UNIVERSITY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CASE STUDY

ON BOILERS

PRESENTED TO:

ENGR. ROGER AGBISIT JR.

PRESENTED BY:

KARL ANDREW AYTONA NEPOMUCENO

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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I. INTRODUCTION

II. CLASSIFICATION

III. APPLICATION

IV. OPERATION

V. COMMON TROUBLE/PROBLEMS

VI. CONCLUSION

VII. REFERENCES
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I. INTRODUCTION
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A boiler is an enclosed vessel that provides a means for combustion and transfers heat to water

until it becomes hot water or steam. The hot water or steam under pressure is then usable for

transferring the heat to a process. Water is useful and cheap medium for transferring heat to a

process. When water is boiled into steam its volume increases about 1,600 times, producing a force

that is almost as explosive as gunpowder. This causes the boiler to be extremely dangerous

equipment and should be treated carefully.

Liquid when heated up to the gaseous state this process is called evaporation.

The heating surface is any part of the boiler; hot gases of combustion are on one side and water on

the other. Any part of the boiler metal that actually contributes to making steam is heating surface.

The amount of heating surface of a boiler is expressed in square meters. The larger the heating

surface a boiler has, the more efficient it becomes.

The boiler system is made of :

1. Feed water system

2. Steam system

3. Fuel system

The feed water system provides water to the boiler and regulates it automatically to meet the steam

demand. The water supplied to boiler that is converted to steam is called feed water. The sources

of feed water are:

1. Condensate or condensed steam returned from the processes

2. Makeup water which is the raw water which must come from outside the boiler room and plant

processes.
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The steam system collects and controls the steam produced in the boiler. Steam is directed through

a piping system to the point of use. Throughout the system, steam pressure is regulated using

valves and checked with steam pressure gauges.

The fuel system includes all equipment used to provide fuel to generate the necessary heat. The

equipment’s required in the fuel system depend on the type of fuel used in the system.

II.CLASSIFICATION

Boilers are classified into different types based on their working pressure and temperature, fuel type,

draft method, size and capacity, and whether they condense the water vapor in the combustion gases.

Boilers are also sometimes described by their key components, such as heat ex-changer materials or

tube design.

Two primary types of boilers include Fire- tube and Water- tube boilers. In a Fire-tube boiler, hot

gases of combustion flow through a series of tubes surrounded by water. Alternatively, in a water

– tube boiler, water flows in the inside of the tubes and the hot gases from combustion flow

around the outside of the tubes.

Fire tube boilers are more commonly available for low pressure steam or hot water applications,

and are available in sizes ranging from 500,000 to 75,000,000 BTU input. Water-tube boilers are

primarily used in higher pressure steam applications and are used extensively for comfort heating

applications. They typically range in size from 500,000 to more than 20,000,000 BTU input.

Cast iron sectional boilers are another type of boiler commonly used in commercial space

heating applications. These types of boilers don’t use tubes. Instead, they’re built up from cast
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iron sections that have water and combustion gas passages. The iron castings are bolted together,

similar to an old steam radiator. The sections are sealed together by gaskets. They’re available

for producing steam or hot water, and are available in sizes ranging from 35,000 to 14,000,000

BTU input.

Cast iron sectional boilers are advantageous because they can be assembled on site, allowing

them to be transported through doors and smaller openings. Their main disadvantage is that

because the sections are sealed together with gaskets, they are prone to leakage as the gaskets

age and are attacked by boiler treatment chemicals.

Some of the well- known Boilers are:–

Babcock & Wilcox boiler

Cochran boiler – A vertical boiler with horizontal fire-tubes.

Cornish boiler – A large horizontal stationary boiler with a single flue.

La Mont boiler – A forced-water-circulation boiler. They are often used as marine heat-

recovery boilers. It was also used, unsuccessfully, for an experimental steam locomotive

in East Germany in the 1950s.

