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CLEAVER-BROOKS

PACKAGED
WATERTUBE BOILERS

MODELS D, DL, and DLD

© Aqua-Chem. Inc .• 1993

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Please direct purchase orders for replacement manuals
to your local Cleaver-Brooks representative

Manual Part No. 750-302

Printed in U.S.A
WAKN/NG
DO NOT OPERATE, SERVICE, OR REPAIR THIS EQUIPMENT UNLESS YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND
ALL APPLICABLE SECTIONS OF THIS MANUAL.

DO NOT ALLOW OTHERS TO OPERATE, SERVICE, OR REPAIR THIS EQUIPMENT UNLESS THEY
FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL APPLICABLE SECTIONS OF THIS MANUAL.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW ALL APPLICABLE WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN SE-
VERE PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

TO: Owners, Operators and/or Maintenance Personnel

This operating manual presents information that will help to properly operate and care for the equipment. Study its contents
carefully. The unit will provide good service and continued vperation if proper operating and maintenance instructions are
followed. No attempt should be made to operate the unit until the principles of operation and all of the components are
thoroughly understood. Failure to follow all applicable instructions and warning may result in severe personal injury or death.

It is the responsibility of the owner to train and advise not only his or her personnel, but the contractor's personnel who are
servicing, repairing or operating the equipment, in all safety aspects.

Cleaver-Brooks equipment is designed and engineered to give long life and excellent service on the job. The electrical and
mechanical devices supplied as part of the unit were chosen because of their know ability to perform; however, proper operating
techniques and maintenance procedures must be followed at all times. Although these componesnts afford a high degree of
protection and safety, operation of equipment is not to be considered free from all dangers and hazards inherent in handling and
firing of fuel.

Any "automatic" features included in the design do not relieve the attendant of any responsibility. Such features merely free
himlher of certain repetitive chores and give himlher more time tot devote to the proper upkeep of equipment.

It is solely the operator's responsibility to properly operate and maintain the equipment. No amount of written instructions can
replace intelligent thinking and reasoning and this manual is not intended to relieve the operating personnel of the responsibility
for pr0~ operation. On the other hand, a thorough understanding of this manual is required before attempting to operate,
maintain, service, or repair this equipment.

Because of state, local, or other applicable codes, there are a variety of electric controls and safety devices which vary consider-
ably from one boiler to another. This manual contains information designed to show how a basic boiler operates.

Operating controls will normally function for long periods of time and we have found that some operators become lax in their
daily or monthly tesing, assuming that normal operation will continue indefinitely. Malfunctions of controls lead to
uneconomical operation and damage and, in most cases, these conditions ca nbe traced directly to carelessness and deficiencies
in testing and maintenance.

It is recommended that a boiler room log or record be maintained. Recording of daily, weekly, nonthly and yearly maintenance
activities and recording of any unusual operation will serve as a valuable guide to any necessary investigation.

Most instances of major boiler damage are the result of operation with low water. We cannot emphasize too strongly the need
to
for the operator periodica:J!y checkhislher low water controls and to follow gOOdmaintenance and testIng practices. Cross-
connecting piping to low water devices must be internally inspected periodically to guard agamst any stoppages which could
obstruct the free flow of water to the low water devices. Float bowls of these controls must be inspected frequently to check for
the presence of foreign substances that would impede float ball movement

The waterside condition of the pressure vessel is of extreme importance. Waterside surfaces should be insp:o:cted frequently to
check for the presence of any mud, sludge, scale or corrosion.

The services of a qualified water treating company or a water consultant to recommend the proper boiler water treating practices
are essential.

The operation of this equipment by the owner and hislher operating personnel must comply with all requirements or regulations
ofhislher insurance company and/or other authority having jurisdiction. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between
such requirements and the warnings or instructions contained herein, please contact Cleaver-Brooks before proceeding.
CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL DESCRIPTION ....................................... 1-1
A. The Boiler ...................................................... 1-1
B. The Burner and Control System ................................. 1-1
C. Components and Accessories ..................................... 1-1
D. Installation ...................................................... 1-6
E. Hydrostatic Testing and Inspection ............................... 1-6
F. Boiling Out .................... , .................. , ............. 1-7
G. Feedwater System and Treatment ................................ 1-9

CHAPTER 2 - OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES .............................. 2-1


A. Preparation to Initial Firing ..................................... 2-1
B. Filling the Boiler ................................................ 2-1
C. Initial Firing .................................................... 2-2
D. Routine Operation and Shutdown ................................ 2-2
E. Operating Procedures ............................................ 2-3
Feed Water Regulation and Control ............................ 2-3
Water Level Indicating System ................................. 2-3
Water Column ................................................. 2-4
Blowdown ..................................................... 2-5
Manual Blowdown ............................................. 2-5
Continuous Blowdown ......................................... 2-6
Soot Blowing .................................................. 2-6
Superhea ter ................................................... 2-7

CHAPTER 3 - MAINTENANCE ................................................. 3-1


A. General ......................................................... 3-1
Waterside Inspection ........................................... 3-1
Fireside Inspection ............................................. 3-2
B. Pressure Vessel Care and Repairs ................................ 3-3
C. Tube Cleaning ................................................... 3-3
Mechanical Tube Cleaning ..................................... 3-3
Chemical Cleaning ............................................. 3-5
D. Water Column ............................................... " .. 3-5
Probe Installation ............................................. 3-5
Gauge Glass or Prismatic Insert ............................... 3-5
E. Safety Valves .................................................... 3-5
F. Care and Protection of Idle Boilers .............................. 3-7

CHAPTER 4 - PARTS ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS LIST ........ .4-1


TO: Owners, Operators or Maintenance Personnel

This operating manual presents information that will help to properly operate and care for the equipment.
Study its contents carefu lIy, The unit will provide good service and continued operation if proper
operating and maintenance instructions are followed, No attempt should be made to operate the unit until
the principles of operation and all of the components are thoroughly understood, Only trained and
authorized personnel should be allowed to operate, adjust or repair this equipment.
Cleaver-Brooks products are designed and engineered to give long life and excellent service on the job,
The electrical and mechanical devices supplied as part of the unit were chosen because of their
known ability to perform: however, proper operating techniques and maintenance procedures must be
followed at all times, Although these components afford a high degree of protection and safety,
operation of equipment is not to be considered free from all dangers and hazards inherent in handling and
firing of fuel.
Any "automatic" features included in the deSign do not relieve the attendant of any responsibility,
Such features merely free him of certain repetitive chores and give him more time to devote to the proper
upkeep of equipment.

It is solely the operator's responsibility to properly operate and maintain the equipment. No amount of written
instructions can replace intelligent thinking and reasoning and this manual is not intended to relieve the
operating personnel of the responsibility for proper operation,

Because of state, local or other applicable codes there are a variety of electrical controls and safety
devices which vary considerably from one installation to another, This manual contains information
designed to show how a standardly equ ipped bu rner operates,
Operating controls will normally function for long periods of time and we have found that some
operators become lax in their daily or monthly testing assuming that normal operation will continue
indefinitely, Malfunctions of controls leads to uneconomical operation and damage and in most
cases these conditions can be traced directly to carelessness and deficiencies in testing and maintenance,
It is recommended that a boiler room log or record be maintained, Recording of daily, weekly, monthly
and yearly maintenance activities and recording of any unusual operation will serve as a valuable
gu ide to any necessary investigation,
Most instances of major boiler damage are the result of operation with low water, We cannot emphasize
too strongly the need for the operator to periodically check his low water controls and to follow' good
maintenance and testing practices, Cross connecting piping to low water devices must be internally
inspected periodically to guard against any stoppages which coUld obstruct the free flow of water to
the low water devices, Float bowls of these controls must be inspected frequently to check for the
presence of foreign substances that wou Id impede the float ball movement.
The waterside condition of the pressure vessel is of extreme importance, Waterside surfaces should be
inspected frequently to check for the presence of any mud, sludge, scale or corrosion,
It is customary to engage the services of a qualified water treating company or a water consultant to
recommend the proper boiler water treating practices,

The operation of this equipment by the owner and his operating personnel must comply with all requirements
or regulations of his insurance company and/or any other authority having jurisdiction, These legal
requirements take precedence over anything contained herein,

Cleaver-Brooks Service Engineers, or Cleaver-Brooks authorized service representatives, present


for start-up or service are present on Iy in an advisory capacity, The operation of the bu rner or boi ler is
under the scope of work to be performed by the owner's operating personnel at the owner's risk, and under the
owner's insurance protection, Recommendation for proper adjustments required to make the equipment
perform can 'be made by these Service Engineers,

III
Chapt pr 1 - General Descript ion

CHAPTER

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
A. THE BOILER
B. THE BURNER AND CONTROL SYSTEM
C. COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES
D. INSTALLATION
E. HYDROSTATIC TESTING AND INSPECTION
F. BOILING OUT
G. FEEDWATER SYSTEM AND TREATMENT

A. THE BOILER provided for the -burner portion. The various


safety and combustion controls are either covered
The Cleaver-Brooks Packaged Watertube Steam in the burner manual or by separate instructions.
Boiler is a two drum, bent-tube, "D" type Boiler. All instructions and manuals applicable to the in-
The line consists of three Models; "D", "DL" and stallation should be studied prior to firing the
"DLD" which vary only in size, dimensions, and boiler.
capacity. All models are covered by this manual.
The Boiler has a six-wall water cooled furnace. C. COMPONENTS AND
The inside and outside furnace walls, as well as ACCESSO RIES
the floor and roof, are constructed of tangent
tubes. The front and rear walls are refractory This section describes some of the various com·
faced and have water cooling tubes. Figure 1-1 ponents and accessories that comprise a boiler.
shows typical construction. Some are integral to the pressure vessel while
others are devices that are necessary for nprmal
The entire pressure vessel is covered with a and safe operation. The accessory described may
double seal-welded insulated casing. The be furnished with the boiler or it may be fur·
pressure vessel is mounted on a heavy structural nished separately by others. Some installations
steel skid type frame. may not require a particular component or it may
The steam (upper) drum has factory installed in- vary somewhat from the following basic descrip·
ternals and baffles to control water levels, reduce tions. See Figure 1-4.
surging, and to reduce the quantity of moisture The operator must be familiar with the indio
leaving the water level before it enters the final vidual functioning of all controls and components
dryer unit. Figure 1-2 shows a cross section of in order to understand the boiler's operation. The
typical drum internals. following brief descriptions provide a basic un·
The boiler is constructed in accordance with the derstanding of the functions and relationships.
ASME Power Boiler Code, and all applicable The descriptions are limited to those components
local laws, regulations and codes having juris- that affect the pressure vessel. The boiler 'and fuel
diction. system controls, along with other special items
that might be provided. are covered elsewhere.
B. THE BURNER AND CONTROL
SYSTEM STEAM DRUM
The boiler is standardly equipped with a Cleaver- The upper drum (steam drum) contains water
Brooks Burner. or in some instances, a burner level control baffling to assure tha t all steam re-
manufactured by others. An indIvidual manual is leased from the generating tubes is released be·

