Boiler Explosion!!!

[absrbrtek]

This is what happens when you have unqualified people taking care of a high pressure boiler don't have a clue. The huge Cleaver Brooks boiler moved about 100 feet after going thru a wall. No one was killed which is really amazing.

Pictures: http://www.doli.state.mn.us/pdf/tenn...r_pictures.pdf

Final Report: http://www.doli.state.mn.us/pdf/tenn_boiler_report.pdf

[sline-dawg]

Wow.... that's all I can say......Wow



Glad I wasn't in that maintenance shop.....

[Mark817]

Wow...

[hvaccolo]

Talk about a comedy of errors...apparent "drive by" inspections, maintenance by ametures, improper replacement parts, supervisory personel training people how to just "reset it and forget it."

When a boiler goes into alarm, it is trying to tell you something. DO NOT ignore it.

Dana Corp is very lucky nobody died in this accident.

[bigjohn79]

This is the kind of thing that keeps me up at night.

Every time I have done something that I am not 100% sure of.

I guarantee the guy who installed that relay left that job and patted himself on the back because he thought he solved there problems.

I wonder what is going through his head right now??

[snipe70e]

One of my hot buttons. I do not know how many times I have been told you do not have to worry about the boilers they have safeties. In order for a boiler to explode it takes a mim of 2 failures, but usually it is on the order of 4 to 10. I counted 6 mechanical falures. I hope the state fries the company.

The amount of operator failures. That whole crew should not be allowed any where near a high pressure boiler.

Did they ever blow down the water columns to test the safeties? He walked in the boiler room and did not even look at the gage glass of boiler #2? And he was in there only every hour or so. I never walk past a boiler with out checking the gage glasses, even in someone elses plant.

The requirements to operate a high pressure gas fired boiler in the state of California are:

1. An experienced boiler operator shall be on duty at all times when a high pressure boiler (15+ psi) is operating.

2. The operator away from the boilers where he will be unable to hear the high and low alarms for a period of time exceeding the time that it would take the boiler water level to go from normal operating level to the lowest permissable operating level with the boiler firing at its maximun rate and the feed water valve closed. (this is usuall around 3 to 5 minuttes max)

3. A remote alarm or light is not an approved alarm. that means no lights or alarm bells. The alarm or whistle has to be mechanically not electrically operated.

4. Every high and low water alarm and cut out shall be tested at the begining of each shift.

5. Recorded operating rounds shall be made as often as necessary for safe operation, such rounds shall occure at least onece an hour.

6. Boilers shall have an internal inspection at least every 12 months.


I have lost more than one job interview because I noted that if I was going to be responsable for the boilers that I would have to stay in the boiler room. Last year I passed on a hospital job that at night I would be the boiler engineer/maintenance engineer and was expected to work all over the hospital.



By the way Absrbrtek thank you for the post.

[snipe70e]

Oh ya another one yo will hear, it is to small to require an operator. It gets quiet and the interview is over when you remind them it it is over 15 psi and gas fired it needs an operator.

[gruntly]

Incredible no-one was run over!!

Safeties, man safeties!!! The number one priority in any inspection on boilers or anything for that matter are the safeties.

I've dealt with high pressure gennys before.. Most tire plants have them.. Mansfield/General Tire's in town here was built up a resembled my first house. Had a 6" gas line to it and built up 225psi. I seem to recall the make-up was somewhere in the range of 300 to 600 gpm. Had 4 high speed steam-turbine return pumps but only ever ran 3 at a time. MUA coils ran at 100psi but the real steam/heat was for the presses. That's was a lot of boiler on one little fireye.

I like working on boilers, but if I'm unfamiliar with it, its gonna get a fine tooth combing.

[otto]

Interesting timing on this post. I have 3 boilers to do PM work on. We always pull and check the LWCO every year. Lots of other checks to be sure our name on the sticker on the boiler means that it's safe and reliable to use.

