BOILER EMERGENCIES

By
M.GOVARDHAN REDDY
DY.MANAGER (Process) 1
 Boiler Emergencies
Various Emergencies situations during Operation with a special
emphasis on the safety aspect like boiler protection systems controls
and interlocks.
1. Drum level low and low-low. 8. High Super heater Temp.
2. Drum level high and high-high. 9. Low Super heater Temp.
3. Furnace draught high and high- 10. Flame failure.
high. 11. Furnace Explosion.
4. Bed Temp. high. 12. Boiler pressure high.
5. Bed Temp. low. 13. Coal feeder failure.
6. Water wall/screen tube / 14. PAH/SAH tube failure.
Evaporator tube failure. 15. Boiler feed pump failure.
7. Super heater tube failure. 16. Fan Failure.

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 Boiler Emergencies
1. DRUM LEVEL LOW AND LOW-LOW
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Failure of BFP. 1. Boiler pressure parts may
2. Failure of drum level controllers. damage badly.
3. Excess opening of CBD/IBD.
4. Sudden change in load.
5. Water tube failure.

ACTION:
1. Run the boiler if drum level is within safe limit otherwise allow
boiler to trip when the water level goes low-low limit to protect
the boiler pressure parts.

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 Boiler Emergencies
2. DRUM LEVEL HIGH AND HIGH-HIGH
EFFECT:
CAUSE:
1. Water may enter into the
1. Failure of drum level controller.
turbine and serious damage of
2. Sudden increase in load.
turbine blades and thrust pads.
3. Sudden increase in firing rate.
2. Carry over in Super heater
and sharp fall in S.H. temp.
3. Flange gasket may be failure.

ACTION:
1. Run the boiler if drum level within safe limit and control the FCV.
2. Open the CBD to maintain drum level in safe limit.
3. Open the TG side main steam & Turbine drains to avoid the water
entering into TG.
4. Trip the TG when steam temp gets below the safe limit.

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 Boiler Emergencies
3. FURNACE DRAUGHT HIGH AND HIGH HIGH
CAUSE:
1. Due to faulty operation of
fan control.
2. Disturbed combustion .
3. Uncontrolled fuel entry.
EFFECT:
1. Boiler may damage due to
high furnace pressure.
2. Weak part of furnace
(ducting & Enclosure)
may explode high
furnace pressure.

ACTION:
1. If it is due to faulty operation of ID/PA/SA fan control , take it on
manual mode and maintain furnace in suction.
2. If furnace pressure has increased beyond limit allow boiler to
trip on furnace draught high-high.

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 Boiler Emergencies
4. BED TEMP. HIGH
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. High CV & low ash coal 1. Chances of clinker formation
2. Low PA/SA flow 2. Chances of refractory failure.
3. Sudden change in load 3. Chances of Screen tube
4. Ash recirculation system failure.
trouble.
5. Faulty bed thermocouple
ACTION:
1. Control bed temp. by recirculation of ash.
2. Increased PA & SA flow and reduce the load by cutting coal feeder.
3. Coal feeder should be trip if bed temp increases beyond 975 °C.
4. If bed temp. exceeds further then allow boiler to trip to avoid clinker
formation.
5. Check the bed thermocouple.
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 Boiler Emergencies
5. BED TEMP. LOW
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. High PA/SA flow w.r.to load. 1. Boiler steam flow reduce.
2. Low CV & high Ash content coal used. 2. Super heater temp. drops.
3. Coal feeder trips or overfeeding of 3. Furnace draught
coal in to furnace. fluctuates.
4. Faulty bed thermocouples.
5. Water /screen/evaporator tube
leakage.

ACTION:
1. Boiler PA/SA flow reduced if excessive.
2. Check bed thermocouple.
3. Stop bed material supply, if running.
4. Check any leakage sound from furnace.
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 Boiler Emergencies
6. WATER WALL/ SCREEN TUBE/
EVAPORATOR TUBE FAILURE
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Starved water wall. 1. Hissing steam leakage noise from
2. Block tube , erode tube, boilers.
pitted tube, salt deposits. 2. Unstable flame fluctuating draught.
3. Bed temp. drops sharply.
4. Increase ID fan loading.
5. Flue gas outlet temp. decreased.

ACTION:
1. Take shut down the boiler when boiler tube leakage noticed and
maintain the drum level.

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 Boiler Emergencies
7. SUPER HEATER TUBE FAILURE
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Inadequate steam flow and high gas 1. Hissing noise noticed.
temp. during hot start-up. 2. Flue gas temp drops & high
2. Erosion of tube due to high excess air. FW consumption than steam.
3. Blocked tube. 3. Overloading of ID fan.
4. Starvation of tube.
5. Salt deposition due to high water level
in drum.

ACTION:
1. As soon as leakage noticed start reducing the load and trip the boiler.
2. Try to locate leakage through manholes before the boiler
depressurized.
3. Boiler is to be forced cooled when S.H. leakage noticed.
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 Boiler Emergencies
8. HIGH SUPER HEATER TEMP.
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. High Excess air. 1. +ve turbine expansion.
2. Low feed water temp or HP heater not 2. Creep rate increase in tube
in service at constant firing/load. metal ,turbine parts & steam
3. Sudden increase in firing rate to piping.
increase steam pressure.
4. Inadequate spray water.

