A water leg is typically found on which type of boiler?

A water leg is commonly associated with locomotive boilers, which are a specific type of fire-tube boiler. In these boilers, the water leg serves as a reservoir for water and is critical for the boiler's operation, particularly in managing steam quality and ensuring there is sufficient water available for generating steam. This configuration helps to mitigate the risk of overheating and potential damage to the boiler components.

Locomotive boilers are designed to be compact and lightweight, which is essential for applications like trains where weight and space are limited. The design incorporates fire tubes that allow hot gases from combustion to pass through the water, thereby heating it to produce steam. The presence of a water leg in this design supports both the function of the boiler and the operational requirements of the locomotive system.

The other types of boilers mentioned do not typically employ a water leg in their design. For example, water-tube boilers operate differently, directing water through tubes and allowing hot gases to pass around them, which changes the way water levels and steam generation are managed. Fire-tube boilers, while having similarities with locomotive types, do not have the same configuration or function for a water leg. Waste heat recovery boilers are designed to utilize exhaust gases from industrial processes and do not usually incorporate a water leg either