The term boiler as used in this subpart includes power boilers subject to part 52 of this subchapter and heating boilers subject to part 53 of this subchapter.
[CGD 80-064, 49 FR 32193, Aug. 13, 1984]
(a) For internal inspection, manhole and handhold plates, and washout plugs must be removed as required by the marine inspector and the furnace and combustion chambers must be thoroughly cooled and cleaned.
(b) In preparing the boilers for the hydrostatic test, they must be filled with water at not less than 70 °F and not more than 160 °F for watertube boilers, and not more than 100 °F for firetube boilers. The safety valves must be secured by means of gags or clamps.
[CGFR 68-82, 33 FR 18890, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGD 95-027, 61 FR 26001, May 23, 1996]
(a) Each boiler, including superheater, reheater, economizer, auxiliary boiler, low-pressure heating boiler, and unfired steam boiler, must be available for examination by the marine inspector at intervals specified by table 1 to § 61.05-10, and more often, if necessary, to determine that the complete unit is in a safe and satisfactory condition.
(b) The owner, master, or person in charge of the vessel must give ample notice to the cognizant Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, so that a marine inspector may witness the tests and make the required inspections.
(c) Firetube boilers which cannot be entered, or which cannot be satisfactorily examined internally, all boilers of lap seam construction and all boilers to which extensive repairs have been made or the strength of which the marine inspector has any reason to question, must be subjected to a hydrostatic test of 1.5 times the maximum allowable working pressure. All other boilers must be subjected to a hydrostatic test of 1.25 times the maximum allowable working pressure.
(d) In applying hydrostatic pressure to boilers, arrangements must be made to prevent main and auxiliary stop valves from being simultaneously subjected to the hydrostatic pressure on one side and steam pressure on the other side.
(e) If the marine inspector has reason to believe that the boiler has deteriorated to any appreciable extent under the bottom where it rests on saddles or foundations, they must cause the boiler to be lifted to such position that it can be thoroughly examined, provided the examination cannot be made otherwise.
(f) The marine inspector may require any boiler to be drilled or gaged to determine actual thickness any time its safety is in doubt. At the first inspection for certification after a firetube or flue boiler has been installed for 10 years, it must be gaged to determine the extent of deterioration. Thickness will be measured at or near the waterline, at the bottom and at such other places deemed necessary by the marine inspector. Examination may be by drilling or a nondestructive means acceptable to the marine inspector. Prior to the use of a nondestructive method of examination, the user must demonstrate to the marine inspector that results having an accuracy within plus or minus 5 percent are consistently obtainable.
(g) If the thickness is found to be less than the original thickness upon which the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) was based, the MAWP must be recalculated. The thickness of the thinnest measured portion must be used in this calculation. Either the design formulas given in this subchapter or the ones in effect when the boiler was contracted for or built may normally be used in this recalculation. In no case will an increase in the pressure allowed be made.
Table 1 to § 61.05-10—Inspection Intervals for Boilers
1
2
3
|
| Firetube
boiler
≥150 psi
| Watertube
boiler
| Any firetube
boiler for
propulsion
| Firetube
boiler
<150 psi
|
|---|
| Hydro Test:
| | | | |
| Passenger Vessel | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1 | 2.5
|
| Other Vessel | 2.5 | 5 | 1 | 5
|
| Fireside Inspection | 1 | 2.5 | 1 | 2.5
|
| Waterside Inspection | 1 | 2.5 | 1 | 2.5
|
| Boiler Safety-Valve Test | 1 | 2.5 | 1 | 1
|
| Valves Inspection | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5
|
| Studs and Bolts Inspection | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10
|
| Mountings Inspection | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10
|
| Steam Gauge Test | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5
|
| Fusible Plug Inspection | 2.5 | | 2.5 | 2.5
|
(a) Each valve must be opened and examined by the marine inspector at the interval specified in table 1 to § 61.05-10.
(b) Each stud or bolt for each boiler mounting that paragraph (c) of this section requires to be removed may be examined by the marine inspector.
(c)(1) Each boiler mounting may be removed from the boiler and be examined by the marine inspector at the interval specified by table 1 to § 61.05-10 when any of the following conditions exist:
(2) Where boiler mountings or valves are attached to boiler nozzles and a satisfactory internal examination of these mountings or valves and their attaching studs, bolts, or other means of attachment, can be performed by opening up the valves, such mountings or valves need not be removed from the boiler unless in the opinion of the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, such action is necessary.
(d) The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, may require the examinations prescribed in this section to be made at more frequent intervals, if in their opinion such action is necessary to be assured of the safety of the boiler and its attachments.
(e) Water columns, gage glasses, and gage cocks must be examined to determine that they are in satisfactory working order.
(f) Each steam gauge for a boiler or a main steam line may be examined and checked for accuracy by the marine inspector at the interval specified by table 1 to § 61.05-10.
(g) Each fusible plug may be examined by the marine inspector at the interval specified by table 1 to § 61.05-10.
[CGFR 68-82, 33 FR 18890, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGFR 69-127, 35 FR 9980, June 17, 1970; CGD 83-043, 60 FR 24782, May 10, 1995]
Each safety valve for a drum, superheater, or reheater of a boiler must be tested at the interval specified by table 1 to § 61.05-10.
[CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51202, Sept. 30, 1997]