Boiler Blog | Nationwide Boiler Inc.

All boilers are subject to damage if proper chemical treatment, water analysis and blowdown procedures are not followed. If these items are ignored, both during operation and idle periods, serious damage to the boiler will result.

When Nationwide Boiler delivers a rental unit, it is the boiler operator's responsibility to maintain and supervise the water treatment conditions of their rental boiler in order to avoid any additional charges that may result from improper operation or maintenance. It is recommended that the services of a reputable boiler chemical consultant are retained in-order to supervise the water treatment conditions on a regular basis. At least once each week, daily boiler logs, chemical treatment tests, a chemical treatment consultant's report and maintenance records should be implemented and sent to Nationwide Boiler. This ensures that the proper maintenance is being done on the equipment and provides accurate maintenance reports for Nationwide's equipment files.

As a boiler operator it is important to inspect the waterside condition of watertube boilers that may result in heavy scale or oxygen pitting or corrosion. Waterside scale can be cause for concern on the reliability of a boiler by the following:

• If the boiler tubes contain heavy scale, tubes can overheat and/or fail leading to tube leaks


• If the boiler has some scale but it is not heavily deposited, certain types of water treatment plans can cause the scale to quickly be removed in large flakes, plugging tubes and eventually leading to overheating and tube failures


• Certain types of scale can be easily removed such as a conventional soft phosphate scale, while others are very difficult to remove such as silica

If scale is present, any scale greater than 1/8 inch or 0.125 inch should be removed from the boiler prior to placing it back in operation.

Oxygen corrosion is not as easily detected as scale. O2 pitting can occur under deposits and in very small areas that can escape detection by the naked eye. If O2 pitting is suspected, a tube needs to be removed from the boiler for more close examination.

Therefore, it is extremely important to assess the waterside condition of a boiler and then to determine the type of scale and the method for removing it. There are several methods for removing boiler scale including high pressure water blasting and other proprietary methods offered by water treatment representatives. Overall, with proper boiler maintenance and water treatment plans, such procedures can be avoided.

Examples of (1) Heavy Scale, (2) Medium Scale and (3) No Scale

1.

2.

3.

The proper removal of rental boiler equipment is a critical step when renting boilers and it ensures the safe return of equipment to the rental company's facility. It also reduces the risk of additional costs to the customer. By taking a few precautionary steps as described below, the boiler can be properly prepared for pick-up and shipment.

Drain & Flush

First, completely drain and flush all the boiler lines with clean water and open all water drain valves. This will minimize the chance of any corrosion and hard caused by unforeseen freezing conditions.

Inspect

Second, Inspect all fireside and waterside surfaces and report any visual damage, scale build-up, or refractory problems. Having photographic evidence of the boiler condition after the rental period is advisable.

Stack Removal

Next, the stack should be removed, remounted and Bolt down stub stack, non-return valve, safety valves and vent valve to trailer (same location as it was received).

• Cover all boiler openings (stack, steam, gas, water, electrical panel, safety valve openings)


• If trailer is disassembled, reattach wheels and gooseneck


• Check tire pressure


• Return all instruction and operating manuals to the rental company via the trucker or transportation company responsible for returning the unit

If you have questions about preparing your unit for pick-up, don't hesitate to call Nationwide Boiler at 800-227-1966.

Nationwide Boiler is excited to announce that we now have an additional storage and maintenance facility to better serve our customers in the Central United States. The facility is owned by Applied Global Cogeneration (AGC) and is located in Broken Arrow, OK. The 112,000 square foot manufacturing and test facility has ample space for our large trailer-mounted watertube rental units and stock boilers. 

We now have eight total storage facilities positioned across the United States. Other locations include California, Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. 

Having several different locations for equipment storage allows Nationwide Boiler to provide customers with dependable solutions and real customer service, getting equipment out quickly and saving money on delivery costs.

For more information on the new storage location and what our Director of Sales, Bill Testa has to say, check out our latest press release.

Cleaver-Brooks hosts a number of informative and educational webinars throughout the year.

Be sure to check out the next webinar, scheduled for September 26, 2018 at 2:00pm EST. The material will be focused on educating boiler operators and owners why preventative maintenance is so important. What routine boiler maintenance tasks are required? What is the recommended frequency of each task? All of these questions, and more, will be covered.

Cleaver-Brooks' Warranty & Service Manager John Pemerton will host the webinar - and you won't want to miss it!

Register today!