1·1
Chapter I - General Description

FIGURE 1-1 TYPICAL TUBE ARRANGEMENT

1-2
Chapter 1 - General Description

STEAM OUTLET STEAM OUTLET

c A F E o c
A. Dry Pan Carton D. Feedwater Pipe
B. Flow Control Baffles E. Chemical Feed Pipe
C. Dry Pan Drain F. Continuous Blowdown Pipe

FIGURE 1-2 DRUM INTERNALS AND SEPARATOR

STEAM OUTLET STEAM OUTLET

E o c
A. Purifier and Dryer Carton D. Chemical Feed Pipe
B. Flow Control Baffles E. Continuous Blowdown Pipe
C .. Feedwater Pipe F. Steam Chest

FIGURE 1-3 DRUM INTERNALS AND STEAM PURIFIERS

1-3
Chapter 1 - General Description

hind the baffles and not through the' water level. OBSERVATION PORT
Other drum internals include steam separators or
These are located in the rear wall to provide a
dryers to assure low moisture content steam.
good clear view of the flame.
The drum heads are fitted with 12" by 16" man-
STEAM GAUGE
ways on each end. The internal feed pipe, chemi-
cal feed pipe, and blowdown piping are attached Indicates the internal pressure of the boiler.
to the drum heads. FEEDWATER REGULATING VALVE AND
Figures 1-2 and 1-3 show typical drum internals. GENERATOR
LOWER WATER DRUM These items comprise a system that operates
automatically to maintain a predetermined water
The lower water drum has a blow off connection level in the boiler. The generator is essentially a
on the underside near the rear head. Internally it closed hydraulic system, connected by tubing to a
has a blow off guide baffle installed to insure ef- bellows on the regulating valve, that is responsive
fective blow off of the lower drum without distur- to the boiler water level. Hydraulic pressure
bance to the water circulation of the boiler. created within the generator forces the valve to
open to various positions thus regulating the flow
The drum incorporates two 12" x 16" manways
one at each end. of water to maintain a constant level.
A single element system is standardly furnished
BLOW OFF VALVES
although other systems may be used depending
These are specially designed, manually operated, upon job requirements and specifications.
valves connected to the lower drum for the pur-
FEEDWATER BYPASS VALVE
pose of reducing the concentration of solids in the
boiler or for draining purposes. Two valves are A manually operated valve provided to initially
required .by the ASME Code. The valves' nor- fill the boiler or to bypass the regulating valve.
mally furnished are of. the slow opening type.
SAFETY VALVE
CONTINUOUS BLOWDOWN CONNECTION
This is an automatic pressure relieving device
The continuous blowdown connection is normally and, as the name implies, is for the purpose of
located in the rear head of the upper drum with safely relieving the boiler of any excessive steam
the pipe located slightly below the normal water pressure. The size and number of valves - always
level. Its purpose is to remove the concentrated two and often three - and their pressure setting
boiler water from the boiler and thereby reduce are determined by job specifications and in ac-
the total solids concentration. A flow control cordance with ASME Code requirements.
valve, or one with a variable orifice, is used to
closely control the percent of blowdown. A stop The discharge piping from the valves must also
valve is furnished, while the blowdown valve may con'form to the ASME Code. See Figure 3-4. This
be either provided with the boiler or furnished by piping is not furnished with the boiler.
others. If the boiler is equipped with a super-heater, a
CHEMICAL FEED CONNECTION safety valve is also provided for the super-heater.

This connection in the upper drum is provided for DRUM VENT VALVE
the piping from a chemical feed pump and is the This manually operated valve is located on top of
means of introducing supplementary water treat- the steam drum. Its sole purpose is to vent air
ment chemicals. into. the boiler. and entrained gases from the drum during start-
SOOT BLOWER up. It should also be opened when the boiler is
being cooled down to prevent a vacuum from
A boiler equipped with an oil fired burner has a
forming within the boiler.
soot blower installed for cleaning accumulations
of soot from the convection bank tubes. Steam is
WATER COLUMN
the most commonly used cleaning medium
although compressed air is als,o used. The water column is connected at its top to the
steam space and at its bottom to the water space
The soot blower is normally located on the rear
of the upper drum. A water gage, trycocks, and
wall of the boiler although front wall locations
water level indicating devices are attached to or
are not uncommon. Larger sizes of boilers have
are part of the column.
two soot blowers - front and rear. Stop and drain
valves are provided. A sight cap is provided.in the The gage glass attached to the side of the column
side casing to allow visual checking of soot is used to visually indicate the boiler water level.
blower nozzle alignment. This glass is one of the most important guides

1-4
Chap! er I . General Descrip! ion

GAGE GLASS COCKS (TRY-COCKS) STEAM DRUM FEEDWATER REGULATOR


GENERATOR
GAGE GLASS WATER COLUMN
SHUT-OFF COCKS~\.

WATER LEVEL GAGE GLASS";;~?


~~.y•. . • . • ...••• :.. (J .•••••.•.•

STEAM GAUGE
BLOWER
MOTOR

PACKAGED
BURNER ASSEMBLY

FEEDWATER INLET
FEEDWATER
REGULATING VALVE

FIGURE 1-4 TYPICAL WATERTUBE BOILER

available to the boiler operator. It should be kept The water column is fitted with probes, or elec-
clean and well· lighted for good visibility. trodes, extending through the top flange down-
wards into the steam and water spaces. These are
The gage glass is mounted between two valves wi"red into an electric relay system that will shut
which can be operated from floor level by means the burner down in the event of low water and
of an attached chain. The valve handles are also activate signal lights that indicate normal,
linked together so that they may be opened or low water or high water level conditions. The lat-
closed simultaneously. The valves can be quickly ter two are generally connected to an audibl~
closed in the event of glass breakage. Guard rods alarm system to alert the operator of a condition
are used to help protect the glass against ac- requiring immediate attention. -The operation of
cidimtai damage. A flat reflex type glass is often the system is explained later in this manuaL
used instead of a tubular glass.
An auxiliary low water cut-off control is often i!1-
Three trycocks are provided to check the accuracy stalled to provide additional protection. This is
of the gage glass leveL generally of the float operated type and is wired

1-5
Chapt~er 1 - General Description

to interrupt the limit circuit and to shut off the All piping and valves must be installed in accord-
fuel flow in the event water drops below the ance with good engineering practices. Suitable
master low water cut-off point. strength piping and valves are to be used. All
Drain valves are provided for the water column drains and discharge piping must be piped to a
and for the gage glass. Piping to a safe point of safe point of discharge.
discharge must be provided by others. The discharge piping from the safety valves and
the method of connecting the piping is especially
important. The piping should be arranged so that
no "thrust from the weight or movement of the
D. INSTALLATION .pipe cal! be· imparted to the valves. Refer to
It is not within the scope of this manual to pro- Figure 3-4 for a typical recommended method of
vide installation instructions. These should piping.
follow the design specifications of the Architect, Electrical wiring must conform to all electrical
Engineer or Contractor. Good engineering prac- codes and proper size wiring used. The necessary
tices must prevail. switches, feed boxes, circuit breakers, etc. must be
The boiler and related equipment must be in- installed and operable.
stalled to conform to applicable codes. Compli- All auxiliary equipment should be installed in ac-
ance with codes will do much to insure a safe and cordance with the recommendations of the
dependable installation as the codes have been respective manufacturers. Fan wheels, bearings,
formulated to safeguard life and property. Fail- couplings, and shaft alignment should be checked
ure to comply with established regulations can and aligned. If the bases of auxiliary equipment
necessitate costly modification or reconstruction. are grouted, the alignment should be checked be-
The proper authorities should be consulted before fore grouting or doweling and rechecked af-
installation preparation of a permanent nature is terwards.
started, particularly in regard to boiler room Aisles, ladders, and stairs should be completed
structure, boiler venting, electrical service, fuel and accessible for the convenience and safety of
storage and piping and all other piping such as the operating personnel. All obstructions such as
steam, water supply, blow-off, and drain lines. scaffolding, refuse, tools, etc. must be removed
Application should be made immediately for all from ducts, breechings, and platforms. Insulation
permits required by law for boiler room con- of piping and duct work should be done in accord-
struction and boiler installation. Although it is ance with accepted practices.
custom·ary for each Contractor involved to attend
to the permit required for his phase of the work, it
is advisable to make sure that no necessary per-
mit is 9verlooked. The supply piping for a gas fired burner must not
be attached to or supported from the side casing
The Cleaver-Brooks Boiler is constructed to con- walls.
f~rm with the ASME Boiler Code and other codes
Occasionally a unit is repainted, especially in new
known to apply. A Manufacturer's Data Report construction. When this is done, care must be
covering the boiler construction, test and in- taken to see that paint is not applied to any
spection is provided. moveable linkage, to the generator portion of the
When the boiler is received, it should be given a feedwater regulator, valve stems and any other
thorough inspection by a competent person to de- components where paint could interfere with nor-
~_~ _ _~ Jermine iL~nyJiamagebas occurred in transiLAU __ ~~..maLjlpeI"atiolL.. ___ n~~ __ ~
__ .. __ w ___ _

boxes and cartons should be uncrated carefully


and checked against the packing slip. In case of E. HYDROSTATIC TESTING
damage or shortage, immediately ~ notify the AND INSPECTIO N
carrier and file a claim.
The boiler was hydrostatically tested in our shop
The boiler should be inspected externally as well and copies of the Manufacturers' Data Report,
as internally. The bracing or shoring that may be signed by the inspector witnessing and evidencing
used to protect the brick in the furnace area must the test, have been forwarded to all jurisdictional
be removed. The refractory should be inspected bodies as well as to the boiler owner. To be sure
for evidence of loose or broken tile. that the pressure parts are still tight following
The following generalizations are intended for shipment and installation, a hydrostatic test
assistance and do not supplant any codes or con- should be conducted as soon as possible after in-
struction criteria. stallation. This test will generally be under the

1-6
Chapter 1 - General Description

superVISIOn and witnessed by an authorized in- Replace gage glass if necessary and make sure
spector who may represent either the state or that gage cocks ~re open.
municipality having jurisdiction or the insurance
company covering the installation.

At the option of this inspector, this test may be at Remove all blanks or gags from safety valves.
1-1/2 times the design pressure of unit, or at a
Additional inspection at lhis time by the
pressure slightly less than the setting of the low-
authorized inspector will determine whether the
est safety valve. The latter test will avoid the
installation including piping arrangements,
necessity of blanking or gagging safety valves, re-
valves, gauges and controls and other equipment
moving piping and plugging various pipe open-·
on the boiler meet Code and/or other juris-
ings, removin~ controls and gage glass, etc.-
dictional requirements.

