STEAM BOILERS,

MOUNTINGS
&
ACCESSORIES
Boiler Mountings:
•Boiler mountings are the devices mounted on the boiler
surface for safe operation, efficient working, control
steam generation and easy maintenance of the boiler.
•According to IBR the following are the list of mountings
should be fitted to the boilers:
1. Water level indicators/Water Gauge
2. A pressure gauge
3. Safety valves
4. A Steam stop valve or Junction Valve
5. A feed check valve
6. A blow-off cock
7. Fusible plug
8. A manhole, Mud holes or sight holes
9. Steam Scrubbers/Anti-priming pipe
10.Air vents and vacuum breakers
11.Soot blowers

Boiler Mountings for safety:

1.Two water level indicators – 2
2.Two safety valves.
3.Combined high steam and low water safety valve.
4.Fusible plug.
Boiler Mountings for control:
1. Pressure gauge
2. Junction or stop valve
3. Feed check valve
4. Blow-off cock
5. Man hole and mud hole
BOILER MOUNTINGS
WATER LEVEL INDICATOR:
Function:
•To indicate the level of water in the boiler constantly. It is also
called water gauge.

Description:

•Normally two water level indicators are fitted at the front end of every
boiler.

•Where the boiler drum is situated at considerable height from the

floor, the water gauge is often inclined to make the water level visible
from any position.

•When the water being heated in the boiler transforms into steam the
level of water in the boiler shell goes on decreasing. For the proper
working of the boiler, the water must be kept at safe level.
• If the water level falls below the safe level and the boiler goes on
producing steam without the addition of feed water, great damage
like crack and leak can occur to the parts of the boiler which get
uncovered from water. This can result in the stoppage of steam
generation and boiler operation.

Working:

• It is a common form of glass tube water-level gauge. A is the front

end plate of the boiler.

• F is a very hard glass tube indicating water level and is connected

to the boiler plate through stuffing boxes in hollow gun metal
castings (B, C) having flanges X, Y for bolting the plate.
• For controlling the passage of steam and water cocks D and E are
provided. When these cocks are opened the water stands in the glass
tube at the same level as in the boiler.

• K is the drain cock to blowout water at intervals so as not to allow

any sediment to accumulate.

• Upper and lower stuffing boxes are connected by a hollow metal

column G.

• Balls J and H rest in the position shown in the normal working of

the gauge. When the glass tube breaks due to rush of water in the
bottom passage the balls move to dotted positions and shut off the
water and steam. Then the cocks D and E can be safely closed and
broken glass tube replaced.
•M, N, P and R are screwed caps for internal cleaning of the passage
after dismantling.

•L is the guard glass; it is tough and does not give splinters on

breaking. Thus when the gauge glass breaks, and this guard glass
which normally will hold flying pieces, also gives way, the pieces
will not fly one and hurt the attendant.
PRESSURE GAUGE:
•Function:
•It is used to measure the pressure of the steam inside the steam
boiler.
•The pressure gauges generally used are of Bourdon tube type.

•Number and Location:

•All boilers must be fitted with at least one pressure gauge and it
is usually mounted at the front top of the boiler shell or drum so
that attendant can easily read the pressure reading.

•There are two types of pressure gauges:

•Bourdon tube pressure gauge and
•Diaphragm type pressure gauge.
• The common type of pressure gauge for steam boilers is
Bourdon’s pressure gauge, construction, and operation of
which is described as follows:
• Construction of Bourdon’s pressure gauge:

• It consists of an elliptical elastic tube bent into an arc of a

circle, as shown in fig.
•
• This bent up tube is called Bourdon’s tube. One end of the
gauge is fixed and connected to the steam space in the boiler.

• The other end is attached by links and pins to a toothed

quadrant. This quadrant meshes with a small pinion on the
central spindle.
Working of Bourdon’s pressure gauge:
•The steam under pressure flows into the tube. As a result of
this increased pressure, the tube tends to straight itself.

• Since the tube is encased in a circular curve, therefore it

tends to become circular instead of straight.

•With the help of simple pinion and sector arrangement, the

elastic deformation of the Bourdon tube rotates the pointer.

•This pointer moves over a calibrated scale, which directly

gives the gauge pressure.
• SAFETY VALVES:
• Function:
• The function of a safety valve is to prevent excessive
pressure from building up in a steam boiler.

• If the steam pressure in the boiler drum exceeds the

working pressure, it permits the steam in the boiler to
escape to the atmosphere until the safe working pressure
in the boiler is reached again.

• The safety valve also warns the boiler attendant as the

steam escape through the safety valve.
Principle:

•The principle of operation of a safety valve depends on the

fact that a valve is pressed against a seat through some
external force.

•When the steam force corresponding to boiler pressure

acting under the valve exceeds the external force, the valve
gets lifted off its seat allowing some of the steam to escape
until the working pressure is restored again.
Number and Location:
•As per boiler regulations, each boiler must be fitted with at
least two safety valves. Safety valves are located above the
steam space in the boiler.
Types:
•There are four types of commonly used safety valves as
given below:
•(i) Deadweight safety valve,
•(ii) Spring-loaded safety valve,
•(iii) Lever safety valve and
•(iv) High steam and low water safety valve.
•The choice of a safety valve for a particular boiler depends
on the type of the boiler and its safe working pressure.
Lever Safety Valve:
•A lever safety valve used on steam boilers is shown in fig.
• A lever safety valve consists of a valve body with a flange
fixed to the steam boiler. The bronze valve seat is screwed to
the body, and the valve is also made of bronze.

