|
Burner Removed From The Underside Of The Boiler The burner has been dropped from the underside of the boiler and it wasn’t hard to make the decision that a total restoration was going to be required. If the burner of a Stanley isn’t operating at peak efficiency one isn’t going to generate steam in the quantities necessary for an enjoyable ride. The double-walled steel ring that forms an outer shell for the burner and mates with the superheater ring was in a very poor condition. Ideally the burner must fit tight to the underside of the boiler. While this burner was “held” to the underside of the boiler there were a lot of openings in the steel shell that had been filled with Plaster of Paris and other cement based materials. Inspection of the burner revealed that the burner grate casting had not deteriorated nor was cracked. This is a common failure mode for burners with the grate castings either burning through or becoming cracked. This can be caused by a number of conditions including improper air-fuel mixture ratios and a leaking boiler dripping cold water on a hot grate, Between the rows of slits in the burner grate are valleys which were filled with insulating material to help keep the grate cool. If the grate is not kept cool while the burner is firing not only is damage to the grate possible but the air and fuel being mixed under the grate can ignite creating a backfiring condition. Inspection of the grate revealed the insulation contained some amounts of asbestos mixed with more modern ceramic insulation. Additionally asbestos remained in some sections of the steel shell of the burner. This would require the burner to be placed in a heavy-walled clear plastic bag. Once well soaked with water the asbestos could be safely removed. Then the burner castings removed from the bag and the bag of asbestos properly disposed of in a hazardous material landfill (expensive I might add). |