Before starting a test, make sure that all foreign F. BOILING OUT
material, tools, personnel, etc., are removed from
the boiler. Rinse out the boiler by playing high The internal surfaces of a new boiler will invar-
pressure water into the drums, tubes, nipples and iably contain deposits of oil, grease and pro-
headers. Depending upon the test pressure, be tective coatings inherent in manufacturing pro-
sure to blank off any part that is not designed to cedures. It is important that these deposit~ be re-
withstand the pressure to be developed. This will moved from the heating surfaces sinc~ this con-
include water column, gage glass, feedwater regu- tamination will lower the heat transfer rate ·and
lators, pressure controls, etc. Safety valves, in this possibly cause overheating of pressure vessel
case, must be blanked or gagged. metal. These deposits can generally be removed
by an alkaline boil out using readily available
All connections on the boiler should be closed chemicals.
with the exception of the vent, pressure gauge,
and feed line through which pressure will be ap- Before boil out procedures can begin, the boiler
plied. should be ready for firing and the operator must
be familiar with the operation of the burner and
follow instructions contained in the burner
When the boiler is ready for the test, it should be manual.
filled with water of a temperature not less than
ambient and in no case less than 70°F. Care There are several boiling out procedures that
should be taken so that all air is vented while the may be followed and different materials are re-
boiler is being filled. commended by different authorities. There are
specially prepared trademarked chemicals avail-
able. Some firms that manufacture and provide
Fill the boiler until water overflows the vent.
these are:
Close the vent.
Betz Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa.
Apply pressure slowly. The recommended rate of Dearborn Chemical Company, Chicago, Illinois
pressure increase is less than 50 psi per minute. Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan
Proper control must be maintained so that Hall Laboratories, Pittsburgh, Pa.
pressure does not exceed the desired setting. Nalco Chemical Company, Chicago, Illinois
When this test pressure is reached, in!;lpection in The instructions and a"dvice provIded· by the
accordance with the test objective can begin. manufacturer of the chemical should be followed.
Any oils or coating that may have drained into
Upon completion of the test, release pressure
the drums should be wiped away with clean rags.
slowly through a small drain valve. Then fully
Also remove any debris that might be present.
open vents and drains. Particular care must be
One of the top manholes may be left open to aid
given to make sure that parts not normally con-
in filling the boiler.
taining water during operation, such as the super-
heater or circulating tubes above normal water If the water column if fitted with a prismatic type
level are drained free of water. gage glass, it is suggested that this be tempon~rily
replaced with a round glass of adequate design
If temporary handhole or manhole gaskets were pressure to avoid any aamage to the prismatic
used for the test, they should be replaced with glass.
regular service gaskets before readying the unit In the event the boil out is not handi.ed by the
for operation. Gaskets should never be reused. feed water consultant or water treatment com-

1-7
Chapter 1 - General Description

pany, the following procedure is effective for point, blow off with the bottom blowoff valves un-
cleaning a boiler. til water level falls to within two inches of the
The use of soda ash (sodium carbonate) and bottom of the gage glass. The water column and
caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) at the rate of 3 gage glass should also be blown down.
to 5 pounds each per 1,000 lbs. water is suggested. After each blow, refill the boiler to the top of the
A small amount of laundry detergent is often ad- gage glass and allow the boiler to soak and boil for
ded as a wetting agent. about fifteen minutes before the next blow cycle.
The chemicals should be dissolved prior to plac- Repeat this' cycle of blowdown operation for a
ing them in the boiler. To make this solution, minimum of six times or until a cool sample of the
. place warm water into a suitable container. boiler water shows no oil.
Slowly introduce the dry chemical into the water, If possible, maintain the cleaning concentration
stirring at all times, untiI the chemical is com- during the blowdown by using a chemical feed
pletely dissolved. Add the chemical slowly and in pump.
small amounts to prevent excessive heat and tur-
bulence. Pressure should be lowered somewhat during the
blowing and refilling cycle, however, the pressure
Use of a suitable face mask, goggles, rubber should not be allowed to fall below 50 psi.
gloves and protective garments are strongly re-
commended when handling or mixing caustic At the completion of the boil out, shut off the bur-
chemicals. Do not permit the dry material or the ner and allow boiler to cool. Open all vents and
concentrated solution to come in contact with drain the boiler when the water temperature has
skin or clothing. fallen to 120°F. or less.

Fill the boiler with ambient temperature water to Inspect the drums and wipe out any sludge or
a point just below the manhole opening in the up- scum that may be present. Then wash out boiler
per drum. Add the chemicals in the solution thoroughly with a high pressure hose, using water
through either the upper drum manhole, the up- of approximately 70°F. temperature, or ambient.
per drum vent valve, or the chemical feed line. Use a hose on each individual tube including
Secure the manhole if it was used for filling. superheater and economizer tubes. If possible,
this washing should be done from the bottom of
Fill the boiler with water to about 8" above nor- the tube. The fireside of the boiler should be
mal operating level. The normal level is at the checked for any unusual conditions.
center of the water gage glass. Exercise caution to
prevent water spilling over into the superheater, Upon completion of the wash down, inspect the in-
if the boiler is equipped with one. ternal surfaces and if not clean, repeat the boil out.

Open the steam drum vent valve. If the boiler is Replace manhole covers and install new manhole
equipped with a superheater, open the super- gaskets. Replace the gage glass if necessary. Re-
heater drain and vent valves. Recheck the burner, install the prismatic glass if boiler is so equipped.
feed water supply, gage glass, pressure gauge, and Refill the boiler with clean, treated water. If not
the position of all valves. immediately being placed into service, fire the
Start the burner and allow the boiler to warm up boiler until it is heated to at least 180°F. to drive
slowly. When steam vapor is noticed at the boiler off any dissolved gases which might otherwise
vent, close the vent valve. The superheater inlet corrode the metal.
drain valve should also be closed, but the
superheater outlet drain valve should be left open
enough·· to permit continuous cooling of super-
heater tubes. Allow boiler pressure to increase at a
rate. not to exceed 100 psi per hour until pressure
1.) SYSTEM CONTAMINATION
has reached half of normal operating pressure but
not exceeding 150 psi. Keep the burner firing at a Steam and water piping systems connected to the
low rate to maintain this pressure for approx- boiler may contain oil, grease or foreign matter.
imately 6 hours. During the pressure raising and In new systems, the piping usually has an ac-
boiling out period, keep water above the bottom of cumulation of oil, grease and dirt. Old systems
the gauge glass by adding water as required. have an additional hazard in that the piping and
receivers may be heavily limed and full of scale
After completion of the boil out period, add water
as the result of improper water treatment.
slowly until the gauge glass shows full. Blow
down through the continuous blowdown line in These impurities must be prevented from enter-
the steam drum until the water falls to the level ing the boiler. On a steam system the condensate
of the surface blowdown connection. From this should be wasted until tests show the elimination

1-8
Chapter 1 . General Description

of undesirable impurities. During the period that water treatment specialist or company should be
,conjensate is wasted, attention must be given to engaged to a-nalyze the water and prescribe treat-
the treatment of the water used as make up so ment. Their recommendations should be followed
that an accumulation of unwanted materials o~ rigidly to prevent the presence of unwanted solids
corrosion of drums and tubes does not occur. and corrosive gases. Failure to do so will result in
Follow the advice of your water treating com- ever decreasing boiler efficiency as well as shor-
pany. tened useful life.
On a hot water system, chemical cleaning is Objectives of water treatment in general are:
generally necessary and the entire system should
be drained after treatment. Consult water treat- a. Prevention of hard scale deposits or soft
ment companies for recommendations, cleaning sludge type deposits, which impair the rate
compounds and application procedures. of heat transfer and can lead to overheated
If oil, di~t and scale accumulations are permitted metal and costly down time and repairs.
to get into the boiler, it may be necessary to re- b. Elimination of corrosive gases, in supply or
peat the boil out procedure. If this becomes boiler water.
necessary, the same procedure as outlined under
boilout should be followed. c.. Prevention of intercrystalline cracking or
caustic embrittleihent of boiler metal.
The waterside of the pressure vessel must be kept d. Prevention of carryover and foaming.
clean from grease, sludge and foreign material.
Such deposits, if present, will not only shorten the
life of the pressure vessel and interfere with effici- The accomplishment of these objectives generally
ent operation and functioning of control or safety require treatment before and after introduction of
devices, but might quite possibly cause un- water into the boiler.
necessary and expensive re-work, repairs and The selection of pre-treatment processes depends
down time. upon water source, chemical characteristics,
The pressure vessel waterside should be inspected amount of make-up water needed, plant opera-
on a periodic basis. This will reveal true internal ting practices, etc. These treating methods in-
conditions and serve as a check against condi- clude filtering, softening, demineralizing, de-
tions indicated by chemical analysis of the boiler aerating and preheating.
water. Inspection should be made three months After treatment involves the addition of chemi-
after initial starting and at regular 6, 9 or 12 cals to the boiler water. This after treatment is
month intervals thereafter. The frequency of fur- required to compensate for any variations in the
ther periodic inspections will depend upon the in- pre-treatment and pre-boiler system and to
ternal conditions found. assure the ultimate protection of the boiler. Be-
If any unwanted conditions are observed your cause of the variables involved, no one "boiler
water consultant or water treating company compound" can be considered a cure-all, nor is it
should be contacted for recommendations. advisable to experiment with home-made treat-
ing methods. Sound recommendations and their
Any sludge, mud or sediment found will have to
employment should be augmented by periodic
be flushed out. The effectiveness of the blowdown
analysis of the raw water, boiler water and con-
practiced on steam boilers will be verified and
densate.
scheduling or frequency of blowdown may have to
be revised. The need for periodic draining or The internal or waterside surfaces of the pressure
washout will also be indicated. vessel should be inspected with sufficient fre-
quency to determine the presence of any contami-
nation, accumulations of foreign matter, corro-
sion, and/or pitting. If these conditions are de-
G. FEEDWATER SYSTEM tected, the water consultant or feedwater treat-
AND TREATMENT ment company should be consulted for advice on
corrective action.
The subject of water supply and treatment is of
great importance and it cannot adequately be It is advisable to have a properly sized water
covered in this manual. Maximum effectiveness meter installed in the raw water make-up line to
and long trouble-free life of the pressure vessel accurately determine the amoun.t of raw water
are functions of properly treated water. The type admitted to the boiler. This will aid the water
and extent of water treatment is determined by treatment program in maintaining proper water-
the water supply. The services of a reliable boiler_ side conditions.

