BOILER MOUNTINGS AND ACCESSORIES
Boiler mountings :
The items or devices which are used for safety of boiler are called boiler mountings.
e.g. water level indicator, pressure gauge, safety valve, stop valve, feed check valve, fusible plug, blowoff cock.
Let’s discuss each mountings one by one.
1.) Water level indicator- It is fitted in front of boiler. It is used to indicate the level of water inside the boiler. There are two water level indicators present in boiler.
2.) Pressure gauge- It is generally used to measure pressure of steam generated inside the boiler. Usually Bourden type pressure gauge is used in steam boiler. It is also present in front of boiler.
3.) Safety valve- Safety valve is attached to the steam boiler chest. They gaurd the boiler against high pressure. Generally two safety valves are present in boiler.
4.) Stop valve- It is fitted on the top most part of a boiler. It is used to control the flow of steam to the main pipe and also used for complete shut off.
5.) Feed check valve- Feed check valve is a non return valve which regulates the supply of water which is pumped in to the boiler by feed pump. It is fitted to the shell slightly below the normal water level of the boiler.
6.) Blow off cock- It is fitted at the bottom of the boiler. The major use this is to empty the boiler whenever required. It is mainly used to discharge the scale, mud and sediments.
7.) Fusible plug- Fusible plug is fitted to the crown or over the combustion chamber of a boiler. It is used to protect the boiler (furnace) against over heating. Its function is to eliminate fire from the furnace when water level of the boiler falls to an unsafe limit.
Generally gun metal is used for fusible plug.
Boiler accessories :
Boiler accessories are the integal part of the boiler which are used to improve its efficiency. Some accessories are- Air preheater, superheater, economiser, feed pump, steam separator.
Let’s discuss each accessories.
1.) Air preheater- Air preheater is used to recover the heat from the exhaust gases of boiler.It is installed between economiser and chimney.
2.) Superheater- It is usually placed on the path of hot flue gas from the furnace. It is used to increase the temperature of saturated steam with raising it’s pressure.
3.) Economiser- It is also one of the major accessory of steam boiler. It is used to heat the feed water by utilizing the heat from the flue gases leaving through the chimney. An economiser improves economy of a boiler.
4.) Feed pump- Feed pump is used to deliver the water into the boiler with adequate pressure.
5.) Steam separator- It is used to separate water droplets from steam so that pure gaseous steam can deliver to further boiler unit(turbine).
Thats all about Boiler mountings and accessories, there position, uses and importance in steam boiler. If there is any silly mistake in this blog please let me know through comments. We are always here to provide you the best in the business.
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