Boiler Emergencies

Procedures during the following emergency

conditions
1. Boiler Explosions
2. Boiler Implosions
3. Low Water Level
4. High Water Level
5. Boiler Tube Leaks
Click to edit Master subtitle style
6. Master Fuel Trip

7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies
Emergency boiler procedures :
A) Boiler explosions
a. Causes
1. Furnace explosions can be caused by an accumulation
of unburned fuel in the furnace due to incomplete
combustion, loss of ignition, or fuel valve leakage.
2. With a mixture of unburned fuel with air in explosive
proportions, and the application of heat sufficient
enough to raise the temperature of the mixture to the
ignition point,
Click to editexplosions can
Master subtitle occur.
style
3. The accumulated fuel is ignited resulting in a greater
than normal pressure increase.
4. The fuel may enter the furnace in the unburned state in
a number of ways, for instance:
a) Through leaky main fuel or ignition fuel inlet valves on
idle wind box/burner compartments.
7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies
b) If the fires are extinguished and if the fuel is not shutoff
promptly.
c) If the fuel is not burning as rapidly as it is entering the
furnace.
d) In starting up, if difficulty is experienced in establishing
ignition.
b. Prevention
1) During start-ups maintain a high air flow (up to 30% of
full load air
flow) to ensure
Click an airsubtitle
to edit Master rich furnace
style atmosphere and
prevent accumulation of explosive mixtures.
2) Be sure that the main fuel and ignition fuel inlet valves
on idle fuel compartments or burners are closed tightly
and do not leak. It is advisable to remove idle oil guns
from the guide pipes, to avoid dripping.
3) Watch the fires so that the fuel may be shut off without
delay
7/18/12if extinguished unexpectedly. If the fires are lost,
 Boiler Emergencies
4) When a boiler has been idle, purge the furnace before
putting igniters in service. Be sure that the warm up fuel
firing rate is high enough to produce a flame not easily
extinguished.
5)Always use an associated igniter to light off a main oil or
gas nozzle.
6) Regularly check proper function of FSSS or BMS
(interlocks, trips)
B) Boiler Implosions : Destructive negative pressure.
a. Causes Click to edit Master subtitle style
1) Tripping or sudden loss of fuel results in mass
temperature reduction resulting in rapid decrease in
furnace pressure.
2) Rapid evacuation of heated gases by ID fans.
3) Failure of fan controls.
b. Prevention
1) The air flow to the furnace must be maintained at its pre
7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies water levels
2) The flow of combustion products from a furnace must be
reduced as quickly as possible following a unit trip.
3) If the removal of fuel from the furnace can be over a 5
to 10 seconds period (rather than instantaneously) there
will be a reduction in the magnitude of a furnace pressure
excursion that follows a unit trip.
4) Further prevention of implosion can be accomplished by
keeping protective control systems in proper working order
and well tuned.
C. Low Water Level
Click to edit Master subtitle style
a. Causes
1. Control failure
2. BFP failure
3. Tube leaks
b. Action
1) Compare indication.
7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies- water levels
2) If the water level falls out of sight in the water gauge,
due top failure of the feed water supply or neglect of the
operator, except in cases of momentary fluctuations that
might occur with extraordinary changes in load,
appropriate action should be taken at once to trip the fuel.
Any decision to continue to operate, even if only for a short
time at a reduced rating, would have to be made by
someone in authority who is thoroughly familiar with the
circumstances that led to the emergency and positively
certain that the water level can be restored immediately
Click to edit Master subtitle style
without damaging the boiler. In the absence of such a
decision :
a) Trip all fuel immediately.
b) Shut off all steam discharged from the unit( trip turbine,
steam driven auxiliaries etc.)
c) Simultaneously, if feed water has become available and
the operator is assured that no pressure parts have
7/18/12
been damaged, gradually reduce the flow of feed water
 Boiler Emergencies-water levels
d) Maintain a high air flow at first to hasten the cooling
process.
e) If pressure parts damage is suspected, reduce the main
steam pressure gradually by opening the super heater
startup drain. Open the drum vents when the pressure
drops below 1.75 bar. As the boiler cools, reduce the air
flow. Shut down the fans as soon as the unit is cool enough
for a man to enter. Drain the boiler when the drum metal
temperature is 93C. Determine the cause of low water and
examine Click
the boiler for the
to edit Master effects
subtitle style of possible overheating
such as leaks and distortion of pressure parts.
D. High Water Level :Water impingement may cause
turbine damage.
a. Causes
1) Feedwater control malfunction
2) Operator error
b. Action
7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies-water levels
a) Reduce the water level immediately by opening the
intermittent blowdown valves.
b) Reduce the steam rate, if necessary, and place
feedwater control on
manual.
2) If priming should occur, as indicated by rapid
fluctuations in outlet steam temperatures in outlet steam
temperature, proceed as follows:
a) Reduce the steaming rate.
b) If the water
Click to level is abnormally
edit Master subtitle style high, reduce the level by
opening the intermittent blowdown valves and place
feedwater control on manual.
c) Investigate the water condition (alkalinity and solids)
d) Investigate the condition of the drum internals as soon
as an opportunity is afforded.

