bridges limits the height of steam vehicles, and this in turn restricts the size (and hence steam production) of the boiler.
  Grate area – This is limited to the footprint of the boiler, thus restricting the amount of steam that may be produced.
  Short tubes – Boiler tubes must be kept short to minimise height. As a result, much of the available heat is lost through the chimney, as it has too little time to heat the tubes.
  Sediment – Sediment may settle on the bottom tube sheet (the plate above the firebox) insulating the water from the heat and allowing the sheet to burn out.
caption: A 1905 "Best" steam tractor with vertical boiler
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