By Risk Management Department

Introduction
Boiler is a enclosed pressure vessel which primarily use to
heated up the fluid like water for steam generation or
vaporization which further use in various process like in
heating applications, boiler based power generation,
cooking, sanitation etc.
The boiler is an important equipment of most industrial
facilities and power plants. The boiler produces high
pressure or low-pressure steam or produce hot water for
industrial or domestic use.

About Indian Boiler Act 1923

The Central Boilers Board, constituted under Section 27A
of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 (5 of 1923) is responsible
for making regulations for laying down the standards for
materials, design, construction as well as for registration
and inspection of boilers. The Board comprises of the
representatives of the Central and State Governments,
Union Territories, Bureau of Indian Standards, Coal
Industry, Boiler Manufacturing Industry, Boiler Ancillaries
Industry, Steel Manufacturers, users of Boilers and other
interests connected with the Boiler Industry.
The Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and
Promotion is the ex-officio Chairman and Technical
Adviser (Boilers) is the ex-officio Member-Secretary of the
Board.
The Board deals with the problems of both the users and
manufacturers and takes policy decisions for the proper
growth of the boiler manufacturing units in the country.

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The Board formulates the Indian Boiler Regulations
incorporating the latest developments taking place in the
Boiler Industry all over the world.
As per the Indian Boiler Act 1923 a “Boiler” means a
pressure vessel in which steam is generated for use
external to itself by application of heat which is
wholly or partly under pressure when steam is shut
off but does not include a pressure vessel,— (i) with
capacity less than 25 litres (such capacity being
measured from the feed check valve to the main
steam stop valve); (ii) with less than one kilogram
per centimetre square design gauge pressure and
working gauge pressure; or in which water is heated
below 100 degrees centigrade.
Under the Indian Boiler Act 1923, “Chief Inspector”,
“Deputy Chief Inspector”, and “Inspector” can be appointed
as “Competent Person” means a person recognized in
such manner as may be prescribed by regulations for
inspection and certification of boilers and boiler
components during manufacturing, erection, and use of
Boiler

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Advance Boiler Protection System.
Burner Management
System (BMS). - When
this accumulated un-
burnt fuel gets sufficient
ignition energy, it causes
furnace explosion.
Generally, it has been
seen that, maximum
numbers of furnace explosions occur during start-up,
shut-down and low load operations. Since major furnace
explosions result from the ignition of un-burnt fuel in the
first one or two seconds of fuel firing, human reaction time
is very much inadequate. Thus, for the prevention of
furnace explosion we need a dedicated protection system.

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 Such kind of protection system is called Burner
Management System (BMS). This system is responsible for
the safe start-up, operation, and shutdown of a boiler. It
monitors and controls igniters and main burners; utilizes
flame scanners to detect and discriminate between the
igniter and main flames; employs safety shut-off valves,
pressure, temperature, flow, and valve position limit
switches and uses blowers to cool the scanners and/or
provide combustion air for the igniters. Its proper
operation is crucial to the safety of a boiler.
.
Furnace Safeguard
Supervisory System
(FSSS) – This is also
advance system uses for
provides safety
interlocks to protect
against potential
emergency situations in
the event of
malfunctions of fuel firing equipment like boilers and
associated air systems FSSS is normally designed to
perform fuel firing only after it gets a satisfactory furnace
purge complete signal (Purging the boiler means flushing it
with clean air so any un-burnt if present in the boiler will
be carried away. Before light-up of boiler, a Successful
Furnace Purge cycle must be completed.) and allows
starting of any fuel firing equipment, if certain interlocks
and permissive are satisfied.

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It has some advance operating functions like Furnace
Purge Supervision, Light and Heavy oil on/off control and
supervision, Overall Boiler flame failure and trip protection
function, High Energy Electric Ignitor (HEA Ignitor) etc. It
consists of all switches for initiating control and indication
for all fuel firing equipment and auxiliaries. It has relays,
timers, programmers and circuit breakers for AC and DC
control etc, for logical control. Other field equipment
includes H.O atomizing steam, Gun Mechanism, Oil Gun
Assumingly etc
Other Boiler Protection Techniques
Installation of an Automatic Ash Removal System such
as rotary valves in a boiler to prevent the accumulation
of ash in a furnace or other equipment. The
accumulation may result in the blockage or excessive
heating of boiler parts resulting in its failure.
Pump priming must be done at the start of the boiler
to avoid risk of pump damage during start-up as it
prevents the the pump impeller to becomes gas-
bound and thus incapable of pumping the desired
liquid. Installation of Self Priming Pumps can also be a
good idea as these are designed to have the ability to
prime themselves automatically, when operating under
a suction lift, to free themselves of entrained air or
gases, and to continue normal pumping without
external priming.
Never operate the boiler above the design pressure
and check for the safe operation of Safety valves as
well as fusible plugs

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Stainer must be installed before the pump & check for
its proper functioning to remove dirt particles from
boiler feed water as this prevents the blockage of a
feed line.
Water must be treated before feeding it to the boiler to
prevent the accumulation of dirt in a Boiler shell and to
avoid deposition.
Maintenance of both FD Fan and ID Fan is important
and regularly check for greasing in all the movable
parts for the ease of operation.
Occasionally clean the boiler tubes to prevent any ash
deposition or scaling inside or outside the tubes.
Failure to do so will affect the boiler efficiency and will
eventually overheat the tubes leading to the tube
leakage problems.
Installation of Tube Leak Monitor System to monitor
discover high-pressure steam or water leaks caused by
rupture of a boiler furnace water wall, super-heater, or
reheat combustor at an early stage to avoid high
damage or explosion.
Verify Required Return Water Temperature - If the
return water temperature is less than 140 F in normal
operation, corrective steps should be taken. Make sure
the boiler is not deviating from the operating
temperature limits specified by the manufacturer.
This includes proper sequencing and activation of
heating zone valves or pumps. Verify operating supply
temperatures, burner turndown rates, lower limits of
outdoor-reset control, and proper use and
maintenance of return-water mixing valves.
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Perform Regular Low Water Cut Off Tests and Bottom
Blowdowns for Steam Boilers and Float devices should be
blown down and tested regularly to flush out
contaminants.

Reference
www.thermodyneboilers.com
www.boilersinfo.com

DISCLAIMER
This Risk Article is an initiative by Unison Insurance Broking Services
Pvt. Ltd., limited for Knowledge Sharing purposes. It is provided with a
sole purpose to reduce the possibility of any monetary loss, by
bringing in your attention certain potential hazards or conditions. You
must make the decision whether to take any action. Unison Insurance
Broking Services Pvt. Ltd. undertakes no responsibility to any party by
providing this article or performing the activities on which it is based.

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