7/18/12
 Boiler Emergency-Tube failure
Boiler tube failures : Operating a boiler with a known
tube leak is not recommended. Steam or water escaping
from a small leak can cut other tubes by impingement and
set up a chain reaction of tube failures. By the loss of water
or steam, a tube failure can alter boiler circulation or flow
and result in other circuits being overheated. A tube leak
can also cause loss of ignition and, if reignition occurs, a
furnace explosion. An investigation of tube failure is very
importantClick
so to
that
editthe conditions
Master causing the tube failure
subtitle style
can be eliminated and future failures prevented.
The investigation should include a visual inspection of the
failed tube. In some cases a laboratory analysis or
consideration of background information leading up to the
tube failure is required. This information should include the
location of the failure, the length of time the unit has been
in operation,
7/18/12 load conditions, start up and shutdown
 Boiler Emergencies-tube leaks
5. Tube Leaks
a. Indications of the tube leaks are
1) Feedwater flow greater than steam flow
2) Excessive desuperheater flow
3) Wetted insulation of water running down casing with no
apparent cause.
4) Excessive make up.
5) Noise from the boiler (Acoustic noise level indicators)
b. Action
1) Furnace tube
Click leaks
to edit Master subtitle style
a) The action taken is dependant on the size and location
of the tube leak
1) A large leak may extinguish fire or cause loss of drum
level.
2) A medium size leak may force an immediate shut
down.
7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies-tube leaks
3) A small leak may allow continued operation after
considering its consequences on continued operation.
b) If at all possible locate the leak
c) In the vent of failure of one or more water carrying
tubes, the best method of shutting down the unit will be
dictated by the size of the failure, the ability to maintain
normal water level and the demands for the service of the
unit.
d) The following instructions regarding tube failures are of
general nature. It must
Click to edit Master be understood
subtitle style that conditions may
arise which will require exercise of judgment by the
operators.
e) In case of a leak or tube failure which does not involve a
serious drain on the feedwater supply, the water level
should be maintained and the unit taken out of service in
the normal manner.
f) If 7/18/12
the tube failure results in a loss of water so great that
 Boiler Emergencies-tube
2) Shut off feedwater toleaks
the boiler.
3) Maintain only enough air flow to carry the escaping
steam up the
stack.
4) Leave the fans in service until pressure is off the unit.
g) After the unit has cooled enough to permit a man enter
it, make a thorough inspection of pressure parts for any
indication of damage resulting from loss of water level.
After the necessary repairs have been made, apply a
hydrostatic test and obtain the approval of the proper
Click to edit Master subtitle style
authorities before putting the unit back in service.
2) Economizer Tubes
a) An economizer tube leak can be detected by sound and/
or increased make up water requirements. The leak
should be detected at the earliest possible time and the
unit shutdown in the normal manner.
b) Water
7/18/12
leaks in the economizer can cause considerable
erosion damage to the adjacent tubes. Water carried
 Boiler Emergencies-tube leaks
3) Super heater Tubes
a) A small leak in a superheater element should be
investigated at the earliest possible time, and the unit
should be shut down in a normal manner. Steam leaks in
the superheater can cause considerable erosion damage to
the adjacent tubes. Any decision to continue operation with
leaks should be made this in mind.
b) A major superheater tube failure may require an
emergency unit shutdown.
6. Master Fuel
Click Trip
to edit Master subtitle style
a) Under conditions requiring a master fuel trip through
normal interlocks or operators action (manual trip), all
fuel should be tripped instantaneously.
b) The following steps should be taken immediately
following an emergency fuel trip.
1) Maintain the unit air flow at the pre-trip value for at
least 5 minutes to purge the system.
7/18/12
 Boiler Emergencies-tube leaks
3) If all auxiliary power sources are lost during a trip, upon
restoration of power, start the ID and FD fans and purge
the furnace for five minutes.

Other boiler emergencies

Air preheater fires/tripping of APH ( one fan operation)
Coal mill explosions ( may lead to boiler trip)
Loss of furnace seal
Loss of scan supply of any elevation
Click to edit Master subtitle style
Loss of instrument air
Loss of cooling water to scaffold door
Bending of long retractable soot blower / furnace probe

7/18/12
 BOILER TRIP Causes
With the exception of the operator push button trip,
following conditions will automatically generate Master
Fuel Trip (MFT)
Loss Of All ID Fans
Loss Of All FD Fans
Less Than Two Circulating Pumps Running
Circulating p Less Than 0.6 Bar
Drum Level Low-low (-330 mm).
Furnace Pressure More Than 330 Mmwc Or Less Than
-250 Mmwc
Click to edit Master subtitle style
Loss Of All Fuel
Air Flow Less Than 30%
Turbine Trip
Reheater Protection Trip
Unit Flame Failure
Loss Of Unit Logic Power
Emergency
7/18/12 Push Button.