Contents

Auxiliary Boiler Operation and Maintenance......................................................................3

Definition of boiler..........................................................................................................3
Heat transfer methods......................................................................................................3
1. Conduction........................................................................................................3
2. Convection.........................................................................................................3
3. Radiation...........................................................................................................3
Type of boilers.................................................................................................................3
1. Fire-tube............................................................................................................3
2. Water-tube.........................................................................................................3
Basic Types of Steam Generators....................................................................................3
important points to improve boiler efficiency.................................................................4
1. Feed water temperature.....................................................................................4
2. Supply air to burner...........................................................................................4
3. Structural...........................................................................................................5
4. Blow down control............................................................................................5
5. Boiler loading....................................................................................................5
6. Soot deposits......................................................................................................6
Boiler feed system...........................................................................................................6
1. Open feed system..............................................................................................6
2. Close feed system..............................................................................................6
Main parts of closed feed system.................................................................................7
Hotwell............................................................................................................................7
Steam dumping equipment..............................................................................................7
Boiler external attachments.............................................................................................7
Safety valve.................................................................................................................7
Steam stop valve..........................................................................................................9
Feed check valve..........................................................................................................9
Boiler accessories for efficient operation........................................................................9
Steam trap........................................................................................................................9
Type of steam trap.........................................................................................................10
Bellow steam trap......................................................................................................10
 Float trap....................................................................................................................11
Inverted bucket trap...................................................................................................12
Disk trap.....................................................................................................................13
Piston trap..................................................................................................................13
Natural circulation affected by......................................................................................14
Boiler drum....................................................................................................................14
Important concept related steam....................................................................................14
Blow down.....................................................................................................................15
Soot blowing..................................................................................................................15
Basic causes of boiler tube failure.................................................................................15
Overheating................................................................................................................16
Corrosion...................................................................................................................16
Erosion.......................................................................................................................16
Mechanical stress.......................................................................................................17
Material defect...........................................................................................................17
Type of tube failures and deformities............................................................................17
Rupture......................................................................................................................17
Fatigue.......................................................................................................................18
Tearing.......................................................................................................................19
Tearing.......................................................................................................................20
Thermal (creep) crack................................................................................................21
Pinhole leak...............................................................................................................21
Steam gouging...........................................................................................................22
Deformities................................................................................................................22
Tube enlargement......................................................................................................22
Heat blister.................................................................................................................23
Thinning.....................................................................................................................24
Wall lamination.........................................................................................................25
Auxiliary Boiler Operation and Maintenance
Definition of boiler: steam boiler is basically a closed vessel into which water is heated
until the water is converted into steam at required pressure.
Heat transfer methods:
1. Conduction: is the flow of heat energy through a body or from one body to
another in contact with each other, due to difference in temperature.
2. Convection: is the method of transferring heat through a fluid by the movement
of heated particles of the fluid.
3. Radiation: is the transfer of heat energy from one body to the another through
space by rays of electro-magnetic waves.
Type of boilers
Boiler are generally two types:
1. Fire-tube: combustion gases pass through the inside of the tube with water
surrounding the outside of the tube.
2. Water-tube: the water is inside the tube and combustion gases pass around the
outside of the tube.

Basic Types of Steam Generators

Classification of steam generators or boilers can be made in different ways. From the
point of view of applications, they can be
 utility steam generators
 industrial steam generators
 marine steam generators
Utility steam generators are those used by utilities for electric-power generating plants.
Depending on whether the pressure of steam is below or above the critical pressure
(221.2 bar), they can be either subcritical or supercritical units. The subcritical steam
generators are water tube-drum type and they usually operate at between 130 and 180 bar
steam pressure. The supercritical steam generators are drumless once-through type and
operate at 240 bar pressure or higher. Majority of the utility steam generators are of the
170-180 bar water tube-drum variety, which produce superheated steam at about 540-
560 "C with one or two stages of reheating.
Industrial steam generators are those used in process industries like sugar,
paper, jute and so on, and institutions like hospitals, commercial and residential
building complexes. They are smaller in size. They can be pulverized coal fired,
fluidized bed or stoker fired units, with coal mostly as the fuel. They can also
be heat recovery types which use waste heat from various industrial processes,
and are termed waste heat steam generators.

