BOILER MOUNTING AND ACCESSORIES

Boiler mountings are used to run a boiler in a safe way ex: saftey valve,Water level indicators etc

Boiler accessories are used to improve the efficiency of a boiler ex: economiser,air preheater etc.

A number of items must be fitted to steam boilers, all with the objective of improving:

 Operation.
 Efficiency.
 Safety.

While this Tutorial can offer advice on this subject, definitive information should always be
sought from the appropriate standard. In the UK, the standard relating to the specification of
valves, mountings and fittings in connection with steam boilers is BS 759.Several key boiler
attachments will now be explained, together with their associated legislation where appropriate.

Boiler name-plate
In the latter half of the 19th century explosions of steam boilers were commonplace. As a
consequence of this, a company was formed in Manchester with the objective of reducing the
number of explosions by subjecting steam boilers to independent examination. This company
was, in fact, the beginning of today's Safety Federation (SAFed), the body whose approval is
required for boiler controls and fittings in the UK.
After a comparatively short period, only eight out of the 11 000 boilers examined exploded. This
compared to 260 steam boiler explosions in boilers not examined by the scheme. This success
led to the Boiler Explosions Act (1882) which included a requirement for a boiler name-plate.
An example of a boiler name-plate is shown in Figure

The serial number and model number uniquely identify the boiler and are used when ordering
spares from the manufacturer and in the main boiler log book.The output figure quoted for a
boiler may be expressed in several ways, as discussed in previous Tutorials within this Block.

Safety valves
An important boiler fitting is the safety valve. Its function is to protect the boiler shell from over
pressure and subsequent explosion. In the UK: In Europe, matters relating to the suitability of
safety valves for steam boilers are governed by the European standard EN 12953. In the US and
some other parts of the world, such matters are covered by ASME standards.

Many different types of safety valves are fitted to steam boiler plant, but generally they must all
meet the following criteria:

 The total discharge capacity of the safety valve(s) must be at least equal to the 'from and
at 100°C' capacity of the boiler. If the 'from and at' evaporation is used to size the safety
valve, the safety valve capacity will always be higher than the actual maximum
evaporative boiler capacity.
 The full rated discharge capacity of the safety valve(s) must be achieved within 110% of
the boiler design pressure.
 The minimum inlet bore of a safety valve connected to a boiler shall be 20 mm.
 The maximum set pressure of the safety valve shall be the design (or maximum
permissible working pressure) of the boiler.
 There must be an adequate margin between the normal operating pressure of the boiler
and the set pressure of the safety valve.

Safety valve regulations

  A boiler shall be fitted with at least one safety valve sized for the rated output of the
boiler - Refer to EN 12953 for details.The discharge pipework from the safety valve must
be unobstructed and drained at the base to prevent the accumulation of condensate. It is
good practice to ensure that the discharge pipework is kept as short as possible with the
minimum number of bends, so that the allowable backpressure indicated by the valve
manufacturer is not exceeded.

Boiler stop valves

Boiler stop valve

A steam boiler must be fitted with a stop valve (also known as a crown valve) which isolates the
steam boiler and its pressure from the process or plant. It is generally an angle pattern globe
valve of the screw-down variety. Figure shows a typical stop valve of this type.
In the past, these valves have often been manufactured from cast iron, with steel and bronze
being used for higher pressure applications. In the UK, BS 2790 (eventually to be replaced with
EN 12953) states that cast iron valves are no longer permitted for this application on steam
boilers. Nodular or spheroidal graphite (SG) iron should not be confused with grey cast iron as it
has mechanical properties approaching those of steel. For this reason many boilermakers use SG
iron valves as standard.

The stop valve is not designed as a throttling valve, and should be fully open or closed. It should
always be opened slowly to prevent any sudden rise in downstream pressure and associated
waterhammer, and to help restrict the fall in boiler pressure and any possible associated priming.
On multi-boiler applications an additional isolating valve should be fitted, in series with the
crown valve. At least one of these valves should be lockable in the closed position.

