As the temperature continues to drop, the demand for industrial boilers as a common equipment in winter is not small, and the appearance of bad weather will affect the boiler performance. In order to ensure that your industrial boiler can operate normally, you need to make various preparations in winter.

If your boiler is close to freezing temperature, it may cause serious failures, leading to expensive repair or replacement costs. In addition, even if your boiler can withstand the test of winter temperatures, the time you spend defrosting the boiler will interrupt your production plan. Therefore, please check the winter boiler safety precautions list to make sure your boiler is ready for winter!

Maintenance Measures for  Boiler Not Operating in Winter

1. Drain the boiler

If you do not plan to keep the boiler running in winter, you should make sure to drain the boiler and all water pipes connected to it. It will reduce the risk of water freezing in the pipeline. Remember, if you do shut down the boiler, it will take time to warm up when you restart it. If the temperature or pressure of the boiler is increased too quickly when the boiler is turned on again, this may severely damage the joints, pistons and metal parts in the boiler.

2.Drain the water in auxiliary machines other than the boiler

After the boiler is out of service, you should wait until the boiler pressure is completely drained before draining all the water in the boiler. During this period, do not forget to drain the water in the auxiliary equipment to avoid freezing damage to the boiler, water pump and auxiliary parts of the boiler. Remember to drain all the water in the pump and water level gauge.

3. External maintenance of the boiler

After the boiler is shut down and cooled, the ash accumulation on the heating surface and the ash and slag on the upper part of the grate and the lower part of the furnace body must be completely removed. Then maintain a certain amount of natural ventilation in the flue. Generally, placed desiccant in the boiler and flue in order to prevent moisture.  Closed all ventilation doors tightly after placement. Note that the desiccant should be replaced frequently to ensure the best drying effect.

If the boiler room is located in a low-lying area and the ground is heavily damp during the shutdown period, a combination of frequent low-fire baking and placement of desiccant should be used. If the boiler has been shut down for a long time, apply anticorrosive paint on the outer surface of the furnace metal after thoroughly removing the soot.

4. Boiler internal maintenance

As for the anti-corrosion maintenance method of the furnace inside the furnace, it should be determined according to the length of the furnace shutdown time. Under normal circumstances, wet maintenance can be used if the furnace is shut down for less than one month, and dry maintenance should be used for more than one month. But usually, if the boiler is shut down in winter, it is recommended to use dry maintenance, because the steam temperature is low and wet maintenance will cause icing and damage the boiler.

Pay attention to the following issues during dry maintenance: The desiccant should not directly touch the metal surface of the boiler, but can be installed in a container such as an iron pan; The valve must be cut off; the quicklime powder should be replaced in time.

Maintenance Measures for Boiler Operating in Winter

1. Insulate or heat all pipes in the piping system

One of the biggest risks in winter is freezing of water pipes. When the water freezes, the pipe expands. If water freezes in the pipe you are using, the pipe may break. Therefore, make sure that all your pipes are properly insulated and heated. You can use electricity or steam heating to ensure that your boiler survives the cold weather.

2. Oil-fired boiler pipe insulation

If it is an oil-fired boiler, please strengthen the insulation of the fuel pipeline. Due to the low temperature, the viscosity of the fuel in the pipeline may become higher, causing you to be unable to use the fuel pump. In addition to heating and insulating the fuel lines, you can also convert the fuel to winter mixed fuel. The traditional winter fuel blend is about 50% fuel and 50% kerosene.

3. Increase boiler pressure

In order to cope with colder weather, it is important to slowly increase the boiler pressure. This requires uniform heating of the joint and metal and reduction of expansion stress. Oil-fired boilers are prone to "oil smoke", which can reduce their efficiency by as much as 8%. Inefficient boilers will use more fuel than efficient boilers. Now is the time to make sure that your boiler is ready for the extra pressure of cold weather.

4. Monitor the outlet water temperature of the boiler at any time

During the operation of the boiler, the temperature difference between the outlet water and the return water should be strictly controlled, not exceeding 30°C, otherwise the large temperature difference will cause great harm to the safe operation of the boiler, and the external environment in winter is relatively low.

5. Maintenance of boiler dust removal equipment

Boiler dust removal equipment is the most easily overlooked auxiliary equipment, and generally needs to be used for maintenance within three to five weeks.

①. Maintain the flange interface and various sealed parts.

②. Clean the ash storage tank and some parts that are easy to be short-circuited by air, so as to ensure good smoothness.

③. Pay attention to the thermal insulation of the cement pipe to protect the equipment.

④. Prevent the dust removal box from malfunctioning. If perforation or wear is found, timely treatment is required.

6. Make a contingency plan

First determine the boiler safety hazards that may occur in winter and the possible impact of equipment failure on production. Then formulate relevant solutions to ensure that when problems occur, troubleshooting can be carried out in a timely manner. Provide continuous training for employees. The more people who can handle the boiler system, the better. Choose a reliable boiler supplier who can give you corresponding technical support when you need it.

Conclusion

In winter, the workload of power plants and boilers is very large, and the operation and maintenance of boilers in this season should not be wrong. Although the boiler is in the process of operation and maintenance, understanding the relevant knowledge can prevent the occurrence of related accidents. But if you encounter serious problems, it is recommended that you seek more professional boiler repair help. For general boiler freezing problems, key components can be thoroughly inspected before replacement.

Paying attention to the above matters can effectively reduce your risk of failure, improve operating efficiency, and help you avoid the need for emergency boiler maintenance in winter. As always, if you encounter any boiler problems, please contact EPCB, we are willing to help you handle everything and ensure the safe operation of your boiler.

 EPCB, your private boiler system expert!

Further Reading:

Boiler Safety Guide | Industrial Boilers'Common Accidents and Solutions

Boiler Installation Guide| Make these Preparations, Installed Boiler is More Durable

Noise Reduction Method in Boiler Room |Gas Boiler Burner Soundproof Cover Instructions