Engineering & Facilities Procedure BOILER OPERATING PROCEDURES

Number

246.00

Page 1 of 4 Next Review Date: 1-3-2009

BOILER OPERATING PROCEDURES 1. GAS PRIMARY, FUEL OIL BACK-UP:

A.

Boiler operation should be undertaken only be qualified, competent, and experienced boiler operators or their assistants. While modern boilers incorporate many safety features that are automatic, the importance of constant visual monitoring cannot be understated. Initial start up of an installed boiler involves not only MUSC boiler operators but the manufactures representative who has assured the proper settings, installation procedures, and related systems checks have been performed, verify that problems encountered have been corrected before turning the boilers over to Engineering and Facilities.

B.

2.

BOILER START-UP: A. Boiler start up follows after all systems have been properly checked (visually, hands on, and electronic systems checks) for proper operation and assures that safety devices are in proper working order. 1. 2. Check water level in sight glass and assure water supply to boiler, fill the proper level(s) as required. Boiler types water level sight glass a. Steam boiler water should be to center of sight glass. b. Water boiler water should completely fill sight glass. NOTE: On both steam and water boilers a vent or test valve is supplied to vent excess air when filling the boiler. Leave the valve open on a steam boiler until steam appears, then close, with a water boiler leave valve open until water begins to discharge, then close the valve. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Check all settings on operating controls. Check all reset and lock out mechanisms. Close supply valve to distribution header. On combination fuel units, set fuel selector switch to primary fuel to be used (in this case gas). Turn burner switch to on position a. Blower motor will energize to purge combustion chamber in the pre-purge period and continues to run b. Damper closes. c. Automatic igniter lights off boiler in low fire. Boiler continues to run in low fire until properly warmed up before burner is allowed to go into high fire.

Engineering & Facilities Procedure BOILER OPERATING PROCEDURES

Number

246.00

Page 2 of 4 Next Review Date: 1-3-2009

3. BOILER OPERATION: A. Normal operation will be with the manual-automatic switch set at auto and under control of the high-low fire control. With the switch set at auto the burner will operate on a high-low fire basis according to the local demands. The burner will continue to operate until the operating limit pressure or temperature setting is reached, unless: 1. 2. 3. 4. Burner is manually turned off. Low water condition is detected by low-water control. Electric current or fuel supply is interrupted. Pressure of combustion (or atomizing airdrops below minimum level).

B.

C.

NOTE: There are many reasons for shutdown motor overload, flame outages, tripped circuit breakers, blown fuses, or through other interlock (safety) devices in the circuitry.

4.

BOILER SHUTDOWN: A. When the operating limit pressure or temperature control setting is reached to open the circuit, boiler shutdown occurs until the demand load for steam or hot water causes the pressure or temperature setting to restart the burner to again satisfy the demand. (Normal Operation and Cycling of Boiler) If the burner switch is turned off the following sequence occurs: 1. 2. C. Fuel valve(s) is de-energized extinguishing burner flame. Blower motor is de-energized.

B.

Refer to normal start-up procedure to return boiler to service.

5.

FUEL OIL REQUIREMENTS: A. Number 2 fuel oil only.

6.

OPERATING BOILER ON FUEL OIL: A. With the above requirement for grade being used: 1. Fuel oil re-circulating pump is activated after lining up on oil tank all suction and return valves open. 2. Pump pressure should reach 75 psi on gauge. 3. Oil burner pressure 42-45 psi. 4. Follow normal operating procedures with gas.

Engineering & Facilities Procedure BOILER OPERATING PROCEDURES

Number

246.00

Page 3 of 4 Next Review Date: 1-3-2009

7.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES: A. WHAT TO CHECK IN ASSUMING EMERGENCY CONTROL OF THE BOILER PLANT: 1. 2. 3. 4. Check the water level in the water glass. (Safe/unsafe level) Check the steam pressure on the steam pressure gauge. Start the water feeding apparatus so that it is working properly. In case of doubt, shut off the oil supply. Otherwise, continue operating the boiler, checking the water glass and adding water.

B.

WHAT TO DO IF NO WATER IS VISIBLE IN THE WATER GLASS. 1. 2. 3. 4. Boiler should have shut down on low water. Do not feed cold water into the boiler. Shut down the fuel supply at once if on oil. (Natural gas shuts down automatically.) Call the relief operator and the boiler inspector.

8.

LOSS OF GAS PRESSURE, RESTORING NORMAL OPERATION WITH FUIL OIL (FO): The following procedure is to be followed in the event of a loss of gas pressure from SCE&G.

1.

Service Call Desk notify Operating Room (ext. 2221) that you expect the steam pressure to drop significantly and possibly lose all steam pressure. Boiler Room/Service Call Desk A. B. Close Steam supply valve from boiler on the steam distribution header. Start both fuel oil pumps; one in the Boiler Room and the other outside the Clinical Science Building at the corner of Sabin and Jonathan Lucas Streets. Line up the small emergency gas propane tank to light pilot flame and light boiler per boiler operating procedure. Open the steam supply valve slowly after the boiler pressure reaches 50 P.S.I. When steam pressure reaches 95 psi and is rising, slowly open steam supply valve from boiler to steam distribution header. If additional steam demands are needed, automatic start up will not occur with one or both back-up boilers, above procedure will have to be repeated on each boiler. Continue to slowly open the supply valve to steam distribution header, carefully monitor pressure, and maintain main pressure at 95 psi.

2.

C. D. E.

F.

Engineering & Facilities Procedure BOILER OPERATING PROCEDURES

Number

246.00

Page 4 of 4 Next Review Date: 1-3-2009

NOTE: OPENING VALVE TOO FAST WILL RESULT IN AN EXCESSIVE PRESSURE DROP. STOP OPENING THE VALVE UNTIL THE PRESSURE LEVEL IS AGAIN AT 95 PSI. G. H. I. Notify the OR that you are back on line. Notify the Boiler Room Supervisor of all actions taken. When resumption of gas service occurs, switch to gas.

_______________________________________________________________________________________ ___
MUSC ENGINEERING AND FACILITIES CONFIDENTIAL: The information contained herein is the property of MUSC and is strictly confidential. Except as expressly authorized in writing by MUSC, the holder shall keep all information contained herein confidential, shall disclose the information only to its employees with a need to know, and shall protect the information from disclosure and dissemination to third parties. Except as expressly authorized in writing by MUSC, the holder is granted no rights to use the information contained herein and the information may be changed at any time. If you have received this document in error, please notify the sender and destroy it immediately. Note: This Policy, like all other policies within Engineering and Facilities is not a contract and should not be relied upon as such. Questions concerning Interpretation of this document or suggestions for improvement should be directed to MUSC Facilities and Engineering.

Approved By:

Effective Date:

John C. Malmrose Chief Facilities Officer Engineering & Facilities

John Wilson Facilities Operations Director Engineering and Operations

January 1, 2006