Feedwater check valves

The feedwater check valve is installed in the boiler feedwater line between the feedpump and
boiler. A boiler feed stop valve is fitted at the boiler shell.

The check valve includes a spring equivalent to the head of water in the elevated feedtank when
there is no pressure in the boiler. This prevents the boiler being flooded by the static head from
the boiler feedtank.

Boiler check valve

Under normal steaming conditions the check valve operates in a conventional manner to stop
return flow from the boiler entering the feedline when the feedpump is not running. When the
feedpump is running, its pressure overcomes the spring to feed the boiler as normal.

Because a good seal is required, and the temperatures involved are relatively low (usually less
than 100°C) a check valve with a EPDM (Ethylene Propylene) soft seat is generally the best
option.
 Location of feed check valve

Boiler water quality control

The maintenance of water quality is essential to the safe and efficient operation of a steam boiler.
The measurement and control of the various parameters is a complex topic, which is also covered
by a number of regulations. It is therefore covered in detail later in this Block. The objective of
the next few Sections is simply to identify the fittings to be seen on a boiler.

TDS control
This controls the amount of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the boiler water, and is sometimes
also referred to as 'continuous blowdown'. The boiler connection is typically DN15 or 20. The
system may be manual or automatic. Whatever system is used, the TDS in a sample of boiler
water is compared with a set point; if the TDS level is too high, a quantity of boiler water is
released to be replaced by feedwater with a much lower TDS level. This has the effect of diluting
the water in the boiler, and reducing the TDS level.

On a manually controlled TDS system, the boiler water would be sampled every shift.

A typical automatic TDS control system is shown in Figure

 Typical automatic TDS control system

Bottom blowdown
This ejects the sludge or sediment from the bottom of the boiler. The control is a large (usually
DN25 to DN50) key operated valve. This valve might normally be opened for a period of about 5
seconds, once per shift.

Figure illustrates a key operated manual bottom blowdown valve whereas Figure 3.7.8 illustrates
an automated bottom blowdown valve and its typical position in a blowdown system.

Key operated manual bottom blowdown valve

 Typical position for an automated bottom blowdown valve

Pressure gauge
All boilers must be fitted with at least one pressure indicator.The usual type is a simple pressure
gauge constructed to EN 12953.The dial should be at least 150 mm in diameter and of the
Bourdon tube type, it should be marked to indicate the normal working pressure and the
maximum permissible working pressure / design pressure.

Pressure gauges are connected to the steam space of the boiler and usually have a ring type
siphon tube which fills with condensed steam and protects the dial mechanism from high
temperatures. Pressure gauges may be fitted to other pressure containers such as blowdown
vessels, and will usually have smaller dials as shown in Figure.
 Typical pressure gauge with ring siphon

Gauge glasses and fittings

All steam boilers are fitted with at least one water level indicator, but those with a rating of 100
kW or more should be fitted with two indicators. The indicators are usually referred to as gauge
glasses complying with EN 12953.

Gauge glass and fittings

A gauge glass shows the current level of water in the boiler, regardless of the boiler's operating
conditions. Gauge glasses should be installed so that their lowest reading will show the water
level at 50 mm above the point where overheating will occur. They should also be fitted with a
protector around them, but this should not hinder visibility of the water level. Figure 3.7.10
shows a typical gauge glass.

Gauge glasses are prone to damage from a number of sources, such as corrosion from the
chemicals in boiler water, and erosion during blowdown, particularly at the steam end. Any sign
of corrosion or erosion indicates that a new glass is required.

When testing the gauge glass steam connection, the water cock should be closed. When testing
the gauge glass water connections, the steam cock pipe should be closed.

To test a gauge glass, the following procedure should be followed:

 Close the water cock and open the drain cock for approximately 5 seconds.
 Close the drain cock and open the water cock.

Water should return to its normal working level relatively quickly. If this does not
happen, then a blockage in the water cock could be the reason, and remedial action
should be taken as soon as possible.
 Close the steam cock and open the drain cock for approximately 5 seconds.
 Close the drain cock and open the steam cock.

