Efficient Boiler Operation in Fabric Care Save on this ... Alert.pdf · April 18, 2015 . Ted...
Transcript of Efficient Boiler Operation in Fabric Care Save on this ... Alert.pdf · April 18, 2015 . Ted...
April 18, 2015 Ted Heiderscheit, Director of Loss Control Hartford Steam Boiler
Efficient Boiler Operation in Fabric Care Save on this Massive Expense
Boilers . . . you don’t operate without them
Trends in Boiler Failures
Avoiding unplanned outages (and saving money while you’re at it)
Maintenance is the key to reducing boiler expense
Boiler inspections are opportunities to save money
HSB Fabric Care web portal – energy efficiency tools that can save you money
Our Agenda Today
4/10/2015 2 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
76%
20%
4%
Firetube
Watertube
Cast Iron
Boiler Types used in Fabric Care
Fast facts
3 out of 4 boilers in the industry are firetube type boilers
Firetube type includes flueless, vertical, scotch marine, and horizontal return tube
Based on a population of 3250 boilers
4/10/2015 4 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Boiler Age Statistics in Fabric Care Vertical and Flueless Firetube Boilers
Conclusions
64% of the boiler population is between 6 and 20 years old
25% of the boiler population is over 20 years old. WHY?
Maintenance is a key determining factor in the longevity of boilers
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0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 Over 25
Count
Boiler Age (Five Year Grouping)
Vertical & Flueless FT Boilers
Average Age 15.8
Based on a representative sample in Fabric Care
4/10/2015 5 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Source: Jurisdictional databases
Boiler Age at Failure Vertical and Flueless Boilers only
Conclusions
Boilers that fail are, on average, nearly 7 years newer than the average boiler
Conditions that lead to failure often result in higher cost of operation
Quality of maintenance is a key determining factor
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1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25
Histogram of Boiler Age at Failure
Based on HSB fabric care claims experience
4/10/2015 6 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Average Age at Failure is 9.2 years
Leading causes of boiler failures
Leading Causes
Corrosion
Cracking / Metal failure
Scale accumulation
Controls failed or bypassed 34.1%
23.9%
15.3%
8.5%
5.1%
2.8% 2.3%
8.0%
Corrosion
Cracking / Metal failure
Scale Accumulation
Controls Failed or Bypassed
Thermal Shock
Improper Welding
Burner Malfunctions
All Other Causes
Based on fabric care claims experience
4/10/2015 7 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Corrosion leads to early failure of your boiler
Corrosion can compromise the safety and efficiency of your boiler
Leaks result in loss of steam or hot water . . . costing you money on your fuel bill
Corrosion damage can be expensive to repair and leads to early replacement of your boiler
Corrosion can be prevented by keeping the pH of your boiler water elevated through proper water treatment
4/10/2015 8 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Scale reduces efficiency
Scale accumulation reduces the efficiency of your boiler
1/32th inch of scale can increase your fuel costs by 7 percent
Effective water treatment is the key to preventing scale
Most forms of scale can be easily removed, increasing the efficiency of your boiler and reducing your energy costs
4/10/2015 9 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Boiler Efficiency Calculator
4/10/2015 10 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Cracking / Metal failure
Cracks can develop due to thermal shocking or other operational problems
Annual inspections provide opportunities to identify conditions that could lead to early boiler failure
If caught early, these conditions can often be corrected by a qualified vendor
If neglected, replacement of the boiler will be your only option
4/10/2015 11 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Boiler control failures or controls bypassed
Boiler controls protect the boiler from conditions that would lead to damage or destruction of the boiler
Low water conditions occur when the controls fail to sense the loss of water to the boiler
Low water conditions cause overheating of the boiler metal that can lead to sudden failure
Periodic testing and the use of boiler logs can help prevent low water conditions
4/10/2015 12 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Maintenance is the key to reducing cost
Proper water treatment to prevent scale accumulation and corrosion
Periodic inspection to identify conditions that require corrective action
Routine testing and logging of key boiler parameters
Annual service by a qualified vendor to ensure your boiler is running at peak efficiency
4/10/2015 13 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Leaking steam traps . . are money down the drain
Leaking steam traps are a very common condition
Leaking traps increase makeup water costs and increase the risk of scale accumulation
Periodic inspection is needed
Easily resolved / rapid payback
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Water treatment saves money . . .
A qualified vendor evaluates your feedwater and makes recommendations that are correct for your conditions
Chemical feeds are set to maintain proper levels in the boiler, but need to be monitored and logged
Boiler blowdown reduces the build-up of solids that can lead to scale
Water softeners remove hardness from the makeup water to reduce the need for blowdown
4/10/2015 15 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Testing controls and safety devices
Weekly testing of the low water cutoff can prevent loss or damage to your boiler
Confirms your sight gauge and cutoff are working
Periodic testing of the Safety Relief Valve ensures you’re protected against over-pressure
Confirms your boiler startup sequence is correct
4/10/2015 16 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
The boiler log – simple yet effective…
Identify adverse trends / take corrective action prior to failure
Track your chemical usage to reduce over-feeding
Help your boiler inspector and water treatment vendor spot potential problems
Logging test results helps ensure they are done at the correct interval
4/10/2015 17 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
HSB.com Knowledge Center – Logs and Checklists
More HSB Resources – Boiler Operation and Maintenance Series
HSB.com
Knowledge Center – Equipment Webinar Series
Is Your Boiler Ready For Inspection? (20 minutes)
What Can Go Wrong With My Boiler? (32 minutes)
Energy Efficient Boiler Operation (52 minutes)
Critical Over Pressure Protection (25 minutes)
Unattended Operation (38 minutes)
Don't Be Left In The Cold (20 minutes)
4/10/2015 18 © 2015 The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company. All rights reserved.
Tools to help you make decisions that can save you money. http://www.hsb.com/HSBExt/FabricCare.aspx
HSB’s Fabric Care Web Portal