Page 91 - Boiler_Operators_Handbook,_Second_Edition

76 Boiler Operator’s Handbook

it will expose (multiply your steam generating capacity During any typical working day in a steam plant a boiler
in pounds per hour by $20 or the boiler horsepower by operator will spend no less than 4 hours plus 1 hour per
$700) of boiler to probable failure to do it quicker. Now operating boiler and 1/2 hour per idle boiler to:
they have a time and a dollar value for doing it faster,
usually you won’t get any more questions. • Note in that newspaper the weather forecast for
Note that I didn’t mention refractory. If the boiler his next shift and predict the steam load to see if
has been laid up properly there’s no reason to believe another boiler must be started or one stopped to
serious damage to the refractory could occur during an accommodate that load. Transfer the number of lo-
emergency start-up. Very old boilers and coal fired units cal degree days from the paper to the log. Review
may have sufficient thicknesses of refractory that it’s a communications from the prior shift, the chief
concern and your plan should address those conditions engineer and plant engineer to see if facility opera-
when they exist. Finally, log it all! tions will change the load and plan accordingly. In
production facilities, review the production sched-
ule for the same purpose. In some cases today’s op-
NORMAL OPERATION erator checks the standing orders and production
schedules on the plant’s Intranet to determine the
I hear it so frequently: “all that boiler operator does boiler load.
is sit on his butt and read the paper” or words to that
effect. Of course, you may have the same perception of • Check each boiler in operation to note water level,
others; does a night watchman do anything? a librarian? steam pressure, feedwater pressure, fuel pressure,
how about us engineers? Remember that old Indian fuel temperature, stack temperature, draft, cas-
proverb: “never criticize a man until you’ve walked a ing color and temperature, firing rate, position of
mile in his moccasins.” I always address that first quote control linkage, security of control linkage connec-
with the following inquiry and offer the list that follows tions, condition of air inlets, temperature of blower
it so the person knows what a boiler operator does on a bearings, temperature of blower motor and its
normal shift. bearings, signs of vibration at blower or its motor,
What is the most sensitive, precise, and accurate flame signal strength, flame appearance, flue gas
sensor in a boiler plant? I always wait for the person I appearance, and detect signs of leakage.
ask to bring up a few answers. Occasionally they answer
the operator’s brain but I can say that’s wrong. It’s the • Check each idle boiler to note water level, internal
operator’s ear. Think about it… Even before the pressure pressure, position of vent valve, stack temperature,
gages drop or the alarm goes off you know when some- draft conditions, casing temperature, position of
thing goes wrong; you hear it! When I’m asked what is control linkage, security of control linkage connec-
necessary to eliminate personnel during the evening or tions, condition of air inlet, furnace and boiler pass
night shifts I always manage to get the inquirer’s mental conditions, and look for signs of leakage.
gears turning by explaining that and asking how much
they’re willing to spend to get a system that approaches • Check auxiliary equipment and systems to note salt
the ability of an operator listening to his plant. storage level, brine level, softener in service, other
Since the original edition of this book something pretreatment equipment as applicable, condensate
has happened that gives me another response to people tank level, deaerator level, deaerator pressure,
that question the need for a boiler operator. IBM cre- condensate temperature, feedwater temperature,
ated the computer system they named Watson to serve condition of deaerator vent gases, temperature of
as a contestant on the television program jeopardy and condensate pump bearings and the pump’s motor
it actually won. I believe the estimated cost of that sys- and motor bearings, temperature and condition of
tem was well over $5 million. Of course Watson could the condensate pump seal and seal flushing flow,
hear and make decisions but it cost a lot more than the temperature of the boiler feed pump bearings and
services of a boiler operator. I doubt if anyone is ready the pump’s motor and motor bearings, tempera-
to spend more than $5 million to replace a boiler plant ture and condition of the feed pump seal, continu-
operator. ous blowdown discharge temperature, flash tank
Now, in addition to always being on top of every- pressure, blowdown drain temperature, chemical
thing going on in that plant, what does an operator do? feed tank levels, fuel oil supply pressure, fuel oil