• The thrust on the valve is transmitted by the strut. The guide

keeps the lever in a vertical plane.
When the pressure of steam exceeds the safe limit, the
upward thrust of steam raises the valve from its seat.

• This allows the steam to escape until the pressure falls back
to its normal value. The valve then returns back to its original
position.
SPRING LOADED SAFETY VALVE:
•A Ramsbottom spring-loaded safety valve is shown in Fig.

•It is usually, fitted to locomotives. This valve consists of a cast iron

body having two branch pipes.

•Two valves sit on corresponding valve seats at the end of the pipes.

•The lever is placed over the valves utilizing two pivots. The lever
is held tight at its position utilizing a compression spring.

•One end of this spring is connected with the lever while the other
end with the body of the valve.
• Under normal conditions, the spring pulls the lever down.
This applies downward force on valves which is greater
than the upward force applied by steam.

• When steam pressure exceeds normal value, upward

force becomes, larger than the downward force on the
valve due to spring.

• Thus the valves are lifted from their seats, opening the
passage for steam to release out. The valve closes due to
spring force when the pressure in the boiler becomes
normal.
Operation:
•When the steam pressure in the boiler is equal to the working
pressure:
•The upward force exerted by boiler steam on the valve is balanced
by the downward force of spring. Under this condition, the valve lies
on its seat tightly and the steam will not escape from the boiler as
shown in Fig. (a).
• When the steam pressure in the boiler is more than the
working pressure:
• The upward force exerted by boiler steam on the valve is
overpowered by the downward force of spring. Under this
condition, the valve automatically opens and the steam
escapes to the atmosphere(Fig. (b)) until the pressure falls
back to the working pressure.
Uses:
•These valves are suitable for both low and high-pressure
boilers stationary and non-stationary boilers.

Advantage:
•Elimination of heavyweight.
•Easy maintenance and examination.
•Not affected by jerks and vibrations.
FUSIBLE PLUG:

Function:
•The main function of the fusible plug is to extinguish the fire
when the water level in the boiler falls below an unsafe level.

Location:
•The fusible plug is generally inserted in the crown of the
furnace or in the combustion chamber at the lowest permissible
water level.
Construction of Fusible Plug :
•The construction of the fusible plug is shown in fig.

•Which consists of three plugs. The hollow plug A having

hexagonal flanges is screwed to the fire box crown plate. The
plug B gunmetal plug is screwed to the body A. The third plug
C is made up of copper is locked with metal like tin or lead
which has a low melting point.
Working of Fusible Plug :

•In normal working conditions, water covers the fusible plug

remains cool. In case the water level falls below the danger
levels, the fusible plug gets exposed to steam.

•This overheats the plug and fusible metal having a low melting
point melts quickly. Due to this plug S falls.

•The opening so made allows the steam to rush on to the

furnaces and extinguishes the fire or it gives warning to the
boiler attendant that the crown of furnace is in danger of being
overheated.
BLOW OFF COCK:
Function:
•The blow-off cock serves three purposes:—

(i)To blow out sediments, precipitated sludge, loose scale, or

other impurities periodically when the boiler is in operation.
(ii)To empty the boiler when necessary for cleaning, repair, and
inspection.
(iii)To permit a rapid lowering of water level in the boiler if
accidentally it becomes too high.

•Location: The blow-off cock is fitted at the lowest water space

of a boiler shell.
Construction of Blow- off Valve :
•A common type of blow-off cock is shown in fig.

• A conical plug is fitted accurately into a similar casing.

The plug has a rectangular opening. The plug slot is
perpendicular to the flow passage.
Working of Blow-off valve :
•When the plug slot is brought in line with the flow passage
of the body by rotating the plug, the water from the boiler
comes out with a great force.

•If sediments are to be removed, the blowoff cock is

operated when the boiler is on. This forces the sediments
quickly out of the boiler.
Manhole and Handhole:

•Function: Manholes and hand holes are required for

cleaning, inspection, and repairing of the boiler. The
manhole is provided for the entrance of a man inside the
boiler shell whereas the hand hole is for a hand.

•Location: The manhole is provided on the boiler shell at a

convenient place.

•Construction: Generally they are elliptical in shape and

cover is provided. The size of the manhole is usually 400
mm x 300 mm.
 BOILER ACESSORIES

The devices used to improve the

performance and operation of the
boilers are called boiler
accessories. Main accessories
used are:
 BOILER ACCESSORIES
• WATER HEATING DEVICES WATER FEEDING
(UPTU- Dec 05)
DEVICES
Used to heat the feed water
before it is fed to boiler with
the help of steam of a steam
Used to supply water while the
engine.
boiler is in operation. These
Heating of feed water can be devices include the use of feed
carried out either by:
pumps either reciprocating type or
1. Open Heater- Direct mixing
2. Closed heater- Indirect centrifugal type.
convection
 INJECTOR
(UPTU-Dec 04, Dec 05, Dec o6)
SUPER HEATERS
(UPTU-Dec 04, Dec 05, Dec 06)
ECONOMISER
AIR PREHEATER