Mex 10407

Engineering Encyclopedia
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards
Boiler And Process Heater: Test And

Inspection, And Boiler Chemical Cleaning
Note: The source of the technical material in this volume is the Professional
Engineering Development Program (PEDP) of Engineering Services.
Warning: The material contained in this document was developed for Saudi
Aramco and is intended for the exclusive use of Saudi Aramco’s employees.
Any material contained in this document which is not already in the public
domain may not be copied, reproduced, sold, given, or disclosed to third
parties, or otherwise used in whole, or in part, without the written permission
of the Vice President, Engineering Services, Saudi Aramco.
Chapter : Vessels For additional information on this subject, contact

File Reference: MEX10407 R.K. Khanna
Engineering Encyclopedia Vessels
Contents Pages
TEST AND INSPECTION CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............... 1

Firebox...................................................................................................................... 1
Tube and Drum External Inspection ............................................................... 1
Firebox Refractory/Insulation......................................................................... 1
Fire Scale....................................................................................................... 2
Convection Section Deposits ......................................................................... 2
Internals .................................................................................................................... 2
Boiler Steam/Mud Drum Deposits ................................................................. 2
Thickness Measurements ............................................................................... 3
Tube Deposits................................................................................................ 4
Pressure Test (Hydrostatic Testing) ............................................................... 5
Boiler PZV’s ............................................................................................................. 5
Bench Test..................................................................................................... 5
Pressure Test ................................................................................................. 6
BOILER CHEMICAL CLEANING...................................................................................... 7
Requirements and Recommendations......................................................................... 7
Steps ......................................................................................................................... 7
GLOSSARY......................................................................................................................... 9
REFERENCE......................................................................................................................10
ADDENCUM:.....................................................................................................................11
BOILER LAY-UP PROCEDURES..........................................................................11
Table of Figures Pages
Figure 1. Boiler Steam Drum Inspection ................................................................... 3

Figure 2. Caustic Corrosion...................................................................................... 3
Figure 3. Internal Chemical Deposits ........................................................................ 4
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

TEST AND INSPECTION CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Inspections are done to determine the amount of maintenance required to have equipment operate
properly until the next turnaround. A comprehensive equipment history must be maintained that
includes conditions found during inspection and testing, maintenance work done, changes made,
and date of each. ASME Code and Saudi Aramco Standards require boiler inspections to be done
at least every two years. There is no mandatory inspection requirements for heaters. Inspection
intervals are based on service and experience.
Inspection is not an exact science and requires the use of judgement and experience.
Firebox
Tube and Drum External Inspection
Tubes are inspected externally for excessive fire scale (fireside scale), deformation (bulging) or
sagging that may indicate overheating. Sagging roof tubes are especially susceptible to
overheating. Drums are inspected externally for excessive fire scale, cracking of joints and any
indication of leakage (deposits) at the tube to drum connections.
The tube and drum thickness’ are measured ultrasonically to determine a corrosion rate. Tube
samples may be taken for inspection of the metal deterioration and measurement of deposits.
Tubes and drums are inspected at support points to see if there is any binding or wear. Supports
are inspected for corrosion and damage and to make sure they are functioning properly.
Firebox Refractory/Insulation
Refractory and insulation are inspected to determine if there is any deterioration

Refractory is inspected for breakage, slagging, crumbling, spalling, and open joints. Leakage of
hot boiler gases through joints when the edges have crumbled or when the tile or insulating
concrete has fallen out may expose the supporting steel to high metal temperatures, rapid
oxidation, and corrosion.
Fly-ash corrosion may occur when fly-ash and refractory are in contact. Fluxing occurs and
produces a slag that may be fluid at boiler operating conditions. Metal oxides found in fuel oil are
fluxing agents. The general effect of slagging is to decrease the thickness of the refractory and
thereby reduce its insulation properties. Slagging may cause rapid deterioration of boiler
hardware such as tube hangers and spacers.
Severe spalling will require repair. Spalling of refractory usually results from a startup heatup
being done too rapidly. Spalling can also result from overheating by direct flame impingement.
Sagging would indicate problems with the refractory/insulation support. Support problems can be
caused by overheating or corrosion of the supports.
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 1

External deposits may indicate the need for external water washing. The water washing
procedure from Saudi Aramco General Instruction for boilers (GI Number 403.001) is attached as
Addendum A. This procedure includes sealing the refractory with a bitumen sealer to prevent
water damage of the refractory and the use of 0.5% soda ash solution to minimize stress cracking
of austenetic steels such as stainless steels. Under no circumstances is salt or raw water to be
used for water washing. The bitumen sealer is burned off in normal operation.
External firebox insulation is inspected for rust spots, cracking and bulging that may indicate
corrosion beneath the insulation.
Fire Scale
Tubes are externally inspected for excessive fire scale. Fire scale may indicate the metal has
experienced high temperatures and has oxidized. Areas with heavy fire scale should be carefully
inspected and monitored for corrosion. Ultrasonic measurements should be taken.
Convection Section Deposits
The convection section is inspected for deposits especially when oil has been fired. There may be
deposits that are not readily removed by water washing. Ash from fuel oil firing can form a glass
like deposit which may be very difficult to remove even with chemical cleaning. Sometimes the
tubes must be replaced. Any damage to the extended surfaces should be noted for evaluation of
required maintenance.
Internals
Boiler Steam/Mud Drum Deposits
Boiler steam and mud drums and the tube ends are inspected for deposits. The inspection may
indicate the need for chemical cleaning to remove deposits. Severe deposits indicate the need to
review boiler water treatment and blowdown controls.

