FAQ & Glossary

Boiler FAQs

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What is a high pressure steam boiler

Per ASME Code, a high pressure boiler is a boiler with operating pressure greater or equal to 15psig. The boilers are also known as ASME Section I boilers.

Can I operate my high pressure boiler at lower pressures?

In general, yes you can. But, you do need to consider how the lower pressure will affect steam velocity out of the boiler (and associated piping), as this can create issues with carryover, noise, potential erosion of pipes/fittings, how this will affect your boiler’s feed water system, and if/how the lower pressure might affect the rest of your system. We can help evaluate and mitigate potential issues.

I have to keep pushing a reset button to restart my boiler, is that normal?

No, continually needing to push a manual reset is not normal and indicates an issue with the boiler’s operation. Generally, boilers have two types of controls; automatic reset, and manual reset type. Some examples include Operating and High Limit Pressure Control, and Low Water and Auxiliary Low Water Cut-off. Under normal conditions, your boiler will rely on its automatic reset controls to safely shutdown and restart without operator intervention (for example, when the boiler hits its set point for pressure, it will restart after a predetermined drop in pressure). The manual reset is the safety net above the automatic controls and indicates that something is wrong and needs attention. This could be as simple as control setpoints being set too closely together, or more serious (a failed control, for example), but in any case, a qualified technician should review the boiler and diagnose/repair the issue.

Does my boiler require an annual inspection?

If it is a high pressure boiler, the answer is likely yes. This can vary with locations, but in North Carolina, for example, High Pressure Boilers require an annual external and internal inspection, and Low Pressure Boilers require external inspections every two years.

Is an annual inspection optimal for boiler maintenance?

We believe annual inspections are the minimum for safe and efficient operations. Depending on your facility’s specific conditions, more frequent inspections/tune-ups can result in costs savings, improved uptime and safety. Examples include biannual, or quarterly - we’ve even had customers start on a monthly program to get their boiler into better condition, then move to quarterly as their operation was improved.

What is the best way to increase my steam boiler’s efficiency?

Without a detailed review of the boiler, its operation, your facility’s steam usage, and many other factors, it is impossible to accurately say which option is the best. But, here are some examples of options to consider:

  • Inspection and Tune-up: If your boiler has not been recently serviced, or you’ve noticed a drop in efficiency, a good first option is to make sure what you have is working optimally.
  • Controls Upgrades: These can range from adding features to existing systems that allow expandability, such as Variable Frequency Drives to the blower motor, or Oxygen Trim, to complete control retrofits.
  • Burner upgrades: If your existing burner is no longer in production and repair parts are a concern, a complete burner replacement may make the most sense.
  • Installing an Economizer (aka Feed water heater): An economizer increases efficiency by capturing otherwise wasted exhaust heat and transferring it into your boiler’s feed water (or other source for use in your facility).
  • Continuous Blowdown Heat Recovery Systems (CBHX): Similar to the economizer, CBHX systems capture otherwise wasted heat from a boiler's continuous surface blowdown by transferring that energy into the boiler’s makeup water.
  • Condensate Recovery Strategies: Condensate is more than just water, it has been heated and chemically treated, wasted condensate is wasted money. Consider the steam system as a whole, is all of the condensate that can be recovered making its way back to the boiler? If not, can it? If not, can we recover heat from wasted condensate before it goes to drain?

There are many ways to implement the above options, including strategies combining multiple options into one project, but there must first be a detailed review of your boiler plant’s operation. This detailed review should consider current fuel usage, fuel costs, boiler operating hours, boiler firing rates, electrical costs, future plant operations, and much more.

Small boiler part

Boiler Room FAQ’s

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Open boiler control panel
What is boiler feedwater?

Boiler feedwater is water that is being supplied to your boiler (at the proper pressure) to make up for water leaving the boiler as steam. This is water that has been treated (chemically and/or by a deaerator) and is usually heated (feedwater heater, or deaerator), prior to being introduced into the boiler.

What is a lead-lag panel?