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Lancashire boiler – A development of the Cornish boiler, with two flues.

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III.APPLICATION

While there are several types of steam boilers,their basic operating principle are nearly identical.

Water is heated to a gaseous state, generating pressure and steam. The steam is then transported

through pipes via that pressure, which is used to power radiators, turbines, steam rooms,

sterilization chamber, cooking equipment, etc.

Once water is converted into steam, minerals and other sediment that can’t be converted to a

gaseous state will be left behind and drop to the bottom of the boiler. This process, known as

blow down, is then used to help remove the sediment. If this process didn’t occur, the boiler

would not function properly.

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There are two methods of blow down: surface blow down and bottom blow down. Here are the

differences.

Surface blow down is a means by which low volumes of water are bled off from inside the boiler

to get rid of some impurities. The fastest way to catch and jettison those impurities is at the point

nearest where water is turned to steam. Surface blow down is often sent to what is called a flash

tank. Remember that super-heated water hitting a cooled surface doubles its velocity. Therefore,

the flash tank catches this surface blow down. Along with the flash tank, there may be a heat ex

changer. Steam can transfer heat to the exchanger and capture lost heat. Surface blow down

happens continually, whereas bottom blow down occurs infrequently.

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Bottom blow down is required where those impurities resulting from the conversion of water to a

gaseous state can’t be captured and eliminated via surface blow down.

These insoluble particles find their way down and settle at the bottom of the boiler tank. Absent

of elimination of these particles, they will eventually mix with the water, get pumped around, re-

circulated, and wind up on all sorts of surfaces, including heat ex changers.

Water treatment helps mitigate this problem, but it’s intended to allow these impurities to gather

inside the boiler in a place known as a mud drum, which is located at the very lowest part of the

boiler tank. Valves allow steam pressure to force the sludge out.

Shorter blow down duration's enable the water level inside the boiler to remain relatively

unaffected, but multiple short events are preferable to a single longer-duration blow down. The

flash tank also helps prevent scalding anyone performing the blow down. This will help remove

the sediment from the bottom of the tank.

Inspectors should look for bottom blow down piping and where the water is captured, as well as

for signs of corrosion or leaking at these valves. There may be more than one valve visible in a

series. This helps ensure a proper seal, should one valve start to corrode and leak.

Operating steam engine.

Operating steam turbines.

Operating reciprocating pumps.

Industrial process work in chemical engineering.

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For producing hot water required to be supplied to room in very cold

areas.

In thermal power stations.

The heat content of the steam is large and thus it is suitable for process heating in many industries

like sugar mills, textile mills, dairy industry and also in chemical industries.

IV.OPERATION

Understanding the working of the boilers is very simple. The boiler is closed vessel in which the

water is stored. Hot gases are produced by burning fuel in he furnace. These hot gases are made

to come in contact with the water vessel where the heat transfer take place between the water and

the steam. Therefore, the basic principle of the boiler is to convert water into steam by using heat

energy. There are different types of boilers used for different purposes.
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V.COMMON TROUBLES/PROBLEMS

Boiler problems can cause a significant headache, particularly during the winter months. From

leaks to cold radiators, boilers can suffer from a wide range of issues if not serviced regularly.

Fortunately, most of the most common issues are easy to identify and can easily be fixed by a

Gas Safe registered engineer.

Boiler leaks

One of the most common boiler issues is a boiler leak. Leaks can be a nuisance because not only

can they cause water damage to a home, but water can also cause electrical components in and

around the boiler to malfunction.

A leaking boiler can be due to a number of things:

Excessive boiler pressure

Corroded pipes or tanks

A faulty Component

Leaks from seals

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A leak should always be treated as a serious issue. If you find a leak you should call a qualified

heating engineer as soon as possible to investigate. Do not attempt to remove the boiler casing

yourself to find the source of the leak.

Hot water but no boiling

A common boiler issue people face is when a home has hot water but no central heating. This

can happen because of several reasons.