Glad nobody was killed in this instance. Still, there are companies out there that will allow a maintenance man do the work and avoid bringing in a qualified service technician to do a routine inspection.

[The Doctor]

Man, that is sobering. We replaced a boiler of that size where the tubes where melted because of similar practices by the area mechanics. THose pics are worth 1000 words. Wow!

[Shophound]

Very sobering read.

I'm an in-house guy, responsible for two Ajax 100 HP boilers. No way I'd think of altering or tampering with boiler controls. I agree...a boiler in alarm is sending a message...DON'T BLOW IT OFF!! Or the boiler BLOWING UP might be the end result.

It's too easy to get lulled into complacency as day after day of plant operations pass by with no significant problems. It's also too easy to think that rigging something to keep the boiler online during heavy demand makes one the hero...when it's actually setting everyone up, including the person who did it, for a disaster and possible loss of life. Ain't worth it. I'm glad nobody was killed at the Dana plant, but those who contributed to that boiler failure by their actions will have to live with the results the rest of their lives...especially the guy in the boiler room when the boiler finally let go...

Thanks for posting this...a needed reality check for all of us who work in plants and around boilers.

[madhat]

If you want the story behind the story, look up Dana Corporation under Wikipedia.

[Shophound]

From Wikipedia...

Despite Dana's recent woes, the company's CEO managed to grant himself a 9.2 million dollar bonus for himself and associates. Dana continues to close plants in North America, moving business to other countries such as Mexico.

That's about as criminal as the actions leading up to the boiler explosion. The corporation, of which this CEO is in charge, is in the financial crapper, yet he manages to line his pockets and those of his associates. For what??? A job POORLY done? The board of directors must be the "associates" that also recieved part of this 9 million dollar windfall...how else could they justify rewarding the CEO for the corporation being in the red?

All this crying about high labor costs justifying moving out of this country...yet the guys in charge, often crying the loudest, are many times a higher "labor cost" to the corporation than most of the lower end employees remaining in their American jobs on American soil.

[brahern]

I just passed the Chicago Stationary Engineers exam. I have my license to work with high pressure boilers now. According to the paperwork I recieved from the city, I can be held liable if a boiler under my control lets go. Ive never heard of it happening, but apparently one can go to jail. I'll have to get more info on this though. Thats just gross negligence. I had 3 700 horsepower cleaver brooks boilers at my last job....11 PSI steam though. Even though theyre low pressure, this can still happen. I would rather spend extra time checking up on the boiler than spend time explaining why the boiler is in the building next door. Oh and Shophound...I have 2 120 HP ajax boilers in the building Im at now, 10 year old atmospherics. Have been very reliable.

[midhvac]

That really gave me goosebumps. What a PROJECTILE! How much does one of those weigh?

The guys on Mythbusters would've soiled themselves if they'd seen that.

[absrbrtek]

I would guess in the 8,000 to 12,000 pound range from looking ar the CB website.

That really gave me goosebumps. What a PROJECTILE! How much does one of those weigh?

The guys on Mythbusters would've soiled themselves if they'd seen that.

[DPSwitch]

I've seen quite a few like that. Cleaver Brookes usually gives them out in seminars and such. The cause is pretty much always maintenance related but is usually much simpler. Your example has like 20 things in the chain of events!

As has been stated, drive home to your guys that the first thing you look at when entering the plant is the sight glass(s) Last thing when leaving- sight glass(s).

If you keep them blown down good, keep water conditions in check, keep colomns and crosses clean, and periodically check lwco safeties..... there aint much to worry about.

[Snoring Beagle]

It goes to show that you should never stand in front or behind one when lighting them off.

That guy is alive because of where he was standing.

I can hear it now, PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION.

[DPSwitch]

It goes to show that you should never stand in front or behind one when lighting them off.

Actually I prefer rite in front, so I can watch it fire.

That was not a combustion accident. It got water fed to it while it was busy melting down.

[slimwoodie]

Aaaahhh .....

just another day at work ....