ACTION:
1. Always keep HP heaters in line when optimum loading of TG.
2. Slow down firing rate to limit the S.H. Temp.
3. Reduce excess air if more.
4. Check Spray control.

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 Boiler Emergencies
9. LOW SUPER HEATER TEMP.
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Soot deposit on super heater tube. 1. Turbine expansion may be
2. Inadequate air flow. –ve.
3. High spray. 2. May induce thermal
4. Sudden increase in load and stresses in S.H.
pressure drops.
5. High Drum level.

ACTION:
1. Check air flow, increase, if necessary.
2. Reduce spray, if more.
3. Avoid sudden rise in load to boiler pressure drop.
4. Check feed water temp.

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 Boiler Emergencies
10. FLAME FAILURE
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Dirty Oil/gas burner. 1. Boiler will trip on flame failure.
2. Faulty flame sensor. 2. Chances of furnace explosion if
3. Furnace pressure high. unburnt oil/gas/coal moisture
4. Low combustion Air. entered in furnace.
3. Steam pressure & temp. may fall.
4. Variation in drum level.
ACTION:
1. Purge the boiler putting burner back and purge burner as per cycle
time (minimum 5 minutes).
2. Check the flame sensor & clean the photocell if found dirty.
3. Check the igniter circuit & H.V. transformer .
4. Clean the burner tip & nozzles regularly.
5. Ensure the healthiness of explosion vent & door.
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 Boiler Emergencies
11. FURNACE EXPLOSIONS
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Accumulation of unburnt fuel 1. Furnace explosion can cause
during lit up /start up of extensive damage.
boiler.
2. Improper burning.
3. Inadequate air.
4. Secondary combustion.

ACTION:
1. Always purge the boiler with min 40% full load air for
about 5 minutes.
2. No short cut in purging allowed.
3. Adjust fuel air ratio.

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 Boiler Emergencies
12. BOILER PRESSURE HIGH
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Sudden drop in load/steam flow. 1. Disturbance in drum water level.
2. Uncontrolled fuel entry. 2. Safety valve may disturbed if
3. Turbine/prime mover trips. pressure rise in frequent way.
3. Boiler may trip at high high
pressure.
ACTION:
1. Open start up vent to control the pressure.
2. Control fuel , air input & drum level.
3. If TG /prime mover has tripped first, allow boiler to trip but safety
valve may lift.
4. TG warm up vent put in auto, if pressure exceeds then it will open
accordingly.
5. Use Electromagnetic safety valve to limit the frequent operation of
spring loaded safety valve.
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 Boiler Emergencies
13. PAH/SAH TUBE FAILURE

CAUSE:
1. Erosion of Air heater tubes.
2. Corrosion of Air heater tubes.
EFFECT:
1. Flue gas temp. after APH will fall
down.
2. Increase in O2% in at Air heater I/L.
3. Air heater completely in line during
initial start up.

ACTION:
1. Control flue gas temp. bypasses PAH.
2. Reduce coal feeding /air to maintain O2%.
3. If leakages of tubes are more then stop the boiler and plug that tubes.

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 Boiler Emergencies
14. COAL FEEDER FAILURE
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Electrical supply failed. 1. Boiler pressure may fall down.
2. VFD faulty.
3. Bed temp. high. 2. Steam temp. fall sharply.
4. Furnace draught low. 3. Bed temp. will decrease.
5. Drum level low. 4. Variation in furnace pressure.
6. O₂ Level Low. 5. Variation in drum level.

ACTION:
1. Control boiler pressure by reducing the TG load & control S.H. steam
temp. by closing the spray CV.
2. Reduce PA/SA air to control bed temp.
3. Control furnace draught & drum level.
4. Check the electrical fault or emergency stop button.
5. Check the VFD fault, if any.
6. Restart the coal feeder after detecting the cause of failure.
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 Boiler Emergencies
15. BOILER FEED PUMP FAILURE
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Motor protection relay operates. 1. Stand by pump will start in
2. Motor bearing temp. high. Auto/manual.
3. Lube oil temp. high.
4. Discharge flow less.
5. Deaerator level low.
6. BFP Suction DP high.

ACTION:
1. Start the stand by pump , if it does not start on auto ,adjust the load to
maintain the drum.
2. Analyze and rectify the fault in the main feed pump & put it in auto.
3. Check the BFP suction strainer & clean it , if found chocked.

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 Boiler Emergencies
16. LOSS OF FANS
CAUSE: EFFECT:
1. Electrical motor protection relay operated. 1. Boiler will trip on.
2. Fan bearing temp. becomes high-high. 2. Furnace draft either
3. Motor bearing temp. becomes very high. low or high.
4. Drive fault.
5. Boiler trip.
6. ID fan / FD fan / SA fan trips.

ACTION:
1. Rectify electrical fault, if any.
2. Check cause for boiler trip and normalize it.
3. Check fan/motor bearing RTD.
4. Restart the fan(ID/PA/SA) after checking the cause of tripping and
taking corrective actions.
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Boiler Explosions Pictures

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Boiler Explosions Pictures

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