Industrial Boilers Maintenance and regular supervision of this equipment help to optimize operating costs and avoid failures or irreparable losses in thermal power plants. Maintenance and inspections also make it possible to improve the energy efficiency of the facilities, jeopardized by the obsolescence of the boilers or by the loss of heat. The objective of these operations is to extend the life of the equipment and combustion systems. 

Maintenance work on industrial boilers does not always involve repairs, since the function of maintenance is to provide the correct operation of the installation, by preventing and adjusting the thermal installation. Finally, investment in maintenance leads to cost savings, by preventing production activity at the facilities from being stopped and the planned work being completed. 

Use in industrial facilities

There are numerous industrial facilities that use industrial boiler systems. These pressure vessels are used to produce steam, which circulates through pipes to generate heat or facilitate the production process in areas such as the food and beverage industry, paper mill, chemical, pharmaceutical, heating, air conditioning and others. The proper installation and start-up of the plant, as well as the maintenance allow the boiler to be safe, profitable for the company and efficient from the point of view of the energy consumed and the limitation of atmospheric emissions.

Among the most common maintenance works for industrial boilers are, on the one hand, Inspection and Repair of thermal insulation, since uninsulated steam and condensate pipes, valves and accessories in boiler systems can produce critical heat loss and reduction of the efficiency of said industrial boiler. Likewise, optimal performance requires maintaining accurate Preventive Maintenance and Service Records, with water and flue gas temperatures and the pressure they provide. 

Periodic cleaning of the industrial boiler is another point to take into account, since residues such as lime, soot and other types can cover the interior surface of the tubes, reducing the diameter of these and the consequent decrease in the efficiency of heat transfer, which in turn increases the probability of a failure. The cleaning of the tubes is done either through brushes or other mechanical means or with chemical products. In any case, it is recommended to clean the tubes on an annual basis.

 Waste and dissolved solids in industrial boilers can also cause matter to precipitate and create high concentrations of dissolved solids in the boiler. This build-up reduces efficiency and increases the probability of breakdowns. In these cases, it is necessary to Purge the industrial boiler periodically, which involves draining the water from the boiler to avoid high concentrations of dissolved solids. 

Finally, it is necessary to Monitor and Inspect the quality of the water, which has a significant impact on the performance of the boiler. Monitoring and inspection of dissolved minerals and return condensation, together with the presence of a trap, maintain the quality of the water in the boiler.

Types of industrial boilers maintenance

• Preventive Maintenance. Review of the equipment periodically and application of the maintenance recommended by each manufacturer at the most opportune moment. It allows anticipating breakdowns or failures, taking into account the history of the installation and the monitoring of previous failures.
• Predictive Maintenance. It allows to view the status of the installation, as well as its operation through computer applications, as well as detect a malfunction or mismatch of the equipment. Monitoring systems evaluate the performance and status of equipment in real time with various technologies.
• Corrective maintenance. To correct any deficiency detected in the operation of the Thermal Power Plant equipment. It is a maintenance not previously planned, which allows the equipment to work correctly and as soon as possible.
• Zero Hour Maintenance (Overhaul). It is done by leaving the equipment at Zero hours of operation. That is, as if they were new, changing the elements subjected to wear.
• Maintenance in use. Elementary tasks, visual inspections, data collection, cleaning, lubrication….
• Regulatory inspections. Some of the equipment installed in thermal power plants (boilers, tanks, cooling towers, storage tanks or firefighting facilities) are subject to rules or regulations of the coRegulatory inspectionsmpetent Administration that, for safety reasons, requires maintenance and periodic reviews by a certified company, as is the case with our company, Integrated Combustion Solutions. 

Soluciones Integrales de Combustión

Soluciones Integrales de Combustion is an engineering company focused on providing “turnkey” equipment and services for energy installations. It offers combustion solutions that increase the productivity and efficiency of thermal power installations, by optimizing and maintaining combustion equipment. Its objective is to provide its customers with significant energy and material savings and reduce facility downtime. Among its areas of activity are the engineering, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and repair of combustion plants, number of equipment installed in thermal power plants (boilers, tanks, cooling towers, storage tanks or firefighting facilities ) are subject to rules or regulations of the competent Administration which, for safety reasons, requires maintenance and periodic reviews to be carried out by a certified company, such as our company, Soluciones Integrales de Combustion.