Boiler controls and boiler house systems
Boiler controls and systems cover the hardware around the steam boiler that keeps water level, blowdown, feedwater condition and heat recovery under control. Spirax Sarco brings these product families together on one route so industrial buyers can compare the part of the boiler house they need to improve first.
Use this page when you are deciding between level controls, TDS blowdown controls, conductivity meters, feedtanks, sample coolers, steam injectors, vent heads and blowdown heat recovery. If you already know the duty, jump straight to the matching product family below.
Overview
Choose level controls when the immediate priority is low-water protection, high-level alarm handling or automatic feedwater control. Choose conductivity meters and TDS blowdown controls when boiler water concentration, steam quality or unnecessary blowdown losses are the main operating risks. Choose bottom blowdown systems, blowdown vessels and vent heads when the duty is better solids removal, safer blowdown discharge or cleaner boiler house vent arrangements. Choose feedtanks, steam injectors and heat recovery systems when the opportunity sits on the feedwater side: deaeration, flash steam reuse, lower make-up water demand and less wasted heat. Sample coolers support representative boiler water testing, which helps water-treatment decisions and confirms what the control hardware is doing in practice.
Blowdown vessels
Collect boiler blowdown water and help discharge it in line with relevant health, safety and environmental requirements.
Bottom blowdown systems
Control bottom blowdown more effectively to remove sludge and suspended solids while supporting steam quality, boiler efficiency and maintenance access.
Conductivity meters
Measure conductivity in boiler water, feedwater and condensate to support TDS control, water-quality checks and boiler-house instrumentation.
Feedtanks
Atmospheric deaerator feedtanks condition boiler feedwater, mix condensate and make-up water, and help reduce dissolved oxygen, maintenance and fuel use.
Heat recovery systems
Recover flash steam and heat from boiler blowdown to reduce make-up water demand, chemical use and avoidable energy loss.
Level controls
Use level sensors, controllers and valve or pump arrangements for safe boiler water level monitoring, low-water protection and reliable feedwater control.
Sample coolers
Take representative boiler water samples safely without flash steam affecting operator safety or sample accuracy.
Steam injectors
Inject steam directly into boiler feedtanks to heat water, liberate dissolved gases and reduce external heating equipment complexity.
TDS blowdown controls
Automatically monitor and control boiler water TDS to maintain steam quality while reducing unnecessary blowdown, fuel use and water loss.
Vent heads
Discharge dry steam safely from boiler house vent lines at low velocity while helping separate condensate and protect nearby equipment from corrosion.
Use This Page As A Boiler House Selection Guide
Updated: May 10, 2026.
This page is maintained for the Global English Spirax Sarco product catalogue and is intended as a product-family selection guide for boiler house buyers. For application-specific sizing, control philosophy, compliance review or model-level documentation, continue into the linked product pages or contact the Spirax Sarco team.
How To Choose A Boiler Control Route
Quick answer: Boiler controls and systems combine the monitoring, control and support hardware used to keep boiler water level, dissolved solids, feedwater condition and blowdown discharge under control across the boiler house.
| Boiler house priority | Best route | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Water level protection and feedwater control | Level controls | Helps manage low-water risk, high-level alarms and stable boiler water level control. |
| Boiler water concentration and continuous blowdown | TDS blowdown controls and conductivity meters | Supports steam quality, reduces unnecessary blowdown and gives clearer visibility of boiler water condition. |
| Sludge removal and safer blowdown discharge | Bottom blowdown systems, blowdown vessels and vent heads | Improves solids removal and helps handle hot blowdown water and flash steam more safely. |
| Feedwater conditioning and deaeration | Feedtanks and steam injectors | Helps mix make-up water and condensate, release dissolved gases and prepare feedwater before it reaches the boiler. |
| Heat recovery from blowdown and flash steam | Heat recovery systems | Reduces wasted heat, lowers make-up water demand and improves the energy performance of the boiler house. |
| Representative boiler water testing | Sample coolers | Supports safer sampling and better decisions on water treatment and control settings. |
Boiler Controls FAQ
What are boiler controls and systems?
Boiler controls and systems are the instruments, valves and support packages used to monitor water level, control blowdown, manage feedwater condition, recover heat and improve safety around steam generation.
When should you use TDS blowdown control?
Use TDS blowdown control when steam generation is increasing dissolved solids in boiler water and you need to keep TDS within the target range without wasting more water and heat than necessary. Compare the dedicated TDS blowdown controls range when this is the main concern.
Why is boiler water level control critical?
Boiler water level control matters because low-water conditions, unstable feedwater control and poor alarm handling can affect safety, steam continuity and boiler reliability. Start with level controls when water level is the main operating risk.
What does a boiler feedtank do?
A boiler feedtank acts as an atmospheric deaerator and mixing point for make-up water, returned condensate and flash steam. It helps condition feedwater before it enters the boiler and can reduce dissolved oxygen and avoidable operating cost. See feedtanks for the relevant product family.
How can boiler blowdown heat be recovered?
Boiler blowdown heat can be recovered by separating flash steam, reusing that heat on the feedwater side and reclaiming remaining heat before discharge. Use heat recovery systems when energy loss from blowdown is part of the improvement case.
Continue your Spirax Sarco boiler house research
Boiler controls rarely sit in isolation. The next step often depends on whether you are improving steam quality, reviewing heat recovery or matching equipment with broader steam-system support.
Connect boiler controls with steam quality services
Move into steam quality testing when boiler water quality, dryness, condensate condition or process risk needs on-site verification and reporting.
Extend improvements beyond the boiler house
Explore the wider condensate and heat recovery range when boiler house improvement also depends on hotter condensate return, pumping or flash steam reuse.
Understand blowdown heat recovery
Review flash steam and blowdown heat recovery principles when you need to understand how boiler blowdown energy can be reclaimed and reused.