Busselton Historical Society > Records

Lancashire Boiler

Overview

The Lancashire Boiler is a horizontal, internally fired, stationary fire tube boiler.

A fire tube boiler is one where the gases flow through the fire tube, situated inside the boiler shell, to generate low pressure steam. It is basically a shell and tube type heat ex-changer in which the flue gases flow through the tubes and the water flows through shell. The heat is transferred from flue gases to the water through convection. It is a natural circulation boiler which uses natural current to flow the water inside the boiler.

This model is a double flue boiler with 2 internal fire boxes, 24 feet (7.31m) in length and has a working pressure of a 120 pounds per square inch and capable of generating 40 horse power. Excess gases were expelled through the smoke stack.

Historical information

The Lancashire Boiler was invented by Sir William Fairbairn in the 1844 and commonly used to power sugar and cotton mills.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-124-2022.13
Item type
Machinery
Themes
Social History
Material
Cast Iron
Handmade Brick
Height or length
7.3000 m
Contextual Information

In 1922 the Dairy Industry Act was passed in WA and it mandated compulsory pasteurisation of cream for butter making. This forced all Butter Factories to install expensive pasteurization equipment which would increase the power consumption of the butter making process. This change forced the closure of some smaller factories but this factory responded by installing this Lancashire Boiler which was acquired from the goldfields and installed here in 1923.

This boiler was used to power cream and butter making, refrigeration and ice making. It had to have a government inspection every year and all boiler attendants had to have a current Boiler Attendant certificate. The boiler remained in use even when butter making ceased in 1952 and this factory became the first factory in Western Australia to produce powdered milk.

Keywords
Butter Factory
Busselton
Boiler
Engines-steam
Butter Making
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Comparative significance criteria
Object’s condition or completeness
Related Objects

Related Objects

Parent records
B2 Boiler House
Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

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Lancashire bolier
The Lancaster boiler was used to power butter making at the Butter Factory from 1923 - 1952 after which it continued to be used for the production of powdered milk until the Butter Factory was closed
Design principles of the Lancashire Boiler
Lancashire Boiler Design Principles

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