1-9
Chapter 2 . Operations and Procedures

CHAPTER 2

OPERA TIONS AND PROCEDURES


A. PREPARATION TO INITIAL FIRING
B. FILLING THE BOILER
C. INITIAL FIRING
D. ROUTINE OPERATION AND SHUTDOWN
E. OPERATING PROCEDURES

A. PREPARATION TO INITIAL Safety valves should be inspected externally to


FIRING see that they are free to operate and that their
escape piping and drain piping are open to at-
The operator must be knowledgeable of the mosphere and free to expand without imposing
boiler, the burner and all controls and compo- strain upon the safety valve body. Make sure that
nents and must be competent to operate this any gags used during testing are removed. Ascer-
equipment. The operating conditions of all auxili· tain that discharge piping from the safety valves
ary equipment and instrumentation that serves in and also from all blowdown and drain valves is
the firing and feeding of the boiler should be for- piped to a SAFE point of discharge, so that
mally checked out. Be sure that auxiliary equip- emission of hot water or steam can not possibly
ment not supplied by Cleaver-Brooks is of ade- cause injury to personnel or damage to property.
quate size and pressure to insure proper
Prior to closing drum manholes, make certain
operation.
that all internal fittings are in place and that no
Check for proper voltage, fuses and overloads. tools, gear or personnel remain inside. Make a
Check rotation of all motors by momentarily clos- final check of the fireside area to make sure no
ing the motor starter or relay. Check the reset of tools, construction gear, debris or personnel are
all starters and controls having the manual reset present.
feature. To the extent possible, all operating me-
For safety's sake, make a final and complete pre-
chanisms, valves, and the air damper and drive
startup inspection especially checking fO.r any
should be checked for evidence of operation and
loose or incompleted piping or wiring or any
freedom from binding. Check the settings of all
other situation that might present a hazard.
controls.
Verify fuel supply. Make certain that fuel
pressure is sufficient and that gauges are indi- B. FILLING THE BOILER
cating correctly. Properly set any adjustable limit
on interlock controls. Pretest them for proper Check and close the manual blowoff valves, the
function at set points if feasible. continuous blowdown valves, the gage cocks and
the water column and gage glass drain valves.
Before operating a boiler feed pump or an oil sup-
ply pump, be sure that all valves in the line are Open the upper drum vent valve, the water
open or properly positioned. Be certain that column shutoff valves, if any, the gage glass
pump rotation is correct. If in doubt, remove shutoff valves and the steam pressure gauge
coupling and check motor rotation. Some pumps valve. Open the superheater vent and drain
can be severely damaged by even a momentarily valves.
reversed rotation. Also recheck coupling align- The boiler should be filled with properly treated
ment. feedwater using the bypass feed line. The water
Check out the burner in accordance with pro- should be as close as possible to the metal tem-
cedures given in the burner instruction manuaL perature to prevent excessive temperature

2·1
Chapter 2 - Operations and Procedures

stresses that could cause tube leakage. 70°F. separators ineffective, while too low a level will
minimum water temperature is recommended allow possible overheating of pressure parts. If
unless ambient is considerably higher or lower. the water level is not readily apparent, use the
Fill to a level about two inches above the bottom gage cocks and close inspection to determine the
of the .gage glass. Fill slowly and vent fully to level. If the level is not visible, firing should be
prevent any pressure buildup from the flashing of stopped and the reason for low level determined.
warm water.
The feed water regulator should be cut in when
Blow down the water column and gage glass operating pressure is obtained and the bypass
making sure that the water level returns to the feed line valves closed.
proper level promptly. The gage cocks should also
The operation of the safety valves should be veri-
be operated to verify water level.
fied. This may involve raising the boiler pressure
beyond normal operating setting to actually
determine that valves open and close within the
C. INITIAL FIRING proper limits or it may require the hand lifting of
the valve lever. The judgment and recommenda-
Start the burner following the instructions in the tion of the authorized inspector should determine
burner operating manual. Make sure that com- the method used.
bustion is stable. Check and adjust the burner
and its components as outlined in the burner When boiler pressure has increased to the desired
manual. point, the boiler can be cut into service according
to good operating practice.
The firing rate should be manually controlled
and held in the low fire position until the boiler is
properly warmed. Generally, the control circuit D. ROUTINE OPERATION AND
has a low fire control which will prevent the bur- SHUTDOWN
ner from firing in other than the low fire position,
until the boiler is sufficiently warm. This control Check water level and water supply. Check set-
is usually adjusted to cut in at approximately 50 ting of operating controls and burner equipment.
psi. Start burner and slowly bring boiler up to
The boiler should be brought up to temperature pressure. Observe functions of all controls during
and pressure at a slow and carefully controlled normal operations.
rate. Conditions can vary, however, an accepted Maintain normal water level at all times. This is
rate of water temperature rise for a steam boiler usually 4 inches below steam drum center line.
is approximately 80 to lOO°F. per hour. Gage glasses should be blown down on a regu-
On a superheater equipped boiler, it is imperative larly scheduled basis. Illumination of the glass
that the superheater vent valve be open while the should be provided and any leakage or breakage
steam valve is closed. The flow of steam through of glass should be promptly repaired.
the superheater is essential for the protection of Blow down the boiler at regular intervals on a
the tubes. Refer to the superheater section in this schedule based upon analysis of the water. Make
manual. any necessary adjustments to the con .. nuous
During this period of operation, carefully observe blowdown valve as indicated by a test analysis.
that all components function properly. Be pre- Refer to the blowdown section of this manual.
pared to shut the unit down should a lack of pro- When operating with oil as the fuel, soot blowers
______p~:t'. ...Q.P~:t'atiQILh.eJ:.QJnJLeYjd ent. . _Yis.u.allyob.seLY~ ····-sheul4be..opel'ated-Fegulal'lyto.k~p-gaspa.gsages
combustion conditions for proof that gauges, free from soot and to maintain normal tempera-
meters and other instrumentation are properly tures and efficiency. Refer to the section on soot
reporting conditions. blowing in this manual.
Close the drum vent when steam pressure is 10 to
25 psi. Open any drain or bypass valve in the ROUTINE SHUTDOWN
steam piping, if provided. Refer to superheater
section for information on its vent and drain Operate all soot blowers before taking the unit off
valves. the line, if oil is the fuel being used.
Gradually reduce load and run burner to low fire
Maintain the normal water level at all times.
position.
This is usually 4 inches below the steam drum
center line. Maintain the water level by hand With the burner in low fire position, blow down
feeding or by blowing down as necessary. Too boiler along with the water column gage glass
high a level will cause flooding and render the and the feed water regulator. Turn the burner off

2-2
Chapter 2 - Operations. and Procedures

in accordance with instructions in the burner 2. WATER LEVEL INDICATING SYSTEM


manual. Follow instructions in regard to burner The water level alarm system employs electrodes
shutdown conditions. When shutting down a gas or probes mounted in a water column. These are
fired burner, it is good practice to close the electrically connected to relays in the limit and
manual gas shutoff cock. alarm circuits. The action of the relay depends on
electrode immersions to complete each circuit.
When the boiler falls below line pressure, the See Figure 3-1 and also refer to the wiring dia-
non-return valve should close automatically to
gram provided for the boiler.
isolate the unit from those remaining in service.
On a single installation or if no other boilers are A minimum of 4 circuits is always provided al-
in service, the stop valve should be closed when though individual installations may have addi-
the boiler setting has cooled enough to insure no tional. The four circuits are comprised of two low
pressure build up. When the drum pressure falls water cut-off circuits, a low water alarm circuit,
below 25 psi, open the top drum vent valve. This and a high water alarm circuit.
will prevent a vacuum that can loosen well set Electrodes numbered 1 and 4 serve as low water
gaskets and cause future leaks. cut-offs. Each of these is connected to an indivi-
The boiler should be filled with treated hot water dual relay. A third electrode, identified as C, is a
in preparation for the next start up. Additional common electrode wired to all relays.
water care may be necessary and recommended As long as these three are immersed, the water
by the feed water consultant if the shutdown is level is considered suitable for operation and the
prolonged. relay contacts are closed to complete the limit cir-
During an extended shutdown, the drain valves cuit. Should the water level lower to the point
under the furnace floor and the convection section where these are no longer immersed, the limit cir-
should be opened to permit any leaking water to cuit will be interrupted and the burner will shut
escape. Close valves during operation. down or be prevented from operating.
To assure adequate water level above the cutoff
E. OPERATING PROCEDURES level, a shorter electrode identified as No. 2 is
1. FEED WATER REGULATION AND CONTROL wired to a low water alarm relay. This electrode
The boiler is standardly equipped with a thermo- is normally immersed. Should this electrode be
hydraulic, single element feed water regulator exposed by lowering water level, the alarm horn
which will automatically maintain the proper (AH) will sound and the low water light (LWL)
water level when used with a suitable source of will glow to alert the operator to this condition.
water supply. This protection occurs while the burner is in
operation or when the burner switch is closed in
Refer to the manufacturer's literature, provided
anticipation of operation.
separately, for specific instructions on the feed-
water regulator. The generator portion must be Normally electrode No.3, which is connected to a
properly filled with liquid - either water (pre- high water alarm relay, will not be immersed. If
ferably distilled) or with an anti-freeze solution, the water level reaches the height of this elec-
if conditions require. trode, the relay will be energized to sound the
alarm horn and light the high water light (HWL).
When placing the boiler into service, the drum
level must be maintained manually until the An alarm test switch (A TS) is provided to simu-
boiler has reached operating pressure. Manual late alarm conditions when depressed so that a
control is accomplished through the manual check may be made to determine that the alarm
operation of the bypass valve orby locking the signal devices are in working order without
regulator valve open with its hand jack lever and disturbing burner operation.
throttling the adjacent hand valve to keep the
drum water level in the center of the gage glass. The need to periodically check water level con-
trols and the waterside of the pressure vessel can-
To switch from manual to automatic operation, not be overemphasized. Most instances of major
release the regulator valve hand jack and open damage are the result of operating with low
wide the hand valve ahead of the regulator valve. water or the use of untreated (or incorrectly)
If the regulator fails to maintain proper water treated water.
level during normal operation, refer to the manu- Low water cut-off devices are generally set by the
facturer's instructions for corrective adjustment. original manufacturer and no attempt should be
The regulator and water column are factory made to adjust these controls to- alter the point of
piped at the proper levels and generally need no low water cutoff. If a low water device should be-
alteration. ' come erratic in operation or if its setting changes

2-3
Chapter 2 - Operations and Procedures

from previous established levels check for reasons This visual knowledge of the water level is one of
and correct: repair and replace device as the most important operating guides available to
required. the operator. The importance of frequent ob-
Figure ~l is a replica of the low water cut-off servation of the water level cannot be over-
plate attached to a steam boiler. The instructions emphasized.
should be followed on a definite planned Keep the gage glass clean and properly lighted
schedule. These controls normally function for for good visibility. Refer to the operating and
long periods of time which may lead to laxity in maintenance section of this manual for blowdown
testing on the assumption that normal operation test procedures and replacement.
will continue indefinitely_
Operate the gage cocks regularly to insure their
If the boiler is equipped with a float type water being satisfactory for emergency service.
column or an auxiliary low water cut-off, the
head mechanism should be removed from the The normal water level in a Cleaver-Brooks
bowl at least once a month to check and clean the Watertube Boiler is 4" below the center of the
float ball, the internal moving parts, and the steam drum. This level is indicated at the mid
bowL point of the gage glass.
Periodically remove the pipe plugs from the tees The low water alarm probe is usually positioned
or crosses to make certain the cross connecting to be energized should water fall approximately
piping is clean and free of obstructions_ Controls 5" below normaL The alarm signal will alert the
must be mounted in a vertical position for proper operator of this condition.
performance. Determine that piping is vertically Should water level fall to approximately to 1/2"
aligned after shipment and installation and visibility in the gage glass, the low water cut off
throughout life of equipment. probe will be exposed and will act to shut down
A scheduled blow down of the water controls the burner.
should be maintained. The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
requires that the lowest visible point of the water
glass shall be at least 2" above the lowest per-
WARNING missible water level. This is the point at which
SAFE OPERATION OF YOUR BOILER DEMANDS PERIODIC there will be no danger of overheating any part of
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL lOW WATER the boiler when operation is at that level.
CUT -OFF DEVICES. INSPECT THEM AT LEAST ONCE A
MONTH. PROPER OPERATION SHOULD BE CHECKED PRE-
QUENTLY BY CLOSING FEED WATER VALVE WITH BOILER CAUTION: In the event the burner is firing at
IN OPERATION AND ALLOWING WATER LEVEL TO OROI' any time that water is not visible in the water
AT A NORMAL RATE. IF CONTROLS UNDER TEST 00 NOT gage glass, immediately turn the burner off
CUT OFF BURNER AT PROPER SAFE WATER LEVEL OR manually. DO NOT TURN ON THE WATER
ARE SEEN TO BE IN POOR PHYSICAL CONDITION, REPAIR
FEED LINE.
OR REPLACE AT ONCE. MUD AND SEDIMENT ACCUMA-
LATIONS IN THE GAGE GLASS, WATER COLUMN, AND
AUXILIARY LOW WATER CONTROLS SHOULD BE ELIM- DO NOT OPEN THE SAFETY VALVE. Let the
,-INATED BY PROPER BLOWDOWN PROCEDURE. ~ boiler cool until a drum is at hand touch tem-
perature. Then add water to a height of 1" in the
FIGURE 2-1 LOW WATER CUT-OFF PLATE gage glass. DO NOT PUT THE BOILER BACK
INTO SERVICE UNTIL THE CONDITION
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOW WATER HAS
BEEN IDENTIFIED AND CORRECTED. Do
3. THE WATER COLUMN not attempt to put the boiler back into operation
if there is evidence of overheated metal, or even
In addition to the probes described in the pre- suspected damage, until a thorough inspection
vious section, the water column also contains the and/or repairs have been made_
equipment to provide the operator with visual Check the water gage on a regular basis. A
knowledge of the water leveL weekly frequency is suggested. The check should
The gage glass attached to the side of the column be made when there is steam pressure in the
is used to visually check the boiler water leveL boiler. Close the lower gage glass valve, then
The trycocks can be used to check the accuracy of open the drain cock on the bottom of the valve
the gage glass levels. The gage cocks provide a and blow the glass clear. Close the drain valve
means of isolating the gage glass in the event of and open the lower gage glass valve. Water
the breakage or replacement. should return to the gage glass immediately_ If

