1.Conventional Design Life Of Industrial Boilers

The design life of industrial boilers is usually around 10 to 30 years. The design life of ordinary industrial hot water boilers is mostly 10 years. For hot water boilers made of cast iron, due to the characteristics of their furnace plates, the design life can be as long as 50 years. To meet the power demand, the designed service life of power station steam boilers often reaches 300,000 hours, which is approximately 34 years. However, the designed service life of high-temperature pressure-bearing components is about 100,000 hours, and that of the main pressure-bearing components exceeds 200,000 hours.

Comparison chart of the service life of industrial boilers
2.The Key Factors Influencing Lifespan
（1）Water quality issue: Poor water quality, impurities in water, dissolved oxygen, etc. are prone to react with metals, causing corrosion. For instance, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide and other substances in water form corrosion cells, causing pitting and pit corrosion. Moreover, the sediment forms scale, accelerating under-scale corrosion and reducing the efficiency of heat exchange

（2）Combustion environment: Sulfur, chlorine, alkali metals in coal produce corrosive gases and molten salts when burned, corroding metal parts.For instance, sulfur generates sulfur dioxide, which in turn leads to sulfuric acid corrosion. Moreover, in complex combustion environments, the reducing atmosphere can damage the metal oxide film and accelerate corrosion

（3）Operation and maintenance: Improper operation (overloading, frequent start-stop) stresses metal components, causing damage. Delayed maintenance hinders timely problem detection, shortening lifespan.

3.The Differences In Service Life Among Different Types Of Boilers
（1）Coal-fired boilers: Long-term high temperatures, corrosion, fuel impurities and poor maintenance limit their actual life to 10-15 years. For example, small coal-fired industrial boilers often suffer aging and severe corrosion after 10 years.

（2）Oil and gas boilers: They burn relatively clean and cause less corrosion to equipment. If the operating environment is good and maintenance is in place, their service life can reach 15 to 20 years, or even longer. If properly maintained, a gas industrial boiler can operate stably for over 20 years

4.How To Extend The Service Life Of Industrial Boilers
Water quality treatment: Install water softening equipment, regularly test water quality, and control water hardness. For instance, keep water hardness at ≤0.03mmol/L to reduce the risk of scale deposition

Standardized operation: Operate strictly in accordance with the operating procedures to avoid overpressure, overheating, dry burning and other situations. For instance, it is strictly prohibited to continue operating when the water level is below the minimum warning line to prevent dry burning and damage to the equipment

Regular maintenance: Clean the surface of the equipment on a daily basis, and regularly inspect vulnerable parts, such as checking the sealing performance of safety valves and blowdown valves monthly and calibrating safety valves annually. Annual comprehensive maintenance, disassembly of core components for cleaning, and inspection of pressure vessels.

5.Summary
The average service life of industrial boilers is influenced by multiple factors. Although there is a range for the designed service life, in actual use, by controlling water quality, standardizing operation and doing a good job in maintenance, their service life can be extended, ensuring the stable operation of industrial production, reducing the cost of equipment renewal for enterprises and improving economic benefits.