船舶锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)主(zhu)要(yao)是用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)来(lai)(lai)(lai)产生蒸汽,油(you)(you)船用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)来(lai)(lai)(lai)加热(re)货油(you)(you)与自用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)燃(ran)(ran)(ran)油(you)(you)等(deng),货船主(zhu)要(yao)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)来(lai)(lai)(lai)加热(re)燃(ran)(ran)(ran)油(you)(you),当然也(ye)(ye)要(yao)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)来(lai)(lai)(lai)加热(re)生活用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)热(re)水,主(zhu)机(ji)(ji)缸套水等(deng),也(ye)(ye)有用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)于厨房(fang)的蒸汽锅(guo)。船用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)与陆用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)不同之处(chu)是，对(dui)外形、尺寸和(he)重量(liang)有严格(ge)的限制(zhi)。例如，在军舰(jian)上(shang)宁可牺牲(sheng)锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)的热(re)效率而不设(she)置空气预热(re)器,甚至也(ye)(ye)不设(she)置省煤器。在结构上(shang),锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)应(ying)能适应(ying)船舶摇摆、倾侧(ce)和(he)冲击等(deng)航(hang)行条件。船用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)要(yao)有一定的汽、水贮存容积，以适应(ying)蒸汽动力机(ji)(ji)械(xie)频繁和(he)大幅(fu)度改变负(fu)荷的需要(yao)。为了满足轻(qing)小和(he)机(ji)(ji)动性高的要(yao)求,普遍(bian)燃(ran)(ran)(ran)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)重油(you)(you)。锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)蒸发量(liang)为10～200吨/时,蒸汽参数(shu)略低于相应(ying)蒸发量(liang)的电站锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)。早(zao)期船用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)都是用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)铁板或铜板铆接而成(cheng),蒸汽压力不超过0.2兆帕。1850年后火管(guan)锅(guo)炉(lu)(lu)得到发展。