Case Study #5

•  Wide, seasonal load swings, which created low-load inefficiencies
• Recurring boiler tube and furnace failures
• In-operative lead-lag system
• Maintenance personnel diversification requiring better automation and annunciation

The Caterpillar Tractor Company's, World Headquarters hot water heating system requirements are fulfilled by two Kewanee, fire-tube boilers. This building has tremendously large seasonal load variations which range from 400 H.P. in the cold of the winter, to as low as 50 H.P. in the heat of the summer. Boiler stress as a result of on-off cycling was causing recurring tube and knuckle waterside vessel failures. The existing boiler lead-lag control system is a type that was never terribly effective, even when new, it therefore has been out of service for quite some time.

Summary : Extremely wide seasonal load swings, boiler waterside vessel failure and burner head overheat failure and lead-lag system that has been abandoned.

 New Industrial Combustion Burner

The most cost effective solution to the extremely wide seasonal load swings, which are experienced at Caterpillar's facility and most similar facilities, is to provide burner firing rates which will more accurately match existing system loads.

Since building loads regularly approach a 15 to 1 turndown ratio and even the higher turndown burners like the Industrial Combustion D-Series, are limited to a 10 to 1 turndown in firing rate, the answer is to use load matched burner system.

In this particular case the new burner on boiler number 2, is sized to operate within a range of  200 H.P. down to 33 H.P., this in con-junction with the existing burner on boiler number 1, will give the boiler plant a useable turndown ratio of 13 to 1. 

Combustion Technologies Boiler Control System

The boiler control system provides automatic, seasonal and load sensitive, burner lead selection. This, based upon outdoor air temperature and/or the sustained firing rate of the lead boiler.

Either boiler can be put in the lead position or lag position, they can both be selected for the same position, if so desired.

Either boiler can be run independently of the boiler control system, simply by switching at the burner, from D.D.C. to manual.

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