When it comes to choosing industrial heating equipment, it is important to invest in customized solutions. The right type of installation would benefit your office or production space and help you avoid potential malfunctions, excessive rectification, and modification work.

The Best Ways to Prolong Boiler Lifespan

What is a thermal fluid system?

A thermal fluid system, also known as an industrial boiler unit, is an advanced heating system that utilizes the forced circulation of special heating liquids. The thermal liquid transfer is pump circulated through a heat exchanger to raise its temperature and be used in advanced heating processes.

How to Prolong a Boiler’s Life?

Different types of boilers have their own specifications and designs, especially when it comes to industrial heating where customized systems are in place. Since manufacturers rarely create identical systems, the efficiency and lifespan of a boiler unit are relatively different.

Here are some of the general specifications that could prolong thermal heater life:

• Perform annual technical inspections to make sure all components are working as expected;
• Regularly check the thermal insulation;
• Regularly check for fluid leaks and pump consumptions;
• Make sure the ventilation and smoke ducks, and other boiler interior components are free of soot;
• Pay attention to boiler control indicators, take all warnings and alarms into consideration;
• Contact the boiler manufacturer in case you have noticed any alarming signs in the workflow of the heater system.

Important Aspects of Boiler Maintenance

With an endless variety of heating systems, type, and usage of thermal fluids, creating a maintenance schedule is a challenging task. Especially when it comes to custom solutions that are specifically designed to fit the industrial needs of a certain facility.

There are, however, a few general factors that are always considered upon successful boiler maintenance:

Regulation of Thermal Fluid Flow

Control of thermal fluid flow is of high importance to assure the boiler functions properly. Primary thermal fluids reach extremely high temperatures so a sufficient flow guarantees the system will keep functioning without overheating.

Viscosity is an important factor that directly affects fluid flow. It measures flow characteristics per unit time. Testing the viscosity allows facilities to indicate thermal degradation that affects the fluid’s heat transfer capabilities.

If the temperature of the fluids exceeds the maximum, boiler damage is inevitable. To avoid this risk, it is also necessary to perform flow maintenance by measuring the pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet pipes.

Water Analysis

When it comes to steam boilers, regular water analysis is absolutely mandatory. Assurance that water treatment is regulated will help your facility keep up with high industrial standards and guarantees the heating system functions accordingly.

Technicians performing the maintenance must consider indicators such as temperature, scale, water corrosion. The optimal timestamp between water sample testing should be no less than 30 days.

Moisture Check

One of the most important factors that need following in your boiler installation is the presence of water in the fluid. Moisture could be really damaging to the overall heating system, causing volatility issues.

Regular monitoring and control over moisture levels in the unit can avoid potential problems such as high pressurization, inconsistent flow, and cavitation.

Return Tank Inspections

The pump suction strainer and the return tank play an important role in a boiler’s functionality. Decent tank care includes technical maintenance and flushes cleaning to prevent sediment accumulation and boiler damage. Return tank inspections need to be carried out every 90 days or in case of malfunction.

Thermal Fluid Samples

Taking fluid samples for analysis is an essential step in preventive boiler maintenance. Always call professionals or hire an expert to adequately carry out these sample tests (for safety reasons, to avoiding potential fire hazards).

In order to obtain representative samples and get relevant results, the process needs to be carried out at a certain extraction point, with appropriate gear. The procedure is done by dismantling measurement instruments without interrupting or damaging a boiler’s working process.

Advanced Maintenance Procedures

Overall process monitoring and preventive sample tests allow you to maintain the high performance of your thermal heating system. Here is a list of additional tests that help to keep track of certain boiler conditions and confirm its primary indicators:

• Flashpoint test – done to indicate the flashpoint of the fluid, its results can determine critical points for ignition and the presence of external contaminants;
• GC Scan – provides a full picture of the components present in the heat transfer fluids, its results detect serious fluid contamination;
• Gravity specification test – measures fluid density relative to specific gravity and water, its results detect range variations in fluids;
• Neutralization number test – also known as a total acid number, its results confirm the amount and type of acids in the thermal fluid to allocate contaminants;
• Insolubles – grants heat transfer efficiency, measuring inorganic debris and coke present in the fluid, its results could indicate crucial system problems.

To sum up…

Boiler inspections help your thermal heating systems work impeccably. Not only these procedures elongate the lifespan of your boiler, but they also save you money on potential technical problems in the future.

How can we help? TechnoSystem can provide you with standardized or custom-designed heating systems for your facility, and assist you with the unit installation. We also offer a comprehensive maintenance service for boilers and industrial heating circuits.

Give us a call today.