If the water does not return to its normal working level relatively quickly, a blockage may
exist in the steam cock. Remedial action should be taken as soon as possible.

The authorised attendant should systematically test the water gauges at least once each day and
should be provided with suitable protection for the face and hands, as a safeguard against
scalding in the event of glass breakage.

Gauge glass guards

The gauge glass guard should be kept clean. When the guard is being cleaned in place, or
removed for cleaning, the gauge should be temporarily shut-off.

Make sure there is a satisfactory water level before shutting off the gauge and take care not to
touch or knock the gauge glass. After cleaning, and when the guard has been replaced, the gauge
should be tested and the cocks set in the correct position.

Maintenance
The gauge glass should be thoroughly overhauled at each annual survey. Lack of maintenance
can result in hardening of packing and seizure of cocks. If a cock handle becomes bent or
distorted special care is necessary to ensure that the cock is set full open. A damaged fitting
should be renewed or repaired immediately. Gauge glasses often become discoloured due to
water conditions; they also become thin and worn due to erosion. Glasses, therefore, should be
renewed at regular intervals.

A stock of spare glasses and cone packing should always be available in the boiler house.
Remember:

 If steam passes are choked a false high water level may be given in the gauge glass. After
the gauge has been tested a false high water level may still be indicated.
 If the water passages are choked an artificially high water level may be observed due to
steam condensing in the glass. After testing, the glass will tend to remain empty unless
the water level in the boiler is higher than the top connection, in which case water might
flow into the glass from this connection.
 Gauge glass levels must be treated with the utmost respect, as they are the only visual
indicator of water level conditions inside the boiler. Any water level perceived as
abnormal must be investigated as soon as it is observed, with immediate action taken to
shut down the boiler burner if necessary.

Water level controls

The maintenance of the correct water level in a steam boiler is essential to its safe and efficient
operation. The methods of sensing the water level, and the subsequent control of water level is a
complex topic that is covered by a number of regulations. The following few Sections will
provide a brief overview, and the topic will be discussed in much greater detail later.

External level control chambers

Level control chambers are fitted externally to boilers for the installation of level controls or
alarms, as shown in Figure

External level control chamber

The function of the level controls or alarms is checked daily using the sequencing purge valves.
With the handwheel turned fully anticlockwise the valve is in the 'normal working' position and a
back seating shuts off the drain connection. The handwheel dial may look similar to that shown
in Figure. Some handwheels have no dial, but rely on a mechanism for correct operation.

Purge valve handwheel

The following is a typical procedure that may be used to test the controls when the boiler is
under pressure, and the burner is firing:

 Slowly turn the handwheel clockwise until the indicating pointer is at the first 'pause'
position. The float chamber connection is baffled, the drain connection is opened, and the
water connection is blown through.
 Pause for 5 to 8 seconds.
 Slowly move the handwheel further clockwise to full travel. The water connection is
shut-off, the drain valve remains open, and the float chamber and steam connections are
blown through. The boiler controls should operate as for lowered water level in boiler i.e.
pump running and / or audible alarm sounding and burner cut-out. Alternatively if the
level control chamber is fitted with a second or extra low water alarm, the boiler should
lock-out.
 Pause for 5 to 8 seconds.
 Slowly turn the handwheel fully anticlockwise to shut-off against the back seating in the
'normal working' position.

Internally mounted level controls

Level control systems with sensors (or probes) which fit inside the boiler shell (or steam drum)
are also available. These provide a higher degree of safety than those fitted externally. The level
alarm systems may also provide a self-checking function on system integrity.

Because they are mounted internally, they are not subject to the procedures required to blow
down external chambers. System operation is tested by an evaporation test to '1st low' position,
followed by blowing down to '2nd low' position.

Protection tubes are fitted to discourage the movement of water around the sensor.

Internally mounted level controls

Air vents and vacuum breakers

When a boiler is started from cold, the steam space is full of air. This air has no heat value, and
will adversely affect steam plant performance due to its effect of blanketing heat exchange
surfaces. The air can also give rise to corrosion in the condensate system, if not removed
adequately.

