Boiler safety and low sulphur fuels

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

31 Aug 2009

Lloyd's Register has issued the following guidance note on maintaining boiler safety and availability when using low-sulphur fuels. Environmental regulations will require main and auxiliary boilers to change from standard heavy fuel oil (HFO), for which many of them were specifically designed, to operate on low-sulphur fuel oils - almost certainly gas oil fuels.
The following points are reiterated to owners and operators:
•    Boiler and fuel system manufacturers should be consulted for fuel switching guidance and to confirm that the boiler, combustion control systems and associated fuel system components, such as pumps, are suitable for the intended types of fuel.
•    The furnace purge process must be functioning correctly. It is essential that the whole of the furnace space is fully purged before re-lighting any fires.
•    Burners, in general, and tips, in particular, must be appropriate to each type of fuel to be used.
•    The spark igniters (or equivalent) must be correctly functioning and positioned so as to readily ignite the fuel spray on start up.
•    All boiler flame detection and related safety systems must be operating correctly. In the case of flame detectors, they must be correctly positioned to pick out the particular flame pattern which is encountered with the types of fuel to be used.
•    Manual and automated combustion control system functions should be checked as necessary to ensure they are operating correctly and reliably.
•    Due to their searching nature, the use of gas oil fuels in systems which have generally previously operated with HFO can result in seepage of fuel from pipe flanges, equipment seams and other fittings.
•    To ensure the minimum quantity of carbon deposition material within the combustion and uptake spaces, soot blowers should be operated at the latest possible opportunity before entry into coastal and port waters.
•    The boilers, burner and fuel oil system, including the relevant automatic controls, should be reviewed by means of a HAZOP workshop, through which the action points for the operators and manufacturers can be identified.
•    Oil fuel burning arrangements must be in accordance with the Rules of the relevant classification society.
The above list is not exhaustive.
Owners are reminded that all modifications to main and auxiliary boilers and associated fuel supply and control systems must be appraised by the vessel's classification society in order to ensure that class is maintained.

Source: BIMCO