Boiler Blog Archive | Nationwide Boiler Inc.

Celebrating Diversity, Connection, and Leadership in the Boiler Industry

Nationwide Boiler recently participated in the inaugural Women in the Boiler Industry (WIBI) Symposium, held in Minneapolis, MN, on October 15-17^th, 2025. Hosted by the American Boiler Manufacturer Association (ABMA), the event joined women and men within the boiler industry to celebrate diversity, foster connections, and advance the future of the boiler industry. Our company proudly sponsored the Welcome Networking Reception for this event, and we were thrilled to have Chelsey Ryker, Director of Marketing & Communications, represent our team.

Bringing together professionals from across North America, the WIBI Symposium was a two-day event full of inspiration and learning. Attendees participated in industry tours, keynote sessions, interactive workshops, and roundtable discussions focused on shaping a more inclusive and dynamic industry. The event included keynotes and fireside chats for building leadership presence and personal mastery, as well as roundtables and panels with trailblazers whose impact is igniting change throughout the boiler community.​ The event also included sessions on boiler code changes, financial management, boosting creativity and productivity through AI, positive communication, and boiler safety.

Nationwide Boiler’s Commitment to Visibility and Advancement

In addition to her participation, Chelsey also served on the WIBI Advisory Committee to help shape the impact of the event. She expressed  the importance of Nationwide Boiler’s support of events like this through a video interview in the weeks leading up to the WIBI Symposium. “Supporting WIBI means we’re investing in visibility, empowerment, and advancement of women in our field,” she noted, underscoring Nationwide Boiler’s dedication to fostering innovation through inclusion. “It’s about creating space for new voices, showing that Nationwide Boiler stands behind the people who are shaping our future.”​

Let’s take a step back in time to a brisk day in October — a day that became a defining moment in Nationwide Boiler’s history. On October 17, 1989, at exactly 5:04 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Northern California. For residents of the San Francisco Bay Area it was a moment frozen in time, one they would never forget.

It was a calm fall evening. More than 50,000 fans were settling into their seats at Candlestick Park for Game Three of the World Series, while millions more across the country tuned in to the live broadcast. As the stadium announcer provided pregame updates, no one could have anticipated what was about to unfold. Then, the ground began to shake. Screams erupted and the announcements stopped. ABC broadcaster Al Michaels, usually composed and articulate, was momentarily speechless. The energy of the stadium was replaced with an eerie silence. What followed was one of the most significant earthquakes in California’s history: a 7.1 magnitude event that would later be known simply as “the big one.”

In a matter of seconds, freeways collapsed, bridges broke apart, and buildings shifted from their foundations. The World Series was postponed. Fires erupted in multiple areas, including a major blaze in San Francisco’s Marina District, and millions of gallons of water were deployed by first responders to fight the flames. In the midst of widespread devastation, the city narrowly avoided a far worse outcome and utility services remained operational through the night, allowing emergency crews to respond effectively.

At Nationwide Boiler’s office in Fremont, Service Manager Neil McIntosh was still absorbing the shock of the quake. As he cleaned up broken glass and restacked books scattered across the office, he had an uneasy feeling that it would be a long night. And he was right — at 11pm that evening, the facility engineer from PG&E’s Potrero Power Plant, San Francisco’s primary power generation facility, called with a critical issue that could lead to the need for a rental boiler. And the standard question followed: “How fast can you respond?”

In the hours following the earthquake, PG&E engineers struggled to diagnose a serious problem: the plant’s electrically powered feedwater pumps, responsible for supplying water to the boilers that generated steam for turbine operation, had unexpectedly shut down. Under normal conditions, multiple backup systems would prevent any drop in water levels. But in this case, the boilers continued running without feedwater. When the pumps were eventually brought back online, it was already too late. The boilers were dangerously overheated, and it was no longer safe to reintroduce water. In a stopgap effort, a U.S. Navy ship docked next to the power plant was called in to provide emergency steam to cool the boilers. While helpful, this solution was temporary, and the city’s only other power plant was operating at full capacity to meet soaring demand. A failure at Potrero could have led to widespread outages. The only sustainable option was to deploy a high-capacity, fully equipped mobile steam plant that could deliver the right temperature, pressure, and controls to safely restart the system.

When selecting an industrial steam boiler, it’s essential to understand the key differences between saturated steam and superheated steam boilers. These two steam classifications play distinct roles across industries, ranging from heating processes to power generation. In this guide, we’ll explore the science behind saturated and superheated steam, advantages and disadvantages of each, and how to determine which type of boiler is best suited for your application.

What Is the Difference Between Saturated Steam and Superheated Steam?

Saturated steam is steam that exists at the boiling point of water and is in equilibrium with liquid water at a given pressure and temperature. It contains moisture and is often referred to as “wet steam.” Saturated steam is produced when water is heated until it begins to vaporize.

Superheated steam, on the other hand, is created by heating saturated steam beyond the boiling point without increasing pressure. Also known as “dry steam,” superheated steam has no moisture content, a lower density, and higher energy content. It remains in a gaseous state even as it cools, which makes it highly effective in certain mechanical and thermodynamic applications.

Common Industries and Applications for Each Steam Type

Industrial facilities in Oregon and Washington now have a new edge in reliable steam supply. We are excited to share that Nationwide Boiler has expanded our exclusive territory and are now the sole representative for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) package watertube boilers for customers in Oregon and Washington State. With decades of experience serving industrial customers and a reputation built on integrity and dependability, this expansion brings trusted B&W products, technical expertise, and rapid support to the Pacific Northwest.

Delivering Flexible, Reliable Boiler Solutions

As companies across Oregon and Washington face evolving capacity and compliance challenges, Nationwide Boiler is poised to deliver the same high-quality boiler equipment and service known throughout California, Nevada, and beyond.

With our expanded territory, industrial facilities in Oregon and Washington now gain direct

access to new, custom-engineered B&W boilers, supported by Nationwide Boiler’s technical expertise from initial design and project planning to installation and commissioning. This capability ensures facilities can secure tailored steam solutions that meet specific capacity, efficiency, and compliance requirements.