2-4
Chapter 2 - Operations and Procedures

water return is sluggish, leave the lower gage possibility of overheating the boiler metal. The
glass open and close the upper gage glass valve. result can be tube failures or other pressure
Then open the drain valve and allow water to vessel metal damage causing costly repairs and
flow until it runs clear. Close the drain valve and downtime. Deposits of sludge on heating surfaces
repeat the first test with the lower gage glass will have the same detrimental effect.
valve closed.
There are two principal types of blowdown; in-
If leaks appear around the water gage glass or fit- termittent and continuous. Intermittent, or
tings, correct the leaks at once. Steam leaks may sludge, is done manually and is necessary for the
result in a false water line and may also damage operation of the boiler regardless of whether or
fittings. not continuous blowdown is employed. Continu-
ous blowdown is, as the name implies, a continu-
The handles on the gage glass cocks must be in-
ous and automatic removal of concentrated
stalled on the valve stems so that their position
water.
indicates whether the valve is open or closed. The
operating chaifi on the right hand side of the
levers should be snug between levers so that both Manual Slowdown
valves will be closed tight when the chain is The manual blowdown valve and discharge lines
pulled from below. are located at the bottom or low point of a boiler
so that in addition to lowering the dissolved
4. SLOWDOWN solids in the boiler water, a portion of sludge
which might accumulate in the lower part of a
Boiler water blowdown is the removal of some of pressure vessel can also be removed. This opening
the concentrated water from the pressure vessel also provides a means of draining the boiler when
while it is under pressure. The removed water it is not under pressure.
containing suspended solids and dissolved solids
is replaced with relatively' pure feedwater so that When continuous blow down is utilized, manual
a lowering of the concentration occurs. blowdown is primarily used to remove suspended
solids or sludge that may have accumulated in
Solids are brought in with the feedwater even the area. When continuous blowdown is not
though this water is treated prior to use through utilized, manual blowdown is used to control the
external processes designed to remove the un- concentration of dissolved or suspended solids in
wanted substances which contribute to scale and addition to the sludge.
deposit formations. Regardless of their high ef-
ficiency, none of these processes in themselves are In practice, the valves of the bottom blowdown
capable of removing all substances and a small are opened periodically in accordance with an
amount of encrusting solids will be present in the operating schedule and/or chemical control test.
boiler water. The blowdown amount and schedule should be
recommended by a water treating company or a
The solids become less soluble in the high tem- water consultant. It is generally recommended
perature of the boiler water and as the water that a steam boiler be blown down at least once
boils off as relatively pure steam, the remaining in every eight hour period. In cases where the
water becomes thicker with either suspended feed water is exceptionally pure, blowdown may
solids or dissolved solids. be employed less frequently since less sludge ac-
Internal chemical treatment, based on water cumulates in the pressure vessel.
analysis, is used primarily to precipitate many of From the standpoint of control, economy, and re-
the solids and to maintain them as "sludge" in a sults, frequent short blows are preferred to infre-
fluid form. This sludge along with suspended quentlengthy blows. This is particularly true
solids that may be present must be removed by when the suspended solids content of the water is
the blow down process. high. With the use of frequent short blows, a more
If the concentration of solids is not lowered uniform concentration of the pressure vessel
through blow down but rather accumulates, foam- water is maintained. Blowing down is most ef-
ing and priming will occur along with scale and fective at a time when the generation of steam is
other harmful deposits. at the lowest rate since the feed water input then
is also low, providing a minimum dilution of the
The scale forming salts tend to concentrate and
boiler water with low concentration feedwater.
crystalize on the heating surfaces. Scale has a low
heat transfer value. It acts as an insulation Make sure that blowoff piping, and tank if used,
barrier and retards the transfer. This not only re- are in proper operating condition, all discharge
sults in low operating efficiency and consequently vents clear of obstruction and that waste is piped
higher fuel consumption, but also presents the to point of safe discharge.

2-5
Chapter 2 . Operations and Procedures

It is recommended that the blowdown valve near- solids, The amount of 'blowdown depends upon
est the boiler be opened first and closed last, with the rate of evaporation and the amount of siudge
blowing down being accomplished by the valve forming material in the feedwater.
furthest from the boiler. The sequence of opera-
Periodic. adjustments are made to the valve set-
tion oncs established should provide that the
ting to increase or decrease the amount of blow-
valve last opened should be the first closed so
down in accordance with a test a·nalysis.
that the other valve is saved from throttling ser-
vice to insure a tight closing. Internal inspection is the only true indication of
the effectiveness of water treatment and presence
Th~ downstream valve should be cracked slightly
of unwanted solids.
to allow the discharge line to warm up, after
which this valve is opened slowly. Quickly close
the valve, and if necessary, repeat this opening 5. SOOT BLOWING
and closing.
Close the downstream valve tightly, then close Systematic soot blowing should be included as a
the valve next to the boiler. Slightly crack open regular feature in the operation of any oil burn-
the downstream valve, then close it tightly. The ing watertube steam boiler. The frequency and
frequency and amount of each blow should be amount of cleaning will depend upon operating
determined by actual water analysis. It is advis- conditions, grade of fuel and burner adjustment.
able that blowdown does not exceed the necessary Experience will dictate the length of cleaning and
amount since it involves heat losses and, if ex- the interval between.
cessive, wastes treatment chemicals. The following guidelines should be observed.
The water level should be observed during The soot blower must be operated only when the
periods of blowdown. If the glass cannot be burner is firing at a rate of 70% or higher, Place
viewed by the party operating the valve, another the burner under manual operation, if necessary,
operator shou.ld watch the glass and direct the to 'hola the boiler at near maximum firing rate
valve operator. The blowoff valves should never despite load variations.
be left open and the operator should never leave
until the blowdown operation is completed and
the valves closed. Be sure the valves are shut
tight. Repair any leaking valves as soon as Operating at low loads should never be at-
possible. tempted because of the possible hazards involved.
It is important to have all areas of the gas passes
Continuous Blowdown thoroughly swept by utilizing maximum flue gas
The boiler is equipped with an internal continu- flow to purge any combustible material from
ous blowdown pipe and an external stop valve. pockets where it may collect. Cleaning operations
during a low firing rate may produce unfavorable
Th.e collector pipe is located several inches below
the low water level at a point where the most con- conditions that could interrupt combustion.
centrated water is found.
Prior to blowing, the drain valve in the steam line
A controlled orifice valve is used in the discharge to the soot.blower should be opened. Then open
pipe to allow continual, yet controlled, flow of the steam shut-off valve slowly and vent steam
concentrated water. This removes sediment and for approximately five minutes to insure that no
oil from the surface of the water along with the water is present in the steam line and to warm
prescribed amount of dissolved solids .. the piping. -Close the vent valve.and begin rotat-
·-~-tn-'a····boileri:hat-\)perates·-continuoustr-at· full··
...._ing...the~.elem.eD.t .._........
load, there is little chance for separation of Rotate with a steady pull on the chain wheel and
sludge in the lower drum because of the rapid be sure to keep rotating whenever steam is issu-
boiler water circulation. Thus, blowoff from the ing from the nozzles.
lower part of the unit may not result in the proper
The amount of cleaning, or number of times the
elimination of suspended solids. The use, how-
element is rotated, can be governed by observing
ever, of the continuous blowdown does not pre-
exit temperature or stack discharge.
clude the regular use of the bottom or inter-
.niittent manual blowdown. A generally recommended pract.ice is to op~rate
all soot blowers prior to taking a boiler off line.
The amount of water lost through a continuous
surface blowdown is usually considerably less At the conclusion of blowing, close the steam
than the water lost through bottom blowoff in or- header valVE!. The factory installed drain valve
der to remove a given amount of suspended has a small·hole drilled in its gate to allow escape

