Page 55 - Boiler Operator’s Handbook

40 Boiler Operator’s Handbook

Today it’s easiest to use a computer to maintain somewhere else in a separate remote building, on an
your records, just be sure you back it up. You can iden- isolated server, or in a cloud.
tify the location of the instruction manual by file num- Okay, we have a need for documentation, a means
ber and drawer number or other reference. The digital of keeping it in order, now what do we have to keep?
processing allows you to insert information for a piece Here’s a list of equipment items that is as complete as I
of equipment in a record without having to move every- can make it. You won’t always need everything but none
thing about. Actually it’s moved, it’s just that you don’t are unnecessary. The best thing to do is keep everything
do it, the computer does. You can also find maintenance because you never know when a piece of information is
and repair information and other data related to a piece valuable until you can’t find it!
of equipment by simply searching those files for an
equipment number. • An equipment list, arranged in numerical order
Even though the matter of filing is facilitated by with a description of each piece of equipment. A
the computer you should still use equipment numbers. name for the equipment; manufacturer, manufac-
A number is unique to the computer but it can’t always turer’s model number, a copy, rubbing or photo
pick out differences in alpha references that we all use. of the nameplate, model number, serial number,
For example, your data files could have references to National Board and State Numbers for boilers
Boiler No. 1, boiler #1, Blr. 1, boiler 1, and Number one and pressure vessels, capacity, maximum allow-
boiler all entered by different people and sometimes able pressure, maximum operating temperature,
even by the same person. The computer doesn’t realize minimum operating temperature, maximum and
all those references mean boiler 1, and some information minimum ambient temperatures for operation
could be lost in the depths of the data files. and storage, voltage requirements, power or amp
With little plants I like to see everything stored draw, weight dry, weight operating, overall di-
together, the original specification, the manufacturer’s mensions.
paperwork, maintenance and repair records, parts lists,
record of parts on hand and where they’re stored. When • Original specification and/or purchase order for
all the documentation for a piece of equipment is stored the equipment.
in one spot you can find information quickly and, quite
importantly, when you dispose of the equipment you • Manufacturer’s Data Report Forms and all Repair
can pull the paper from only one spot to discard it or Forms (boilers and pressure vessels).
move it. If the equipment was replaced you can replace
the documentation readily as well. You shouldn’t have • The Manufacturer’s Operating and Maintenance
to sift through tons of paper that describes pieces that Manual.
were thrown out years ago; it seems I’m always doing
that. • PIDs (Process and Instrumentation Diagrams)
In the first edition of this book I made a mistake, These drawings show the intended flow of all the
no question about it. You should never have all of your process fluids (water, steam, gas, oil, etc.) in the
eggs in one basket and you should definitely not have plant and the instruments that are used to mea-
documentation all stored in one place without a copy sure, indicate, and record the values of those fluid
somewhere else in the event of a disaster. I imagine I flows. Frequently they will have the range of flow
didn’t think much of it when I wrote the book because for each fluid. A steam line may show values like
I had always retained a copy of our instruction manual “0 to 25,000 pph” so you’ll know what the range of
and the drawings for every job we ever did at Power and flows are. It can also show pipe sizes.
Combustion and the drawings were original vellums
kept in a fireproof safe. There were several occasions • Lubrication records, what lubricants are required
when customers lost their original data due to fire or and when the equipment was lubricated or lubri-
water leakage and we were able to replace their mate- cant was changed. Include tribology reports.
rial with copies. So, everything I produced was stored
in two completely isolated locations. You should make • Maintenance and repair records. Either a reference
it a point to have a second copy of all of your documen- to the date of repair (see above) so details can be
tation stored in a separate location. Information is kept found in the maintenance and repair log or a de-
only on a computer should have backup files stored scription of the work and when it was done.