Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Industrial steam boilers are classified based on the relative path of the hot flue gases and water:
- Fire-tube boilers: Hot combustion gases pass through tubes surrounded by water inside the boiler shell.
- Water-tube boilers: Water circulates inside the tubes while the hot combustion gases flow over the outside of the tubes.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us classify the given boilers:
1. Lancashire boiler: A stationary, internally-fired, horizontal, natural-circulation fire-tube boiler.
2. Locomotive boiler: A multi-tubular, horizontal, internally-fired, natural-circulation fire-tube boiler.
3. Cochran boiler: A vertical, multi-tubular, internally-fired, natural-circulation fire-tube boiler.
4. Babcock and Wilcox boiler: A horizontal, externally-fired, natural-circulation, high-pressure water-tube boiler.
It is designed to handle high pressure loads by circulating water inside water-tubes, which are heated from the outside.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The Babcock and Wilcox boiler is a water-tube boiler.