3rd Class Stationary Steam Engineer License Prep

Questions and Answers

_________ are necessary for complete combustion.

time, temperature, mixture, and atomization

If the steam pressure gauge indicates 200 PSIG, the absolute pressure is______.

214.7

A boiler is operating at 400 PSI, and the safety valve opens at 410 PSI and closes at 398 PSI. The blowdown is______ psi.

An oil cooler is commonly used with a(n) ________ when operating in conjunction with a turbo-generator.

steam turbine Signup and view all the answers

A boiler is producing 40,000 lb of steam/hr at a pressure of 100 PSI and a steam temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The steam produced is _______ steam.

superheated Signup and view all the answers

The economizer on a boiler is used to _______.

add heat to the feed water Signup and view all the answers

Blowers are normally used with________ boilers.

water tube Signup and view all the answers

Overheating of tubes on a boiler can be caused by________.

scale on tubes Signup and view all the answers

Carbon dioxide in a condensate return system causes_________.

channeling Signup and view all the answers

A ________ pump is a positive displacement pump.

reciprocating Signup and view all the answers

A boiler generating 6000 lb of steam/hr produces _______ btu/hr.

6,000,000 Signup and view all the answers

A bottom blowdown is performed on a boiler to _____ .

discharge sludge and sediment Signup and view all the answers

Water columns are connected to the boiler with a minimum of ______" pipe.

1 Signup and view all the answers

The minimum size of a water column blowdown valve is_______".

3/4 Signup and view all the answers

The maximum size bottom blowdown valve on a boiler is_________".

2 1/2 Signup and view all the answers

A ________ allows condensate to pass through, but stops steam.

steam trap Signup and view all the answers

When taking over a shift, the first thing to do is check the________.

water level in each boiler Signup and view all the answers

According to the ASME code, a high-pressure boiler having more than 500 square feet of heating surface shall have________.

two or more safety valves Signup and view all the answers

The probable cause of an increase in temperature of gases of combustion at the boiler outlet is____.

dirty heating surfaces Signup and view all the answers

Boilers in battery equipped with________ must have two main steam stop valves and a free-flowing drain between them.

manhole openings Signup and view all the answers

In order to be sure the gauge glass is indicating an accurate water level reading, the stationary engineer should______.

blowdown the gauge glass Signup and view all the answers

A continuous blowdown line is located___ .

in the steam and water drum well below the nowl Signup and view all the answers

A temperature reading of 80 degrees Celsius is equal to_________°F.

176 Signup and view all the answers

A chimney temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit above steam temperature indicates_______ .

poor efficiency Signup and view all the answers

A manometer is read in________ .

inches of water Signup and view all the answers

The boiling point of water will____ with an increase in pressure.

be raised Signup and view all the answers

If a lather is not obtained when performing a soap hardness test, the water sample is______.

hard Signup and view all the answers

Combustion efficiency can be increased when air is________.

preheated Signup and view all the answers

______ draft is produced by a fan located between the boiler and the chimney.

induced Signup and view all the answers

The overspeed trip on a steam turbine should be tested ______.

before putting the steam turbine on-line Signup and view all the answers

A high CO2 reading in the gases of combustion is a sign of____.

high combustion efficiency Signup and view all the answers

The purpose of chemically treating feedwater is to________.

turn scale-forming salts to a non-adhering sludge Signup and view all the answers

Water in a D rating feed water heater is prevented from entering the steam line by a(n) _______.

loop seal or internal overflow Signup and view all the answers

A steam turbine operating at 3600 RPM will trip at_________ RPM.

3960 Signup and view all the answers

The steam line going to the blowers is connected to the main ________.

steam drum Signup and view all the answers

Before using blowers on a boiler,________.

drain set blower lines Signup and view all the answers

An accumulation of snow on the Fireside of boiler tubes________.

decreases boiler efficiency Signup and view all the answers

A globe valve installed in the feed water line between the feed water pump and boiler has a pressure from the feed water pump_________ the valve disc.

under Signup and view all the answers

The range of a pressure gauge should be twice the safety valve setting, but not less than______ times the safety valve setting.

1 1/2 Signup and view all the answers

Hard scale formed on the inside of tubes is best removed by________.

air- or water-driven turbines Signup and view all the answers

To correct a low water condition,_____ .

secure fires Signup and view all the answers

Desuperheater drain is used to_______ .

establish steam flow Signup and view all the answers

A sudden rise in chimney temperature with no increase in load indicates_______.

there is a broken baffle Signup and view all the answers

The BTU content of natural gas is_____ .

100,000 btu/therm Signup and view all the answers

The safety valve setting on the steam and water drum is ________ a superheater safety valve.

higher than Signup and view all the answers

The BTU content of number 6 fuel oil is approximately.