Marine steam generators are used in many marine ships and ocean liners
driven by steam turbines. They are usually oil-fired. They produce superheated
steam at about 60-65 bar and 540 "C.

important points to improve boiler efficiency

1. Feed water temperature

1. To improve any system efficiency, it is important to maintain the standard of all
the input the system. In boiler system, it is the feed water which plays an
important role in deciding the overall efficiency.
2. The hot well needs to be monitored for correct temperature and level. Any
sudden fall in the level of hot well means more addition of cold water to
maintain the level, which leads to reduction in the feed water temperature.

2. Supply air to burner

1. Air is required to ensure adequate fire is generated inside the furnace through
good combustion. It is therefore important to know the percentage of air for
efficient combustion.
2. Controlling excess air to be reduce or avoid
 3. Keep a check on the content of combustion gases using flue gas analyzer to
adjust the air fuel ratio accordingly.

3. Structural
1. Leakage from the boiler shell also be checked.
2. The insulation of the boiler must be checked for any damage or leakage.

4. Blow down control

1. Blow down is only perform when the water test results are high in chloride or
when high conductivity alarm occurs. This lead uncontrolled continuous
blowdown which is actually waste of boiler heat and efficiency.
2. Avoid continuous long blowdown

5. Boiler loading
1. The best operating range to get maximum boiler efficiency is 2/3 of the full
load boiler. If the boiler is operated below 50% load, more air is required to
burn the fuel which increases the sensible heat loss.
 6. Soot deposits
1. The oil-fired boiler is prone to soot deposits in the tube and internal boiler
surface which reduces the heat transfer rate.
2. A regular cleaning of boiler and economizer tube must therefore be performed.
Record and observe the stack temperature for indication of soot deposits.
3. When the flue gas temperature rises to about 20 deg c above the temperature
for a newly cleaned boiler, it is time to remove the soot deposits.

Boiler feed system

There are basically two types of feed system:
1. Open feed system
An open feed system for an auxiliary boiler; the exhaust steam from various service is
condensed in the condenser. The condenser is circulated by cooling water and may
operate at atmospheric pressure or under a small amount of vacuum. The condensate then
drains under the action of gravity to the hotwell, the hotwell will also receive drain from
possibly contaminated system, e.g., fuel oil heating system, oil tank heating, etc.

2. Close feed system

Closed feed system is generally used in a high pressurized system such as a high-pressure
water tube boiler supplying steam to the main propulsion steam turbine, turbo generators
or cargo pumps in tankers.
Main parts of closed feed system
 A regenerative type condenser
 Air ejector
 Extraction pump
 Deaerator
 Feed tank

Hotwell
Hotwell is a tank or reservoir in which condensed hot water is collected from difference
steam lines. The purpose of hotwell to collect condensed water and supply feed water.

Steam dumping equipment

It is designed for dumping excess steam generated by the boiler plant from the steam
system to an atmospheric dump condenser. It is essential that the condenser is
dimensioned to be able to absorb the amount of steam generate in the exhaust gas boiler
or exhaust gas part of combined boiler.

Boiler external attachments

 Safety valves
 Steam stop valve
 Independent feed check valve
 Water gauge
 Pressure gauge
 Salinometer cock or valve
 Blow down valve
 Low water level fuel shut off device and alarm

Safety valve
The safety valve which prevents over pressure is one of the most important fittings. A
safety valve can be considered as a pressure reducing or pressure removing device. When
there is any excessive internal fluid pressure then this valve would open so that the
damage in the system can be prevented. These valves are commonly used in gas and
steam lines. In an unprotected pressure vessel or a system if the pressure level exceeds
the safe pressure level, then there could be catastrophic effects on both plant and
personnel. The major purpose of a safety relief valve is to protect any pressurized system
from the effects of exceeding its design pressure limit. These valves are designed to
automatically discharge gas pressure or liquid from any pressure-containing system and
thus it prevents excessive pressure and protects plants and personnel. In order to fulfill all
this, a safety valve should be properly sized, selected, installed, and maintained.
What are the characteristics of the safety valve?
 These valves are mostly used for compressible fluids such as steam or other
gases
 Only if the pressure drops to the normal pressure, the safety valve would
close otherwise it would stay fully open.
 In a safety valve, the inlet port is smaller when compared to the discharge
port
 An external valve lever is used in the safety valve and it can be seen at the
top of the valve body, which is used as an operational check.

How does a safety relief valve work?