The air may be purged from the steam space using a simple cock; normally this would be left
open until a pressure of about 0.5 bar is showing on the pressure gauge. An alternative to the
cock is a balanced pressure air vent which not only relieves the boiler operator of the task of
manually purging air (and hence ensures that it is actually done), it is also much more accurate
and will vent gases which may accumulate in the boiler. Typical air vents are shown in Figure

Typical air vents and vacuum breakers

Safety valve

An oxygen safety valve ND250-safety valves

A safety valve is a valve mechanism for the automatic release of a substance from a boiler,
pressure vessel, or other system when the pressure or temperature exceeds preset limits.

It is part of a bigger set named pressure safety valves (PSV) or pressure relief valves (PRV). The
other parts of the set are named relief valves, safety relief valves, pilot-operated relief valves,
low pressure safety valves, vacuum pressure safety valves. Safety valves were first used on
steam boilers during the industrial revolution. Early boilers without them were prone to
accidental explosion.

Function and design

A cross-section of a proportional-safety valve

The earliest and simplest safety valve on the steam digester in 1679 used a weight to hold the
pressure of the steam, (this design is still commonly used on pressure cookers); however, these
were easily tampered with or accidentally released. On the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the
safety valve tended to go off when the engine hit a bump in the track. A valve less sensitive to
sudden accelerations used a spring to contain the steam pressure, but these (based on Salter
spring balances) could still be screwed down to increase the pressure beyond design limits. This
dangerous practice was sometimes used to marginally increase performance of a steam engine. In
1856 John Ramsbottom invented a tamper-proof spring safety valve which became universal on
railways.

Safety valves also evolved to protect equipment such as pressure vessels (fired or not) and heat
exchangers. The term safety valve should be limited to compressible fluid application (gas,
vapor, steam).

The two general types of protection encountered in industry are thermal protection and flow
protection.

For liquid-packed vessels, thermal relief valves are generally characterized by the relatively
small size of the valve necessary to provide protection from excess pressure caused by thermal
expansion. In this case a small valve is adequate because most liquids are nearly incompressible,
and so a relatively small amount of fluid discharged through the relief valve will produce a
substantial reduction in pressure.

Flow protection is characterized by safety valves that are considerably larger than those mounted
in thermal protection. They are generally sized for use in situations where significant quantities
of gas or high volumes of liquid must be quickly discharged in order to protect the integrity of
the vessel or pipeline. This protection can alternatively be achieved by installing a high integrity
pressure protection system (HIPPS).

Technical terms

A steam locomotive boiler safety valve belonging to 60163 Tornado

In the petroleum refining, petrochemical, chemical manufacturing, natural gas processing, power
generation, food, drinks, cosmetics ans pharmaceuticals industries, the term safety valve is
associated with the terms pressure relief valve (PRV), pressure safety valve (PSV) and relief
valve. The generic term is Pressure relief valve (PRV) or pressure safety valve (PSV) It should
be noted, as most people think PRV and PSV are the same thing. Is that PSV's have a manual
lever to open the valve in case of emergency.

 Relief valve (RV): automatic system that is actuated by static pressure in a liquid-filled vessel. It specifically
opens proportionally with increasing pressure.
 Safety valve (SV): automatic system that relieves the static pressure on a gas. It usually opens completely,
accompanied by a popping sound.
 Safety relief valve (SRV): automatic system that relieves by static pressure on both gas and liquid.
 Pilot-operated safety relief valve (POSRV): automatic system that relieves by remote command from a
pilot on which the static pressure (from equipment to protect) is connected.
 Low pressure safety valve (LPSV): automatic system that relieves static pressure on a gas. Used when
difference between vessel pressure and the ambient atmospheric pressure is small.
 Vacuum pressure safety valve (VPSV): automatic system that relieves static pressure on a gas. Used when
the pressure difference between the vessel pressure and the ambient pressure is small, negative and near
the atmospheric pressure.
 Low and vacuum pressure safety valve (LVPSV): automatic system that relieves static pressure on a gas.
The pressure is small, negative or positive and near the atmospheric pressure.

