Engineered Systems - December 2008 - (Page 36)

Twenty tips for risk abatement and water damage repair — ahead of and following a disaster, respectively — for boilers, ovens, furnaces, and thermal oxidizers. In terms of both equipment and expense, preparation and proper recovery procedures could mean the difference between damage and devastation. BY JOHN R. PUSKAR, P.E. he recent hurricanes and previous floods in the Midwest have put many industrial plants and institutional facilities like hospitals in a position of trying to recover and get back into operation. This document provides information regarding pre-event considerations and post-event recovery issues for critical fuel fired equipment in these facilities. The information that follows applies to boilers, industrial ovens and furnaces, thermal oxidizers, and even space heating equipment. The issues are presented and discussed as pre- and postevent considerations. PRE-EVENT DESIGN AND INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS Here are the ten actions that we’ll review for effective pre-disaster preparation. • Keep fuel train valves, piping and components as high off the ground as possible. • Make sure that burner management systems are not obsolete. • Consider NEMA weather-proof control cabinets, even inside. • Keep spare components on-site but in protected areas. • Prepare a list of vendors and suppliers for mission-critical components. T • Run vent lines outside of the building from all regulators and switches. • Install rental boiler connections. • Install dual-fuel systems and or at least connections for back-up. • Consider the availability of components used in the fuel train and control systems. • Have all documentation in order including control and electrical drawings, lists of components, and setpoints for controls. PRE-EVENT DESIGN AND INSTALLATION ISSUES Keep fuel train valves, piping, and components as high off the ground as possible. Many fuel trains are installed a foot or two above floors. There is usually not a typical reason for this. In most cases fuel train piping and components can be removed from packaged equipment and additional fittings installed to get 4 or 5 ft off the floor. This can help to avoid damage from some flooding. Make sure that burner management systems are not obsolete. Burner management systems are the main safety brain for many types of combustion systems. In many cases, for older equipment, these are obsolete. This does not mean unsafe. It does mean, however, that the manufacturer does not support these anymore. This can mean days of rewiring to retrofit a different burner management 36 En g i neer ed Sy stem s December 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Engineered Systems - December 2008

Engineered Systems - December 2008 Contents Editor's Note HVAC Challenge Back2Basics Case In Point Commissioning Building Automation HVACR Designer Tips Applications Checklist Lakefront Library: Radiant Systems Meet Natural Ventilation Before (And After) The Flood Basics For Refrigerant Chillers Wire-To-Shaft Efficiency For HVAC Pumps Products Glossary Classifieds Advertiser Index Tomorrow’s Environment

Engineered Systems - December 2008

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