2-6
Chapter 2 - Operations ·and Procedures

of steam and condensate. If the drain valve wall When boiler pressure reaches 15 to 25 psi, close
provided by others, open it to drain the line. the drain valve but leave the vent valve wide
open. A tendency may exist to throttle the vent
The blowing pressure is adjustable and should be
set in a range of 80 to 150 psi. Refer to the manu- valve in order to save steam or to raise pressure
facturer's bulletin for instructions on pressure ad- at a faster rate. While this is not without some
justment. advantage, it is more desirable to protect the
superheater by leaving the vent valve open until
Maintenance: the boiler is on the line and with a definite (not
less than 10%) flow of steam into the system.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for A steam temperature recorder or thermometer
lubrication of the gears and head. Keep the pack- should be installed on the upstream side of the
ing glands just tight enough to prevent leakage, vent valve and as close to the outlet of the super-
but do not overtighten. Also examine to the ex- heater as practical. Temperatures taken at a
tent possible the external surfaces of the tubes more remote point may not provide true super-
adjacent to the element nozzles for any signs of heater temperature readings. Steam flow tem-
abrasion possibly caused by movement of the ele- perature at this point can then be a fairly ac-
ment due to distortion or shifting. curate temperature indicator of the superheater
Air, taken from the blower discharge, is piped to tube metal and the rate of firing can be con-
the head so that it and the element are suffici- trolled within a safe range. The temperature
ently pressurized to prevent the backup of com- should increase gradually and should, in general,
bustion gases from the pressurized furnace. be well below the maximum temperature for
Periodically check the condition of the airline to which the superheater was designed. Tempera-
make sure there are no obstructions or loose con- tures approaching this maximum will indicate
nections. Also, inspect the air check valve on the that the firing rate is too high. In this event, the
head for free operation. firing rate should be decreased or stopped alto-
gether.
6. SUPERHEATER An accepted rate of boiler water temperature rise
for a steam boiler is approximately 80°F. per
General hour. The protection of the superheater is the pri-
Correct operational procedures must be followed mary factor controlling the time required for
during the starting up and shutting down of a placing the boiler into service.
boiler equipped with a superheater to prevent
damage from occurring to the superheater tubes. Normal Operation
It is essential that definite procedures be
During normal operation, the superheater re-
established and followed by all operators.
quires no special safeguards other than the main-
tenance of the conditions for which it was
Start-up designed.
A moderate firing rate (generally about 10% of When firing on oil, use the soot blower on a regu-
maximum) must be used during start-up and dur- larly scheduled basis to keep the superheater sur-
ing the warming up of a cold boiler and super- faces free of soot or other deposits. Periodically
heater. The addition of heat too rapidly may in- check for effectiveness and also on the alignment
crease the superheater metal temperature to a of the steam jets.
point where it will oxidize or "burn". The control .. J'h~ !!!lperl1~A!~r..ha!l~a!!aJl:!ty. YaJYI:! th.1ij;i!l..!!~t to
. system~generarryiiiaudesa-rowfire~pressure con- open at a lower pressure than the boiler safety
trol that limits the burner to low fire operation valves. In the event of excessive steam pressure,
until the boiler pressure reaches approximately this valve will open first so that steam from the
one-third operating pressure (or approx. 50 psi). boiler will continue to flow through the super-
When starting the boiler, the superheater vent heater tubes. If the boiler pressure is not dissi-
valve must be opened until the non-return valve pated or the fire reduced, the boiler safety valves
is opened and steam flow through the system is will then open.
established. This keeps steam flowing through the
Shutting Down
superheater tubes. It is imperative that a positive
flow of steam be maintained whenever the super- During the shutting down operation, it is also
heater is subjected to heat. The heat absorbed by necessary to maintain steam flow through the
the superheater must be carried away at the same superheater. The vent valve should be opened as
rate that is transmitted to the tubes. the boiler is taken off the line. The drain valve

2-7
Chapter 2 . Operations and Procedures

should I:emain closed. An acceptable practice is to If the boiler is removed from service, open all
open the vent valve fully when the boiler is first drain valves to drain water caused by condensa-
taken off the line and then to close it in gradual tion. The superheater should be visually
steps as furnace temperature decreases. The examined during the annual inspection and, if
amount 'Of valve opening can be based on the possible, during other down periods. Check the in-
temperature of the steam indicated by the ternal surfaces for scale, corrosion, also for
thermometer in the superheater outlet. evidence of leaks or overheating. Replace the
When the furnace is cool, the valve may be gaskets in the header handholes. Make sure that
gasket seating surfaces are clean.
closed. In some multiple unit installations, the
boiler may be kept on standby service with ·its
water kept hot through introd!lction of steam If the boiler is to be idle for any length of time,
from another unit and in this event, the vent follow the instructions in this manual pertaining
valve should rem'ain open. to the care and protection of idle boilers.

2-8
Chapter 3 . Maintenance

CHAPTER 3

MAINTENANCE
A. GENERAL
WATERSIDE INSPECTION
FIRESIDE INSPECTION
B. PRESSURE VESSEL CARE AND REPAIRS
C. TUBE CLEANING
MECHANICAL TUBE CLEANING
CHEMICAL CLEANING
D. WATER COLUMN
PROBE INSTALLATION
GAUGE GLASS OR PRISMATIC INSERT
E. SAFETY V ALVES
F. CARE AND PROTECTION OF IDLE BOILERS

A. GENERAL tive action that may prevent excessive repairs or


unexpected down time. A steam, water, or fuel
A well planned maintenance program avoids un- leak should be repaired as soon as possible. They
necessary down time or costly repairs, promotes are wasteful as well as hazardous.
safety and aids boiler code and local inspectors.
An inspection schedule listing the procedures Always be sure of the boiler water level. The
should be established. It is recommended that a water column should be blown down at least once
boiler room log or record be maintained, re- each eight hour shift. Check samples of boiler
cording the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly water and condensate in accordance with pro-
maintenance activities. This provides a valuable cedures recommended by your water consultant.
guide and aids in obtaining economies and length Daily maintenance should include a check of the
of service from the boiler. burner operation, including fuel pressure, atomiz-
Even though the boiler has electrical and me- ing air or steam pressure, visual appearance, etc.
chanical devices that make it automatic or semi- Clean the observation ports during periods of low
automatic in operation, these devices require fire or shutdown.
systematic and periodic maintenance. Any "auto- Maintain a daily schedule of soot blowing and in-
matic" features do not relieve the operator from termittent blowdown. Refer to previous sections
responsibility, but rather free him from certain for additional information.
repetitive· chores, providing him time to devote to
upkeep and maintenance.
WATERSIDE INSPECTION
Good housekeeping helps maintain a professional
appearing boiler room. Only trained and Insurance regulations or local laws will require a
authorized personnel should be permitted to periodic inspection of the pressure vessel by an
operate, adjust, or repair the boiler and its re- authorized inspector. Sufficient notice is
lated equipment. The boiler room should be kept generally given to permit removal of the boiler
free of all material and equipment not necessary from service and preparation for inspection.
to the operation of the boiler or heating system. Inspections of thi.s type are usually, though not
Alertness in recognizing an unusual noise, im- necessarily, scheduled for periods of normal
proper gauge readings, leaks, signs of over-heat- boiler down time 'such as an off season. This
ing, etc., can make the operator aware of a de- major inspection can often be used to accomplish
veloping malfunction, permitting prompt correc- maintenance, replacements or repairs that cannot

3-1
Chapter 3 - Maintenance

easily be done at other times. This also serves as ends, fittings' and any previous repairs can be
a good basis for establishing a schedule for an- readily cMcked.
nual, monthly or other periodic maintenance
programs. Be sure that steam valves, system valves, (hot
water) feedwater valves, blow-off valves, all fuel
While this inspection pertains primarily to the valves, valves to expansion tanks, and electrical
waterside and fireside surfaces of the pressure switches are shut off'prior to opening the drums or
vessel, it provides the operator an excellent op- the combustion area. Adequately vent the presslJ,re
portunity for detailed inspection and check of all vessel prior to entry. Flashlights rather than ex-
components of the boiler including piping, valves, tension cords are recommended as a safety factor.
pumps, gaskets, refractory, etc. Comprehensive Cleaners should preferably work in pairs. Always
cleaning, spot painting or re-painting and the re- have one man standing by outside when a man is
placement ofexpendable items should be planned working inside a boiler.
for and taken care of during this time. Any major Clean out the low water cut-off piping, the water
repairs or replacements that may be required level controls and cross connecting piping. Re-
should also if possible be coordinated with this place water gage glass and clean out water cocks
period of boiler shutdown.
and tri-cocks. Also check and clean drain and
Replacement spare parts, if not on hand, should blowdown valves and piping.
be ordered sufficiently prior to shutdown. Check all water and steam piping and valves for
When shutting down, the load should be reduced leaks, wear, corrosion and other damage. Replace
gradually and the pressure vessel cooled at a rate or repair as required.
that avoids damaging temperature differential If any deposits are noted during these inspections,
that can cause harmful stresses. Vessels should they should be flushed out with a high pressure
not normally be drained until all pressure is re- hose. If they are not thoroughly removed by flush-
lieved and water temperature is less than 120°F. - ing, this may require immediate consultation
again to prevent uneven contraction and tem- with your water treatment representative. In a
perature differentials that can cause expanded few cases, it may be necessary to resort to acid
tubes to leak. Draining the unit too quickly may cleaning. Professional advice is definitely re-
cause the baking of deposits that may be present commended should acid cleaning be required.
on the heating surfaces. Some heat, however, may
be desirable to dry out the interior of the boiler. The effectiveness of treatment, water conditions
and the amount of fresh water makeup required
If the internal inspection is being made at the re- are all factors to be considered in establishing
quest of an authorized inspector, it is well to frequency of future pressure vessel inspections.
learn from him whether he desires to observe the The feedwater consultant or water treatment
conditions prior to cleaning or flushing of water- companies service should include periodic
side surfaces. pressure vessel inspection and water re-analysis.
Be certain that a supply of manhole gaskets is
available along with any other gaskets or items FIRESIDE INSPECTION
needed to place the unit back into operation after
inspection. An internal, or fireside, inspection should be
made at least semi-annually and oftener if pos-
Have availabl€"'information on the boiler design, sible. Wire brush or sweep away any deposits that
dimensions, generating capacity, operating might be present in the furnace area. If excessive
pressure ox temperature; time in serviBe, defects soot or any signs or corrosion are evident,prompt
found previously and any repairs or modifi- co:n:ective action must be taken. Combustion ad-
cations. Also have available for reference records justments should be made to prevent further oc-
of pr.evious inspections. currences. Poor combustion contributes to a dirty
Be prepaKed to perform any testing required by boiler, adds hazards and wastes fuel.
the inspector including hydrostatic. Check the condition of all the refractory. Parti-
After proper cooling and draining of vessel, flush cularly check the expansion joints in the fmnt
out the waterside with a high pressure water and rear walls, the seals at the corners and the
hose. Remove any scale or deposits from the throat tile. Patch and repair as required.
waterside surfaces and check for internal or ex- Frequent wash coating of refractory surfaces is
ternal corrosion and leakage. recommended. Use high temperature bonding,
The fireside surfaces should also be thoroughly air-dry type mortar diluted with water, to the
cleaned so that metal surfaces, welds, joints, tube consistency of light cream, for this purpose. This

