SOOT BLOWERS CHECK LIST AND

RECOMMEND-ER START-UP PROCEDURE

Blowing medium supply System :

1. Steam System
2. i) Check expansions loops for thermal expansion provision
3. ii) Check for slope or pitch for drainage as called for on drawings

iii)       Condensate discharge from trap should be led to atmospheric  pressure

1. iv) Condensate drain should slope down and away from trap for  gravity
2. Air System
3. i) All drains must be blow before final welding of the drain valve.
4. ii) The thermometer or thermo couple should be checked for good  working conditions.

iii)  Check provisions for boiler expansion and also expansion loops provided on steam system.

Suggested operation procedure

1. The frequency of soot blower operation depends on the operating conditions, status of the boiler cleanliness. Some things which may indicate the need for cleaning are; increase in boiler exit gas temperature, decrease in boiler gas flow.
2. It is important in when starting up  a boiler that the soot blowers be used frequently and soon after lighting off. Inefficient combustion  in a boiler being started up may result in abnormal deposits on the tubes. Unless they are removed frequently, furnace explosion or puffs may result later. It is usually also desirable to use the soot blowers just before taking a boiler out of service.
3. When using the soot blowers for the first time, it is advisable to increase  the furnace draft as much as possible during the blowing cycle. After the blowing cycles, it will possible to tell how much the furnace draft should be increased for blowing. The furnace draft can be increased by opening the boiler outlet damper wider , increasing the induced draft fan speed, or opening the induced draft fan damper wider. No increase in forced dart is recommended.
4. When the soot blowers are not being used, the main steam supply valve should always be closed tightly and the drain valves opened wide. The motor equipment for electrically driven blowers in housed in suitable enclosures. For all blowers it is necessary to make the power and control connections from the motor control centers  and panel to each blower. There is usually a local starting button on the control panel. The buttons are indicated on the wiring diagrams.

Assure that power is available at the proper voltage and frequency as specified on the application drawings.

Increase the furnace draft as described above.

For steam blowing systems, open all drain valves wide. If traps, are used be sure that isolation valves are open and the by-pass valve is closed.

Open the main steam or air supply valve slowly until it is wide open. With steam blowing cycle, do not operate any blowers until all the piping has been warmed and drained. Then, if traps are not used, close the drain valve. The hole in the valve seat will serve to keep the lines drained. Never blow with wet steam.

Operate the blowers in the numerical  sequence shown on the general arrangement drawing. There is a panel “start” push button for each blower. The buttons may be included in the automatic sequential operation; they may be individual therefore, one button must be used to start each blower. Each button should be held in about 5 seconds and then released. The blower will start operating, complete the cycle and this will be indicated in the panel and then start the next blower after this blower operation is over.

Operate each blower in sequence; each may be operated as many times as necessary to clean. (Note: allow cooling time of 1 hour before subsequent operation of the same blower. Never allow a blower to blow unless the nozzle is rotating.

When the entire blowing cycle is complete, close a main stop valve tightly. Open  the drain valves wide if they are closed:

Adjust the furnace draft to normal and open the power and control circuit.