Routine Checking of Boiler During Normal Operation: Safety, Efficiency, and Best Practices
Boilers are the backbone of power plants, industrial facilities, and manufacturing units, generating steam for energy and process applications. Since boilers operate under high pressure and temperature, routine checking during normal operation is essential to ensure safety, efficiency, and reliability.
Regular monitoring helps detect abnormalities early, prevents accidents, and maintains optimum performance.
🔹 Key Checks During Normal Boiler Operation
1. Fuel and Ash Handling Systems
- Ensure sufficient fuel availability.
- Verify that fuel handling equipment is healthy and free from faults.
- Confirm that the ash handling system is working properly without jamming or blockages.
2. Field Equipment Performance
- Inspect smooth operation of:
- Induced Draft (ID) Fan
- Forced Draft (FD) Fan
- Boiler Feed Pump
- Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP)
- Bag Filter
- Dosing Pumps
- Pulverisers and Feeders
- Instrument Air Compressor
3. Water Level and Leakage
- Water level at the gauge glass must be within the normal range and match remote readings.
- Check for leakages in steam, feedwater, flue gas, and fuel systems.
4. Chemical Dosing and Cooling
- Ensure sufficient dosing chemicals are available in the dosing tank.
- Confirm cooling water supply to all coolers.
5. Instrument Readings and Valves
- Field instrument readings must match remote readings.
- Verify the position of control and isolation valves as per operational requirements.
🔹 Handling Abnormalities
- Any abnormality should be rectified promptly when conditions permit.
- Maintain a defect register to record issues for future rectification.
- Audible and visual alarms at the control panel alert operators to abnormalities. Immediate corrective action is required to restore normal operation.
🔹 Soot Blowing
- Soot deposits on boiler tubes reduce heat transfer efficiency and increase exhaust flue gas temperature.
- Soot blowing must be carried out whenever required.
- Frequency depends on the type of fuel used in the boiler.
🔹 Logging and Monitoring
- Maintain a log book to record important parameters.
- Modern DCS (Distributed Control System) and PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems provide trending facilities for effective monitoring.
- Manual logging at intervals of 1–2 hours is also recommended.
Parameters to Log
- Rate of fuel feeding
- Steam generation (flow)
- Final superheater steam temperature
- Final steam pressure
- Air supply and air temperature
- Draft at various zones
- Flue gas temperature at different zones
- Feedwater inlet temperature
- Drum level
- Current taken by various drives
- Ash hopper level
- Coal feeder speed
- Grate speed
- Bed temperature
- Pressure drop across fuel bed
Additional parameters may be added based on operational requirements.
📌 Key Takeaways
- Routine checks ensure safe and efficient boiler operation.
- Monitoring fuel, ash, water levels, and equipment performance is critical.
- Logging parameters helps in trend analysis and preventive maintenance.
- Soot blowing and defect registers improve reliability and reduce downtime.