I was installing a modulating motor for a new burner control system and I was having trouble. I followed everything in the manufacturer’s manual in careful detail. But when I turned the motor on, nothing would happen. I checked and rechecked my work. Am I screwing up? I wondered. Or is it the manuals? The … Read more
Boilers need a steady supply of water, and the water needs to be reasonably pure. But how pure?In the heated boiler, the water’s dissolved minerals become concentrated. That’s why regular blowdown is critical. The valve is opened to drain sediment out of the pressure vessel. Then the boiler is topped up with fresh water, diluting … Read more
The operator was making his routine check on the boiler when he spotted clinker through the observation glass of the fire tube. Clinker, which is formed from unburned diesel fuel, is not unusual. He stopped the flame, opened the firetube, pulled out the clinker, and restarted the burner. Hours later, the operator made his next … Read more
Last week I was thinking about why the burners in boilers sometimes don’t work as well after they leave the shop. Over the summer, these boilers are cleaned and tested. When they leave the shop, the burners work just fine. Then the boilers go up to places like Fort Nelson…Hinton…Fox Creek. Operating in the winter … Read more
Recently I received some calls from customers with a complaint I had never heard before. Their oilfield boilers had come back from our shop after annual maintenance. “Where,” they asked, “is the inspection certificate?” In Alberta, all boilers are required to hold a Certificate of Inspection Permit. Every province has something similar. These customers asked … Read more