SCHOOL OF MARITIME STUDIES Form no : 08/02

Date : 15/02/2012
VELS UNIVERSITY Issue no : 02/12
THALAMBUR Rev. no : 00

BLOW DOWN VALVES AND BLOWING DOWN OPERATION:

AIM
To study about Blowing down the boiler, draining, opening the manhole doors
PROCEDURE:

The Bottom Blow-down Valve is connected to the lowest part of the boiler and is used on occasions
when boiler is required to be emptied or for periodic short or flash blow-downs to remove accumulated deposits
from the boiler drums; this keeps the boiler water density, alkalinity and chloride level under control.
This valvemust be fluid-tight at all pressures and parallel slide valve design is so chosen on-account of its
reliability in this respect. Here, two parallel discs slide between parallel seat faces. A light spring holds the discs
against the seats when the valve isnot under pressure. When the valve is closed, and under pressure, the disc at
the outlet side is held in contact with its seat by the pressure. On being opened, the discs slide over the seat
faces until they are completely clear of the bore of the seat, thus giving an unobstructed passage through the
valve and causing a minimum pressure drop. The sliding action, in opening and closing, removes from the seat
faces any grit or sediment, which might otherwise build up, and cause leakage past the seat faces.

The Surface Blow off Valve, located at the top of the boiler is used to blow lightweightimpurities from the
water line. The valve is connected to a scum pan or a slotted pipe, which is fitted inside the boiler shell or drums
and placed at the normal water level. The Surface Blow Valve should be used wherever evidence of foaming or
oil is noted in the gauge glass. These valves should never be left unattended when they are in use and never
more than one half a gauge glass shouldbe blown down to the desired half-glass level.
Blow Down Arrangement:
A blow down piping system will have a Shipside blow-down cock or valve, which would discharge the boiler
effluent overboard. This blow-down cock is connected to the bottom blow-down valve via a non-return valve.
The non-return valve prevents any back flow either from other discharging boilers or from the sea (in case of
vacuum formation in the boiler and skin cock left open).
Blowing Down Procedure (For a Auxiliary Boiler 10 bar working pressure):
To blow the boiler right down, the following should be done in sequence.
(a) Take the boiler out of service.
(b) Allow pressure to fall to about 4 bars.
(c) Open shipside cock.
 (d) Open scum valve and scum boiler before blowing down and then close scum valve.
(e) Open blow down valve and continue to blow down.
(f) Stop blow down when noise level falls, pressure is observed to be low and the pipe next to the blow
down cock gets cold. Close the bottom blow down valve.
(g) Then close the shipside cock.
(h) Wait till pressure in the boiler is near atmospheric and open the air vent to prevent vacuum formation
inside the boiler.
It is always advisable to open shipside cock first and close it last, so as to avoid undue pressure rise on the blow
down line, which is very liable to corrosion.
Blowing down to reduce density and sludge is also regularly carried out but these lasts only for a few seconds
and can be carried out when the boiler is running on load. Very careful attention has then to be paid to the water
level and it is always advisable to reduce the boiler load as much as possible and increase water level in the
gauge glass before a short blow down exercise is carried out.
The shipside valve has a special guard fitted so that its operating spanner cannot be removed when the cock is in
operation and the spanner can only be removed when the cock is fully shut. This arrangement prohibits the
possibility of the cock remaining open after the blowing down operation has been over. The spanner is kept
fixed to a hook on the adjacent bulk- head frame next to the cock for ready use. If the vessel is in port, check
that ships side is clear in way of the outlet from the blow down line and inform the deck department that
blowing is to be carried out.

Bottom Blow Valve: Ship side Blow down COCK:

MANHOLE DOOR:
 MANHOLE GASKETS AND HAND HOLE GASKETS

Gaskets
The gaskets are of a high-tech, compressed fibre material which makes them ideal for
steam.

STORAGE AND HANDLING

The gaskets should always be stored horizontally to avoid tensions. Also, they should
be stored in clean condition and in a dark storage room.
Ideal temperature: < 25◦C.
Ideal air humidity: 50-60%.
Never bend the gaskets or damage their surfaces.

INSTALLATION
Note: For safety reasons, never re-use a gasket.
Make sure that all sealing surfaces are clean and dry. Be sure not to damage/scratch
sealing surfaces while cleaning. Also check that sealing surfaces are parallel and free
of damages and cracks.
All gaskets should be installed clean and dry. No form of gasket compounds can be
used for installation. These might damage the gaskets and result in possible blowouts
of the gaskets. The gaskets are coated with a non-sticking film.
Ensure that bolts and nuts are clean and free of corrosion and apply lubricant on the
threads.The lubricant must not contaminate gaskets or sealing surfaces. Insert the gaskets
carefully in the covers and place the covers with the new gaskets in the manholes/
hand holes. Ensure that the coversare centralized in the manholes/hand holes.

Make at least 4 stages to the required torque.

• Finger-tighten the bolts.
• Use 30% of the required torque.
• Use 60% of the required torque.
• Use the required torque.

RECOMMENDED TORQUE
• Manhole : 250 Nm.
• Hand hole: 500 Nm.
MANHOLE GASKETS AND HAND HOLE GASKETS OM9010_39#B.2

RE-TIGHTENING
Re-tightening must be done in hot condition during the first 24 hours of the startingup
of the plant. Re-tightening of high-tech, compressed fiber gaskets under pressure
and after a long period of operation might lead to leaking gaskets and possible blowouts.
MANHOLE GASKETS AND HAND HOLE GASKETS OM9010_39#B.2
OM

CLEANING OF BOILER
M
Water washing procedure
The most effective way of soot cleaning is water washing, as most of the deposits
consist mainly of non-soluble particles held together by a water soluble bonding material.
Water washing will have the following benefits:
• Dissolves the bonding material.
• Washes the loosened insoluble deposits away.

