U5 Tube Failure Investegation Report

May 2014

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 Unit 5 Boiler tube Failure

Final Report

Date: 12.6.2014

Incident Description:

On Sunday May 04, during preparations for boiler safety valves tests by Boiler Department. Boiler fired and tripped
Many times before reaching the range of test, boiler fired again and during the boiler pressure increasing there was
drop in pressure at that time boiler vibration was noticed and seen white smoke at chimney. And safety valve test
failed to do.

During operation boiler feed pump tripped by vibration without tripping the boiler. On May 05, operation
Engineer decided that the boiler tube failure occurred and there is a leakage.

Consequently, this committee was formed involving members from operation, maintenance, planning and
efficiency departments in order to investigate the problem and recommend an effective action plan to determine
the causes. Activities of the committee included a series of short brainstorming meetings; return to DCS Unit
history, Operation and Maintenance reports in addition of some research from the Internet about the same case.

History of The Problem:

By referred to the operation and BMD reports Boiler Fired and prepared to The Safety Valve test On 02/05/2014
BMD Failed to Complete the test cause boiler tripped many times by Drum LVL low ,On 03/05/2014 resumed
testing but MFT Defect and Dum level Low caused the fail of test

On 04/05/2014 boiler ready, 3 Oil burners in service but drum level reading fault boiler tripped by fuel press (6.5)
Operation and maintenance check out and found boiler tube failure and many tubes were bent severely at boiler
rear, right side wall and left side wall.

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Oil Burner Status:

Based on Operation log book:

19:29 O/B 5B fired

19:49 O/B 5G fired

20:34 O/B 5D fired

23:07 O/B 5A fired

23:08 O/B 5G stopped

The tables below shows the:

1- Performance parameters of Boiler Feed Pump and drum level

2-Feed Water Flow and Drum level

Status of BFP Time Drum level (mm)

Trip 23:38:33 +21

Start 23:44:37 -269

Trip 23:48:13 -79

Start 23:51:49 -199

Trip 23:52:25 -251

Start 00:08:46 -306

Trip 00:11:55 -314

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 Time Feed water Flow(T/H) Drum level (mm)
00:09:54 334 -310

00:11:54 0 -314

00:20:45 93 -317

00:36:09 100 -328

00:53:00 104 -336

Note: Drum level low alarm setting -250

Highlighting point:

**Boiler was out of Service for a long time before this incident

** One BFP on Service

** Drum level deterioration started from 23:44:37 (-269 mm) when BFP tripped by vibration

** BFP tripped 3 times by vibration without boiler tripping

** Firing tripped at 00:09:54 when drum level -310

** Boiler Tripped by F.O press without BFP tripping

**Burner (B)have got along flame

** On 02/05/2014 Boiler tripped 6 time by drum level low

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DCS Trends:

1- Show drum level when BFP tripped

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2- The Trip Point when F.O press. increased , feed water decreased and drum level less than -300mm

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3- 02/05/2014 operation and tripped by drum level low (for Example took 1/6 trips)

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4- 25/05/2014 U6 Safety valve Test

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Conclusion:

All the circumstances indicate the occurrence of short term over heating caused by the reduction of feed water
and continuing the firing which in turn caused the tube failure and tube bending.

Tree cause below can explain the incident;

Flame impingement
from upper burners

Excessive Over firing or uneven

heat flux firing of burners

Poor design of new Starvation due to

combustion system failure of another
tube

Circulation failure
Sudden load
caused by low water
swing
level

Rapid startup
Sudden increase in
Short-term Low
Boiler steam demand
screen tube overheating water Instrumentation/co
fish-mouth flow ntrol fault/lack of
rupture response

Reduced tube Partial tube

Starvation due to
wall thickness blockage/obstruction
failure of another
tube

Erosion from gas side Improper welding

repair upstream
Oxide inclusion in
tube material (as
Debris left in steam
conformed by lab Erosion from gas side
drum
analysis)

Scale/Deposition

Long-term
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overheating
 The time of overheating equals the different between drum level deterioration time and the firing stop
time it is about 24 minute it is enough to caused failure

Recommendation:

1- Must have a protection system to the boiler when BFP Tripped.

2- Must have a procedure for safety Valve Test
3- Formation main team for all commissioning work (from All Department).
4- Preservation Boiler

Attached File:

 Boiler Maintenance department inspection Report

 Operation Report
 Operation Report
 Chemical Unit Analysis Report
 The Nalco guide to boiler failure analysis
 Babcock boiler analysis

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