Boiler maintenace costs
Boiler maintenace costs
(OP)
We have a couple of Cleaver Brooks 250hp boilers. They are fire backs dating from about 1969. We spend about $5000. per year for each boiler on major repairs, ie. tube replacement, crack repair, refractory. From the aspect of justifying replacement of these boilers, does anyone have a feel for what this type of maintenace should cost?





RE: Boiler maintenace costs
Some more information that would help us answer your question would be helpful.
rmw
RE: Boiler maintenace costs
RE: Boiler maintenace costs
It seems high (unless putting crappy water into a high pressure; then kind of low).
Have you ever installed new high efficiency burners?
Your savings on natural gas might be more than on maintanence. May also be able to use a slightly smaller, higher efficiency replacement boiler.
RE: Boiler maintenace costs
Repeat cracks and tube leaks make me concerned with the conditions of your watersides....I suspect that your boiler is overfiring due to scale buildup. The scale will be thicker at the back where the metal tends to get hottest...That is most likely where the cracks and tubes fail also on your boiler, am I right?
Once you have insured the watersides are descaled, then look at your operational practices. Make sure your operators allow for a slow and gradual warm up...examine your loads to look for large swings in demand and how often and for how long the boiler must operate at high fire.
RE: Boiler maintenace costs
RE: Boiler maintenace costs
RE: Boiler maintenace costs
Tell the boss he ain't saving any money operating at less than 1/2 design pressure.
Your shutdown cycle is fine as long as you take care to slowly warm the boiler on start up.
Next chance you get, remove a rear handhole and examine the waterside of the rear tube sheet at first pass position. If you see scale there on the tube sheet and tubes, then you need to remove the scale and take measures to prevent it. Scale buildup also causes the boiler metal to overheat.