Boiler Failure Investigation Framework

Step 1
Damage Type Area/Pattern
Tube Crack Welding
Transverse
(Along the circumference)
Longitudinal
(Along the length)
Burst Water Side to Fire Side (Fish mouth thin
lip)
Water Side to Fire Side (Fish mouth
thick lip)
Fire Side to Water Side
Corroded Water Side
Fire Side
Distortion Hogging
Sagging
Random
Oxidized/Melted Fireside
Furnace Crack Refractory
Body
Bulge Body
Refractory
Collapse Body
Drum Crack Welding
Body
Collapse Body
Explode Body
Corroded Internal Sections
Step 2
Specific Damage Condition
Tube-welding-crack Short term overheating
Hydrogen embrittlement
(occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Material thickness difference
(Occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Tube-transverse-crack Material failure
(Occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Long term overheating
(abnormal)
Tube-longitudinal-crack Propagation from tube
weldment
Long term overheating
(abnormal)
Material failure
(Occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Tube-burst-waterside to Long term overheating
fireside (fish mouth thin (abnormal)
lip)
Long term overheating
(normal)
Tube-burst-waterside to Short term overheating
fireside (fish mouth thick
lip)
Tube-corroded-waterside Corrosive boiler water
Tube-corroded-fireside Heat assisted oxidation
Chemical oxidation
Tube-distortion-hogging Explosion
Long term overheating
(normal)
Tube support failure
Short term overheating (initial
stage)
Tube-distortion-sagging Implosion (rare circumstances)
Tube support failure
Long term overheating
(normal)
Cause
Undetected prolonged water
starvation during operation
Manufacturing defect
Manufacturing defect
Manufacturing defect
Scaling (water side)
Soot deposition
Contaminant in boiler water
(eg. Oil)
Refer to tube-welding-crack
Scaling (water side)
Soot deposition
Contaminant in boiler water
(eg. Oil)
Manufacturing defect
Scaling
Soot deposition
Contaminant in boiler water
(eg. Oil)
Maximum cyclic load
exceeded
Undetected prolonged water
starvation
Boiler water ph
Boiler water oxygen content
Soot deposition
Steam leak
Fuel leak
Improper combustion
Improper purge
End of life span
Corrosion of tube supports
Undetected prolonged water
starvation during operation
Vacuum in system
Corrosion on tube supports
End of lifespan
 Short term overheating (initial
stage)
Tube-distortion-random Thermal shock
Tube-oxidized-melted Meltdown/fire
Furnace-crack-refractory Explosion/fire (low to medium
magnitude)
Improper repair/installation
(if installation then should be
within 1-5 years of usage)
Water wall tube distortion
Implosion
Furnace-crack-body Improper welding
(Occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Explosion (medium to high
magnitude)
Furnace-bulge-body Explosion (medium
magnitude)
Improper material selection
Furnace-bulge-refractory Improper repair/installation
(if installation then should be
within 1-5 years of usage)
Implosion
Furnace-collapse-body Implosion
Short term overheating (if fire
tube boiler)
Drum-crack-welding Hydrogen embrittlement
(occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Material thickness difference
(occurs in 1-5 years of usage)
Drum-collapse-body Implosion
Drum-explode-body Overpressure
Drum-corroded-internal Corrosive boiler
section water/condensate
Undetected prolonged water
starvation during operation
Wrong low water level
condition recovery
Non gradual admittance of
feed water
Final stage of undetected
overheating
Fuel leak
Improper combustion
Improper purge
Refractory- insufficient
settling time/
Manufacturing defect
Wrong selection of refractory
type/
Manufacturing defect
Refer to tube-distortion
Vacuum
Manufacturing defect
Fuel leak
Improper combustion
Improper purge
Fuel leak
Improper combustion
Improper purge
Manufacturing defect
Refractory- insufficient
settling time/
Manufacturing defect
Wrong selection of refractory
type/
Manufacturing defect
Vacuum
Vacuum
Undetected prolonged water
starvation during operation
Manufacturing defect
Manufacturing defect
Vacuum
Steam pressure exceeding 10
to 20 % above rated capacity
Boiler water ph
Boiler water oxygen content
Step 3
Cause Origin
Undetected prolonged water starvation Water supply valve failure (feed water valve)
during operation Water supply valve actuating mechanism
failure
Water supply pump failure (feed pump)
Water level transmitter failure
Water level receiver failure
Automation or automation sequence failure
Non gradual admittance of feed water Faulty feed water valve actuator
Faulty feed water valve
Automation or automation sequence failure
Manual recovery method failure
Wrong water level recovery Check method of recovery
Scaling Inadequate or no water treatment
Soot deposition Inadequate air supply ratio
Inadequate fuel supply ratio
Inadequate maintenance
Non-suitable fuel usage
Contaminant in boiler water Heating coil leakage
Ingress through cascade or expansion tank
Breach through or steam consumer
Water ph and oxygen content Inadequate or no water treatment
Steam leak Boiler tube crack (find cause using
framework)
Steam pressure exceeding 10 to 20 % of Safety valve failure
rated capacity
Vacuum Boiler vent valve failure or error in operating
boiler vent valve
Steam drum vortex eliminator failure
Fuel leak Burner nozzle failure
Fuel release valve failure
Automation sequence failure
High fuel ratio
Improper combustion Inadequate air supply ratio
Inadequate fuel ratio
Water content in oil
Improper atomization (for liquid fuel)
Improper pulverization (for coal dust)
Improper flame propagation (dirty or
damaged swirler)

Improper purge Failure of air supply fan (force draught fan)


Refractory insufficient settling time
Wrong selection of refractory type
Manufacturing defect
End of life span
Failure or fault in force draught fan air vanes
Automation sequence failure
If controlled manually, then check set values
by operator (to match with manufacturer
recommendation)
Boiler fired too soon after renewing
refractory (1 hour drying time for every inch
of refractory thickness)
Selection done based on ash acidic value
(refractory type recommendation is given by
manufacturer)
Usually occurs within 1 to 5 years from boiler
installation date (if above 5 years disregard
this point)
Tubes are designed for service life of 20 – 30
years, also depends on thermal cycles. Refer
to boiler manual for thermal cyclic load
number. If boiler age is below 20 years,
disregard this point.