Boiler Tube Failure Causes and Reduction

Boiler tube is a key components in boiler systems, and their failure may lead to serious safety accidents and equipment damage. Therefore, in-depth understanding of the failure causes, failure types and preventive measures of boiler tubes is crucial to ensure the safe operation of boilers.

What is tube failure

Tube failure refers to various malfunctions that occur during tube use, affecting its normal operation. It is a common problem in tube engineering and a significant hidden danger threatening personal and property safety.

Based on different types, tube failure can be mainly divided into the following categories:

1. Mechanical failure

This is mainly due to unreasonable tube materials and design, leading to damage and deformation.

2. Corrosion failure

During use, factors such as medium corrosion and water cell corrosion cause the tube wall thickness to thin, leading to leakage or explosion.

3. Fatigue failure

During use, tubes are subjected to long-term varying loads, resulting in cracks and fractures.

4. Leakage failure

This occurs when the tube is not properly sealed, allowing the medium to leak from pipe joints or cracks in the tube wall.

Boiler tube failure causes

There are many reasons for boiler tube failure, mainly including the following aspects:

1. Material defects

There are defects in the pipeline during manufacturing or transportation, such as cracks, pores, foreign matter, etc.

2. Design problems

Unreasonable pipeline design, such as insufficient strength calculation, insufficient thickness, etc.

3. Corrosion and erosion

The pipeline is corroded and eroded for a long time, resulting in thinning of the pipeline wall thickness, plastic deformation, etc.

4. Fatigue damage

The pipeline is subjected to cyclic loads for a long time, resulting in material fatigue, crack expansion, etc.

5. Temperature influence

High temperature causes pipeline expansion and deformation, etc., and low temperature causes brittle failure of the pipeline.

Classification of boiler tube failure

The types of boiler tube failure mainly include the following aspects:

1. Explosive rupture

This is one of the most serious types of failure of boiler tubes. When the pipeline is subjected to high temperature, high pressure and other loads for a long time, the strength and toughness of the material will gradually decrease, and eventually cause the pipeline to burst. This failure will not only damage the boiler equipment, but may also cause serious safety accidents.

2. Leakage and water leakage

Boiler tube leakage is a common problem in boiler operation. Leakage may cause leakage of steam, flue gas, etc., affecting the normal operation of the boiler, reducing thermal efficiency, and even causing accidents such as fire.

3. Fire and explosion

When the boiler tube has problems such as water replenishment failure and water balance imbalance, it may cause the internal pressure of the boiler to rise sharply, causing fire or explosion. Such accidents usually cause huge casualties and property losses.

4. Efficiency reduction and loss of efficiency

The pipeline is affected by factors such as corrosion and erosion, which will cause its performance to decline and its working efficiency to decrease. For example, the thinning of the pipeline wall thickness will lead to reduced heat conduction efficiency and increased energy consumption.

Boiler tube failure judgment criteria

To effectively prevent boiler tube failure and ensure timely repair and replacement, regular tube inspection and evaluation are necessary. So how can we accurately determine if a tube has failed? Here are some commonly used criteria for determining tube failure:

1. Tube wall thickness test

The pipe wall thickness is measured and analyzed to determine if corrosion or other problems exist.

2. Tube vibration test

Vibration testing instruments are used to test the tube and analyze for oxidation, rust, corrosion, and cracks.

3. Ultrasonic testing

Ultrasonic testing instruments are used to detect internal cracks, fractures, and other fatigue failures within the pipe wall.

4. Tube leakage test

Leakage tests are conducted on the tube by simulating its operating environment, and the results are analyzed to determine if leaks or seepage are present.

These four methods can effectively determine tube failures, providing a scientific basis and technical support for tube operation monitoring.

Boiler tube failure reduction method

In order to avoid boiler tube failure, the following preventive measures need to be taken:

1. Strengthen material testing and quality control to ensure the quality of pipeline manufacturing. You can choose high-quality seamless steel pipe and conduct strict quality inspections.

2. Reasonably design the size and thickness of the pipeline according to the actual situation to ensure that the pipeline strength is sufficient.

3. Perform regular maintenance and overhaul of the boiler to promptly discover and repair pipeline defects and problems. Regularly check the welds, joints and other key parts of the pipeline to promptly repair cracks or leaks.

4. Perform regular anti-corrosion treatment on the pipeline to prevent corrosion and erosion of the pipeline.

5. Perform regular inspection and monitoring of the boiler to promptly discover and deal with pipeline failure problems.

Boiler tube failure detection

Determining boiler tube failure is not a simple task. Operators should pay attention to the following:

1. Clear detection scope

The detection scope and plan need to be determined based on the type of tube failure, such as the location of the tube to be tested and the medium flowing through it.

2. Advanced equipment required

Tube failure detection is a technical task requiring advanced detection or testing equipment to ensure accuracy and reliability.

3. Reasonable inspection cycle scheduling

Based on factors such as tube lifespan and operating environment, the inspection cycle should be reasonably scheduled to ensure safe operation and extend the tube's lifespan.

Summary

The boiler tube failure is a complex issue involving materials, design, environment and operation. By strengthening material testing, reasonable design, regular maintenance, anti-corrosion treatment and real-time monitoring, the failure risk of boiler tubes can be effectively reduced and the safe operation of boilers can be guaranteed.

Read more: How To Weld Boiler Tubes? or Treatment Methods For Boiler Tube Leakage