Boiler Devices

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 Boiler Devices
There is a lot of equipment on the boiler
that keeps its operation safe and efficient .
The safety valves, water level indicators,
water level alarm and trip, and the
blowdown valve are among the most
important equipment for safe operation.

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Low Water condition

Low water fuel cut-off/shutdown devices

are your last lines of defense against boiler
failure.
Look after them and ensure they operate
properly .

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 High Water Level
High water level may lead to:
Increased carry over of water into the steam which will
result in poor operation and/or malfunction of the steam
system components

Wet steam can lower processing temperatures, perhaps

interfering with proper sterilization of food products or
processing of pharmaceuticals, causing wastage.

Overfilling the boiler can lead to water hammer in the

steam system, risking damage to plant and even injury
to personnel.
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 Water level indicator
There must be two independent water
level indicators in each boiler.
This insure that if one indicator is
defective then we will notice the
difference between indicators.
The defective one must be changed
immediately.

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 Water Level control

When the level drops below a predetermined

low limit, the burner management system trips
the fuel safety shutoff valves, shutting off fuel
to the burner and eliminating heat to the boiler
in order to prevent overheat damage.
A level of water is required to protect the steel
from absorbing the transferred heat without
overheating and loosing its strength.

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 Water Level control

The water level cut-off and alarm sensing

device(s) can be located directly in the
shell, drum, or in the water column or in
both.

The level alarms and cut-off switches are to

be set to actuate with the water level visible
in the boiler gauge glass.

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Water level Controls in the Water column

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Section View showing level probes

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 Types of Level Switches

The water-level cutout switch is typically either an

electrode type or float type device.
In an electrode style, the water level opens (or
closes) the electric circuit as it uncovers (or covers)
the probe electrode.
In a float type, the water level mechanically moves
a float up and down, which moves an electrical
switch, which opens and closes at the appropriate
level conditions.

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 Reliability of Level Switches

Both types of switches work with similar

reliability given a good boiler water supply.
However, should the feedwater quality
deteriorate each type of switch has
strengths and/or weaknesses that you
should be aware of when designing a new
system.

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 Reliability of Level Switches
If the boiler water become contaminated with oil
(which can be carried in the returning condensate),
the oil contamination could cause foaming in the
steam drum.

The conductivity of such foam can appear as a

higher water level in the probe-type switch but have
little effect on the float-type

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 Reliability of Level Switches
A high hardness boiler feedwater can
cause scaling .
Such scale can build-up on a float and
weigh it down, which would falsely appear
as a lower-water level, but have little
effect on the probe type switch.

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Typical electrode type
switch

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Typical float-type switch

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 What methods are used to
control the water level?
Boiler water level is controlled either by
switching the boiler feedpump on and off at
water levels determined by a probe and
controller (on / off control), or by
progressively opening or closing a feedwater
valve as the steam demand causes the water
level to change in the boiler (modulating
control).

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ON/ OFF Control

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 On/ off control

On/off control systems are most suitable

for installations where a certain amount
of variation in boiler pressure and steam
flowrate can be tolerated.

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Modulating control

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 Modulating control
Modulating control gives a steady pressure and
steam flowrate in steam boilers.
The feedwater flowrate is varied, for example
through a modulating valve, in response to
changes in water level.
With modulating control, the boiler feedpump is
running all the time, and a spill-back line used
to return unused feedwater to the feed tank.

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 Alarms (limiters)

In order to operate safely, all steam boilers

need a method of warning of excessively
low or high water levels.
In many countries, regulations require two
independent low water level alarms, or
limiters. Independent high alarms are also
required .

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Conductivity or Capacitance?
The majority of boiler level controls and
level alarms operate on the principle of
conductivity or capacitance

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Conductivity

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 Conductivity
A conductivity probe and controller can be used in a
boiler for on /off pump control and/or alarm duties.

It has one electrode for each function, which is cut to

the required length on installation.

Each probe electrode acts as a simple switch,

indicating a low resistance to earth if in water, or a
high resistance if out of water.

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Capacitance

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 Capacitance
A capacitance probe can be used for
modulating or adjustable on /off control.
The probe consists of a conductive core
completely sheathed in an insulating material.
For this reason, capacitance probes cannot be
cut to size, so are available in several different
lengths.

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Capacitance
As the water level rises or falls, the
capacitance coupling effect changes.
A high or a low level alarm switching
point can also be selected.

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Control System

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 Control System
Controllers are available for pneumatic or
electrically actuated valves or variable
speed pumps.
Increases safety concern had demanded
devices that are self-monitoring and will
give warnings of system faults and allow
safe shutdown of plant.

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 Boiler blowdown
Even after careful feedwater treatment,
boiler water still contains dissolved and
suspended solids, which must be removed.
As the water is turned into steam, the solids
remain behind.

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 Boiler blowdown
Unless there is 100% condensate
return, the solid content tends to build
up when the boiler takes on make-up
water.
The purpose of blow down is to control
the amount of solids and sludge in the
boiler water.

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 Boiler blowdown

The blow down process involves

partially draining the boiler to remove
sludge and to maintain pre-
determined concentration levels of
solids; total dissolved solids (TDS).

