Clayton steam generators are designed for very short start-up times (5–10 minutes). Unlike conventional boilers that may take hours to reach operating pressure, a Clayton unit can typically produce usable steam in just a few minutes from a cold start. Thanks to the unique coil design and low water content, the system reacts quickly to demand changes and ensures steam is available whenever needed.

This rapid start-up not only improves production flexibility but also reduces energy waste, since the generator does not need to stay running when steam is not required.

Clayton steam generators are known for their exceptional steam pressure stability, even under rapidly changing load conditions. Thanks to the unique coil design, controlled water flow system, and a fully modulating burner with a turndown ratio of up to 1:8, the generator can react almost instantly to fluctuations in steam demand.

This ensures the pressure remains steady without the swings often seen in conventional boilers. As a result, your production processes benefit from consistent steam quality and pressure, which is especially important in applications such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and other industries where product quality depends on reliable steam supply.

Clayton steam generators consistently deliver culinary steam, FDA-approved for food applications, with a dryness fraction of 99.5% or higher. This is achieved thanks to the unique water tube coil design, precise feedwater control, and the Clayton steam separator, which is an essential component ensuring virtually no carryover of water droplets.

This means you get dry, saturated steam that is ideal for applications where product quality, process efficiency, and equipment protection are critical. In industries such as food & beverage, brewing, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, this high steam quality ensures consistent results and reduces the risk of contamination or scaling in your process equipment.

For special projects, Clayton can also supply superheated steam of very high quality, making it suitable for demanding applications such as steam turbines and other processes where superheated steam is required.

Clayton steam generators are available in a wide range of sizes, starting from 60 kg/h for small-scale applications. Standard models can deliver up to 20,000 kg/h from a single unit.

For larger requirements, multiple units can be combined in parallel operation. In fact, Clayton has already delivered turnkey projects producing up to 60,000 kg/h (60 tons per hour) of steam, while still ensuring efficiency, reliability, and steam quality.

Thanks to the modulating burner with a turndown ratio of up to 1:8, each generator can also operate efficiently at partial load, providing maximum flexibility when steam demand fluctuates.

Clayton steam generators can be configured to operate on a wide variety of fuels, depending on availability and customer preference. Standard options include:

• Natural gas
• Light fuel oil (diesel)
• Heavy fuel oil
• Propane / LPG
• Biofuels

In addition, Clayton offers dual-fuel burners, allowing automatic switching between gas and oil for maximum flexibility and security of supply. All Clayton burners can be hydrogen-ready and can operate on all common gaseous and liquid fuels. This makes the system highly adaptable for both today’s requirements and future energy transition projects.

To meet stringent environmental standards, Clayton can also supply burners with FGR (Flue Gas Recirculation), enabling very low NOx emissions while maintaining high efficiency.

With a fully modulating burner (turndown ratio up to 1:8), efficient operation is guaranteed across the full load range, no matter which fuel is used.

Hybrid steam systems combine the advantages of electrical boilers and gas-fired steam generators in one integrated setup. This approach offers exceptional operational flexibility and helps balance energy costs, emissions, and performance.

Here’s how it works:

• Electrical steam generators can run when renewable electricity is abundant, or grid balancing is required. Our E-boilers use forced circulation, ensuring fast response and high reliability compared to traditional resistance heater steam boilers.
• Clayton gas-fired steam generators can remain in true cold standby, consuming no energy until needed, and still deliver steam within minutes.
• Smart switching between energy sources enables operators to optimize cost, carbon footprint, and availability.

This combination provides an efficient and resilient steam supply that supports the transition to cleaner energy while maintaining the security of supply that industry demands.

While both are electrically powered, Clayton forced-circulation E-boilers are fundamentally different from electrode steam boilers:

• Electrode boilers heat water by passing current directly through it. This makes them highly dependent on water conductivity and high voltage grid conditions.
• High-voltage electrode boilers are generally not feasible below 5 MW output. For smaller and mid-sized steam demands, they are often impractical or uneconomical.
• Clayton E-boilers, by contrast, use forced circulation with heating elements, delivering fast response, stable operation, and high reliability ,even with frequent load changes.
• Because they are not tied to water conductivity, Clayton E-boilers also offer more flexibility in water treatment and are easier to integrate into modern industrial setups.

In short: for steam outputs below 5 MW, electrode boilers are rarely a viable option — whereas Clayton E-boilers provide efficient, dependable, and scalable performance.

Yes. Clayton steam generators and E-boilers integrate seamlessly with thermal energy storage systems. This combination allows operators to:

• Store excess renewable electricity in the form of heat during off-peak hours or when power is cheapest.
• Release the stored energy as steam on demand, providing a stable and reliable supply even when grid conditions fluctuate.
• Reduce peak energy costs by shifting electricity consumption to low-tariff periods.
• Improve sustainability by maximizing the use of renewable energy without compromising steam availability.

Because Clayton boilers are fast-starting and highly responsive, they are particularly well-suited for use alongside thermal storage batteries. This creates a flexible, cost-efficient, and resilient energy setup for industrial steam users.

The specific energy consumption per kilogram of steam depends on the Clayton model, fuel type, operating conditions, and process requirements.

Because every installation is different, the most accurate way to evaluate performance is to calculate it based on your actual steam demand and operating profile.

