Hotwell Overflow causes Boiler Tubes to Melt

Boiler tube-melt down in shore-based industry can be repaired easily. Have you ever wondered
how melted boiler tubes have been repaired onboard in mid-ocean without any assistance? Read
here to know about the series of events which caused failure of boiler tubes resulting in a huge
financial loss.

The steam plant had two oil-fired auxiliary boilers and two exhaust gas economizers connected
to each other as shown in the drawing below. During port stay, the auxiliary boiler #1 and #2
were used alternatively depending upon the steam demand. The exhaust gas economizers were
out of action as the main propulsion machinery will remain stopped in port. The steam pressure
on the auxiliary boiler and economizer will be almost equal as both the steam spaces are
connected to each other.

The boiler is fed by the boiler water feed pumps, which take suction from the hotwell or the
condensate return tank. The economizer circulating pumps take suction from the auxiliary boiler
and feed the economizer when the main engine is running. In port, the economizer circulating
pumps will usually be stopped after the economizer cools down sufficiently. At sea, the exhaust
gas from the main propulsion machinery will heat up the water in the economizer, which
ultimately becomes steam in the auxiliary boiler steam drum.
The Incident

The auxiliary oil-fired boiler burner limit switch (burner swing out limit switch), was giving
trouble with its electrical contacts. Thus the 2nd Engineer and the Electrical Officer planned to
change the electrical limit switch at the departure port, as the cargo operation was going. Due to
tight loading schedule and hectic work pressure, the risks involved were not assessed specifically
for this job. One of the previous generic risk assessments was used and discussed. The entire low
voltage electrical isolation permit was filled up and the tool box talk carried out. The cargo
operations completed, and the vessel sailed towards the discharge port.
After clearing the maneuvering area, when full away was ordered, the main propulsion engines
reached the maximum rpm, and the steam plant stabilized as the economizers started steaming as
required. The auxiliary boilers oil firing section was stopped. Since the oil firing section was not
being used (the economizers being capable of coping with the sea-going steam demand), the
auxiliary boiler control voltage was switched off and “Locked out for life”. The 2nd Engineer and
the Electrical Officer started the work with the permits and proper isolation.

After ten to fifteen minutes, the duty engineer (4th Engineer) came up to 2nd Engineer and said
that the steam condensate hot well tank was overflowing. Both of them started checking for the
cause and could not find it. All the expansion tanks’ levels, the condenser for sea water leakage,
and many other checks were done, but no clue about the overflowing hotwell was revealed. The
situation was so bad that for every 30 minutes, approximately ten cubic meter of water was
overflowing to the bilges and thus increasing the engine room bilge accumulation. The 2nd
Engineer decided to complete the job of replacing the limit switch and instructed the 4th Engineer
to look for the cause.

After about an hour, there was a steep rise in steam pressure, which caused the 4th Engineer to
alert the 2nd Engineer. Both rushed to the engine control room to monitor further happenings. The
Navigational watch keeper from bridge called up the engine room to inform about heavy
sparking and black smoke coming from the funnel. The 2nd Engineer reported the issue
immediately to the Chief Engineer, who decided to slow down and stop the main propulsion
engine.

Even though the main engine RPM was gradually reduced, the sparking and black smoke from
the funnel did not respond positively. The main propulsion was then stopped. As propulsion
stops, the auxiliary boilers have to be fired to maintain steam pressure. After rectifying the limit
switch on auxiliary boiler #1, when the control power to the burner was turned on, the boiler
remote and DCS readings showed low water level alarm and trip. The Engineers rushed to the
boiler to check the water level locally. The gauge glass was checked for the water level, which
ultimately showed nothing. The Engineers did not figure out how this happened. The Chief
Engineer immediately summoned everyone for a meeting and discussed the series of events
which occurred. The ship was brought to complete standstill position.

How this happened

When the ship was steaming full ahead, the maintenance on auxiliary boiler # 1 was started by
putting off the control power switch to the burner. Because of this act, the control power to the
auto-feed valve on the boiler lost power supply, which remained in shut position after that.
Because of this loss of control power to the valve actuator, the valve was in closed position,
causing no water to enter the boiler. But as discussed earlier, the economizer circulating pumps
take suction from the boiler and circulate through the economizer. Thus this made the water level
continuously drop inside the auxiliary boiler drum. The circulating water became steam and
finally got condensed into the hotwell. Since the steam production and the boiler feed water
quantity were not equal, the hot well started to overflow. Prolonged steam production and
subsequent loss water made the auxiliary boiler completely empty, and thus the economizer
circulating pumps started to lose suction. But the steam pressure was shown on the pressure
gauges of the economizer circulating pump. Prolonged usage of economizer without circulating
water made the tubes melt and the tube plates to leak simultaneously.

The Result

The ship was stopped for approximately 78 hours to rectify and plug the damaged tubes. A
temporary repair was carried out over the tube plates to make the ship safe enough to reach the
next port. The delay, with cargo loaded on board, amounted to a loss of a few million dollars,
which no manager will be ready to accept due to a simple reason and cheap mistakes.