If the pressure rises above the set pressure in a system, the disc will begin to lift off its
seat. The spring will start to compress and the spring force also increases. So, the lift will
happen only if the pressure is increased again and after that, the flow through the valve
occurs. Overpressure is the additional pressure rise needed before the safety valve will
discharge at its rated capacity. Overpressure is dependent upon the set pressure and the
standard for the particular application. The disc in the safety valve is arranged in a way
that a slight increase in pressure than the set pressure could cause the valve to open.
When the pressure reaches a safe level in the system the valve would return to its closed
position. The disc is arranged for rapid opening in order to achieve this most safety
valves have a secondary chamber formed by a shroud, skirt, or hood around the outside
diameter of the disc.
 Types Of Safety Valves
Conventional safety valve
This type of valve, it has a spring housing that is vented to the discharge side of the valve.
The operational characteristic of the valve is affected by the changes in the backpressure
of the valve. This is the simplest type of safety valve and they are used in the
backpressure and are very small.
Balanced safety valve
Balanced safety valves are capable to remove back pressure effects with the help of
bellows or other equipment. These valves are spring-loaded safety relief valves, these
valves are installed when the percentage build-up back pressure in the exhaust system is
allowed to exceed the percentage overpressure applicable to the safety valve. Balanced
safety valves are of two types, piston type, and bellow type.
Pilot operated safety valves
A pilot-operated safety valve is a pressure relief valve, in which the major relieving
device is with a self-actuated auxiliary relief valve. The relieving device is controlled by
the auxiliary relief valve. Pilot operated safety valves are of two types they are diaphragm
and piston type. The diaphragm type is used for low-pressure applications. In the case of
the piston-type valve, it has a main valve that uses a piston-shaped closing device and an
external pilot valve.

Steam stop valve

This valve typically installed directly on the steam output fitting on the boiler. It is used
to close the steam from the downstream system when needed, also used to slowly
preheating the system following stoppages, and used to ensure a minimum boiler pressure
in the event of excess steam demand.
Feed check valve
Feed check valve as fitted to the boiler is normally a non-return globe valve, the chest
being spigotted into the boiler end plate. Some boiler makers fit a combined shut off and
feed valve, two valve in one chest, on both the main and auxiliary feed lines. The shut off
valve, a screw lift valve, is between the feed and feed valve and the boiler, and the boiler
pressure is under this valve.
Boiler accessories for efficient operation
1. Feed water pump
2. Superheater
3. Economizer
4. Air preheater
5. Steam trap
6. Condenser

Steam trap
Steam trap is used to collect and automatically drain away the water resulted from partial
condensation of steam without steam to escape with this condensate through a valve, the
valve after draining the condensate is closed. Is presses the leakage of steam from the
trap. the steam trap allows the condensate to pass through, but stop the steam. The duty of
steam trap is to discharge condensate, air and other incondensable gases from a steam
system.
Type of steam trap

Type steam trap

1. Thermostatic 2. Mechanical 3. Thermodynamic

A. Bellow A. Float A. Disk

B. Inverted B. Piston
bucket

Bellow steam trap

This a thermostatic trap that is operate on a temperature difference between condensate
and steam.

When the condensate fills the inside of the casing the bellows will be compressed and the
trap valve open, the condensate simply flows the trap but when steam is about to enter the
trap the condensate in the front of the steam will be hot, hot enough to boil the liquid
inside the bellows, the bellows will expand closing the trap valve. The valve close until
the steam will be condensate. It is the excellent to discharging air because the air cooler
than steam so the bellows is compressing the trap open.
This type cannot be used for very high pressure if they are used may the bellows damage,
also the bellows can rupture by water hammering. Thermostatic traps should never be
covered with insulation because insulation slows down the heat loss and it take to long
for trap to cycle.

Float trap
Mechanical trap responds to a difference in density between steam and condensate.

This type of trap needed bellows trap type for venting air, also needed some warm water
inside the casing in normal operation to preventing freezing and in shut down system
must be the casing is completely drained.
Sometimes the inlet or outlet is clogged, the clogging allow condensate to back up or a
little discharge.
Inverted bucket trap

This type is good for removing small volume of air, also the air is discharged by the
buoyancy as like steam for large air cannot be used. It can be used in wide pressure
range.
Disk trap
Thermodynamic traps depend on flash steam to operate. This type best for removing air.

