Rectification of Burner Block Components in Tangential Corner Fired Boiler

(Anindya Kumar Moulik, Engineer, Boiler Commissioning)

A few problems that came up during setting of burner critical dimensions will be discussed in this article.
Before continuing the actual discussion, a briefing about the several components of a typical burner
block bucket (or chamber) may be helpful. Following components are present in an oil burner bucket:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Oil gun Assembly

Flame Scanner Assembly
Igniter Spark Rod Assembly
Coal Burners.

Problems were encountered during the critical dimension setting offlame scanner and igniter spark rod
assembly.
A flame scanner assembly consists of a flame scanner guide pipe, which houses the flame scanner. The
flame scanner guide pipe can be broadly divided into two portions. One portion is rigid (rear) while the
other one is flexible (front). This flame scanner guide pipe is put through a specific flanged hole on the
burner block. The flame scanner goes through this guide pipe and observes or scans the flame. The
scanner guide pipe has an axially mounted circular plate which is welded onto the rigid portion of the
guide. This axially mounted circular plate acts as a restriction to the axial movement of the guide pipe
towards the furnace. In other words, the position of this circular plate decides the length of guide pipe
which is to remain inside the burner block. The portion of guide pipe inside the burner block is flexible,
but no matter how flexible a pipe is, it still has its stretching limitations. Hence if the position of that
restriction plate is erroneous, the flexible portion will either not reach to the desirable point or will go
beyond the tolerance limits of its desirable position. In both the cases, the flame scanner will not be in
the position to scan the flame correctly. Again, it has to be understood that the flexibility of the pipe
cannot be compromised because that portion of the guide pipe will swivel up and down in accordance
with tilting of burner buckets as and when required. In DSTPS,Andal a problem came up during setting of
critical dimension where it was found that the flexible portion could not be stretched out to the
desirable position in most of the oil burner buckets. Investigation showed that the position of the
restriction plate (which is fixed at the manufacturing unit) was incorrect. At site, this restriction plate
was freed from its position by grinding and then it was axially shifted (in a direction away from the
furnace).This in turn helped to increase the stretching limit of the flexible pipe. As a result, the front end
of the flame scanner guide pipe could be positioned within limits of tolerance in the burner bucket.
Finally, the flame scanner was inserted.

Tip of Scanner Guide pipe

Fixed slot for scanner

guide pipe on the burner
bucket

The tip of the guide pipe

should be within -28mm
to -48mm from the tip
surface of the fixed slot

The above photograph shows the grinding of the restriction plate. Post
grinding, this plate was shifted downward (as per the photo) to increase the
reach of the scanner guide pipe tip.