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Boilers

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A Boiler is a piece of equipment which acts as a closed vessel to convert the water inside into steam. In order for this to happen chemical energy from a fuel source such as oil or gas is converted into heat by combustion. The heat is then transferred to the contained water, thereby increasing the pressure and eventually converting the liquid form into steam.

Boilers are one of the most fundamental systems of a refinery or chemical processing plant. They are literally the pieces of equipment that keep the plant up and running. Most industrial boilers fall into two broad categories of boiler types: Fire-Tube Boilers and Water-Tube Boilers. In fire-tube boilers, hot gas passes through one or many tubes, which through thermal conduction, heats the water surrounding them. In water-tube boilers, water circulates inside the tubes and is heated externally by hot gases generated by the furnace.

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Articles about Boilers
March/April 2020 Inspectioneering Journal

Universally, smart or intelligent pigging is now a standard practice for the inspection of fired heater and serpentine boiler coils. Understanding this technology can greatly assist with maintenance planning and the prevention of unexpected failures.

Authors: Tim Haugen
September/October 2014 Inspectioneering Journal

Maintaining mechanical integrity for aging power boilers can be challenging. This article provides a case study on how mitigating one damage mechanism led to the discovery of another, and how refinery engineers collaborated with industry experts to...

September/October 2014 Inspectioneering Journal

A small leak from top tubesheet-to-tube welds prompted further inspection of the 1¼Cr- ½Mo Ammonia Converter Boiler Feed Water (BFW) Exchanger during a planned shutdown. Further cracks were identified in the top channel to tubesheet butt weld that...

July/August 2014 Inspectioneering Journal

The Province of Alberta has a long history of pressure equipment safety dating back to 1897 when the first boiler laws were introduced to regulate the new technology of steam boilers. Boiler inspectors were hired, and soon thereafter the Alberta...

Authors: Jeremiah Wooten
January/February 2014 Inspectioneering Journal

UAS (Unmanned Arial System) drone technology has numerous applications, including anything at elevated heights or where human access and/or occupancy are prohibited, or in the case of confined spaces, limited.

Authors: Jason C. Shankle
Partner Content

Pinnacle's data-driven reliability framework ensures the right data is fueling the right intelligence, helping you make confident, strategic decisions.

May/June 2005 Inspectioneering Journal

Boiler feed water (BFW) corrosion is mostly the result of dissolved oxygen in the feed water, but is also related to the quality of the BFW and the quality of the treatment system.

Authors: John Reynolds
May/June 2001 Inspectioneering Journal

This is a summary about RBI application to plant utility boilers in a liquefied natural gas plant with a design life of 20 years, now 27 years old.

July/August 2000 Inspectioneering Journal

The American Paper Institute Recovery Boiler Reference Manual Volume 1, October 1979, indicates that the two main goals of conducting ultrasonic thickness (UT) inspections are to determine (1) the current tube wall thickness and (2) the rate of...

March/April 1996 Inspectioneering Journal

Are your jurisdictional boiler and/or pressure vessel rules and regulations too stringent, too costly, too bureaucratic, without adding real safety value commensurate with the time and resources necessary for compliance? Are you having to hire...

Authors: John Reynolds
May/June 1995 Inspectioneering Journal

Over the past ten years a broad family of laser-based nondestructive testing systems has been in development. These tools are used for the inspection and measurement of internal surfaces of tubes ranging in size from 5/8-inch to 3-inches in...

Authors: James L. Doyle
    News related to Boilers
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      A three-person investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of an incident that killed three people and injured four others on Monday, April 3 at the Loy-Lange Box Company in Saint Louis, Missouri.

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      Oceaneering's splash zone inspection services will help you confidently detect flaws and accurately extend asset life with our comprehensive inspection and fitness-for-service maintenance plans.


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