Records of Steam Boiler ExplosionsMarten, Edward Bindon
History
Records of Steam Boiler Explosions
Marten, Edward Bindon
Steam-boiler explosions
_Internal corrosion_ sometimes takes place from bad feed water, and
its effects are different in extent in the different parts of the same
boiler. It very seldom thins the plate over a large surface regularly,
but attacks the iron in spots, pitting it in a number of holes. These
are sometimes large, as if gradually increasing from a centre of
action; and sometimes small, but so close together as to leave very
little more space whole than that which is attacked. A very curious
example of the latter was exhibited to the meeting, and shown in Figs.
56 and 57, cut from the lower part of the shell of a large tubular
boiler externally fired. The corrosion was greatest along that part of
the shell most exposed to heat, and was so extensive that two boilers
exploded simultaneously. The boilers had been at work sixteen years,
but the corrosion commenced about eight years before the explosion,
when the feed water was rendered corrosive by being obtained from
some iron mines. This explosion occurred at Aberaman in 1864. The
corrosion had been seen going on for years, and was not considered
sufficient to cause danger; but the depth to which it extended through
the thickness of the metal is seen in the half size section, Fig.
57. Another sample equally curious was exhibited to the meeting, and
shown in Figs. 58 and 59, taken from the sweep plate over the fire
in a plain cylindrical boiler which had worked about ten years. The
feed water was occasionally bad, and attacked the iron over the area
DDD, where unprotected by scale. The protection afforded by scale
against occasional corrosive feed water is worthy of notice. In the two
specimens exhibited it is seen that the protection has been perfect
where the scale has not been chipped off; and the edge of the sound
part projects over the hollow, as seen in the half size sections,
Figs. 57 and 59, the corrosive water having eaten away a larger area
beneath than that through which it first entered the surface of the
iron.
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