Firstly, if you have a combine boiler, it might accidentally be set to only heat water but not the

central heating. This can happen if the boiler is set to this mode during the summer months when

radiation do not need to be heated but is forgotten about. It may also be that the boiler is set to

turn on at an unexpected time. Check the boiler display to see if this is the case.

Another cause could be that the boiler is working fine but there is trapped air in the radiators

stopping them from heating up. The solution there is to bleed the radiators to allow the trapped

air to leave the system.

If your central heating system is still not turning on, despite having hot water, it may be that the

boiler or heating system is faulty. A Gas Safe registered engineer will be able to investigate the

fault and find the source of the issue.

Low boiler pressure

Low boiler pressure can lead to cold radiators and a lack of hot water. Low boiler pressure can

be identified on the boiler display panel, where either a digital or physical dial will show the
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level of pressure in the system. The most typical pressure level should be around 1.5 bars, with

slight variance depending on the boiler manufacturer and model.

A boiler’s pressure can drop due to two main reasons:

A leak in the system will result in not enough water being present in the system, consequently

causing the pressure to drop.

A bleeding radiator can also reduce system pressure.

Low boiler pressure can be fixed by repressurising the boiler. This involves opening the boiler

filling loop to allow water to re-enter the system. Check out our guide on repressurising the

boiler to see the full list of steps to follow

Boiler kettling

Another common boiler problem is kettling. Boiler kettling occurs when water is heated too

quickly and reaches boiling point, causing steam to be generated and air to become trapped. The

trapped air gives off a whistling sound, like a kettle.

Boiler kettling can be caused by limescale build-up, which slows down the flow of water in the

system and causes it to heat up excessively. A faulty component on the appliance could cause the

boiler to heat up water to higher temperatures than expected.

A boiler engineer will be able to inspect the system and identify the cause of the kettling. There

is a solution to this problem which depends on the severity. Sometimes the noisy component

can simply be cleaned using different methods, alternatively replacing the parts may be required.
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Frozen condensate pipe

A frozen condensate pipe is an issue that many people face during the colder months. Every

condensing boiler has a pipe that transports waste water produced during the condensing process

outside the property. If temperatures drop below freezing, the water in the condensate pipe can

become frozen, forcing the system to shut down automatically as a precautionary measure.

The best way to fix a frozen condensate pipe is to pour warm water onto it to thaw it. This should

allow waste water to exit the pipe, meaning the boiler can turn back on. For further detail on this,

check out our guide on how to safely remove a condensate pipe.

Boiler not responding to thermostat

There are a wide range of thermostat that homeowners can choose from to help increase the

efficiency of their homes. These thermostats can work great, but it can also be frustrating when

the boiler stops responding to the thermostat.

If you suspect that your boiler is no longer working with the thermostat, first make sure that the

temperature on the thermostat is above the current room temperature. If it is not, then the

thermostat is likely working fine.

If the room temperature is below the thermostat temperature, try replacing the batteries in the

thermostat or moving it closer to its receiver. If this does not work, it may be that the thermostat

is faulty and needs to be replaced.

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No heat or hot water

If your boiler has left you without heat or hot water, there is definitely something wrong with the

system. A boiler may stop providing central heating or hot water for several reasons:

The boiler has become disconnected from the power, gas or water supply. These connections can be

switched off accidentally or during a power outage.

If the boiler pressure becomes too high or too low the system turns off automatically, causing a lack

of heat and hot water

Piping issues, such as frozen condensate pipes or airlock, can stop a boiler from functioning.

Along with various safety features built into the appliances that would display other faults.

A lack of central heating and hot water can be down to any number of these things, so it’s always

best to call a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect the boiler and resolve the issue.