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 Boiler blowdown
Therefore all boilers are fitted with a
valve at the lowest point, which allows
the build-up of sludge to be flushed
regularly from the boiler: daily or once
per shift.

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 Boiler blowdown
These TDS levels should ensure that reasonably
clean and dry steam is delivered to the plant,
providing that;
The boiler is operating near to its design pressure.
The steam load conditions are not too severe.
Other boiler water conditions are correctly controlled.

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 Boiler blowdown
The amount and frequency of blow down
differs for each boiler application.
It depends on the type of boiler, operating
pressure, water treatment, and the amount and
quality of make-up water.

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 Boiler blowdown
The amount of blowdown or number of times the
boiler is blown each day depends upon
concentration of solids in the boiler water.
It is not possible to include any specific
recommendation for blowing down a boiler because
of the difference in the composition of the water that
is used for make up.

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 Boiler blowdown
Furthermore, less blowdown is required from
installations were condensate return represent a
high percentage of total feedwater.
Blow down piping should be at least the same size
as the blow down tapping on the boiler and should
be piped to a safe point of discharge.

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 Boiler blowdown

There should be either:

Two slow opening valves
One quick opening valve and one slow
opening valve piped in series.

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 Boiler blowdown
A slow opening valve is defined as needing
five complete 360 degree turns to go from
fully closed to fully open.

A quick opening valve goes from fully closed

to fully open in one complete motion.

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 Boiler blowdown
In the case of one quick and one slow opening
valve, the quick opening valve should be
located closest to the boiler.

If possible, the blow down valves should be

piped on the same side of the boiler as the
water column gauge glass.

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 Boiler blowdown
The following information is required to
Calculate the blowdown rate:
The required boiler water TDS in parts per million
or S/cm (B).
The feedwater TDS in parts per million or S/cm
(F).
The quantity of steam which the boiler generates,
usually measured in lb/hr (S).
Blowdown rate = ( F / B - F) x S

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 Sample Coolers
Sample coolers are used to take samples of
water or steam from boilers at high
temperature and pressure.
To test that a boiler is operating at the
required TDS (total dissolved solids) level.

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 Sample Coolers
However, when a sample of water is taken from
the boiler its pressure reduces and flash steam is
formed.
If this flash steam were to escape to atmosphere
without being condensed the resulting sample
would show higher TDS levels than actually
existed in the boiler water.

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 Sample Coolers
To obtain accurate and safe samples it is
therefore essential that sufficient cooling is
carried out to fully condense any flash
steam.
This sample cooler reduce boiler water
temperature to 25 degrees centigrade ready
for immediate analysis.

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 Sample Coolers
The counter-current flow through the shell
and coil provides efficient cooling of hot
fluids.

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Sample Coolers

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 Safety valves
Safeguard against major damage from
excess pressure .
This is the last line of defense against
explosion of the boiler if all other safety
equipment did not work.
It should be carefully selected and
maintained.

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SV60 Spirax Sarco

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SV615 Spirax Sarco

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Recommended fixation of
discharge

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Discharge of a safety valve

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 Establish the maximum flowrate

This value must be the maximum possible

for the system, for example at full boiler
load or maximum possible valve capacity.

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 Establish the set pressure
The set pressure must be low enough to ensure
that the maximum allowable accumulated pressure
of the boiler is protecting, i.e. not exceeded.

The set pressure must be high enough to ensure

sufficient margin above the normal system
operating pressure to allow the valve to close.

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 Establish the set pressure
It must be no higher than the maximum allowable
working pressure of the system.

There is sometimes a temptation to set a safety valve

just above the normal operating pressure, which can
lead to poor shut-off and nuisance operation.

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 Select a suitable size safety valve
Once the type of safety valve has been selected and
the flow and set pressures established, the correct size
can be determined by using charts.

The capacity just exceeds the required capacity at the

desired overpressure.

Where sizing charts are not available then the

minimum required flow area will need to be
calculated and a valve with a larger flow area chosen.

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 Select a suitable size safety valve
For hot water duty where flashing will occur,
the capacity charts for water are unsuitable
since a percentage of the discharge will be
steam and this must be taken into account in
the sizing calculation.

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 Safety valve Exit passage
There should not be any shut-off device on the inlet
or outlet of the safety valve.

The discharge pipework must not be smaller in

diameter than the valve outlet.

Discharge pipework should be sized in such a way

that built-up back pressure does not exceed 12% of
the set pressure.

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Sootblowers

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 Sootblowers
Sootblowers are usually manufactured with
a standard steam chest and then adapted for
furnace wall, superheater, economizer and
air heater cleaning. The soot blowers is
mounted externally on the furnace wall tube
and the nozzle passes through the wall.

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 Sootblowers
Therefore, steam leakage across the pilot or valve seats,
with the soot blower in the retracted position, is likely
to erode first the protection sleeve and then the furnace
wall tube if allowed to persist.

The nozzles need periodic inspection for deterioration

due to overheating or erosion of the steam ports and
when renewing nozzles it is necessary to line up the
steam ports to the correct position.

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