RV, SV and SRV are spring operated (even said spring loaded). LPSV and VPSV are spring
operated or weight loaded.

Legal and code requirements in industry

In most countries, industries are legally required to protect pressure vessels and other equipment
by using relief valves. Also in most countries, equipment design codes such as those provided by
the ASME, API and other organizations like ISO (ISO 4126) must be complied with and those
codes include design standards for relief valves.

Today, industries such as food, drinks, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals industries
ask for hygienic safety valves, fully drainable and Cleanable In Place; most of them are stainless
steel made; Hygienic norms are mainly 3A in the US and EHEDG in Europe.

Types

Steam locomotive No. 46229,

Duchess of Hamilton lifts her boiler safety valve after hauling the Welsh Marches Pullman charter.
There is a wide range of safety valves having many different applications and performance
criteria required to cover different areas. In addition, national standards are set by many kinds of
safety valve.

 ASME I tap - a safety valve in accordance with the requirements of Section I of the application code
ASME pressure vessel, which opens 3% and 4% of the pressure. Will rule on two rings serving and
supported by a National Seal V defined.
 ASME VIII valve - safety valve in accordance with the requirements of Article VIII of the ASME code for
pressure vessel applications, which is within 10% overpressure that opens and closes in 7%. Characterized
by a National Board UV stamp.
 Low-lift safety valve - the current position of the disc around the drain valve.
 Full lift safety valve - the region of the exemption is not determined by the position of the disc.
 Full-flow relief valve - A valve which is expected in the hole and lift the valve a sufficient measure of the
minimum area for each position or under the seat to make the control panel.

Water heaters

Temperature and Pressure safety valve on a water heater.

They are required on water heaters, where they prevent disaster in certain configurations in the
event a thermostat should fail. There are still occasional, spectacular failures of older water
heaters that lack this equipment. Houses can be leveled by the force of the blast.

Pressure cookers
Pressure cookers are pots for cooking with a pressure-proof lid. Cooking at pressure allows the
temperature to rise above the normal boiling point of water (100 degrees Celsius at sea level )
which speeds up the cooking and makes the cooking more thorough.

Pressure cookers usually have two safety valves. One is a hole upon which a weight sits. The
other is a sealed rubber grommet which is ejected in a controlled explosion if the first valve gets
blocked.

The term safety valve is also used metaphorically.

Safety for different boilers

Historically, boilers were a source of many serious injuries and property destruction due to
poorly understood engineering principles. Thin and brittle metal shells can rupture, while poorly
welded or riveted seams could open up, leading to a violent eruption of the pressurized steam.
Collapsed or dislodged boiler tubes could also spray scalding-hot steam and smoke out of the air
intake and firing chute, injuring the firemen who loaded coal into the fire chamber. Extremely
large boilers providing hundreds of horsepower to operate factories could demolish entire
buildings.

A boiler that has a loss of feed water and is permitted to boil dry can be extremely dangerous. If
feed water is then sent into the empty boiler, the small cascade of incoming water instantly boils
on contact with the superheated metal shell and leads to a violent explosion that cannot be
controlled even by safety steam valves. Draining of the boiler could also occur if a leak occurred
in the steam supply lines that was larger than the make-up water supply could replace. The
Hartford Loop was invented in 1919 by the Hartford Steam Boiler and Insurance Company as a
method to help prevent this condition from occurring, and thereby reduce their insurance claims.

Superheated steam boilers

A superheated boiler on a steam locomotive.

