Steam dome

The steam dome is part of the steam locomotive boiler. It is riveted or welded at the apex of the elongated vessel and is visible to the outside as a circular boiler construction. If the lower end of the steam dome crimped by dishing, he is fachsprachlich referred to as " dished ".

In the long- boiler of the steam for the locomotive and the ancillary devices, such as feed pump, steam jet pump, auxiliary blower, air pump, steam whistle and the heaters required is generated. The boiler is filled to approximately 75 % to 80 % with water. In the remaining part, the so-called steam room, the resulting steam is collected. As dry as possible for the operation of steam is required, it is increased by the placement of a vapor dome of the distance between the water surface and the steam extraction point. Water particles which are entrained by buoyant evaporation into the vapor space, barely get up in these high-lying part of the boiler. In addition, in the steam dome still baffles installed. These are immersed in the steam, any remaining water drip.

The amount of steam required for the operation is, from out of the cab, a regulator that is placed depending on the type of locomotive in steam dome, regulated. Due to this type of installation go from the steam dome from the steam discharge pipes for the auxiliary equipment of the boiler and the locomotive.

For large steam locomotives, for example, at the German Federal Railways, several steam dome were placed. Such a regulator dome and a dome for the wet steam extraction for the auxiliary units were provided.