Safety Operating Procedures for Boilers

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(1) Management preparations 1. Boiler operators must undergo professional training to become familiar with the technical requirements and operating procedures for boiler operation and monitoring; they must hold valid certificates to be eligible for duty. Boiler operators include furnace operators and water treatment personnel. 2. The boiler must have a registration certificate for use and be within the valid period of regular inspection. 3. The operation of the boiler must comply with the requirements specified in the boiler’s user manual. (II) Inspections before boiler startup 1. Inspection of the boiler’s pressure-bearing components (1) The pressure-bearing components shall be free from defects such as bulging, deformation, cracks, leaks, corrosion, wear, overheating, or thickening; the supports shall be secure, and the joints shall be tight ； (2) The tubes of the heating surfaces and the pipes within the boiler area are unobstructed, and the steam and water connection pipes of the boiler’s safety accessories and instruments are not blocked ； (3) The soda baffle, soda separation device, water supply device, regular blowdown pipe, continuous blowdown pipe, etc. are all complete and secure ； (4) There should be no leftover tools, bolts, welding rods, cotton yarn, or other debris inside the boiler drum, header, and pipes. 2. Inspection of the boiler furnace wall and flue ducts (1) The boiler furnace wall and flues are free from damage or cracks ； (2) Furnace doors, sight glasses, ash-clearing doors, etc. are sturdy and airtight, with smooth operation ； (3) There is no ash accumulation or coking in the furnace, and the fire partition is intact and airtight ； (4) The flues, air ducts, and air chambers are airtight with no dust accumulation; their control dampers are intact, operate smoothly, provide accurate indication of the degree of opening, and come equipped with reliable fixing devices ； (5) The air preheater and economizer are in good condition with no ash accumulation ； (6) There should be no debris in the furnace and flue. 3. Inspection of safety accessories and protective devices (1) Safety valves, pressure gauges, water level gauges, high/low water level alarm devices and low-water-level interlock devices, as well as steam overpressure alarm and interlock devices must be complete and reliable ； (2) The safety valve must be calibrated and certified, and the pressure gauge must be verified and certified ； (3) The maximum allowable pressure shall be marked with a red line on the dial of the pressure gauge; the maximum and minimum safe water levels as well as the normal water level shall be indicated on the water level gauge. 4. Inspection of steam, feedwater, and blowdown pipes (1) The steam pipes, feedwater pipes, blowdown pipes, and drain pipes of the boiler are unobstructed; all metal blind flanges on the pipes have been removed ； (2) The pipe supports are in good condition, allowing the pipes to expand freely ； (3) The pipeline insulation is intact, the paint color meets the specified requirements, and the symbols indicating the flow direction are correct and clear ； (4) The pipes and valves are properly connected and leak-free; the valves operate smoothly and come with indicators indicating the direction of operation. 5. Inspection of combustion equipment and auxiliary equipment (1) The combustion equipment is in good condition and can be used properly, with fuel being supplied adequately ； (2) Pumps, fans, etc. can operate properly with smooth adjustment ； (3) The boiler platform, escalators, and handrails are in good condition; the operating area is clean and free of clutter, with adequate lighting ； (4) All operating tools are available. (III) Requirements for boiler startup operations: 1. Close all manholes and access holes on the boiler, as well as the furnace door, soot removal door, and flue inspection door ； 2. Adjust the valves to their pre-starting positions, including valves in the steam system, feedwater system, drain system, steam trap system, and the cocks connected to the water level gauges ； 3. Adjust the flue dampers to the boiler startup position; if necessary, activate the boiler startup bypass system ； 4. Start the water supply device and feed water into the boiler until the specified water level is reached; during this process, check the manholes, access holes, valves, and flange connections for any leaks ； 5. Organic heat carrier boilers should be filled with the organic heat carrier in accordance with the boiler’s operating instructions ； 6. Purge the combustion chamber according to the boiler instructions, then start the combustion equipment ； 7. Adjust the burner so that the boiler’s heating rate complies with relevant regulations, ensuring that the pressure-bearing components are heated evenly ； 8. During the heating process of organic heat carrier boilers, it is necessary to carry out system venting operations ； 9. Once the boiler parameters reach the operating condition, adjust the valves to their normal operating state to supply steam externally; the hot water boilers and organic heat carrier boilers then enter a normal circulation mode. (IV) Operations during boiler operation
