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    Boiler Tube Failure Analysis

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    sankalp-1980
    Tube failures in boilers can occur due to overheating from restricted water flow. There are two types of failures: short-duration overheating from a rapid temperature increase, and long-term overheating from gradual temperature buildup over time. Careful examination of failed tubes reveals whether the cause was a sudden spike in temperature or a long-term issue. Recommendations to prevent failures include ensuring water quality meets standards, following proper blowdown procedures to remove sludge buildup, and inspecting tubes for blockages after installation.

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    Boiler Tube Failure Analysis

    Uploaded by

    sankalp-1980
    155 views4 pages
    Tube failures in boilers can occur due to overheating from restricted water flow. There are two types of failures: short-duration overheating from a rapid temperature increase, and long-term overheating from gradual temperature buildup over time. Careful examination of failed tubes reveals whether the cause was a sudden spike in temperature or a long-term issue. Recommendations to prevent failures include ensuring water quality meets standards, following proper blowdown procedures to remove sludge buildup, and inspecting tubes for blockages after installation.

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    Boiler Tube Failure Analysis

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    Tube failures in boilers can occur due to overheating from restricted water flow. There are two types of failures: short-duration overheating from a rapid temperature increase, and long-term overheating from gradual temperature buildup over time. Careful examination of failed tubes reveals whether the cause was a sudden spike in temperature or a long-term issue. Recommendations to prevent failures include ensuring water quality meets standards, following proper blowdown procedures to remove sludge buildup, and inspecting tubes for blockages after installation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    155 views4 pages

    Boiler Tube Failure Analysis

    Uploaded by

    sankalp-1980
    Tube failures in boilers can occur due to overheating from restricted water flow. There are two types of failures: short-duration overheating from a rapid temperature increase, and long-term overheating from gradual temperature buildup over time. Careful examination of failed tubes reveals whether the cause was a sudden spike in temperature or a long-term issue. Recommendations to prevent failures include ensuring water quality meets standards, following proper blowdown procedures to remove sludge buildup, and inspecting tubes for blockages after installation.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    The document discusses typical boiler tube failure analysis and the causes of failures due to overheating over short and long durations.

    The two types of failures discussed are overheating over short duration and overheating over a long period.

    Long duration over-heating failures are caused by long term creep failure due to repetitive scale formation, leading to overheating and swelling of the surface.

    TYPICAL BOILER TUBE FAILURE

    ANALYSIS
    Tube failures occur due to the ‘Overheating’ and the ‘Plastic Flow’ conditions associated with
    restricted flow of water in side of the particular tube facing failure.

    Such failures are generally of two types:


    (i) Overheating in ‘Short Duration’
    (ii) Overheating over a ‘Long Period’

    Careful examination of the failed tube section reveals whether the failure is on account of rapid
    acceleration in the tube wall temperature or it is on account of a long term gradual build up/
    accumulation of the cause of failure.

    (a) Short Duration Over-Heating: -


    When conditions causing a rapid metal temperature elevation at local spot occur, a violent rupture
    results. The ‘Plastic – Flow’ phenomena of ‘Carbon Steel’ materials at temperatures between: 700 0C
    – 800 0C is the cause of such occurrences.

    PHOTOGRAPH 1

    Interruption/ Restriction, in the water circulation by some blockage in tube leads to such failures, as
    the tube metal gets exposed to direct flames in such cases.

    395146466.doc Page 1 of 4
    (b) Long Duration Over-Heating: -
    ‘Long Term’ conditions finally lead to a tube leak; wrinkled or bulged external surfaces are observed
    in such cases. Such appearance is caused by long term ‘Creep Failure’ causing by repetitive scale
    formation, which leads to ‘Overheating’, thus ‘Swelling’ the surface, forming a Bulge or Blister,
    visually observable minor fissures, etc. on external surfaces. Photograph 2 given hereunder
    illustrates the same.

    PHOTOGRAPH 2

    (c) Some Suggestions for Avoiding Such Failures: -


    It is recommended that the quality of the ‘Boiler Feed Water’ for boilers operating at 21 Kg/ cm2 (g)
    should be as per the annexure ‘A’ attached herewith.

    It is also recommended that the ‘Blow Down Time’ & duration should be observed as per the
    annexure ‘B’ attached herewith.

    Blow Down must also be conducted on regular basis (When Boiler is in Low Steaming Stage) from
    side wall, rear & front wall headers; so that sludge accumulation in these headers may be avoided;
    which otherwise would rise in furnace tubes creating conditions for circulation restrictions/
    blockage, thus overheating at local spots.

    At times, foreign matters get left behind during the erection. Such happenings may be avoided by
    carefully examining tubes/ headers after fitting the same by a suitable method, such as, ball test/
    by passing water & observing flow at the other end (where possible). Anyhow, these precautions
    should be taken before the firing of the Boiler.

    395146466.doc Page 2 of 4
    ANNEXURE ‘A’

    Sr. Feed Water

    1 Hardness, Max. (as Ca CO3) mg/L : 10

    2 pH at 25 0C : 8.8 to 9.2

    3 Oxygen, Max. mg/L : 0.1

    4 Total Iron mg/L : 0.100

    5 Copper, Max. mg/L : 0.05

    6 Total Dissolved Solids, Max. mg/L : 200

    Sr. Boiler Water

    1 pH at 25 0C : 9.8 to 10.8

    2 Phosphate Residual (as PO4) : 20 to 40 (If Added)

    3 Total Dissolved Solids, Max. (T.D.S.) mg/L : 3500

    Specified Electrical Conductivity at 25 0C, Max.


    4 : 7000
    Microsiemens/ cm

    5 Total Alkalinity mg/L : 700

    395146466.doc Page 3 of 4
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