Clayton steam generators are designed to be highly efficient, with rapid start-up and low standby losses, ensuring that energy is only used when steam is required.

👉 To find out your potential savings, we recommend using the Energy Savings Calculator available on our website, or contacting our team for a tailored energy efficiency analysis.

Clayton steam generators are designed with a very low water content, which means that blow-down requirements are minimal compared to conventional boilers. In fact, blow-down is performed directly in the Clayton steam separator, which makes the process far more efficient.

Typically, Clayton units require up to 6 times less blow-down than traditional firetube boilers. This means that water and energy losses are kept to an absolute minimum.

The result is lower operating costs and reduced environmental impact thanks to lower water consumption and wastewater discharge.

👉 For precise figures adapted to your installation and feedwater conditions, our specialists can provide a detailed calculation.

Yes. Choosing a Clayton steam generator can provide both financial incentives and environmental advantages:

• High efficiency → lower fuel consumption and reduced operating costs.
• Low blow-down and minimal water content → less water waste, lower treatment costs, and reduced wastewater discharge.
• Low NOx emissions (with options such as Flue Gas Recirculation) → compliance with strict environmental regulations (e.g. EU MCPD, TA-Luft, EPA).
• Flexibility in fuel choice → including hydrogen-ready and biofuels, supporting long-term sustainability strategies.
• Potential subsidies and tax incentives → many regions offer fiscal benefits for energy-efficient or low-emission equipment.

By lowering energy use and emissions, Clayton steam generators not only help reduce your carbon footprint but can also make you eligible for governmental or regional support programs that promote energy efficiency and sustainability.

👉 For details on what applies in your area (for example CEE schemes in France or similar programs elsewhere), we recommend contacting your local Clayton representative, who can advise you on the specific fiscal and environmental benefits available in your region.

Your safety is always our top priority. Every Clayton steam system is designed with multiple built-in protections, including:

• Automatic pressure and temperature controls
• Safety valves to release excess pressure
• Certified SIL-rated safety loops and a CE-declared safety relay for added peace of mind

On top of these features, our system has been independently tested by the Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) in Canada, which supervised a destructive test to confirm the unit’s safety. The test proved that even in extreme conditions, there was no risk to operators.

Clayton steam systems are designed for minimal upkeep. Routine checks are simple and can usually be done by your own staff with basic training. Typical maintenance includes inspecting water level parameters, checking filters, and keeping the unit clean.

Most customers find that only scheduled service once or twice a year is needed to keep the system running at peak performance. Because of the modular design and easy access points, any servicing is quick and straightforward — meaning less downtime and lower maintenance costs compared to traditional boilers.

Clayton steam systems are designed to always keep safety first. If there’s a power outage or sudden pressure drop, the system automatically shuts down in a safe state so no unsafe conditions can develop.

For extra reliability, the controls can be supported by a battery or UPS (uninterruptible power supply), which keeps the safety and monitoring systems live until power is restored. Once normal power returns, the unit can be restarted quickly and easily.

This way, you can be confident that your system is always protected, even in unexpected situations.

Clayton provides steam boiler service only on Clayton equipment across the entire EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa).

More specifically:

Branches :

• Belgium: Full national coverage with 24/7 service, spare parts, and remote monitoring.
• Netherlands: Full national coverage with 24/7 service, spare parts, and remote monitoring
• France, Spain, Germany, and the UK: Full national coverage with 24/7 service, spare parts, and remote monitoring

Distributors:

• Other European countries: Supported via a network of authorised agents and distributors (e.g. Italy, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe).
• Africa: Service and support provided across North, West, East, and Southern Africa via local partners backed by the EMEA HQ in Belgium.
• Middle East: Full regional coverage through authorised distributors in countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, backed by the EMEA HQ in Belgium.

A Clayton steam generator is built for durability and long-term industrial use. With proper operation, water treatment, and regular maintenance, many units remain in reliable service for 20 to 30 years or more. In fact, we even have Clayton generators that have been running for over 40 years.

Lifespan depends on several factors:

• Water quality & treatment – correct feedwater chemistry prevents scaling and corrosion.
• Preventive maintenance – routine service ensures optimal performance and early detection of wear.
• Operating conditions – Clayton’s design tolerates frequent start/stop cycles far better than conventional boilers.
• Upgrades & refurbishments – retrofitting controls, burners, or other components can extend useful life even further.

With proper care, a Clayton generator provides dependable, efficient steam for decades.

More about our services

Yes, our installation can be built following the customer needs and extra modules can be added to increase capacity.

A central master panel can coordinate the complete installation with master-slave regulation and flow/pressure control.

The master panel control system is implemented from the start or can be retrofit.

Yes, our installation can communicate with almost all existing protocols.

Our standard is Modbus TCP/IP or Profinet depending on the chosen PLC.

If another protocol is needed, a protocol converter can be installed.

Exact dimensions depend on the capacity of the boiler, but to give some indication: we can fit a complete steam installation providing 2T steam, including water treatment, on the footprint of a parking spot.

Yes, Clayton has its own Cloud system called the Clayton Service Platform.

On this platform, all data such as burner load, steam pressure, hardness, and conductivity is accessible from anywhere in the world.

In the cloud environment, alarms can be displayed within a freely selectable time frame.

If an alarm occurs, an email is sent to the customer and, if the mobile app is installed, a notification is also sent to the customer’s smartphone or tablet.