Most boilers produce steam to be used at saturation temperature; that is, saturated steam.
Superheated steam boilers vaporize the water and then further heat the steam in a superheater.
This provides steam at much higher temperature, but can decrease the overall thermal efficiency
of the steam generating plant because the higher steam temperature requires a higher flue gas
exhaust temperature. There are several ways to circumvent this problem, typically by providing
an economizer that heats the feed water, a combustion air heater in the hot flue gas exhaust path,
or both. There are advantages to superheated steam that may, and often will, increase overall
efficiency of both steam generation and its utilisation: gains in input temperature to a turbine
should outweigh any cost in additional boiler complication and expense. There may also be
practical limitations in using wet steam, as entrained condensation droplets will damage turbine
blades.

Superheated steam presents unique safety concerns because, if any system component fails and
allows steam to escape, the high pressure and temperature can cause serious, instantaneous harm
to anyone in its path. Since the escaping steam will initially be completely superheated vapor,
detection can be difficult, although the intense heat and sound from such a leak clearly indicates
its presence.

Superheater operation is similar to that of the coils on an air conditioning unit, although for a
different purpose. The steam piping is directed through the flue gas path in the boiler furnace.
The temperature in this area is typically between 1,300–1,600 degrees Celsius (2,372–2,912 °F).
Some superheaters are radiant type; that is, they absorb heat by radiation. Others are convection
type, absorbing heat from a fluid such as a gas. Some are a combination of the two types.
Through either method, the extreme heat in the flue gas path will also heat the superheater steam
piping and the steam within. While the temperature of the steam in the superheater rises, the
pressure of the steam does not: the turbine or moving pistons offer a continuously expanding
space and the pressure remains the same as that of the boiler. Almost all steam superheater
system designs remove droplets entrained in the steam to prevent damage to the turbine blading
and associated piping.

Supercritical steam generators

Supercritical steam generators (also known as Benson boilers) are frequently used for the
production of electric power. They operate at "supercritical pressure". In contrast to a "subcritical
boiler", a supercritical steam generator operates at such a high pressure (over
3,200 psi/22.06 MPa or 220.6 bar) that actual boiling ceases to occur, and the boiler has no water
- steam separation. There is no generation of steam bubbles within the water, because the
pressure is above the "critical pressure" at which steam bubbles can form. It passes below the
critical point as it does work in the high pressure turbine and enters the generator's condenser.
This is more efficient, resulting in slightly less fuel use. The term "boiler" should not be used for
a supercritical pressure steam generator, as no "boiling" actually occurs in this device.

Hydronic boilers
Hydronic boilers are used in generating heat for residential and industrial purposes. They are the
typical power plant for central heating systems fitted to houses in northern Europe (where they
are commonly combined with domestic water heating), as opposed to the forced-air furnaces or
wood burning stoves more common in North America. The hydronic boiler operates by way of
heating water/fluid to a preset temperature (or sometimes in the case of single pipe systems, until
it boils and turns to steam) and circulating that fluid throughout the home typically by way of
radiators, baseboard heaters or through the floors. The fluid can be heated by any means...gas,
wood, fuel oil, etc., but in built-up areas where piped gas is available, natural gas is currently the
most economical and therefore the usual choice. The fluid is in an enclosed system and
circulated throughout by means of a motorized pump. The name "boiler" can be a misnomer in
that, except for systems using steam radiators, the water in a properly functioning hydronic boiler
never actually boils. Most new systems are fitted with condensing boilers for greater efficiency.
These boilers are referred to as condensing boilers because they condense the water vapor in the
flue gases to capture the latent heat of vaporization of the water produced during combustion.

