We have written many articles about flame safe guard controls on Control Trends but we have not really given an explanation on the basic principles of these controls.

The programmer, (also called the blue box, the FSG, the fire eye and the brain) is the mastermind that controls the starting sequence and the firing cycle of a burner. The programmer controls the operating sequence of the blower, burner motor, ignition system, fuel valve, and all other components also called interlocks in the control system.

The programmer also provides, if necessary, a suitable purge period before ignition and after burner shut down allowing for the removal of explosive combustibles. The programmer is designed to de-energize all fuel valves within 4 seconds after loss of flame signal. In addition, the programmer automatically restarts a new cycle each time a temperature controller or pressure controller closes or after a power failure, lock outs must be reset manually after any flame failure.

Example of basic operation of programmer on steam boiler:

When the steam pressure within the boiler drops the pressure controller, (like Honeywell L404F1102), completes an electric circuit which starts a timing sequence in the programmer. The first timing sequence closes and starts the burner motor that rotates the primary air fan. The primary air fan blows air into the furnace to purge any unburned fuel present in a gaseous condition in the furnace.

This process is called pre-purging the furnace. By pre-purging the furnace before pilot ignition, the danger of a furnace explosion is reduced. The purge cycle is controlled by the time card (ST7800) in most programmers and can last varying lengths of time depending on the furnace size.

The programmer is still operating and when the second timing sequence contact closes, the circuit to the ignition transformer (similar to Donagan AO6-SA) is completed. The ignition transformer creates a high voltage spark in front of the gas pilot tube. At the same time, a solenoid valve is opened in the gas pilot line, allowing the gas to flow through the gas pilot tube and be ignited by the transformer spark. The scanner ( like the C7027A1023 or similar) is located on the front of the boiler and positioned in such a manner to sight the flame from ignition.

Sighting the pilot through the will verify that the pilot is lit. This process is called proving the pilot. The programmer timing sequence is still operating and the next contact closes to complete the circuit to the main fuel valve, which opens only when the scanner proved pilot. The main fuel valve is then opened and the fuel enters the furnace and is ignited by the pilot.

The programmer continues to operate for a few more seconds, securing circuits to the ignition transformer and the gas pilot. After the circuits are secure the programmer stops. The burner is now regulated by the pressure control and modulating pressure control. If the scanner senses a flame failure, the system is purged and secured. The programmer is then manually reset to restart the cycle.

The programmer needs very little maintenance. Most common failures are due to heat and moisture causing corrosion to the contacts of the programmer. Care must be taken to eliminate these factors. Check all wiring to the programmer sub-base for loose damaged connections or cracked wiring.

NOTES:

Please be aware this is a GENERIC ARTICLE on the workings of a burner programmer. There are MANY variations of these controls and many applications using these controls. Extreme care must be exercised when working with FSG CONTROLLERS and refer to factory and manufacture’s guides when working with these controls.

When your needs turn to the flame safe guard control please give Stromquist and Company at call at 1-800-241-9471.

Stromquist and Company does not sell fire tube boilers but we do sell a vast amount of controls for these boilers from manufactures such as Conbraco, Honeywell, Asco, McDonnell & Miller, Maxitrol, and numerous other control manufacturers. The understanding of these boilers is a major concern in our continuing efforts to keep our readers informed.

FIRE TUBE BOILERS:

In a fire tube steam boiler, heat and gases of combustion pass through the tube surrounded by water. Fire tube boilers steam boilers maybe either high or low pressure boilers. The three types of fire tube steam boilers are horizontal return tubular boiler, scotch marine boiler, and vertical fire tube boiler.

All fire tube boilers have the same basic operating principles. The heat produced by the gases of combustion pass through the tubes while the water surrounds the tubes. However, fire tube boilers have different designs like 2 pass, 3 pass, and 4 pass based on application and installation considerations.

Fire tube boiler tubes are always measured by their outside diameter (O.D.). Fire tube boilers are usually designed for pressures up to a maximum of 250 psi and approximately 750 horsepower.

HOW THEY WORK:

When water is heated, it increases in volume and becomes lighter. This warmer water, now lighter, rises and the cooler water drops to take its place. The steam bubbles that eventually form break the surface of the water and enter the steam space.

The addition of tubes inside the drum containing the water increases the heating surface. The heating surface is that part of the boiler with water on one side and the heat and gases of combustion on the other. By increasing the heating surface, more heat is taken from the gases of combustion. This results in a more rapid water circulation and faster formation of steam bubbles.

When larger quantities of steam are released, the thermal efficiency of the boiler increases. Thermal efficiency is the ratio of the heat supplied from the fuel to the heat absorbed by the water. Modern fire tube boilers with improved design and heat transfer rates have achieved thermal efficiency rates as high as 80% to 85%.