Boiler keeps switching off

If left unserviced, a boiler may over time begin to randomly switch off. There are a number of

potential reasons for this, including:

Trapped air in the system

Low boiler pressure

High boiler pressure

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A faulty thermostat

Debris and sludge building up in the pipes

If you notice that your boiler keeps switching on and off, it may be because of one of these

faults. Depending on the severity, a qualified engineer will be able to say whether the problem

can be fixed, or whether a new boiler is needed.

Strange boiler noises

Beyond boiler kettling, there are a wide range of strange noises that a boiler can make:

Gurgling noises - this is a sign of trapped air in the system.

Drone noises - this is usually caused by a faulty pump.

Humming noises - this usually happens if water arrives from the mains at too high a pressure

Whooshing noises - this occurs when debris blocks the air intake pipe or if air filters in the system

become blocked by dust.

Strange boiler noises do not usually mean there is an immediate danger with the system.

Nonetheless, an engineer should be called as soon as possible to investigate.

Pilot light going off

If you have an older boiler you may have a pilot light that needs to be constantly lit to light the

larger boiler burner. However, over time the necessary parts for lighting the pilot switch can

become faulty, such as the thermocouple.

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If your pilot light keeps turning off, do not try to repair/replace this yourself. This would require

taking off the boiler casing, which is illegal unless you are registered with the Gas Safe Register.

Instead, first check that your other gas appliances are working correctly. If they are not, the issue

might be with the gas supply itself.

If the other gas appliances are working correctly, there may be a faulty part, so call a Gas Safe

registered engineer to resolve the problem. Newer boiler models are not built with pilot lights so

do not suffer from this issue.

SUMMARY

Boilers can suffer from many problems, most of which should be resolved by a qualified boiler

engineer.

Boiler leaks should be treated as a serious issue and resolved as soon as possible.

A lack of central heating could mean that the radiators need bleeding.

Low boiler pressure can be caused by leaks and can be solved by opening the filling loop.

Boiler kettling can make a lot of noise and sometimes requires the system to be cleansed or for a part

to be replaced.

Frozen condensate pipes can be thawed using warm water.

A boiler may not respond to a thermostat if the thermostat runs out of battery or is placed too far

away.
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A lack of hot water and central heating is usually a larger issue that definitely needs the help of a

boiler engineer.

If a boiler keeps switching off, an engineer will be able to say whether a part needs replacing or if

the entire boiler needs to be replaced. Sometimes this is more cost effective.

Boilers can make lots of strange and distracting noises, such as gurgling and humming.

Never attempt to replace any parts yourself. An engineer is best to fix any issues safely.

VI. CONCLUSION

. Boilers are the most important part of chemical industry.99 % boilers used in Pakistan chemical

industries are water tube boilers because of their high efficiency and safety. So we should have

clear understanding about boilers.

. As per the observation of the performance analysis of steam boiler is also widely used electric

power producing. The steam heat increasingly to long time to produce the high power.
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VII. REFERENCES

ASHRAE Handbook. 1996. HVAC Systems and Equipment, Air Conditioning and Heating

Systems. Chapter 10, Steam Systems. pp. **10.1-10.16. 1996.

BLAST 3.0 Users, Manual. 1999. Building Systems Laboratory. Urban a-Champaign: Building

Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of

Illinois.

Chillar, R.J. 2005. “Development and Implementation of a Steam Loop In The Building Energy

Simulation Program Energy Plus,” M.S. Thesis, Department of Mechanical and Industrial

Engineering, University of Illinois at Urban a-Champaign.

TRNSYS 16 User Manual. 2004. A Transient System Simulation Program. Solar Energy

Laboratory, Madison. University of Wisconsin-Madison.

El-Wakil, M. M. 1984. Power Plant Technology, McGraw Hill, New York, pp. 30-72.

Ballcock & Wilcox. 1978. Steam-Its Generation and Use, The Babcock & Wilcox Company,

New York, Section I, II, IV, and VII.

S.A. Klein. 2004. Engineering Equation Solver EES. University of Wisconsin Madison.