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ME151
Tube Swelling and Broken Hole in the Auxiliary Boiler Water
Tube (Riser Tube)
Technical committee

Auxiliary boiler: Miura VWS 1200E

Normal pressure: 7kg/cm
Evaporation: 1,500 kg/hr

1. Course of breakdown

During preparations for departure from port, leakage from the bottom of the auxiliary boiler was
discovered.
While determining the leaking locations and confirming the degree of damage, deadline for port departure
arrived. The ship left the berth and it was decided that repairs would be made after dropping anchor
offshore. Later, however, after considering the condition of the damage, repair methods, arrangements for
repair servicemen, and vessel schedule, it was decided that re-berthing would be a better option. The ship
was again berthed and repairs were instigated.

2. Breakdown circumstances and Repair

After conducting an overhaul inspection of the burner on top of the auxiliary boiler and inside inspection
of the fire-side, tube swelling and broken hole extending 5mm (maximum 10mm) in a vertical direction
and 75mm in a horizontal direction was confirmed in the center part of one riser tube.
Furthermore, tube swelling deformation of the water pipe was confirmed over an approximately
100mm vertical distance in the area of broken hole.
Due to time constraints and the fact that the volume available posed no problem (total 105 water tube), the
water pipe with broken hole was cut and removed and a plug was installed.

3. Causes and countermeasures

Although some scaling was confirmed on the inner surface of water pipe with a broken hole, at first
impression, it did not seem to have progressed to the point of local burn damage. However, as tube inside
scaling to overheated tubes normally leads to hardening and peeling (during water tube cutting and
removal activities), although it is difficult to judge from appearances, judging solely from the condition
of broken hole, it is assumed that mud accumulated at the bottom of the water-side and that the amount of
running water became deficient. However, in conducting visual checks of other water pipes, this
abnormality was not found. If there was a large amount of mud accumulation at the bottom of the boiler, it
would have affected other tubes as well. Thus, faulty materials and faulty construction of the concerned
tubes could also be possible.
As future countermeasures, the following instruction was given:
1) More strict treatment of the boiler water.
Based on current boiler water treatment data, abnormalities cannot be particularly confirmed.
However, as this vessel was comprised of a mixed crew, and in the case of the South-East Asian
crew members, their knowledge in chemistry was generally weak. As they had difficulty
understanding the nature and condition of boiler water and chemical treatment, we shall conduct
thorough education.

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The Marine Engineer Nov.1990
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2) Boiler blow water amount and method

The current 0.1 ~ 0.2 ton/blow should be increased to 0.2 ~ 0.3 ton/blow. Furthermore, prior to blowing
during voyage, mixing and blowing of boiler water through ignition and burning should expel mud.
3) An overhaul inspection of the upper steam chest should be accomplished as soon as possible and
cleaning of the water-side should be carried out.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2 Condition of riser water tube broken hole

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The Marine Engineer Nov.1990