Boiler Inspections Gude
Boiler Inspections Gude
Boiler Inspections Gude
Issue 15 Page 1
Safety be verifying the functionality of safety and
operational controls.
The most important part of any boiler inspection
is your personal safety and the safety of those Watertube Boilers Waterside
around you. Be sure to follow ALL plant safety
Steam Drum: This is the area of the boiler
procedures, confined space protocol, and
where all the action occurs. Items to be
common sense. If you do not feel safe
inspected include:
inspecting a boiler, then by all means DO NOT
inspect it. Some general safety tips include: Water level
Coloration above and below water level
Have an inspection buddy or attendant.
Check for secure internals
Inform boiler operators of your
Feedwater line
inspection and request that other boilers
Chemical feed line
not be blown down during your
Continuous blowdown line
inspection.
Location of feedwater, chemical, and
Make sure all fuel, steam, blowdown,
blowdown lines
feedwater, and chemical feed valves are
Downcomer tubes
turned off and locked out.
Riser or generating tubes
Never use a 110 V light bulb and lead in
Steam separation equipment
the boiler to avoid electric shock.
Evidence of corrosion
Touch the bare metal before entry to
Manhole seal
ensure the boiler is not too hot for
Deposition
inspection.
Rolled edges of tube
Use atmospheric monitoring equipment
Cracks in drums
to ensure nonhazardous conditions.
Mud Drum: Mud drums are usually easier to
Scope of Inspection
inspect since baffling and steam separation
The inspection should include a thorough equipment are not present. Key inspection
examination of all waterside and fireside recommendations include:
surfaces. Prior to the inspection, past inspection
Look straight up into tubes
reports and boiler design documents should be
Deposition
examined so one knows what to expect before
Drains
boiler entry. The deaerators, economizers,
Bottom blowdown
attemperators, feedwater heaters, and all other
Angle iron
associated water equipment may also be
inspected. Headers: Intermediate and bottom headers
should be inspected via handholes with an
The inspector should look for evidence of
inspection mirror, flashlight, etc. Any deposits
waterside deposits, plugging, pitting, corrosion,
should be noted and evaluated.
leaks, cracks, bulges, blisters, overheating,
surging, carryover, staining, and damage. Any Economizers: Economizers by design are
such abnormalities should be recorded via usually difficult to inspect internally. Since
pictures and a written report. In addition to this, economizers are particularly vulnerable to
the boiler operator and insurance inspector will oxygen pitting, signs of leaking should be noted.
Issue 15 Page 2
Watertube Boilers Fireside Firetube Boilers Fireside
A good water management consultant never As with watertube boilers, the fireside of a
forgets to inspect the fireside of a boiler too firetube boiler should be inspected for signs of
because problems seen on the waterside are waterside issues. General items to be inspected
often caused by improper fireside conditions. include:
Cracked insulating materials, flame
Tubes
impingement, and blisters can either lead to or
Burner
are signs of tube overheating. Common
Refractory integrity
inspection points include:
Signs of flame impingement
Wall tubes Tube sheets
Floor Rolled and welded edges of tubes
Burner Economizers
Furnace roof
Report
Baffles
Convection section A formal written report is always a vital part of
Superheaters the inspection. Written reports serve as a
invaluable reference to conditions on a year-by-
Firetube Boilers - Waterside year basis and can be a great help in tracking
Inspecting a firetube boiler involves entering the improvements or system changes.
boiler from the top manhole and looking at tubes
In each report the waterside conditions, fireside
from the bottom handholes. All the same
conditions, test analysis, conclusions and
precautionary measures should be taken as with
recommendations should be covered with
watertube boilers, and the same basic problems
pictures and drawings. Both the plant and water
(corrosion, deposits, internals, etc.) may exist.
management consultant should keep copies of
Inspection points include:
the report.
Tube surfaces
Conclusions
Water level and colorations
Security of internals A good, well maintained water management
Feedwater line program should ensure a trouble free boiler.
Continuous blowdown line The ultimate report card for the program is the
Bottom blowdown line boiler inspection. Is the boiler protected from
Location of feedwater, chemical and scale and corrosion or isnt it? Plant operators
blowdown lines and water management consultants use their
Steam separation equipment (if present) knowledge of the steam system and water
Evidence of corrosion analysis to look into the crystal ball throughout
Manhole and handhole seals the previous year to know what to expect at
Deposition inspection time. Truly attentive plant operators
Boiler shell and tubesheet and water management consultants usually
have few surprises during inspections.
Issue 15 Page 3
References:
(937) 890-4075
www.crownsolutions.com
Issue 15 Page 4
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