Boiler Storage

Technical
Bulletin
Boiler Storage
Internal surfaces of boilers out of service are • The boiler should be opened every three or four
particularly susceptible to corrosion. To minimize months for inspection of desiccant or Volatile
this, the unit must be stored according to one of the Corrosion Inhibitor. Desiccant or Volatile Corro-
following procedures. sion Inhibitor should be renewed as needed.
Dry Storage Alternative Dry Storage

• The dry storage method is recommended when- • This method can be used for extended periods of
ever a boiler will be out of service for an time on package firetube and watertube boilers
extended period and when time will be available without superheaters and/or economizers.
to prepare the unit for operation. Other boilers must be operating in the boiler
• The boiler should be thoroughly cleaned and in- room to ensure low humidity in the air.
spected. If possible, all horizontal and non- • The boiler should be first thoroughly cleaned and
drainable boiler tubes should be blown with inspected. If possible, all horizontal and non-
compressed air. drainable boiler tubes should be blown with
• Heat should be applied to dry the boiler setting compressed air. In watertube units, particular
(walls, insulation and refractory), and then the care must be taken to purge water from long
unit should be closed to reduce air circulation. horizontal tubes that may have bowed slightly.
Whenever necessary, heaters should be installed • The feedwater inlet and the steam outlet should
to maintain the temperature of all surfaces be checked to be sure no dampness occurs in
above the dew point. the boiler. The manhole covers and several
• Immediately after the surfaces are dried, one of handhole covers (if present) should remain open,
the recommended desiccants or volatile corro- allowing dry boiler room air to enter the units.
sion inhibitor designed for dry lay up should be The boilers should be inspected every two weeks
spread on watertight wood or corrosion- to ensure against any moisture.
resistant trays.
o Silica gel 16.7 lb/100 ft3 (2.67 kg/m3) Wet Storage
o Quicklime 6.7 lb/100 ft3 (1.1 kg/m3) • Although dry storage is preferred, wet methods
are acceptable whenever a boiler is on emer-
o Activated alumina 26.7 lb/100 ft3 (4.3
gency standby. When using the wet storage
kg/m )3
method, take precautions to avoid freezing
o Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (Layup VCS1000) which may cause damage. These precautions
– 1 bag/1,000 gal (1 bag/3.8 m3) boiler vol- include auxiliary heat, cascade lay up, light firing
ume of the boiler, or the use of a 50/50
• Place the trays in each drum of the boiler or on water/ethylene-glycol mixture. The use of ethyl-
the top tubes of a firetube unit. Tightly blank ene glycol, however, requires that the boiler be
and close all manholes, vents and connections. drained, flushed, and filled with fresh feedwater
The drain between the non-return and main prior to start-up.
steam stop valve should be left open.
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• The boiler should be filled to the normal water Alternative Wet Storage (Cascade)
level with deaerated feedwater. Then add either
• Continuous blowdown from an operating boiler
3 pounds caustic soda and 3 pounds CorTrol*
is used to keep the idle boiler filled with treated
IS1050 per 1,000 gal (964 L) of water contained
water. If the unit has not been cooled and
in the boiler (0.36 kg caustic soda and 0.18 kg
drained, connect the continuous blowdown line
sodium sulfite per m3 boiler water) — minimum
from an operating unit to a convenient bottom
400 ppm (mg/L) phenolphthalein alkalinity as
location of the laid-up boiler. If refilling the idle
CaCO3, and 100 ppm (mg/L) sulfite as SO3. Or
boiler, first open a vent line and close it only after
add 5 pounds CorTrol* OS5035 and 2.5 pounds
completely filling the unit. Then open the con-
Steamate* (NA2440) (or equivalent) per 1,000 gal
tinuous blowdown line of the stored boiler.
(964 L) (0.6 kg CorTrol OS5035 and 1.13 kg Stea-
mate (NA2440) (or equivalent) per m3) — mini-
mum 200 ppm (mg/L) N2H4 and 10.0 pH. With
vents open, heat should be applied to boil the
water for one hour. Then close the setting using
heat when necessary to maintain the tempera-
ture of all metal surfaces above the dew point.
• If the boiler is equipped with a nondrainable su-
perheater, fill the superheater with condensate
or demineralized water treated with 5 pounds of
CorTrol OS5035 and 2.5 pounds Steamate
(NA2440) (or equivalent) per 1,000 gal (964 L)
(0.6 kg CorTrol OS5035 and 1.13 kg Steamate
(NA2440) (or equivalent) per m3). Then fill the
boiler with deaerated feedwater.
• If the superheater is drainable or the boiler does
not have a superheater, the boiler should be al-
lowed to cool slightly after firing. Before a vac-
uum is created, completely fill the unit with
deaerated feedwater.
• After filling the boiler, connect a surge tank, such
Figure 1: Boiler in storage using cascade lay up method
as a 55-gal (210-L) drum, containing a solution of
treatment chemicals or a nitrogen tank at 5 psig
(0.35 kg/cm2) pressure to the steam drum vent.
This supply will compensate for volumetric
changes as a result of temperature variations.
• The drain between the nonreturn and the main
steam stop valve should be left open wide. All
other drains and vents are to be closed tight.
• The boiler water should be tested regularly each
week, with additional treatment being added
whenever necessary to maintain the minimum
treatment levels. When chemicals are added,
the boiler water is to be circulated by means of
an external pump or by reducing the water level
to the normal operating level and steaming the
boiler for a short time. If steaming is necessary,
the boiler should be re-filled completely in keep-
ing with the above recommendations.
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Boiler Storage

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Technical

Dry Storage Alternative Dry Storage

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