ash, and check systems for signs of wear. Over the life of a boiler, operators may need to change the fire brick inside the boiler because it is consumable. “Typically, it’s in the order of every five to 10 years, depending on what you’re using for fuel, how much contamination and how much they break down,” Dubois advises. “On a yearly basis, if we assume it’s a spring shutdown, you’re going to want to run your fuel supply as empty as possible so you don’t have any fuel left in storage,” he adds. “Particularly with pellets, if you don’t have a super clean or super waterproof fuel storage for your pellets and you get even a little bit of water in there, left for a long time, it can actually turn the pellets into a solid mass similar to concrete that needs to be removed.” Operators should also look at greasing bearings and any moving components. If the boiler has an air cleaning system, operators should do maintenance on the air compressor and check the air filters. Hayes also recommends cleaning the chimney, plus removing and scraping the interior burner grate to make sure it’s clean. “Check your ports, and then inspect the interior of the boiler, the burning chamber, with a flashlight to make sure there’s no build up,” he says. “Then you check the back of the boiler where the distribution chambers are, where you’ve got reflectors that slow down the movement of air so they absorb into the steel. If you remove those, you shake the grates off, check for any condensation or anything that’s not right with a flashlight down inside the chambers, and close it all up again. “When I say check it with a flashlight, it is very important to make sure that there is no condensate inside your boiler, unless it’s made for it, because that’s what will destroy the interior of the boiler,” he emphasizes. Once the boiler is ready to start back up operators should bleed any air out of the system, check for leaks, and make sure all sensors, fans, pumps and motors are operating correctly, DuBois says. PLAN AHEAD have a diligently prepared set of separate tasks that use dedicated crews and contractors that are scheduled to avoid working at the same place at the same time,” Hurst explains. “These shutdowns are measured in hours, not days.” Archiving equipment data files is important in order to know all of the particulars of your equipment. Hurst recommends keeping a list of each piece of equipment, keeping anticipated wear items on hand, and having a supplier and a back-up for all parts. “Motors, belts, chains, Vari-hertz drive units, etc., – all of these could have local suppliers that will be glad to help out,” he elaborates. “Proprietary items that could be unique to just the manufacturer may need to be on the shelf as well.” A parts inventory requires a substantial investment, but it’s better than finding out a necessary part is on backorder, he says. DOCUMENTATION When it comes to shutdowns, these should be planned, Hurst advises. In an ideal situation, “the shutdowns Dubois’ top tip for boiler maintenance is a good documentation program. Keeping track of any changes to the machine while Distributed by All Morbark equipement is aggressive, productive and engineered to give you the power and features you need to maximize output, minimize downtime and enhance your profitability. STRONG! PELLET BOILERS Heat your home with the best in European technology using locally produced pellets Low emissions, high efficiency Provides comfortable heat and peace of mind Self-cleaning heat exchanger and burner 10 to 1 step-less modulation Alerts sent via email System can be monitored/adjusted by web CERTIFICATIONS: EPA, UL2523, EN303-5, ETLM78-1, CSA-B366.1 DISTRIBUTED IN CANADA BY: Contact Cardinal for all your equipment, parts and service needs! www.cardinalsaw.com THS DISTRIBUTION ANGLIERS 819.949.2281 NORTH BAY 1.800.598.3044 QUÉBEC 1.800.463.4862 PORT PERRY 1.905.982.8697 NEW-BRUNSWICK 1.800.931.9611 143 Chateauguay Street Huntingdon, Qc J0S 1H0 (450) 601-5374 www.thsdistribution.ca Canadian BIOMASS CBM_EquipmentCardinal_SeptOct19_CSA.indd 1 2019-10-02 CBM_THSDistribution_SeptOct19_CSA.indd 7:35 AM 1 19 2019-10-03 9:40 AM
Canadian Biomass Fall 2019: Page 19
