Principles

of Operation
Main Components
Safe Operation

PRINCIPLES OF
OPERATION

USE OF BOILERS ON BOARD

In ships using diesel engines as main propulsion,

the auxiliary boilers fitted onboard are normally used
for air conditioning and heating purposes such as
fuel oil heating, fuel tanks heating, lubricating oil
sump tank heating, purifiers heater, domestic hot
water system etc.

Steam turbine driven cargo pumps and boiler feed

pumps are also commonly used on board tankers.

Cochran Boiler

Cochran Boiler
The

boiler onboard our vessel is a horizontal smoke

tube COCHRAN type vertical boiler, which employs
forced draft oil burning, and is capable of generating
saturated steam of 7bar with a production rate of 2t/hr.
The

boiler construction is vertical steel type, having

fire hole and hemi-spherical and tubular combustion
chambers at the lower portion.

Cochran Boiler

Combustion gas enters the smoke chamber from

the combustion chamber, and escapes into the
chimney from the smoke box after passing through
a group of stacks.

The boiler shell is divided into a water drum at its

central portion and a steam drum at its upper
portion, and calories are transmitted to the boiler
from the combustion chamber, rear tube plates, and
a group of stacks, all of which are heated by
combustion gas.

COMPONENTS OF
BOILER

Burners

Steam Drum & Boiler Tubes

The Steam drum provides the space for the separation of steam
and water mixture.
In smoke tube boilers the water mixture is at the bottom of the
drum and the steam is at the top of the drum.
The steam from the steam drum is supplied to the necessary
services by means of a Main Steam Stop Valve.
Smoke from the boiler furnace passes through the smoke
chamber and enters through the smoke tubes of the boiler and
escapes through the smoke box to the chimney.
Water to be vaporized lies outside these tubes.
These tubes are approx. 64mm diameter welded to the flat tube
plates.

Safety Valve

Safety Valve

The function of a safety valve is to prevent

excessive pressure from building up in a steam
boiler.
It prevents boiler pressure from rising above a
certain predetermined pressure by opening to allow
excess steam to escape into the atmosphere when
that point is reached, thus guarding the boiler
against possible explosion. The SOLAS regulation
says that there should be minimum two safety
valves on a boiler.

Level Condenser

Low water level cut-off switch

Water Level Gauge

Water Level Gauge

At least two water level indicators must be fitted to

each boiler .
In practice the usual arrangement consists of two
direct reading water level gauges mounted on steam
drum and a remote reading indicator placed at a
convenient control position.
Gauge glasses are fitted to determined the water
level in the boiler.
Onboard we have Igema type gauge glass.

Main Steam Stop Valve

Main Steam Stop Valve

This is mounted on the top of the boiler and

enables the steam from boiler to be supplied to
various heating devices.

Scum Valve

Scum Valve
They are mounted on steam drum having an
internal fitting in the form of shallow pan situated
just below the normal water level with which any
oil or scum which is floating on surface of water
can be removed.
These valves discharge into the bottom blow
down line to overboard discharge valve.

Soot blower

Soot Blower

In order to maintain the gas side heating surfaces of

a boiler in a clean condition and so as to prevent an
undue build up of deposits which can lead to
corrosion or uptake fires, soot blowers are fitted.
They may be operated by steam or compressed air.

Air Vent

Air Vent
They

are fitted on the top of the boiler to

release air when filling the boiler or when
initially raising steam.

Feed Check Valve

Feed Check Valve

These are fitted to give final control over the entry of

feed water into the boiler.
They must be screw down non return valve so that
in the event of loss of feed pressure the boiler water
can not blow back into the feed line.
Main and auxiliary feed checks are fitted .

Bottom Blow Valve

Blow down valve

They are fitted to the water drum to enable water to

be blown from boiler when the boiler is shut down.
They can also be used to lower the density by
blowing down the settled salts.

Boiler Feed Water Regulator

Boiler Feed Water Regulator

Automatic feed water regulator are fitted in the feed

line prior to main check line.
It is fitted to maintain the flow of water into the boiler
and maintain the water level at its desired value
during all load conditions.

Forced Draft Fan

PRIMARY
SECONDRY

Forced Draft Fan

Both the fans are driven by a single by-axial motor.

Priming air from the priming fan is mixed with oil
particles at an early phase of combustion and the
secondary air from the secondary fan shares a
substantial percentage of combustion air.

The dampers of both the fans are coupled with spill

control valve in the fuel line so that an appropriate
air fuel mixture can be obtained through out the
combustion.

Manhole Door

Manhole Door
Internal

access to the boiler is provided by

the manhole door in the top of the shell for
cleaning and inspection.
Hand holes in the lower section of the shell
provide access to the lower part of the water
space for cleaning and inspection.

Cascade Tank

Observation Tank

Control panel

Level Transmitter with

Pressure Regulator

Manifold Valve

Diaphragm Valve

Valve positioner

KY-Z Type Strainer

Reducer

Burner Assembly

MAGNET VALVE

SOLENOID
VALVE

SPILLCONTROL
VALVE

PEG
CAM

AIR FUEL RATIO

CONTROL

Main Burner

FO Strainer

FO Pump

FO Heater

Heater Relief Valve

Pressure Transmitters

SAFE OPERATION

Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions

Safety Valves

At least two safety valves have to be fitted to the

boiler as per SOLAS regulation.
BLOWDOWN : The pressure drop below the lifting pressure for a
safety valve is set at 5% by regulation although it is
more normal to set valve at 3% to prevent excessive
loss of steam. For boilers with a superheater it is
important that the superheater valve not only lifts
first but closes last.

Safety valve setting

Must be set with the surveyor present except when on the waste
heat unit. A chief engineer with three years experience may then set
the safety valve but must submit information to surveyor for issue of
certificate.
Superheated steam safety valves should be set as close to
operating temperature as possible as expansion can alter the
relationships between valve trim and guide/nozzle rings which can
effect the correct operation of the valve.

Two safety valves- each set independently

Each safety valve must release entire steam flow in pressure accumulation test
Surveyor uses specially checked gauge
One valve gagged
valve initially set to approximately the correct position then steam pressure
increased to set pressure
adjust valve to lift
raise and lower pressure to check
fit locks to both valves on completion

Safety valve setting

Easing gear to be checked free before setting valves. Steam

should not be released as this can damage seat.
Adjustment by compression nut on top spring plate
Compression spring over nut-no movement
Cap with cotter prevent unauthorized person
Easing gear for manual operation

Prepared by :-