LWCO Maintenance Free

Dave in QCA

We all know the problems that occur when LWCO devices that require routine flushing fail to get the regular attention.

I recently saw some engineering applied to both McDonnell-Miller devices on a 35 HP Kewanee fire tube boiler located in a government installation.  It happened to be in a basement of a significant residence that did not have staff routinely present.  The occupant could not be expected to tend the boiler, and maintenance staff tromping in once a week would have been a bit of an intrusion. 

So, some engineer who was thinking installed electric powered ball valves on the bottom of both M-M devices, and the mud leg blow down.  The ball valves were controlled by a time clock that exercised each valve at regular intervals.  I don't recall if it was weekly or more often.  It occurred to me that it was cool way to solve an age old problem.  I am surprised that M-M doesn't offer this as an option.

Steam boilers to need regular attention, but in reality, they don't get the attention they need in most cases.  In those rare, but all to often cases, they don't get any attention at all, and then you have a dry-fire disaster.

jpf321

interesting idea ..

but I'm not sure I would trust completely a valve designed to drain water from my boiler...what if there's a brown-out mid-stroke? 

Dave in QCA

agreed

I agree with you jpf, there is no substitute for paying attention to the boiler, and I imagine the colanel could have made time to blow off the LWCO devices in his mansion. 

However, in regard to the setup that was engineered, in the case of a brownout, the clean LWCO would have continued to drain.  The boiler would not have fired.  When the power came back on, the functioning LWCO would have closed, and as soon as the boiler finished filling with water, the boiler would have begun to fire, assume there was a demand.  In the off season, I'm sure the whole things was shut down.

Joe V_2

At work

We have auto surface blowdown valves that blow until conductivity rises. They have stuck open , or stayed open because of a faulty sensor, and drained boilers ( more than 1). LWCO kills boiler(s) and computer calls us in middle of the coldest nights to come in and fix. After several occurrences,we fixed by disabling auto valves. be careful with boilers and automation.