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# OAR Box 1778 Prepped by Ollie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 26 ) ll-B- 1
Docket Number: 

# A-90-0 6

Printed 10/28/2008 9:50:52 AM Sheet 26 of 276P. 2

jJse^PORATIO N

II-B- 1 MEMORANDU

M

DATE : TO : FROM : SUBJECT: . Jul y

3 , 198 6 Diann e Byrne , EPA/OAQPS/ESED/SD B Kath y Wertz , Radia nCorporatio n Boile r Lif e Extensio nSurve y

Th e purpos e o f thi s memorandum i s t o updat e yo uonth e result s o f ou r recen t telephon e surve y ontechnica l factor s affectin g industria l boile r lif e extensio n(BLE) . Th e mai npurpos e o f th e surve y wa s 1 ) t o establis h contact s wit hmajo r industria l boile r vendor s an d severa l A& E firms , an d 2 ) t o obtai ninformatio nonBL E fo r us e i nupdatin g th e questionnaire , i f necessary. " Th e surve y focuse don1 ) identifyin g th e rang e o f industria l boile r technica l problem s tha t limi t th e boiler' s usefu l lif e (distinguishin g betwee npackag e and field-erecte dunits) , 2 ) norma l lif e expectanc y

o f packag e an

d field-erecte dboilers , and 3 ) th e ke y technica l variable s considere di ndecidin g whethe r t o life-exten do r replac e a boiler . A cop y o f th e surve y

i s give ninTabl e 1 . Fou r majo r industria l boile r vendor s an d thre e A& E firm s wer e contacted . Tabl e 2 list s thes e organizations . Th e individual s contacte d
wer e primaril y

involve dinassessmen t o f technica l factor s impactin g boile r repair/replacement , rathe r thaneconomics . Onl y tw o o f the fou r vendor s an d
on e o f th e thre e A& E firm s wer e actuall y surveye di ndetail . Becaus e o f 1 ) difficultie s i nreachin g th e appropriat e persons , and 2 ) th e lac ko f new informatio nobtaine ddurin g th e initia l contacts , i t wa s decide dtha t spendin g additiona l time onth e surve y wa s no t warranted . Th e result s o f th e surve y

contact s ar e summarize dbelow .

Progres s Center/320 0 E

. Chapa l Hil l Rd./Nelso n Hwy./P.O

. Bo x13000/Researc h Triangl e Park

. N. C 27703/(919!5<tl-9l0 0P. 3

Packag e Boiler s

Th e mai ntechnica l problem s tha t limi t a packag e boiler' s usefu l lif e include : tub e corrosion , tub e erosion , scaling , andoverheating . Al l agree dtha t maintenanc e o f packag e boiler s i s a problem du e t o limite d trainin g o f operators . On e vendo r sai dtha t operator s usuall y over-operat e packag e unit s an

dtha t thes e unit s ar e usuall y rununti l the y

completel y wea r out . Ther e wa s no clea r answe r a s t o whe na boile r ha s t o b e replace d (rathe r tha nrepaired) . On e vendo r indicate dtha t a boile r migh t have t o be replace d(rathe r tha nrepaired ) i f th e tube s hav e t o b e replace dfrequentl y o r the amoun t o f retubin g i s extensiv e du e t o anoperatin g o r maintenanc e problem . However , anothe r vendo r state dtha t th e onl y time a boile r ha s t o b e replace di s whe nther e i s a seriou s problem wit hth e steam

drum . Thi s sam e vendo r (anothe r representative ) suggeste dtha t environmenta l requirement s wer e a majo r consideratio ni ndecidin g whethe r t o tr y t o repai r rathe r tha nreplac e th e boiler . H e indicate dtha t some boile r owner s woul d rathe r repai r th e existin g uni t s o tha t the y woul dno t hav e t o dea l wit hthe environmenta l requirement s tha t ar e place donnew boilers . Th e A& E representativ e suggeste dtha t ther e ar e n o problem s tha t forc e th e boile r t o b e replace drathe r tha nrepaired . H e indicate dtha t al l boile r part s coul d b e replace dan

dtha t i t wa s jus t a matte r o f ho w economica l i t wa s t o replac e th e part(s) . Commo nrepair/replacemen t job s includ e retubin g an dreplacin g th

e settin g o r casing . Les s commo nrepair/replacemen t job s includ e auxiliary equipmen t replacemen t (i.e. , burners , controls , thermocouples , ai r registe r vanes , etc.) . Th e averag e lif e o f a well-maintaine dpackag e boiler , accordin g t o the survey , i s 2 0 t o 3 0 years .
Field-Erecte dBoiler s

Th e mai ntechnica l problem s tha t limi t a field-erecte dboiler' s usefu l lif e include : tub e erosion , tub e corrosion , deterioratin g boile r supports ,

