![]() The cost of annual descaling and tube cleaning is small compared to the price of a major boiler repair or unplanned process downtime.Įliminating boiler tube buildup will have a positive impact on process heating equipment efficiency. A consistent flue temperature is evidence of a clean boiler. The unused combustion heat is pushed out of the flue and dispersed to the atmosphere.īy tracking the flue-gas temperature, maintenance personnel can monitor for fouling increases that would indicate it is time to clean the boiler. When the inside of the boiler is coated with scale and soot, heat from combustion cannot transfer through the tube wall and into the water. Monitoring stack temperature is a proactive method for identifying the presence of heavy boiler fouling. (For HVAC applications, routine maintenance is recommended at least once a year.) When process heating is required year-round, however, scheduling maintenance and cleaning are essential to minimize the effects of an offline system. ![]() Photos credit: Goodway Technologiesįor boilers to operate efficiently and avoid frequent breakdowns, a regular schedule for maintenance and cleaning - as well as monitoring during operation - is important. Some descaling chemicals dissolve scale on contact, eliminating the need for boiler tube scraping. Every facility needs to look at the type of scale occurring in their boiler to determine the most effective approach. The method used for cleaning - mechanical or chemical - differs depending on the thickness and type of deposits being removed. Fireside fouling can be removed mechanically with rods and brushes, compressed air, bead blasting or motor-driven rotary-brush cleaners. Soot and corrosion from combustion can foul the fireside of boilers, causing the tube-wall temperature to get so hot that the tube itself weakens and can rupture. In such cases, the buildup typically must be removed using a cleaning system with strong brushes and scraping tools. 6 fuel oil, or wood, medical or municipal waste often suffer from thick fouling. Boilers burning heavy petroleum fuels like No. ![]() 2 diesel fuel produce a light fouling that can be removed by brushes, without the need for heavy scrapers. Natural gas, propane and petroleum fuels like gasoline or No. The severity of firetube corrosion and fouling is related to the fuel being burned. This creates an insulating layer of ash, preventing heat from getting to the water. When fuel like oil or coal is burned, the soot and combustion products collect on the internal components of the fireside. Improvements in the equipment used to clean boiler tubes and remove scale can reduce the amount of time needed to effectively clean the tubes. Foregoing routine boiler maintenance may seem like the easier choice, but that decision could lead to expensive and disastrous failures. It does not take much soot or scale buildup on a boiler, however, to affect overall operations - and a company’s bottom line. This makes finding the time and resources to conduct proper maintenance more challenging. In many plants and facilities, maintenance personnel are dealing with increased workloads and, in some cases, reduced workforces and budgets. This is especially true for equipment that has experienced a shutdown for an extended period. Process heating equipment, including boilers, should not be neglected instead, a preventive maintenance plan should include tuning, regular cleaning and descaling. Yet, maintenance personnel may forget how important regular service and cleaning are to boiler performance. Industrial boilers do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to keeping production processes or even facilities operating as effectively as possible.
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