3-2
Chapter 3 - Maintenance

will seal small cracks and prolong the life of the If small leaks occur, locate their source and. re-
refractory. Any large cracks should be cleaned pair them as quickly as possible. Leaking man-
out and filled with mortar. holes and handholes should be corrected promp-
The breeching and stack should be inspected tly. Gasket sealing surfaces should be cleaned
periodically and cleaned if necessary. Also in- thoroughly to provide a tight seal.
spect the stack for -any signs of damage. In the event of a serious leak or a tube failure,
The fireside should be thoroughly cleaned prior shut down the burner and the supply of feed-
to any extended lay-up of the boiler.' Depending water. When steam pressure has dropped to zero,
upon circumstances a protective coating may be continue the cooling process in the normal man-
ner. Then conduct a thorough inspection to deter-
required. See the section on storage.
mine the extent of damage.
No repair of any type is to be made until pressure
is removed from the boiler. Observe all safety pre-
cautions before entering the boiler for inspection
B. PRESSURE VESSEL CARE or repairs. This includes securing the burner and
AND REPAIR positive action in insuring all valves in lines to
and from the boiler are closed and remain closed.
A well maintained and operated boiler with pro- Minor or leaking repairs may be handled by
perly treated water will require a minimum of re- authorized and experienced personnel. Any re-
pairs. Periodic inspection of the pressure vessel pairs beyond this must have the approval of an
will reveal its' condition, oftentimes permitting authorized inspector. His recommendations and
corrective action designed to prevent failure of advice must be followed. If welding is required,
some portion of the boiler. the welder must be certified to do the work.
Corrosion and erosion, or a combination of both,
Boiler tubes are secured in the boiler drums by
are a chief cause of tube failure. Corrosion is a
rolling or expanding to a tight fit. In the correction
chemical action occurring inside or outside the of any leak, it is imperative that rerolliJ;lg of the
tube wall. Internal corrosion appears as pitting leaking tube be done only be experienced person-
or a general failing of the tube walL Pitting oc- nel. Inexperienced operators tend to overroll the
curs when there is free oxygen in the water where- tube, thus thinning the joint and making it
as general thinning indicates an acid condition in difficult to tighten under any circumstances. When
the boiler water. External corrosion is very likely seal welding is employed, a light rerolling should
to occur when a full boiler covered with soot lies be made after welding.
idle. Most soot contains some percentage of sulfur
which in the presence of moisture from condensa-
tion forms a highly corrosive acid.
Erosion takes place when considerable quantities C. TUBE CLEANING
of fine particles are driven at high velocity
against the outside surfaces of the tubes. Erosion 1. MECHANICAL TUBE CLEANING
may also be caused by soot blowers if nozzles are
The mechanical method of cleaning water tubes,
not kept in proper alignment.
referred to as turbining or punching, is ac-
Over-heating also contributes to damage. This complished through the use of motor driven ro-
usually occurs when a tube is heated to a tem- tary cutting tools and brushes. The necessity for
perature which reduces its tensile strength. The and frequency of this type of cleaning is deter-
weaker walls then rupture under normal opera- mined by an internal inspection. The type of de-
ting pressure. The chief cause of over-heating is posits will determine the ne-ed Jor using cutting or
scale on the water side of the tubes. Scale is a scraping tools and a brush 01' a' brush only. Air
poor conductor of heat and the cooling ability of driven tools are most commonly used although
the boiler water is lessened: Low water is another water driven tools are also employed. Steam
cause of over-heating since circulation of water is driven and electric driven tools are used infre-
impaired and the tube is starved of water. An oily quently. Cleaning tools furnished by or obtained
film also acts as an insulator permitting over- from Cleaver-Brooks are selected for the size of
heating. Any sign of oil in the boiler should be the boiler tubes and for their ability to negotiate
considered serious and prompt action taken to the bends of 'the tubes.
remove it.
The mecnanical cleaning of tubes and the use of
Over-loading a boiler to produce more steam these tools should be 9,one by experienced opera-
than intende'd by its design.will also shorten the tors or at least under their supervision. There are
boiler life, with the tubes being first to suffer. companies who specialize in cleaning and their

3-3
Chapter 3 . Maint.enance

experience and equipment will quite often justify 2. Don't let the cleaning tool run out of the end
their employment. of the tube - you'll damage it. A good prac-
This work is generally done from within the up- tice is to mark the operating hose with tape or
per drum, working the tool down through the other visible marking to indicate exa-ct length
tubes so that debris falls into the lower drum of tube.
from. where it can be collected and removed. The 3. Keep the motor running when pulling it back
baffle plates in the upper drum will have to be reo through the tube.
moved -for access to the tubes.
4. Shut off the air and stop the motor before tak-
There are several general operating suggestions ing it out of the tube.
that should be followed as good operating prac-
5. If cleaning tool jams in deposit, pull motor
tices:
back gently to release it. CO.ntiriue cleaning.
a) Start the cleaner rotating in the tube and
6. If motor functions improperly, it is probably
l1ass it slowly and uniformly through at ap-
due to faulty lubrication or dirt in the air-line.
proximately two to three feet per minute.
Take motor apart and clean all parts, includ-
b) Do not allow cleaner to protrude from the
ing the rotor blades, with kerosene.
tube while under power. This can be danger-
ous to personnel and damaging to equip-
ment. LUBRICATION:
c) Care should be taken not to allow the L To lubricate the motor, use one part Wilsolube
cleaner-.to stop in anyone position in the No. 9047 oil to two parts kerosene.
tube.
d) Keep working tools in good condition. 2. The needle valve on the automatic lubricator
e) If electrical driven tools are used, be sure controls the feed of oil to the motor. Feed 10 to
they are properly grounded. 20 drops per minute depending on the size of
cleaner. This small amount of oil will not coat
The following specific operating instructions are the tubes. It will be absorbed and blown out
provided by Thomas C. Wilson, mc. - Manu- with the debris .
•facturer of tube cleaning equipment.
3. If you do not have an automatic lubricator use
OPERATING I~STRUCtIONS FOR AIR DRIVEN an oil can to apply a few drops of oil into the
CLEANER exhaust ports of the motor. Turn the motor by
hand to distribute the oil and then blowout
RECOMMENDE·D OPERATING AIR PRESSURE motor before inserting into the tube.
90 PSI. MAY BE OPERATED AT 60 TO 100 PSI. 4. KEEP MOTOR LUBRICATED.

HOW TO SET ~UP THE TUBE CLEANER: HOW TO PREVENT RUST AND CORROSION IN
L Blowout air line before attaching operating STORAGE:
hose in order to remove all dirt, rust, or other 1. Before storing your tube cleaner, clean and oil
foreigp- matter. it thoroughly with machine oil to prevent
2. Attach automatic lubricator (if included in rusting.
your equipment) to air outlet. Connect hose. 2. The best method of storing straight tube
3. Blowout the air-line and hose again. motors is to keep them in oil.
4. Connect the tube-cleaner air v?lve (if included 3. Curved tube motors, - suspend the motor in
in your equipment) to the hose. 011 keeping the hose piece above the level of
the oil as the hose piece will not stand pro-
5. Attach motor, making sure connections are longed immersion in oil.
wrench-tight - buf not jammed - to prevent
air leakage.
6. Using wrench supplied with equipment, screw OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR
WATER DRIVEN CLEANER
universal joint or flexible holder to motor.
The operation of the water driven cleaner is
7. Attach the cleaning .or brushing tool.
essentially the same as the air driven type with
HOW TO OPERATE -T~E TUBE CLEANER: the following changes or instructions:
L Insert the cleaning tool into the tube, then 1. The water line from the pump to the hose con-
open the air valve and feed the motor into the nection should be larger than the hqse fur-
tube slowly enough to properly clean the tube. nished with the water motor: If the water sup'"

3-4
Chapter 3. - Maintenance

ply is not free of sediment, be sure to use an rubber packing. Do not use "loose packmg
adequate strainer. which could be forced below the glass and pos-
2. Motors should be operated at pressures of 125 sibly plug the valve opening.
to 175 lbs. psi. Consumption will vary from 20 Close the valves when replacing the glass. Slip a
to 30 gpm depending upon motor size and packing nut, a packing washer, and packing ring
operating pressure. onto each end of the glass. Insert one end of the
3. The water acts as a lubricant, therefore no glass into the upper gage valve body far enough
lubrication is necessary. to allow the lower end to be dropped into the
4. After using, it is a good policy to disassemble lower body. Slide the packing nuts onto each
motor, thoroughly clean and dry, oil and store
valve and tighten. See Figure 3-2.
in a dry place.
If the glass is replaced while the boiler is in ser-
vice, open the blowdown and slowly bring the
2. CHEMICAL CLEANING glass to operating temperature by cracking the
gage valves slightly. After glass is warmed up,
Should. a waterside inspection reveal a deposit close the blow down valve and open the gage
build-up that cannot be fully removed by flushing
valves completely.
or mechanical means, it may be necessary to
clean with chemicals (acid). Professional advice If the water c.olumn is equipped with a prismatic
is recommended. There are specialist companies gage insert, it should be inspected for leakage af-
equipped to provide complete chemical cleaning ter it has been placed in service. When thoroughly
service. Your feedwater consultant should be con- heated, expansion of the metal parts causes the
tacted and be aware of the situation. bolting pressure to ease somewhat and if leakage
is apparent, it is advisable to go over to the bolts
and tighten them lightly and evenly to prevent
further leakage. See Figure 3-3.
D. WATER COLUMN
To clean or replace the prismatic glass, remove
1. PROBE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS the insert from the gage valves. Thoroughly clean
the gasket seat surface after the old glass and
Thread electrode probe into holder finger tight. gaskets have been removed. The surface must be
Lock in place using a wrench on lower hex and smooth and free from scratches to prevent shat-
another on the lock nut. Do not use a wrench on tering the replacement glass.
the upper hex while installing the probe.
See Figure 3-1. . The inner gasket and the glass should be placed
centrally on the insert body. Be careful that they
Clean the female threads in the water column remain correctly located when the outer or
plate. If they require chasing, use a 3/8" SAE cushion gasket and cover plate are placed in posi-
DRY SEAL (PTF) tap. Do not use a standard tion. Put all the clamps, washers, and nuts
3/8" NPT tap. Teflon tape or a small amount of loosely on the studs. Finger tighten all of the nuts
pipe dope may be used on the male threads. Use a first. Then starting from the center pair of nuts,
13/16" deep socket wrench on upper hex to tighten in alternate pairs towards either end.
tighten electrode holder. Take care not to crack Tighten each nut about one sixth revolution at a
the insulator. time. Go over the nuts enough times to draw them
all up to 35 to 40 foot pounds of torque.
When attaching the wire lug use proper wrenches
on both lug nuts so that no torque is applied to After mounting the insert in the valves, open the
the electrode holder. Do not use a knurled nut or blowdown valve and slowly bring the glass up to
10ck washer. operating temperature by· cracking the stea.m
valve slightly to allow a small amount of steam
to heat the insert. When thoroughly heated, close
2. THE GAGE GLASS OR PRISMATIC the blowdown valve and open both steam and
GAGE INSERT water valves. .
When a tubular glass is used, it is imperative that Figures and gauge replacement information cour-
the gage cocks are mounted in exact alignment. If tesy of the Clark Reliance Corporation.
they are not, the glass will be strained and may
fail prematurely.
A broken or discolored glass should be replaced E. SAFETY VALVES
at once. Periodic replacement should be a part of
the maintenance program. Always use new The safety valve is a very important safety device
gaskets when replacing a glass. Use a proper size on the boiler and deserves attention accordingly.

