Boiler firing and 6 checks to be done before you start it, have been discussed in this article in a systemic manner. We will discuss important checks that are carried out before starting or firing up the boiler.
Boiler being a pressure vessel should be given utmost priority while operating it. And in no case it should be fired if any of the parameters is not correct. Boiler to be operated by a qualified engineer.
Checks before boiler firing
Following are some of the common and important checks that needs to be carried out.
Fuel Oil Temperature and pump
Make sure that the supply pump is running and the pressure across suction and discharge is correct. Suction pressure is a good indication of condition of filter.
Make sure that heater is on in case you are using HFO and ULSFO and temperature is correct as per the fuel oil type.
In case you are using MGO for the operation, temperature needs to be around 35-45 degree Celsius only.
Gauge Glass
Check that the emergency light behind it is working and clearly shows the water level.
Also make sure that gauge glass clearly shows water level inside it and there is not sludge or any unwanted debries that can hamper with the water level indication.
Feed Water Pump and Line Is Set
Start the feed water pump and make sure you get the desired pressure on the discharge.
Check that the feed water systems lines are set and ready to go.
Check that the water level in the Cascade system is up to the operation range. Add more if needed (if automatic filling is not available)
Furnace
Open the burner door or the window and check inside the boiler for any kind of oil accumulation or damage to the refractory.
Also clean the glass which shows the flame.
Swirl Plate and Burner
In rotary cup type of burner, there is a swirl plate in front of the burner. Make sure it is cleaned properly, otherwise boiler will give flame failure alarm frequently.
Those boilers which uses Pressure jet type are very sensitive to any kind of debris in the system as they have a nozzle same like that of a fuel injector.
Flame sensor can be cleaned with a piece of clean rag, so that you don’t get false alarms.
Purging
A good purging for a period not less than 1 minutes is a important thing to do before you fire up the boiler.
The reason behind purging is that we want to remove any fumes of combustible gases inside the boiler, which otherwise would ignite violently and lead to explosion when is boiler is fired up.
This is the reason it is advisable to purge the system well before you fire it up.
Note: after firing the boiler, a look at the water level and the condition of flame needs to be checked. After satisfactory operation only, you should keep the boiler unattended.
Flame condition will tell you lot about the fuel type and also the temperature. It will also indicate how good your burner is.
This was all from this article on checks be done when you are doing boiler firing.