The temperatures are tremendous in the furnace of the modern boiler. The heat is used to make steam for industrial and utility use, but some of the tremendous heat is wasted.
One of the reasons why heat is lost in the process of generating steam in a boiler is that the combustion of a fuel produces deposits inside the boiler that slow down the flow of heat.
When this happens, it takes more fuel to generate the same amount of steam. The loss of heat efficiency is not the only problem caused by combustion deposits in the boiler. These deposits of soot and ash can cause damage within the boiler both directly and indirectly. Sometimes the deposits can grow large enough to directly cause damage when vibration causes large chunks called clinkers to come loose and fall on the boiler
The buildup of combustion deposits within a boiler is something to be prevented.
The way that these deposits can be kept to a minimum is to use Soot Blowers. Soot blowers are devices that use high-pressure compressed air or steam to blow deposits of soot and ash off the inside surfaces of the boiler while the boiler is operating.
Soot blowers come in three types: fixed, rotating, and retractable.
The operation of each soot blower is coordinated in a cycle that is part of a sequence. The sequence is designed to progressively clean off deposits that pass them out of the boiler. If a soot blower fails to complete its cycle, its failure can interrupt the rest of the sequence.
Typical maintenance problems common in all soot blowers:
- They may fail to cycle properly
- On rotating and retractable soot blowers, the element may bind
- There can be excessive leaking of the blowing medium
- The blowing pressure can be too low or too high
- Nozzles can be blocked, or the end of the element may be blown off
If these occur, don’t fret, just call Pavuli Services to take care of all your in-service and off-service maintenance. We partner with OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to ensure that we provide you with the best service possible.