Piston trap
Natural circulation affected by
1. Heat produces by the boiler
2. Height of the boiler
3. Pressure of the boiler
The heat and height of the boiler has positive effect on the natural circulation if raise the
temperature of the boiler the natural circulation flow also increase. Increase the height of
the boiler increase the weight difference between water and steam or the downcomer and
tubes.
The pressure has negative effect as pressure increase natural circulation flow decreases
because increasing the pressure decreasing the density difference between steam and
water.

Boiler drum
The feed water is fed into the drum through distribution pipe which run the entire length
of the drum. Heated water and steam returning from the water walls enter the drum and
directed against a baffle section of the drum known as the drum shroud, the shroud direct
water steam into moisture separator which separate the water from the steam the water
falls the lower part of the drum while the steam collect in the upper part, but the steam
has some water mixed in with it so before the steam leaves the drum it sent to the dryers
where additional water is removed after leaving the dryers steam discharged into one or
more steam outlet pipes. Some boilers don’t have drum like once through boiler it works
with a high pressure above critical point.

Important concept related steam

1. Boiling
2. Saturation
3. Superheat
Boiling is process converting water to steam at any given pressure there was a
corresponding temperature at which water will boil.
The temperature above steam and water will always be the saturation temperature lets
return to the beaker to make this point a little clear, we have a fairly low flame, saturation
condition does exist the water is boiling the temperature is 100c saturation temperature
for atmospheric pressure, now we increase the flame produce more heat all that happen
the water boil more rapidly the temperature is still 100c this is saturation temperature for
water and steam at atmospheric pressure.
In the boiler the higher operation pressure and a higher corresponding saturation
temperature, the steam produce in the water walls remain at saturation temperature for
existing pressure.
When all the water removes or converting to steam then can be raise steam temperature
above saturation temperature and this is called superheated steam.
Superheat steam increase the efficiency of the boiler, superheat can absorb heat by
radiant or convection one section (primary or secondary) of superheat can see the flame
but other section (primary or secondary) cannot see the flame they receive heat by
combustion gasses, between the primary or secondary have spray attemperator or dee
superheater if the steam temperature is to high the attemperator spray the water entrance
the secondary superheater and has different style to control the steam temp. is tilting the
burner or by pass flow gas.
Reheater as well as superheater.
Blow down
Are the type drain that open during boiler operation one very common blow down on a
boiler is called surface blow down. Its located nearly the normal water level in the drum
its open periodically during operation to remove contamination that build up in the drum.

Soot blowing
Soot a byproduct combustion build up on water wall tubes in the furnace the buildup of
soot blocks effective heat transfer. Soot blower are designed to remove soot by blowing
of the tube with a cleaning medium of steam or compressed air.
Soot blower are two general types
1. Retractable: motorize insert the lance tube to the furnace
2. Fixed

Note: in start up the metal will stretch in waterwall and header and casing of boiler.

Basic causes of boiler tube failure

1. Overheating
2. Corrosion
3. Erosion
4. Mechanical stress
5. Material defect
Overheating
The most common cause of boiler tube failure, can result from deposits from boiler
water, inadequate flow of water or steam to the tube, improper flow of hot gases through
the boiler, refractory failure and improper operation.
When deposits from boiler water coat the inside of a tube scale, when scale is gets too
thick inside the tube it prevents the cooling flow of water or steam, the metal overheat
and then rupture. Overheating from improper flow of hot gases happens when the tube is
exposed to more heat than the normal cooling flow can handle, example of flow hot gases
is flame impingement, flame impingement is direct contact of furnace flame with the
tube.
Refractory failure is another cause of overheating is a heat resistant material that
sometimes applied to tube to protect them from direct exposure to hot gases, when
refractory fails tubes that are usually protected are exposed to a lot of heat then the
cooling flow is not enough to prevent overheating from taking place.
Corrosion
Is deterioration of metal through chemical action or corrosion cause because thins out the
two walls reducing their strength.
Many way to corrosion can happen inside a boiler tube one way is improper water
treatment if wrong chemical used or incorrect amount are used the tube will corrode.
Corrosion can also be produced by oxygen in the boiler the high temperature and pressure
the boiler cause oxygen to rapidly attack to metal.
Another way to corrosion happens is by leaving the boiler open and wet during shutdown
this lead to rust which is a form corrosion.
Corrosion can also be a problem on the outside a tube in the result of moisture combining
with the sulphur found in ash or soot this produced acid which attacks the tube metal and
corrodes. Corrosive slag is another cause of corrosion on the outside of the tube corrosive
slag is formed by contaminants in the fuel.