A lead lag panel is responsible for the efficient sequencing of boilers to meet plant demands. They do this by monitoring steam header pressure, and bring boilers on and offline to keep this pressure as setpoint. These controls can also include functions to rotate boilers for equal runtime, and some function as a boiler plant control with the ability to monitor each boiler, the feedwater system, and other boiler plant functions.

What is a deaerator?

Is a feedwater tank that operates under pressure and at that pressure’s saturation temperature. It’s job is to drive off dissolved gasses (oxygen and other gasses) from the feedwater, in order to protect the boiler and steam system from corrosion.

What is an economizer?

A feed water heater that heats feedwater by passing it through a finned-tube heat exchanger placed in the path of the gasses of combustion - i.e. a heat exchanger in the boiler’s stack, that capturing otherwise wasted exhaust heat and transferring it into your boiler’s feed water (or other source for use in your facility), improving plant efficiency..

About Us FAQs

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What are your hours of operation?

We have service technicians on call, with a backup technician, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365 days a year.

What boilers do you service?

We service all brands of boilers (steam, hot water, and condensing), steam generators, thermal fluid heaters, deaerators, and all other types of boiler room equipment.

What types of services do you offer?

If it’s in the boiler room, we likely work on it - we provide services ranging from Inspections and Preventive Maintenance, to boiler upgrades (controls, burners, economizers, etc), to new installations. Give us a call and see how we can help you.

Do you provide residential service

No, we do not at this time.

Do provide free payback analysis, for efficiency upgrades?

Yes, we do! We are happy to help assemble accurate payback analysis to help you make the best decision for your facility.

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Boiler- & Burner-Related Glossary Terms

Trying to learn your way around your boiler? These terms are a great place to start.

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# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
There are currently 22 names in this directory beginning with the letter B.
balanced draft
Mechanical draft that combines forced and induced draft through the use of a forced draft fan and an induced draft fan.
balanced-pressure thermostatic steam trap
See thermostatic steam trap.
bent-tube boiler
A watertube boiler with more than one drum in which shaped tubes connect the drums.
bimetallic steam trap
A steam trap in which a temperature-sensitive bimetallic element controls a small discharge valve.
bimetallic thermometer
A thermometer that uses a strip of two metal alloys with different coefficients of thermal expansion that are fused together at the ends.
biomass
A biological material used as a renewable energy fuel.
bituminous coal
A geologically young coal that contains a low percentage of fixed carbon and a high percentage of volatile gas. Also known as soft coal.
blowdown
The process of opening valves to blow water or steam through a fitting or from a boiler in order to remove any sludge, sediment, or other undesirable particles.
blowdown heat recovery system
Equipment that is installed to reclaim heat that is normally lost during the continuous blowdown process.
blowdown separator
A small tank in which makeup water is added to the boiler blowdown water after it flashes in order to reduce the discharge water temperature.
blowdown tank
A tank that cools blowdown water and steam to protect sewer lines from the high pressure and temperature of the blowdown water.
boiler
A closed vessel used for heating water for generating steam by direct application of heat from combustion fuels or electricity.
boiler horsepower (BHP)
The amount of energy equal to the evaporation of 34.5 lb of water/hr from and at a feedwater temperature of 212°F.
boiler vent
A valve connected to the top of a boiler that allows air to be removed from the boiler when filling and heating and allows air to be drawn in when the pressure drops during cool-down or when draining the boiler.
bottom blowdown
The process of removing water from the bottom of a boiler in order to remove impurities from the water.
bottom blowdown valve
A valve located at the lowest part of the water side of a firetube boiler or the mud drum of a watertube boiler so that sludge and sediment can be removed from the bottom of the boiler.
Bourdon tube
A metal tube inside a mechanical pressure gauge that is shaped like a question mark and has a tendency to straighten when pressurized.
British thermal unit (Btu)
A measurement of the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb of water by 1°F.
brown coal
See lignite coal.
bubbler
A level-measuring instrument consisting of an air tube extending to the bottom of a tank, a pressure gauge and transmitter, a flow-control meter, and a pressure regulator. Also known as a pneumercator.
burner management system
A system programmed for automatic burner sequencing and flame supervision. Also known as a programmer or sequencing system.
bypass switch
See transfer switch.
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