EFFICIENCY MAINTENANCE

Efficiency-related boiler maintenance is directed at correcting any condition that increases the amount of fuel required to generate a given quantity of steam. Thus, at a specified boiler load, any condition that leads to an increase in flu-gas temperature; flue-gas flow; combustible content of flue gas or ash; convection or radiation losses from the boiler exterior, ductwork, or pipe; or blowdown rates is considered an efficiency-related maintenance item. Generally, attention to items can eliminate more serious consequences, such as damage to equipment and/or injury to personnel.

The boiler tune-up is the best method of improving efficiency. The primary objective of a tune-up is to achieve efficient combustion with a controlled amount of excess air, thus reducing the dry gas loss and the power consumption of forced- and induced-draft fans.

CARE OF BOILER FIRESIDES

The boiler firesides must be kept clean. The burning of any petroleum product tends to be incomplete, thus leaving soot and carbon deposits on the boiler firesides. These deposits seriously reduce the efficiency of the boiler. Slag contributes greatly to failure of such parts as superheater support plates, baffles, protection plates, and soot blowers. Deposits also act as insulation and