CHICAGO — “It’s very easy not to think about a boiler until something goes wrong.”
This statement from Daniel Orr, general manager, National Combustion Co. (NATCO), is an unfortunate truth and a reminder to industry members that ignoring or overlooking this central piece of equipment can only have negative consequences for a laundry/linen plant.
Like much of the other technology that makes a plant run, boilers must be thoroughly monitored and maintained by any business that relies heavily on their safe and smooth operation.
American Laundry News consulted a number of boiler manufacturers that have advice for operators on how, when and why to give a boiler proper TLC, not only for safety reasons, but for overall plant efficiency.
BOILER SAFETY
No matter what kind of boiler a plant uses, there are a number of steps that operators must take to be sure the equipment is in working order with no potentially dangerous problems.
For starters, most of the boiler experts agree that checking the low-water cutoff every day is an essential task for plant safety.
“A low-water condition is one of the most unsafe situations you could have in a boiler if not properly addressed,” says Mike McLean, laundry/drycleaning sales manager at Fulton Boiler Works. He explains that water added to an overheated vessel could cause the expansion of water as it flashes to steam and “create a blast or explosion which would potentially be fatal for anyone around.”
Orr reminds operators not to place chemicals or other materials on or near boilers. Lint, too, should be kept away from the area.
“Make sure there is an emergency switch outside of the boiler room,” he adds. “An emergency switch inside the boiler room isn’t all that useful in the case of a true emergency.”
And when a burner is out of tune, it can generate colorless, odorless carbon monoxide—a poisonous gas that can easily kill, says Michael Leeming, national sales manager, Parker Boiler Co. Another unsafe situation would involve operators bypassing safety controls when trying to figure out why a boiler is not working, he adds.
Birds, too, can be a problem, especially when they nest inside of exhaust stacks, plugging them up and causing a room to fill with exhaust, says Josh Reasoner, South regional sales manager at Hamilton Engineering. Relief valves can get plugged up as well, building up energy and potentially becoming dangerous.
“Relief or safety valves that are not piped down to the floor or a drain are a real hazard,” Orr adds. “If they are not and one happens to open when a person is nearby, they could receive severe burns.”
And while manufacturers include as many safety switches as possible in their equipment—high- and low-gas-pressure switches, temperature sensors, etc.—there is always the potential for things to go wrong if those safety functions are dismissed.
“Operator error is typically the culprit on any boiler catastrophe,” says McLean.
MAINTENANCE TASKS
When it comes to regular boiler maintenance, sources we interviewed had suggestions for a few essential tasks that operators should make a point to perform.
“The very first, most important thing is always check the combustion heat exchanger by cleaning it and inspecting it,” Reasoner advises. “It’s a real critical point … to make sure everything is in line and everything is clean and not blocked.”
Leeming suggests a comprehensive water treatment program, including daily checks of the soft water and total dissolved solids (TDS), along with a monthly water analysis.
“An operator may say, ‘Well, I’ve saved a lot of money not using any chemicals and it’s really maintenance-free,’ but what he doesn’t realize is his fuel bill is going up $50 a month,” says Leeming. “Proper water treatment will save you a lot of money.”
McLean agrees that keeping an eye on water chemistry is a major must-do. He says Fulton suggests to customers that they have their water tested prior to treatment and to take the results to their chemical suppliers, who can prescribe proper chemicals and dosages that take into consideration the boiler manufacturer’s guidelines.
Frequent blowdowns to remove mud and sediment from the bottom of the boiler are also important, Leeming says, though different manufacturers will have different procedures for doing so.
And while there are many different kinds of boilers that operate in different ways, testing exhaust gases or using a combustion analyzer can quickly help determine whether maintenance is required, according to Orr. “The best start is to contact the boiler manufacturer for specific information,” he says.
Check back Monday for Part 2!
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].