Boiler Mountings

Various boiler mountings are as under:
1) Pressure gauge
2) Water Level Indicator
3) Fusible plug
4)Safety Valve
i) Lever Safety Valve
ii) Spring Loaded safety Valve
5) Steam stop valve
6) Feed check valve
7) Blow off cock

1. Pressure gauge

 

Function: 
1.To record the steam pressure at which the steam is generated in the boiler.
2. A Bordon pressure gauge in its simplest form consists of elliptical elastic tube bent into an arc of a circle
3. This bent up tube is called as BOURDON’S tube.
4. One end of tube gauge is fixed and connected to the steam space in the boiler.
The other end is connected to a sector through a link.





2) Water Level Indicator


• The function of water level indicator is to indicate the level of water in the boiler constantly.
• It is also called water gauge.
• Normally two water level indicators are fitted at the front end of every boiler.

3) Fusible plug
• Function: To extinguish fire in the event of water level in the boiler shell falling below certain specified limit.
• It protects fire tubes from burning when the level of the water in the water shell falls abnormally low and the fire tube or
crown plate which is normally submerged in the water, gets exposed to steam space which may not be able to keep it
cool.
• It is installed below boiler's water level.
• When the water level in the shell falls below the top of the plug, the steam cannot keep it cool and the fusible metal
melts due to over heating. Thus the copper plug drops down and is held within the gunmetal body by the ribs. Thus the steam space gets
communicated to the firebox and extinguishes the fire. Thus damage to fire box which could burn up is avoided.
• By removing the gun metal plug and copper plug the fusible plug can be put in position again by interposing the fusible
metal usually lead or a metal alloy.

4)Safety Valve                                  
Function : The function of safety valve is to release the excess steam when the pressure of steam inside the boiler exceeds
the rated pressure.
There are 4 types of safety valves:
i) Lever Safety Valve
The disadvantage of this valve is that it admits of being tempered with, and the effect of
a small addition to the weight is magnified considerably in its action on the value.
ii) Spring Loaded safety Valve
• For locomotives and marine engines both the lever and dead weight types are unsuitable for obvious reasons,
and the valve must be spring loaded, as such valve is unaffected by vibration or deviation from the vertical.
• Disadvantage :
One disadvantage of this valve is that the load on the valve increases as the valve lifts, so that pressure required
just to lift the valve is less than that required to open it fully.
iii)Dead Weight Safety Valve
• It is mainly used for low pressures, low capacity, stationary boilers of the Cornish and Lancashire types.
• Merits:
1)Simplicity of design
2)Gives quite a satisfactory performance during operation.
3)It cannot be easily tempered from the pressure adjustment view.
• Demerits:
1)Unsuitable for use on any boiler where extensive vibration and movement are experienced( e.g. locomotive and marine work).
2)It is not suitable for high pressure boilers because a large amount of weight is required to balance the steam pressure.
iv) High steam and low water safety valve
• It serves the following purposes.
(i) The steam automatically escapes out when the level of water falls below a certain level.
(ii) It automatically discharges the excess steam when the pressure of the steam rises above a certain pressure.
Use : It is generally used on Lancashire or Cornish boiler.
It cannot used in mobile boilers.

5) Steam stop valve
• A valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid (gases, fluidized solids, slurries, or liquids) by opening,
closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.
• Function: to shut off or regulate the flow of steam from the boiler to the steam pipe or steam from the steam
pipe to the engine.
• When the hand wheel is turned, the spindle which is screwed through the nut is raised or lowered depending
upon the sense of rotation of wheel. The passage for flow of steam is set on opening of the valve.

6) Feed check valve
Function: The function of a feed check valve is to control the supply of water
to the boiler and to prevent the escaping of water from the boiler when the pump pressure is less or pump is stopped.
i) To allow the feed water to pass into the boiler.
ii) To prevent the back flow of water from the boiler in the event of the failure of the feed pump.
The feed check valve is fitted in the water space of the boiler slightly below the normal level of the water.
 
                                                           7) Blow off cock
• Function: To drain out the water from the boiler for internal cleaning, inspection, repair or other purposes.
• It may discharge a portion of water when the boiler is in operation to blow out mud, scale or sediments, periodically.
• It is fitted on the boiler shell directly or to a short branch pipe at the lowest part of the water space.






8) Manhole and mud box: 
Manhole provides opening for cleaning, inspection and maintenance
purpose. Mud box is a collection chamber (as shown in Babcock and Wilcox boiler) for collecting the Mud.