Accessories
Boiler fittings and accessories

 Safety valve: It is used to relieve pressure and prevent possible explosion of a boiler.
 Water level indicators: They show the operator the level of fluid in the boiler, also known as a
sight glass, water gauge or water column is provided.
 Bottom blowdown valves: They provide a means for removing solid particulates that condense
and lie on the bottom of a boiler. As the name implies, this valve is usually located directly on
the bottom of the boiler, and is occasionally opened to use the pressure in the boiler to push these
particulates out.
 Continuous blowdown valve: This allows a small quantity of water to escape continuously. Its
purpose is to prevent the water in the boiler becoming saturated with dissolved salts. Saturation
would lead to foaming and cause water droplets to be carried over with the steam - a condition
known as priming. Blowdown is also often used to monitor the chemistry of the boiler water.
 Flash Tank: High pressure blowdown enters this vessel where the steam can 'flash' safely and be
used in a low-pressure system or be vented to atmosphere while the ambient pressure blowdown
flows to drain.
 Automatic Blowdown/Continuous Heat Recovery System: This system allows the boiler to
blowdown only when makeup water is flowing to the boiler, thereby transferring the maximum
amount of heat possible from the blowdown to the makeup water. No flash tank is generally
needed as the blowdown discharged is close to the temperature of the makeup water.
 Hand holes: They are steel plates installed in openings in "header" to allow for inspections &
installation of tubes and inspection of internal surfaces.
 Steam drum internals, A series of screen, scrubber & cans (cyclone separators).
 Low- water cutoff: It is a mechanical means (usually a float switch) that is used to turn off the
burner or shut off fuel to the boiler to prevent it from running once the water goes below a certain
point. If a boiler is "dry-fired" (burned without water in it) it can cause rupture or catastrophic
failure.
 Surface blowdown line: It provides a means for removing foam or other lightweight non-
condensible substances that tend to float on top of the water inside the boiler.
 Circulating pump: It is designed to circulate water back to the boiler after it has expelled some
of its heat.
 Feedwater check valve or clack valve: A non-return stop valve in the feedwater line. This may
be fitted to the side of the boiler, just below the water level, or to the top of the boiler.
 Top feed: A check valve (clack valve) in the feedwater line, mounted on top of the boiler. It is
intended to reduce the nuisance of limescale. It does not prevent limescale formation but causes
the limescale to be precipitated in a powdery form which is easily washed out of the boiler.
 Desuperheater tubes or bundles: A series of tubes or bundles of tubes in the water drum or the
steam drum designed to cool superheated steam. Thus is to supply auxiliary equipment that does
not need, or may be damaged by, dry steam.
 Chemical injection line: A connection to add chemicals for controlling feedwater
Steam accessories

 Main steam stop valve:

 Steam traps:
 Main steam stop/Check valve: It is used on multiple boiler installations.

Combustion accessories

 Fuel oil system:

 Gas system:
 Coal system:
 Soot blower

Other essential items

 Pressure gauges:
 Feed pumps:
 Fusible plug:
 Inspectors test pressure gauge attachment:
 Name plate:
 Registration plate:

Controlling draught
Most boilers now depend on mechanical draught equipment rather than natural draught. This is
because natural draught is subject to outside air conditions and temperature of flue gases leaving
the furnace, as well as the chimney height. All these factors make proper draught hard to attain
and therefore make mechanical draught equipment much more economical.

There are three types of mechanical draught:

 Induced draught: This is obtained one of three ways, the first being the "stack effect" of a heated chimney,
in which the flue gas is less dense than the ambient air surrounding the boiler. The denser column of
ambient air forces combustion air into and through the boiler. The second method is through use of a steam
jet. The steam jet oriented in the direction of flue gas flow induces flue gasses into the stack and allows for
a greater flue gas velocity increasing the overall draught in the furnace. This method was common on steam
driven locomotives which could not have tall chimneys. The third method is by simply using an induced
draught fan (ID fan) which removes flue gases from the furnace and forces the exhaust gas up the stack.
Almost all induced draught furnaces operate with a slightly negative pressure.

 Forced draught: Draught is obtained by forcing air into the furnace by means of a fan (FD fan) and
ductwork. Air is often passed through an air heater; which, as the name suggests, heats the air going into
the furnace in order to increase the overall efficiency of the boiler. Dampers are used to control the quantity
of air admitted to the furnace. Forced draught furnaces usually have a positive pressure.

 Balanced draught: Balanced draught is obtained through use of both induced and forced draught. This is
more common with larger boilers where the flue gases have to travel a long distance through many boiler
passes. The induced draught fan works in conjunction with the forced draught fan allowing the furnace
pressure to be maintained slightly below atmospheric.