1. Maintain the combustion equipment in good condition to ensure that the boiler’s evaporation rate/heat output meets requirements ； 2. Maintain the normal operating pressure and temperature of the boiler ； 3. Ensure balanced water inflow to maintain normal water level ； 4. Maintain the inlet and outlet pressures and temperatures of the organic heat carrier boiler, as well as the inlet pressure, outlet pressure, and circulation flow rate of the circulation oil pump ； 5. Maintain the proper liquid level in the expansion tank of the organic heat carrier furnace, so as to absorb the thermal expansion of the organic heat carrier and to replenish it into the system ； 6. Conduct regular water quality monitoring and tests on organic heat carrier media as required ； 7. Regularly flush the water traps of the level gauges and pressure gauges ； 8. Adjust the combustion conditions and water supply in a timely manner according to load changes ； 9. During the operation of the boiler, the boiler operator must keep proper operation records, conduct regular inspections of various parts of the boiler, and promptly record and address any instances of leaks, emissions, drips, or other abnormalities. Common abnormal conditions are as follows: (1) Cracking, deformation of the load-bearing structure and supports, as well as loose nuts on the supports ； (2) Blocked safety passages around the boiler ； (3) Deformation, coking, and leakage at visible parts of pressure-bearing components ； (4) Damage or detachment of fire-resistant lining/insulation, as well as damage to the insulation of furnace walls and pipes ； (5) Poor operation of slag removal equipment ； (6) Corrosion and leakage occur in visible parts of pipe joints, flanges, manholes, head openings, handholes, cleaning ports, inspection ports, observation ports, and steam/water sampling ports ； (7) Incorrect indication of the valve opening/closing direction; important valves lack opening indicators and limit devices, and there is valve leakage ； (8) Deformation and leakage of the steam distribution cylinder ； (9) Defect in the expansion indicator, resulting in inaccurate indication ； (10) Cracking, damage, smoke leakage, and ash leakage in the furnace walls and roof; (11) Safety valve leakage ； (12) The sampling tube of the pressure gauge is leaking, the reading on the pressure gauge is unclear, and the values shown by the pressure gauges at the same location within the same system vary significantly, with large discrepancies ； (13) The water level gauge does not give a clear indication; the water level cannot be seen, and the contacts of the electric contact water level gauge are leaking. (5) Shutdown procedures: 1. Upon receiving the shutdown notification, gradually reduce the fuel supply to lower the boiler load ； 2. After combustion ceases, purge the combustion chamber as prescribed ； 3. After the boiler stops supplying steam, close the main steam valve ； 4. After combustion ceases, the organic heat carrier boiler must continue to circulate the organic heat carrier for a certain period of time in accordance with the boiler’s operating manual ； 5. When the boiler is shut down for a short period, the normal water level should be maintained; when shut down for an extended period, boiler preservation measures must be taken. (VI) Identification of potential hazards and risks in boiler operation 1. Boilers are not installed, repaired, or modified in accordance with the requirements of safety technical specifications ； 2. The boiler was not subjected to regular inspections and self-inspections as required ； 3. The boiler has not undergone regular maintenance ； 4. Damage to the boiler’s insulation and protective layer ； 5. Failure of the boiler safety interlock device ； 6. The safety valves, pressure gauges, and thermometers of the boiler have not been calibrated for a long time; there are issues such as impaired operation and inaccurate readings ； 7. The boiler operates under conditions of excessive temperature, overpressure, and overload ； 8. Dry burning caused by a lack of water in the boiler ； 9. No inspections or defects were addressed before the boiler was put into operation ； 10. Boiler operators performing work without a license or in violation of regulations ； 11. The test results of the boiler medium are unsatisfactory ； 12. Leakage of organic heat carrier boiler medium ； 13. A failure in the circulation pump of the organic heat carrier boiler led to poor circulation of the medium, resulting in overheating.