18750 BTU / lb Signup and view all the answers

Chemicals can be added to a boiler by a______ pump.

proportioning Signup and view all the answers

The feed water stop valve is found between the____.

boiler and check valve Signup and view all the answers

Sensible heat is______.

heat that can be measured with a thermometer Signup and view all the answers

Balanced draft is______.

constant furnace pressure slightly below atmospheric pressure Signup and view all the answers

A flame rod_______ .

ensures that the gas pilot is lighted Signup and view all the answers

There are approximately_____ btu in 1 cu ft of Natural Gas.

1000 Signup and view all the answers

The pH of boiler water may be controlled by using ______.

caustic soda Signup and view all the answers

Boiler water with a pH of 11 is________.

alkaline Signup and view all the answers

A Scotch Marine boiler is easily identified because it_____ .

has a cylindrical internal furnace Signup and view all the answers

The air flow switch at the burner fan housing________.

and shows the primary air fan is functioning Signup and view all the answers

The ASME code recommends that low water fuel cutoff switch be tested by an evaporation test__________.

monthly Signup and view all the answers

A neutral solution is_______ on the pH scale.

7 Signup and view all the answers

A dry pipe separator _____ .

delivers higher-quality steam to the header Signup and view all the answers

Draft is carefully controlled to_____ .

completely burn fuel supplied to the burner Signup and view all the answers

Draft is measured with a_________.

manometer Signup and view all the answers

A Ringelmann test is used to determine_______.

smoke density Signup and view all the answers

A flame scanner proves (verifies) __________.

pilot in main flame Signup and view all the answers

According to the ASME code, when warming up a boiler the air cock is closed when_______.

the steam pressure gauge reads 25 psi Signup and view all the answers

A motor rated at 25 horsepower delivering 20 horsepower is operating at_______% capacity.

80 Signup and view all the answers

A deposit of scale or mud in an HRT boiler could cause_____.

a bag to develop Signup and view all the answers

Water wall tubes protect the refractory and_____ .

increase boiler heating surface Signup and view all the answers

Steam at 250 psia and 400 degrees Fahrenheit is considered______ steam.

saturated Signup and view all the answers

Sensible heat is heat that_____.

changes a substance's temperature but not its state Signup and view all the answers

Extra-heavy pipe must be used on blowdown lines when the steam pressure exceeds______ psi.

125 Signup and view all the answers

To check the water level on a boiler online, it is best to_____ .

blowdown the gauge glass Signup and view all the answers

A steam pressure gauge has a siphon between the boiler and the pressure gauge to _______.

prevent steam from entering the pressure gauge Signup and view all the answers

If a boiler evaporates 50,000 lbs of steam/hour and is evaporating 10 pounds of steam/sq ft of heating surface, the heating surface of the boiler is ____sq ft.

5000 Signup and view all the answers

Oxygen in feed water causes ______.

pitting Signup and view all the answers

It is permissible to have one blowdown valve on a boiler operated under______ psi.

100 Signup and view all the answers

At atmospheric pressure, water boils and turns to steam at _____ °F.

212 Signup and view all the answers

A steam pressure gauge is protected against excessive temperature by a ______.

siphon Signup and view all the answers

The only type of safety valve allowed on a boiler by the ASME code is a_____ safety valve.

spring-loaded pop Signup and view all the answers

The primary function of a boiler is to _____ .

generate steam efficiently Signup and view all the answers

If the burner is firing and no water is in the gauge glass, the best procedure to follow is to_______.

shut down the burner and secure the boiler Signup and view all the answers

A high pressure boiler operates at a pressure above______ PSI and 6 BHP.

15 Signup and view all the answers

A safety valve on a boiler pops______.

between working pressure and MAWP Signup and view all the answers

In a fire tube boiler, the heat and gases of combustion pass _________.

through the tubes Signup and view all the answers

As steam pressure in a boiler increases, there is a corresponding increase in the ______.

temperature of steam and water Signup and view all the answers

The safety valve on a boiler _____ .

prevents the boiler from exceeding its MAWP Signup and view all the answers

A steam trap ______.

automatically removes sand and water without loss of steam Signup and view all the answers

The amount of excess air in gases of combustion is normally determined by the analysis of_______.

O2 Signup and view all the answers

Before lighting off a boiler during a cold startup, the operator must first______.

check for the correct water level Signup and view all the answers

A boiler should be warmed up slowly when starting up to ______.

allow uniform expansion of drums and tubes Signup and view all the answers

Combustion requires____.

fuel, oxygen, and heat Signup and view all the answers

The three most common fuels used in boilers are _____.

gas, fuel oil, and coal Signup and view all the answers

Incomplete combustion can be caused by ______.

insufficient air Signup and view all the answers

After replacing a gauge glass but before placing it in service, it is necessary to ______.

crack open the steam valve to warm the gauge glass Signup and view all the answers

Two bottom blowdown valves are required on boilers operating at pressures above______ psi.

