Posted by Beezil on October 23, 2001 at 09:58:20:
Hello all.
I have a Cleaver Brooks #CB200 250 HP 4-pass package bolier.
for the last 3 years, on the boilers first firing of the heating year, I am loosing tubes in my second and third pass sections. Last year i lost 5 tubes, this year I lost one tube. I just got through inspecting the broken tube and i am seeing a lot of pitting and holeing. not much scale, no rust, minimal corrosion. The thing that gets me is this particular tube was replaced only 3 years ago! it looks like its been in there for the life of this 25 year-old boiler.
My co-worker is in charge of the boiler water treatments, but I am starting to feel like he doesn't know what the hell he is doing. I think we have a water chemical problem of some sort, but I don't know much in the way of how to diagnose. I think this because also, we have steam traps that hang up intermittently during the season. upon inspection there is always minor build-up. Today I ordered a multi-parameter test kit and will check the water. Once I do that, how do i know what I *should* have??? I can't find any guides or charts to my boiler water chemistry.
any help on this would be most appreciated!
a little bit more info that may help:
the boiler is for winter heating only. The boiler produces almost 11-million BTU, but our load is somewhere around 8.5 Million. We run the boiler on a 30minute on 30minute off duty cycle, with an updated control with auto burner. natural gas. the fire side is running absolutly perfect. I can't think of anything else right now.
hope yall can help, thanks in advance,
Beezil