Erosion
Is the gradual wearing away of tube metal this weakens the tube, it can occur in the inside
or outside of the tube. Erosion in the inside of the tube produced by flow of water or
steam on the out side by the flow of gas and ash, erosion from gas and ash can be
particularly severe in coal fired boiler because they produce large amount of ash which is
very abrasive.
Erosion can be happened from steam leak, when steam from one tube is direct against
another the steam can erode the metal of the tube
Mechanical stress
Is the result of pressure, thermal expansion, weight of the tube and vibration.
Boiler tube must support their own wight plus the wight of their contents in boiler that
hold a lot of water this wight put a heavy mechanical stress on the tube, the tube design to
withstand this stress but if weakened by overheating, corrosion, erosion they may not the
handle it.
The flow of water or steam through a tube and the flow of hot gases around the tube can
sometimes cause vibration.
Is to vibrate it bends back and forth over and again this repeating bending can cause the
tube metal to crack this is call metal fatigue.

Material defect
It is a weak spot in a tube metal that was there when the tube manufactured. The tube has
a material defect like a thin spot in the wall, therefore the tube must inspect before it
installs.

Type of tube failures and deformities

Deformities are irregularities in the tube material that can lead to tube failure.
Rupture there are three kinds of rupture:
1. Thin lipped
Are usually caused by sudden and severe overheating they look something like a burst
bubble the open lips are uniformly tapered to sharp knife like edges there is no evidence
cracking or irregular tearing of the metal in a thin-lipped rupture

2. Thick lipped
Are caused by milder but more prolonged overheating this kind of overheating is often
caused by deposits on the inside the tube thick lipped rupture resembled thin lipped
rupture except their edges are thicker and more ragged. This kind of rupture is common
to superheated tube

3. Double ended
Are also cause by overheating the tube separates completely at the point of failure leaving
two free ends.

Fatigue
Fatigue crack are caused by mechanical stress they appear clean bright breaks through the
tube.
Tearing
Tearing at the tube metal at weld patches is also caused by mechanical stress this occurs
when the weld patch and the tube expand or contract at different rates contraction can
stress the metal, so severely that it tears open. This kind of failure can mean that the
wrong kind of material was used for welding the patch.
Tearing
Tearing of metal at support clip attachments is also caused by expansion and contraction.
Support clips of brackets that are welded to some tube to help hold them in place, if tube
that are held together by support clips expand or contract unevenly a tube may be torn
open where the clips welded to the tube.
Thermal (creep) crack
Another type of tube failure prolonged mild overheating or repeated short time
overheating creates thermal cracks. The crack wall will have a normal thickness but the
crack itself will have a dark crystalline appearance.

Pinhole leak
Can result from overheating, corrosion, erosion, mechanical stress or mechanical defect.
It looks like a small in the tube surface but it goes through the entire tube wall often a
pinhole leak is the way a larger failure starts so it cannot be ignored just because its
small. Pinhole leaks allow steam or water to leave the tube in a concentrated stream, if
this stream is directed against another tube, it will erode it, eventually producing a failure.
Steam gouging
Steam gouging looks as through the metal has been blasted away and the resulting cavity
polished, the cavity is extremely smooth and has irregular shape.

Deformities
Deformities are irregularities in the tube material that can lead to tube failure. There are
two types of deformities both type by the overheating.

Tube enlargement
Is common in superheater tubes it appears as a uniform enlargement of a portion of the
tube.
Heat blister
Also caused by overheating only affect one side of the tube heat blister always indicate
the presence of water side deposits, water side deposits insulate the tube from cooling
flow and ca
Used the tube to become overheating the blister are formed when a portion of the tube
metal become so hot that it softens, so when the pressure inside the tube causes it to bulge
outward as the tube bulges the deposits inside break up allowing boiler water to cool the
hot metal before the tube rupture, the heat blister then appears as egg shape lump or bulge
in the tube.
Thinning
Is caused by corrosion or erosion, it shows up as a general decrease in the wall thickness
of the tube. It like top side is much thinner than bottom side or vice versa.
Wall lamination
Is the most common example of material defect found in boiler tubes. A cross section of
a lamination tube looks like as the picture, the lamination or layering occurs during
fabrication of the tube it will appear as crack or breaks that go partway through the tube.