Figure 1. Boiler Steam Drum Inspection

Thickness Measurements
Thickness measurements are made to detect corrosion such as that in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Caustic Corrosion

Ultrasound - Ultrasound measurements of tube and drum metal thickness are taken to establish
an average corrosion rate of tubes and drums. Normal ultrasound measurements indicate an
average metal thickness but may not give any indication of pitting or cracking.
Pitting/Cracking - Inspection for pitting and cracking includes radiographic examination,

magnetic particle examination (magnaflux), and liquid penetrant examination. Welds may be
radiographed (x-ray) to determine cracks and penetration of welds. Magnetic particle inspection
and liquid dye penetrant inspections are used to locate small surface cracks especially in autenistic
steels. A pit gauge is used to measure the depth of pits.
Tube Deposits
Scale (Boilers) - Boiler tubes can be internally inspected by a fiberscope type of instrument that
can give a TV picture of the inside of the tubes. Sometimes sections or tubes may be cut out for
inspection and replacement. Internal boiler scale (deposits) may indicate the need for chemical
cleaning. The tube in Figure 3 is in definite need of chemical cleaning.
Figure 3. Internal Chemical Deposits
Coke (Heaters) - Furnace tube can be inspected the same as boiler tubes. Inspection is much
easier with plug type headers. Plug type headers always seem to leak and are therefore not widely
used. Most furnaces have return bend headers. Sometimes a few return headers are cut off for
inspection of the tubes. If significant coke is found it should be removed by steam-air decoking.
Steam-air decoking is done on a scheduled basis for some units such as crude and coking units.

Pressure Test (Hydrostatic Testing)

Once maintenance has been completed the furnace or boiler is hydrotested at 1.5 times the design
or maximum allowable working pressure to make sure there are no leaks. This pressure will not
exceed stress limits since the equipment is cold. The pressure must be controlled so that the test
pressure is never exceeded by more than 6%.
Pressure test procedures should be carefully followed. During hydrostatic tests the furnace or
boiler is completely filled with water and all air is displaced to the extent possible. This makes it
easier to reach the test pressure since there is essentially no air to compress and it reduces the
potential forces that would be released in the event of a rupture.
Consideration must be given to the temperature of the water used during these tests. Water
temperature should not be less than ambient temperature and never less than 70°F. This
minimizes the possibility of catastrophic brittle failure of heavy walled parts during the test. It
also prevents any confusion between leaks and condensation on cold outer surfaces. The
maximum allowable temperature during hydrostatic testing is 120°F.
A careful visual examination is performed for leaks at the test pressure. Any leaks that are found
during this test must be repaired and then the system must be retested.
Boiler PZV’s
Saudi Aramco has a pressure relief valve program which tracks all pressure relief valve use and
monitors their testing and inspection. Pressure relief valve routine test inspection, quality
assurance and regulation is covered by GI 447.003.
Bench Test
The ASME code requires testing of boiler PZVs once per year. This test is done by shutting
down the boiler and removing the PZVs. The PZVs are tested on a test bench. The PZVs should
pop within 10 psi. of their relief setting. The PZVs should fully open no more than 3% above the
set pressure and should close tightly no less than 96% of the set pressure (4% below the set
pressure).
Testing and inspection is performed by a qualified and certified PZV technician. Bench test and
inspection is documented in the PZV Maintenance Report form 3750. Both pop and leak tests are
performed on the bench. Disassembly and inspection of the PZV is required at the third
consequtive PZV operating interval (3 years for boilers).

Pressure Test
All boiler PZVs must be tested in place for the final set pressure and blowdown (reseating)
adjustments as required by the ASME code. The in-place test is performed as per a written
approved operating procedure. The in-place test has provisions to prove full lift capacity and
accuracy of adjustments. The in-place test is reported on the same form 3750 as the bench test.
Additional in-place pressure tests may be required for boilers over 400 psig depending on
operating experience as recommended by the National Board Inspection Code. The National
Board Inspection Code recommends testing boilers less than 400 psig every 26 months.