### /.•:/ 

### I, P. 4

switchin g fuel s (i.e. , firin g a fue l othe r thanwha t the boile r i s designe d for) , overheating , maintenance , an dscaling . Al l suggeste dtha t extensiv e retubin g migh t forc e a boile r t o be replace drathe r thanrepaired . Economic s andenvironmenta l regulation s play majo r role s i nth e decisio nt o extendth e lif e o r replac e a unit . Commo nrepair/replacemen t job s include : retubing , replacin g waterwalls , ai r heater , ductwork , o r casing , an dupdatin g th e burner s o r controls . Th e les s commo nrepair/replacemen t job s include : reinsulatin g th e boile r andreplacin g auxiliar y equipmen t (i.e. , fans , pumps , feeders , burners , etc.) . Th e A& E representativ e suggeste da well-maintaine d field-erecte dboile r ma y hav e a usefu l lif e o f 3 5 t o 4 0 years . On e boile r vendo r estimate d2 5 t o 3 0 year s a s th e averag e lif e o f a well-maintaine d boiler . Th e key technica l variable s considere dindecidin g t o purchas e a new boile r include : boile r efficiency , futur e intende dus e o f th e boiler , control s upgrade , safety , guarantees , warranties , estimate dlif e o f existin g boiler , andth e time require dt o rebuil dvs . replac e the boiler . Al l agree d th e mos t importan t facto r inth e decision-makin g proces s i s economics .

cc : Fre dPorter , ESED/SDB EdAul , Radia n Davi dWhite , Radia n Ton y Marimpietri , Radia nTABL E 1 . BOILE RLIF E EXTENSION SURVE Y

I . Packag e Boiler s - (>5 0 millio nBtu/hou r a 40,00 0 lb/hou r steam )

a . Wha t or e the technica l problem s tha t limi t th e bdller s usefu l life ? (I.e. , tube erosion , scaling ) T F .i-~

b . Wha t type o f problem u forc e a boile r t o b e replaced ? (rathe r tha nrepaired )

c . Wha t i s the averag e lif e o f a well-maintaine dboiler ? d . Wha t l a the averag e lif e o f a poorly-maintaine dboiler ?

2 . Field-Erecte d Boiler s

a . Wha t ar e th e technica l problem s tha t limi t th e boiler s usefu l life ? (i.e. , tube erosion , scaling )

b . Wha t typ e o f problem s forc e a boile r t o b e replaced ? (rathe r tha nrepaired )

c . Wha t I s the averag e lif e o f a well-maintaine dboiler ? d . Wha t i s the averag e lif e o f a poorly-maintaine dboiler ?

3 . Packag e Boiler s Wha t ar e the commo nrepair/replacemen t
' Job s tha t ar e don e t o extend boile r life ?

Wha t ar e the les s commo nrepair/replacemen t job s tha t ar e don e t o extend boile r life ?

Wha t ar e the repair/replacemen t Job s tha t ar e Infrequentl y

don e o non e o r tw o boiler s I

nexceptiona l situations ?

a . b . c . d . How Frequentl y l a Componen t Downtim e Replace d I f Capita l Cost a o r 0& M Cost s ar e 20 Z How Higher . Woul dI t No w b e Expensive * Economicall y Feasibl e Comment s

T J

### TABL E 1 . BOILE RLIF E EXTENSIO N SURVE Y(CONTINUED )

Downtim e Ho w

Frequentl y i s Componen t Replace d Ho w

Expensive * I f Capita l Cost a o r

Oi M font s ar e 20 X Higher , Woul di t No w b e Economicall y

Feasibl e Comment s

« . Field-Erecte dBoiler s Wha t ar e th e commonrepair/replacemen t Job a tha t ar e don e t o extendboile r life ?

a . b . c . d . Wha tar e th e lea s commo n repair/replacemen t Job s tha tar e don e t o exten d boile rlife ?

Wha tar e th e repair/replacemen tJob atha t ar e infrequentl y don e o n on e o rtw o boiler s i n exceptiona l oltuations ?

b . c . d . 5 . What , othe r tha neconomics , ar e som e o f th e factor s considere dI ndecidin g t o purchas e a ne w boile r a a oppose dt o repairin g a nexistin g boiler ? Operatin g flexibilit y o r redundanc y Compatibilit y

wit hexistin g fuels a t plan t Securit y

o r reliabilit y

o f fue l suppl y Spac e o r lan

dconstralnta/avallablllt y Abilit y t o us e exiatln g auxiliar y equipmen t Abilit y t o minimiz e nee dfo r additiona l operatin g o r maintenanc e personne l Corporat e polic y Environmenta l regulation s

* I • Inexpensive ; H » moderatel y expensive , commonl y done ; T - technicall y poaaiblc , ver y

expensive , don e occasionall y T JP. 7 

### A >' ' „ .. ' i.r.

. ' ' ' , > > « f * • *
TABL E 2 . SURVE YCONTACT S

1 . Burn s & McDonnell *

Mik e McComa s (816)333-437 5

2 . Foste r Wheeler *

Stev e Winber g (201 ) 533-110 0

3 . Rile y

Stoker * Davi dNours e (617 ) 852-710 0 Ala nDal e

4 . Babcoc k& Wilco x

Haye s Orende r (216 ) 860-622 8

5 . Combustio nEngineerin g

M . Sherril l (203 ) 688-191 1

6 . Blac k& Veatc h

Eldi nShanno n(913 ) 339-200 0

7 . Stearn s Catalyti c Corporatio n

Jame s Damo n(303 ) 758-112 2

Note : Informatio nwa s gathere dfro m source s 1 , 2 , an

d 3 .

>i»«'l<»M-WnoaiAJ».JT*HOBW»'KVJa i i"Hl/ ll V^"-' t

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