Water washing must be carried out when the oil burner is stopped and the boiler has
been cooled down. However, the boiler should be warm enough for the water to evaporate
so that the pin-tube elements and furnace will not remain moist after washing.
Both fresh and sea water can be used. However, if sea water is used, the boiler must
be thoroughly washed afterwards with fresh water in order to remove all salt deposits.
Where deposits are highly corrosive or bonded, a soaking spray with a 10% soda ash
solution is advisable before washing.
Step A: Ensure that the oil burner is stopped and remains stopped.
Step B: Wait a minimum of time allowing the boiler to cool (below 100°C).
Step C: Unlock the burner unit and swing it out of the furnace.
Step D: If loose particles or soot are found on the furnace floor remove these.
Step E: Open furnace drain valve and check that the pipe is not blocked. If the drain
pipe at the furnace bottom is provided with a plug this must also be removed.
Step F: Unlock and remove the inspection hatches of the smoke outlet box located
on top of the boiler.
Step G: Start water washing using a hand water lance or fire hose inserted through
the inspection hatch of the smoke outlet box and direct the jet of water directly
at each of the vertical uptakes. In the beginning the water supply
should only be slightly opened, just enough to have a small amount of water
to ensure that the drain is working properly.
Warning: When the pin-tube elements are water washed, there is a risk of generating
steam. It is therefore very important that all of your body is
outside the smoke outlet box in order not to get your skin burned by
the steam.
Step H: When it has been ensured that the washing water is running freely down
through the drain system, increase the water flow and flush carefully over
each tube for 20-30 seconds. The water flow should be approximately 50 l/
min at a water pressure between 4-6 bar.
Note: Care should be taken not to let water get in contact with the burner throat
refractory.
Step I: It is important to check that the drain and soot collecting system are working
properly during the whole water washing procedure.
CLEANING PIN-TUBE ELEMENTS OM9210_12#A.
Step J: When the water washing has begun, it must be completed until the pin-tube
elements are thoroughly washed and all deposits are removed. This is due
to the fact that some types of coatings harden and accordingly get very difficult
to loosen when they have been saturated and then dry out.
Step K: When the water washing has been completed, the pin-tube elements and
furnace floor must be cleaned with alkaline water because the washing water
is very corrosive.
Step L: It must be ensure that all the washing water is drained away and loosened
deposits are removed from the furnace floor by looking into the furnace.
Step M: Mount the inspection hatches on the smoke outlet box and secure them.
Step N: Swing the burner back into position and dry out the boiler by starting the
burner fan in manual operation for approximately 15 minutes. It is essential
that the boiler is dried out immediately after water washing. This is because
soot formations produced by an oil burner, contains sulphur compounds.
Any residual soot and water will therefore react chemically to form a highly
corrosivesulphuric acid.
Step O: Check that the furnace drain pipe has not become blocked and close the drain
valve. If the drain pipe at the furnace bottom is provided with a plug it will
be necessary to swing out the burner again to insert the plug.
Important: The refractory in the furnace must be heated slowly up in order to
let the water absorbed by the refractory evaporate slowly.
Step P: Within the first hour; start the burner at minimum load for one (1) minute.
Then stop it and wait for three (3) minutes before restarting it again.
Step Q: Within the second hour; start the burner at minimum load for two (2) minutes.
Then stop it and wait for two (2) minutes before restarting it again.
Step R: Within the third hour; start the burner at minimum load for two (2) minutes.
Then stop it and wait one (1) minute before restarting it again.
Step S: Finally start the burner at minimum load and let it operate at that load for
the next two hours.
Step T: The boiler can now be brought back into normal service. During normal
operation check that the flue gas temperature is now within the correct limits.
CLEANING PIN-TUBE ELEMENTS OM9210_12#A.2

CLEANING SMOKE TUBES

GENERAL
The heating surface dimensions of the smoke tubes are designed to maintain a sufficient
exhaust gas velocity giving the best self-cleaning effect within the design limits. However,
after long term operation soot deposits can be accumulated inside the smoke
tubes. The main engine exhaust gas contains carbon particles and un-burnt residues
(soot, etc.) and the amount is strongly dependent on the state of the engine and the
supply of scavenging air. These soot/un-burnt residues will accumulate in the smoke
tubes if not removed by cleaning. Furthermore, the combustion quality of the engine
is changing together with the load, where the best combustion is in the high load range
and the lower range is giving a more “contaminated” (black/colored) exhaust gas.
And the more contaminated the exhaust gas is, the more fouling will appear in the
smoke tubes.Therefore, it is impossible to specify exact time intervals in which the
smoke tubes should be soot cleaned. However, some general guidelines are given below:
• Inside inspection.
• Check of the exhaust gas temperature on the outlet side of the boiler. The boiler
should be cleaned if the outlet exhaust gas temperature lies approx. 20°C above
the temperature in a clean boiler at a specified engine load.
• Check of the pressure loss. The boiler should be cleaned if the pressure loss lies
approx. 20 mm WC above the pressure loss in a clean boiler.
It is recommended to keep a consecutive record of the exhaust gas temperature and
pressure loss related to different engine loads in a clean boiler. These original data
should be used for comparison, and plotted into a measurement chart like the one shown
in Figure 1. In this way it is possible to monitor the fouling condition of the smoke
tubes and determine when they need to be cleaned.

RESULT:
Thus the blow down procedure has been studied .