BOILER CHEMICAL CLEANING
Requirements and Recommendations
The data from inspection of deposits is used to determine if there is a need for chemical cleaning.
Chemical cleaning is not routine maintenance but only done on an as-required basis. With proper
boiler operation, chemical cleaning is not normally necessary.
Boiler deposits are primarily calcium and magnesium carbonate salts that have deposited in the
tubes and drums because the salt concentration was too great in the boiler circulating water.
These salts are removed by chemically cleaning with an inhibited acid followed by neutralization
and passivation of the metal.
If the condensate return was contaminated with oil, the oil must be removed from the boiler
before the chemical cleaning will be effective. Oil is usually removed by an alkaline boil-out for
light oil contamination and an alkaline permanganate boil-out for heavy oil (crude) contamination.
The alkaline boil-out uses caustic soda and the alkaline-permanganate boil-out uses a mixture of
caustic soda and potassium permanganate.
Superheaters and economizers are not normally chemically cleaned because there should be no
water in the superheater and the concentration of salts in the economizer should be very low.
Superheaters may require chemical cleaning if there has been significant carry over from the steam
drum or if an attemperator is installed which adds water to the superheater to control outlet
temperature.
Steps
The procedure for chemical cleaning of boilers at the Abquaiq Utilities Plant is attached as
Addendum B. This procedure is typical of chemical cleaning procedures since it follows General
Instruction GI 402.001.
The boiler chemical cleaning procedure is divided into the following sections:
1. Preparation for Chemical Cleaning
This includes installing blinds on inlet and outlet from the steam drum; removal of screen
and baffle plates from the steam drum; installation of temporary pressure, temperature and
level gages; and blinding all level gages and instrument lines except for instrumentation and
gage glasses installed for chemical cleaning. The PZVs are removed from the steam drum
and temporary vents are installed. Temporary connections to the mud drum are installed to
add and remove chemical cleaning solutions.

2. Perform Alkaline Boil-Out as Necessary
This includes adding chemicals to boiler water and firing boiler slowly until pressure reaches
200 psig. Hold 200 psig for 24 hours. Drain boiler and open for inspection.
3. Acid Cleaning
This includes filling the boiler with condensate and lighting off the boiler (one burner) to
raise the temperature of the boiler to about 180°F. Drain and refill with condensate and acid
cleaning chemicals. Circulate the chemical for 4 to 6 hours and drain. Repeating the above
may required depending on the amount of scale in the boiler.
4. Neutralizing and Passivation
This includes filling with a sodium carbonate solution, lighting off one burner, maintaining a
200 psig. pressure for 2 hours, and draining boiler when temperature below 200°F. This is
done to neutralize any traces of acid and lay down a coating to minimize stress cracking.

GLOSSARY
maximum allowable This is the maximum pressure at which a boiler is allowed to

pressure operate. It is also the pressure used to design the boiler.
PZV Safety valve.
safety valve A device which opens automatically at a set pressure to relieve

pressure. Safety valves are used in vapor service.
design pressure The pressure for which a piece of equipment was designed to
operate.
neutralization and A metal treatment to eliminate any traces of acid and lay down
passivation a film to minimize stress cracking.
scale Deposits in boilers, primarily calcium and magnesium carbonate

salts.
coke Deposits in process heater tubes which resemble coke.

REFERENCE
SAES-F-008 Chemical Cleaning of Boilers
SAER-5440
GI 402.001
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

ADDENCUM:
BOILER LAY-UP PROCEDURES


ABQAIQ PLANTS CHEMICAL CLEANING














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Engineering Encyclopedia

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Boiler And Process Heater: Test And

Chapter : Vessels For additional information on this subject, contact

TEST AND INSPECTION CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............... 1

Table of Figures Pages

Figure 1. Boiler Steam Drum Inspection ................................................................... 3

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

TEST AND INSPECTION CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Tube and Drum External Inspection

Refractory and insulation are inspected to determine if there is any deterioration

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 1

Convection Section Deposits

Boiler Steam/Mud Drum Deposits

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 2

Figure 1. Boiler Steam Drum Inspection

Figure 2. Caustic Corrosion

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 3

Pitting/Cracking - Inspection for pitting and cracking includes radiographic examination,

Figure 3. Internal Chemical Deposits

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 4

Pressure Test (Hydrostatic Testing)

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 5

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 6

BOILER CHEMICAL CLEANING

Requirements and Recommendations

1. Preparation for Chemical Cleaning

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 7

2. Perform Alkaline Boil-Out as Necessary

4. Neutralizing and Passivation

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 8

maximum allowable This is the maximum pressure at which a boiler is allowed to

PZV Safety valve.

safety valve A device which opens automatically at a set pressure to relieve

scale Deposits in boilers, primarily calcium and magnesium carbonate

coke Deposits in process heater tubes which resemble coke.

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 9

SAES-F-008 Chemical Cleaning of Boilers

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 10

BOILER LAY-UP PROCEDURES

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards 11

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ABQAIQ PLANTS CHEMICAL CLEANING

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