---
title: "Generating bank"
description: "The generating bank (sometimes simply boiler bank) is the array of evaporator tubes between the upper steam drum and the lower mud drum of a recovery boiler or older two-drum industrial boiler. Flue gas passing through the bank gives up heat to the water-and-steam mixture rising through the tubes, performing bulk evaporation between the furnace and the economiser."
canonical_url: "https://sylio.co/glossary/generating-bank"
last_updated: "2026-06-28T02:29:25.733Z"
---

The **generating bank** (sometimes simply *boiler bank*) is the array of evaporator tubes between the upper steam drum and the lower mud drum of a [recovery boiler](/glossary/recovery-boiler) or older two-drum industrial boiler. Flue gas passing through the bank gives up heat to the water-and-steam mixture rising through the tubes, performing bulk evaporation between the [furnace](/glossary/furnace) and the [economiser](/glossary/economiser).

## Fouling on the generating bank

Recovery-boiler generating banks suffer characteristic alkali-rich ash bridging. The narrow tube spacing makes bridges form quickly, ΔP rises, gas flow channels through residual gaps and bypasses cleaner tubes. Plants targeting 12–18 months between [chill-and-blow](/glossary/chill-and-blow) campaigns spend significant effort keeping the generating bank clean.

## Cleaning

[Sonic horns](/glossary/sonic-horn) and [infrasonic cleaners](/glossary/infrasonic-cleaner) are well-established on recovery-boiler generating banks. They typically complement existing IK retract [sootblowers](/glossary/ik-long-retract-sootblower) by providing continuous gentle dislodging between the more aggressive periodic blow.

## Related terms

- [Recovery boiler](/glossary/recovery-boiler)
- [Boiler](/glossary/boiler)
- [Convective pass / backpass](/glossary/convective-pass-backpass)
- [Sonic horn](/glossary/sonic-horn)