100 Signup and view all the answers

Extra heavy steel pipe is required on a boiler bottom blowdown line when the pressure is above ____ psi.

125 Signup and view all the answers

Package boilers are programmed to _____.

ignite the burner in low fire Signup and view all the answers

There are________ sq ft of heating surface in a water tube 3 1/2" in diameter and 20' long.

18.32 Signup and view all the answers

To change 1 lb of water from and at 212 °F into steam at atmospheric pressure,______ btu are necessary.

970.3 Signup and view all the answers

A surface condenser is one that______.

has circulating water flowing through the tubes and exhaust steam around the outside of the tubes Signup and view all the answers

A boiler is rated at 30,000 lb/hr and has a 5% blow down loss. The minimum size feed water pump to supply this boiler is ________ gal./hr.

3795 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Combustion and Efficiency

Complete combustion requires time, temperature, mixture, and atomization.
Inadequate air can lead to incomplete combustion.
Preheating air can enhance combustion efficiency.
High levels of carbon dioxide indicate high combustion efficiency.

Steam Pressure and Safety

Absolute pressure is calculated by adding atmospheric pressure to PSIG (e.g., 200 PSIG equals 214.7 psi).
A safety valve on a boiler should open at a preset pressure (e.g., 410 PSI) and close at a lower pressure (e.g., 398 PSI), resulting in a blowdown of 12 psi.
High-pressure boilers (above 15 PSI) must have two or more safety valves if exceeding 500 square feet of heating surface.

Boiler Operation

A boiler producing 40,000 lb/hr of steam at 100 PSI and 500°F generates superheated steam.
An oil cooler is typically used with steam turbines operating a turbo-generator.
Continuous blowdown is located in the steam and water drum below the water level.

Water Treatment and Features

The economizer adds heat to feed water to improve efficiency.
Chemically treating feedwater prevents scale formation by turning salts into sludge.
Oxygen presence in boiler water can cause pitting; the pH level can be maintained using caustic soda.

Mechanical Components

A reciprocating pump is a type of positive displacement pump.
A steam trap prevents steam escape while allowing condensate to pass.
A manometer measures draft in inches of water, essential for ensuring proper combustion.

Maintenance and Testing

Regular testing of low water fuel cutoff switches is recommended monthly.
A sudden chimney temperature rise without increased load suggests a broken baffle.
Before lighting a boiler, it's crucial to check the water level.

Measurement and Units

The boiling point of water increases with pressure.
Draft should be maintained slightly below atmospheric for efficient combustion.
Sensible heat refers to heat measured by a thermometer affecting temperature without changing the state.

Boiler Types and Specifications

A Scotch Marine boiler features a cylindrical internal furnace.
Fire tube boilers have heat and gases passing through tubes, while water tube boilers are equipped with blowers.
The safety valve on a steam line should be spring-loaded pop type as per ASME code.

Troubleshooting and Safety Protocols

If a gauge glass indicates no water while the burner is firing, immediately shut down the burner.
To manage low water conditions, securing the fires is essential.
Ensuring gauge glass accuracy requires periodic blowdowns to clear obstructions.

Fuel and Energy Conversion

The BTU content for various fuels includes approximately 100,000 BTUs/therm for natural gas and 18,750 BTUs/lb for number 6 fuel oil.
Converting water at 212°F to steam necessitates around 970.3 BTUs per pound.

Boiler Design and Configuration

Boilers operating above 100 psi require two bottom blowdown valves.
The relationship between steam pressure and temperature is direct; as one increases, so does the other.
A dry pipe separator improves steam quality by removing impurities before steam delivery to headers.

Efficiency Metrics

Excess air in combustion gases may be evaluated via O2 analysis.
To ensure proper functioning, blowdown lines need to be drained before operation.

Capacity and Performance

A motor rated for 25 HP delivering 20 HP operates at 80% efficiency.
The heating surface in a water tube boiler is calculated from dimensions, providing a basis for performance calculations.

Best Practices

Slow warm-up procedures during boiler start-up help avoid thermal stress on components.
Excessive scaling is best addressed with air- or water-driven turbines for removal.

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Description

Prepare for the 3rd class stationary steam engineer license with these flashcards. The quiz covers essential concepts such as combustion, pressure calculations, and safety valve operations. Perfect for anyone looking to enhance their knowledge in steam engineering.