3-5
Chapter 3 - Maintenance

PLUGGED TAPPINGS FOR


OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT
LOW WATER HIGH WATER ALARM
FUEL CUTOFF *~~9--~~-
LOW WATER.
ALARM
~~~'-~__(..LLOW WATER
FUEL CUTOFF
873-96
ELECTRODE
--- ~

13/16" UPPER HEX-1~~~iit~~


[iT
(!)~
-~
e,..:(
• ...1 ~
...I I'I u....:( ~ TOP HEAD OF WATER
W w~ ..:(
II) u.: >
w ~w ...I COLUMN BODY
u.. W ...I = .... ..:(
u.. ~ ~..:( ~
0 ,... 3:: w
....
:::l
=
~
~
w
.....
"
....
U N ..:( ..:( 3/8" LOWER HEX
~~ 3:: 3::
w Z ...I 3::
.... ~
..:(~
..:( 0 1/4" - 20 NUT
3::0
~
~
:d.
3:: u 0
Z
u.:
w 1/4" DIA. ELECTRODE
0-
~
...10
=
-:..:(
NZ

1L
,...
~

w
~

=
O.
N

Distance
Elec Wire Top of Plote to
Function
No. Term. Tip of Electrode
1 A Low Water Fuel Cut-off' !18·3{8" i 67-243 20"
2 E Low Water Alarm i 15·5/8"; 67-242 17-1/4"
3 0 High Water Alarm 5·3{8" ! 67-241 7-1/4"
4 B Low Water Fuel Cut-off 118·3/8" ! 67-243 20"
C C Common .18·3/8" I 67-243 20"

FIGURE 3-1 STANDARD WATER COLUMN ASSEMBLY

MALLEABLE IRON
CLAMPS

PRISMATIC MACHINE
GLASS GLASS
PACKING BOLTS

(jASKETS

CROSS SECTION
BEFORE TIGHTENING
FIGURE 3-2 FIGURE 3-3
TUBULAR GAGE GLASS PRISMATIC GAGE INSERTS
3-6
Chapter 3 - Ma.intenance

The purpose of the valve(s) is to prevent pressure Follow the recommendations of your Boiler In-
build up over the design pressure of the pressure spector pertaining to valve inspection and testing.
vessel. The size, rating and number of valves on a The frequency of testing, either by the use of the
boiler is determined by the ASME Boiler Code. lifting lever or by raising the steam pressure,
should be based on the recommendation of your
The insta,llation of a valve is of primary import-
Boiler Inspector, and/or the valve manufacturer,
ance to its service life. A valve must be mounted
and in accordance with section VII of the ASME
in a vertical position so that discharge piping and
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.
Code required drains can be properly piped to
prevent build up of back pressure and accumu- Avoid excessive operation of the safety valve as
lation of foreign material around the valve seat even one opening can provide a means of leakage.
area. Apply only a moderate amount of pipe com- Safety valves should be operated only often
pound to male threads and avoid overtightening enough to assure that they are in good working
as this can distort the seats. Use only flat jawed order. When a pop test is required, raise the oper-
wrenches on the flats provided. When installing a ating pressure to the set pressure of the safety
flange connected valve, use a new gasket and valve, allowing it to open and reseat as it would
draw the mounting bolts down evenly. in normal service.
A drip pan elbow or a flexible connection be- Do not hand operate the valve with less than
tween the valve and the escape pipe is re- 75% of the stamped set pressure exerted on the
commended. See Figure 3-4. The discharge piping underside of the disc. When hand operating, be
must be properly arranged and supported so that sure and hold the valve in an open position long
its weight does not bear upon the valve. enough to purge accumulated foreign material
from the seat area and then allow the valve to
snap shut.
Frequent usage of the safety valve will cause the
seat and disc to become wire drawn or steam cut.
This will cause the valve to leak and necessitate
down time of the boiler for valve repair or re-
placement. Repair of a valve must be done only
by the manufacturer or his authorized repre-
sentative.
Avoid having the operating pressure too near the
safety valve set pressure. A 10% differential is re-
commended. An even greater differential is desir-
able and will assure better seat tightness and
valve longevity.
Steam is expensive to generate and, for the sake
of economy, wastage should be avoided whenever
possible.

F. CARE AND PROTECTION OF


NOTES: IDLE BOILERS
I. DIMENSION BETWEEN VALVE AND DRIP PAN ELBOW SHOULD BE
AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. Many boilers used for heating or seasonal loads,
2. DISCHARGE PIPING MUST BE fNDEPENDENTLY SUPPORTED SO or for standby service, may have extended periods
THAT NO S'rRAIN IS PLACE1> OK VALVE BODY. of non-use. Special attention must be given to
3. ALL DRAIN LINES SHOULD BE INDEPENDENTLY SUPPORTED AND
PROPER EXPANSION PROVISIONS MADE TO ELIMINATE ALL these, so that neither water side nor fire side sur-
STRAIN ON VALVE BODY. faces are allowed to deteriorate from corrosion.
~. ALLOW SPACE TO COMPENSATE FOR UPWARD EX PANS ION OF
80 I LER WHEN HOT. Corrosion can be more serious during this down
5. PROVIDE 3 OR ~ EQUALLY SPACED SPACERS TO CENTER time than when the boiler is actually in service.
DISCHARGE PIPE. MUST BE FREE, TO ALLOW FOR EXPANSION.
Too many conditions exist to lay down definite
rules. There are two methods of storage -- wet or
FIGURE 3-4 STEAM SAFETY VALVE dry. Your water consultant or feed water treating
company can recommend the better m,ethod, de-
Do not paint, oil, or otherwise cover any interior pending upon circumstances in a particular in-
or working parts of the safety valve. A valve does stallation. Section VII of the ASME Code also
not require any lubrication or protective coating contains information relating to laying up a
to work properly. boiler.

3-7
Chapter 3 - Maintenance

When shutting down, the pressure should be IMPORT ANT -- MOISTURE ABSORP-
reduced gradually, and the pressure vessel cooled TION MATERIAL HAS· BEEN PLACED
at a rate that avoids damaging temperature d5f- IN THE WATERSIDE AND FURNACE
ferential that can cause harmful stresses. A vessel AREAS OF THIS BOILER. THIS MA-
should not normally be drained until all pressure TERIAL MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE
is relieved -- again to prevent uneven contraction ANY WATER IS PLACED IN BOILER
and -temperature differentials. Draining the unit AND BEFORE BURNER IS FIRED.
too quickly may cause the baking of deposits that INSPECT PERIODICALLY AND RE-
may be present on the heating surfaces. Some PLACE WITH FRESH AND/OR REGENE-
heat, however, may be desirable to dry out the in- RATED MATERIALS.
terior of the boiler.
After proper cooling and draining, fluslJ. out the WET STORAGE
water side with a high pressure water hose. Re-
Wet storage is generally used for a boiler held in
move any scale or deposits from the water side standby condition or in a case where dry storage
surfaces and check for internal or external corro-
is not practical. The possibility of freezing tem-
sion and leakage.
peratures must be considered. Care must be taken
to protect metal surfaces. Variables preclude defi-
nite recommendations, however, it is suggested
that after the vessel is drained and cleaned that it
DRY STORAGE
be refilled to overflowing with treated water. If
Dry storage is generally employed when the boiler deaerated water is not available, the boiler
will be out of service for some time or when freez- should be fired to boil the water for a short
ing temperatures may occur. In this method,- the period of time. Additional chemicals may be
boiler must be thoroughly dried, since any suggested by the water consultant to minimize
moisture will cause corrosion. Both water side and corrosion. Internal water pressure should be
fire side surfaces must be clean of all scale and maintained at greater than atmospheric pressure.
deposits, soot, etc. Steps must be taken to elimi- Nitrogen is often used for this purpose. Fire side
nate moisture by placing moisture absorbing surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned and re-
material, such as quick-lime or silica-gel, on trays fractories should be wash-coated. It is advis-
inside the drums and furnace. These trays should able, if feasible, to occasionally circulate the
not be completely filled with the material, so that water to prevent stratification and to insure that
the corrosive liquid gathered in them does not fresh inhibitor is in contact with all the surfaces.
overflow onto the boiler surfaces. Refractories If additional chemicals are added for this idle
should be brushed clean and wash-coated. Fire period, more frequent blowdowns may be re-
side surfaces may be sprayed or coated with an quired when the boiler is returned to service to
anti-corrosive material. All openings to pressure rapidly reduce the chemical composition to nor-
vessel must be shut tightly. Feedwater and steam mal operating levels.
valves should be closed. Damper and vents should
During storage, steps should be taken to protect
be closed to prevent air from reaching fire side sur-
the exterior components from the possibility of
face. Periodic inspection must be made and the ab-
rust or corrosion. These parts should be coated
sorption m$iterials renewed.
with a rust inhibitor and protected from moisture
Care must be taken to remove all of the moisture and condensation. Operating controls, regulators,
absorbing material before any attempt is made to valves, etc. should be drained and dried. Electri-
refill the boiler. Serious damage can result other- cal equipment should likewise be protected.
wise. As a precaution it is recoIIitnendedthat Keeping the control circuit energized may prevent
warning signs be conspicuously posted. These condensation from forming in the control cabinet
signs could be similar to the following; or on the flame safeguard control.

3-8
CHAPTER 4

PARTS ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS LIST


FURNISH COMPLETE INFORMATION WHEN representative. A purchase order or a letter authoriz-
ORDERING PARTS - When ordering parts for ing repairs and giving complete details should be
your boiler, be sure to include on your order the mailed to your representative. Prior to returning,
boiler serial number shown on the name plate at- please remove fittings or accessories from the com-
tached to the front head. Your order should state the poneqt, properly drain and clean part to comply with
Cleaver-Brooks part number and the name and shipping regulations and include jnside of the
description of the part required. State the quantity package a packing slip identifying the part with your
desired, and specify method of shipment. Indicate company's name.
date material is required. If repair parts are required If you desire to return parts for reasons other than
for accessory equipment, such as an electric motor, repair or exchange, please contact your representa-
pump, etc., which may not be shown, be sure to give tive stating reasons for the return and await permis-
the complete name plate data from the item for sion and directions prior to returning the material.
which the parts are required.
Many controls and other components can be factory-
WHERE TO ORDER PARTS - Repair or replace- rebuilt (FR) or have a trade-in value. These items
ment parts should be ordered from your Cleaver- are available on an exchange basis. Consult your
Brooks representative. Cleaver-Brooks representative.
RETURNING PARTS FOR REPAIR - Parts to be Be sure to show the serial number of your unit on all
repaired should be directed to your Cleaver-Brooks parts orders and correspondence.

®
~roOK5

WATERTUBE BOILER
MODEL PRESSURE PSI _

DATE
HEATING SURFACE
UNIT NO. BOILER SO. FT. _ WATERWALL SO. FT. _

CLEAVER-BROOKS DIVISION
AOUA·CHEM. INC.
MILWAUKEE. WISCONSIN U.S.A.

IT IS R,ECOMMENDED THAT YOUR LOCAL CLEAVER-BROOKS


REPRESENTATIVE BE CONTACTED FOR PROMPT SUPPLY OF
REPLACEMENT PARTS.
CLEAVER-BROOKS

4-1
Chapter 4-Parts List

PARTS LIST
Part No. Req. Description

853-798 4 Gasket, Manway, 12" x 16"


851-213 1 Gage Glass, 3/4" x 18-1/4"
853-711 2 Gasket, 3/4", Gage Glass
873-96 5 Fitting, Water Column Electrode
943-259 1 Wrench, Water Column Electrode
67-241 1 Electrode, Water Column, 1/4" x 5-5/8"
67-242 1 Electrode, Water Column, 1/4" x 15-5/8'"
67-243 3 Electrode, Water Column, 1/4" x 18-3/8" ,
67-201 1 Electrode, Water Column, 1/4" x 6-1/8"
67-247 1 Electrode, Water Column, 1/4" x 13-1/8"
825-142 1 Valve Set, Gage Glass
825-140 3 Trycock
880-100 2 Lens Kit, Blue - Observation Port
880-104 2 Lens Kit, Clear - Observation Port
880-106 2 Nut, Bakelite - Observation Port

NOTE: The above are standard replacement parts.


Refer to the Burner Manual for additional parts.

MODEL "A" BURNER Part No. 750-311


MODEL "BR" BURNER Part No. 750-305
MODEL "CN" BURNER Part No. 750-308

4-2

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