Placing an internal furnace within the boiler shell greatly increases the heating surface allowing for maximum absorption of heat thus reducing the time to create steam.

BOILER SAFETY:

Because of the large volume of water fire tube boiler contain, disastrous explosions may occur. Explosions may occur because of a sudden drop in pressure without a corresponding drop in temperature. Knowledge of basic principles of boiler operation can prevent serious accidents.

Water will boil and turn into steam when it reaches 212 degrees F at atmospheric pressure.

The higher the steam pressure, the higher the boiling point of the water in the boiler.

As steam pressure in the boiler increases, there is a corresponding increase in temperature.

When a steam boiler is operating at 100 psi gauge pressure the temperature of the water and steam will be about 337 degrees F. If there is a sudden drop in pressure from 100 psi to 0 psi without a corresponding drop in temperature, the water at 337 degrees F flashes into steam. When water flashes into steam its volume increases tremendously. This can result in a disastrous explosion.

It is imperative that maximum care is exercised in the operation and maintenance of the fire tube boiler. This includes annual boiler inspections of the waterside and fireside of the boiler. Controls such as the low water cut off, relief valves, flame safeguards must all be in correct working order.

Fault codes are used on the Honeywell RM7800 series of boiler burner flame safeguard controls. These codes help the service technician identify problems that occur with the relay or the components that are wired to the relay.

These fault codes are sent to the S7800 display as so known as the KDM (keyboard display module) that can be mounted on the main RM7800 relay or remotely. The S7800 display will show operation and fault information along with other features

Over the years Stromquist and Company has been selling Honeywell controls and explaining these numeric fault codes to various clients. As luck would have it the other day I received a phone call from a client asking about a fault code that was showing up on his S7800 display. I searched the fault code references I had from Honeywell and could not locate the fault code the client was reading off the display to me. His fault code was 33Z. I have, in all my time working with clients, never saw or heard of a fault code ending with a letter value.

After several telephone calls to find an answer/solution to this problem I finally got an answer. It seems I forgot to ask one small detail about the client’s system.

When working with a RM7800 system and you get a bazaar fault code ask the client this question “Is there an S7830 Expanded Annunciator installed”. If there is a S7830 installed you need to look at the expanded fault code lists for the S7830 and there you will find the fault code number and in some cases this fault code number is followed by a letter giving you the proper diagnostic information.

I don’t know about you but this “ole dog” learned a new trick hopefully you can add this one to your bag of tricks.

More Boiler Burner Information:

http://www.controltrends.org/2011/09/rebuilt-flame-safeguard-controls-penny-wise-pound-foolish/

http://www.controltrends.org/2010/07/2061/

Eric sits down with Lisa Holmberg. Lisa is the Senior Channel Market Manager for Honeywell’s Commercial/Industrial Combustion Controls Division. Honeywell is the world’s premier manufacturer of flame safeguard (burner/boiler safety) controls. Lisa’s influence and guidance help keep Honeywell on top.

Lisa and Eric discuss the  amazing new Honeywell Delphi system, the tremendous value that Honeywell’s distribution network provides customers, the potential dangers and perils of using rebuilt controls, Honeywell’s new C3 contractor program, and what the future holds for the burner/boiler control industry.

Honeywell Burner Boiler Flame Safeguard Training Classes

Stromquist and Company is inviting you to our Honeywell Boiler Burner Flame Safeguard Training Class in Jacksonville, Florida.

Date: Tuesday October 4^th 2011

Time: 9:00 am till noon

Location: University of North Florida (University Center) Bldg. 43 Parking Lot 16 on Alumni Drive. http://www.unf.edu/map/

Cost: FREE

Host: Stromquist and Company

Featured Speaker: Dave Krause Honeywell’s Burner Boiler Factory Representative.

Attendance Requirements: Representatives from your facility whose responsibilities are or include the boiler and burner controls and systems.

Registration: http://www.controltrends.org/training-classes/

Questions: Call Bill Jones at 904-334-5938

We have registrations for the Duval County School Board, University of North Florida, and Mayo Clinic so REGISTER SOON to reserve your spot !!

Finding the right part number to order your replacement boiler controls is not always easy. The main reason is that there are a lot of different controls and controls manufacturers that make up a boiler control system. Each manufacturer has a different part numbering system and location for the part number on the boiler control. Let’s face it the last thing you want to be doing in a hot boiler room is trying to figure out what the part number is and where it is located.

Stromquist & Company has developed a new and easy way for you to order your boiler controls and save time and money.

Here is how it works. When you sign up for the Stromquist Boiler Vision program we will survey your boiler(s) and take pictures of the controls you would like to include. We will then create graphics of your boiler, including PDF’s of all the installation and troubleshooting guides for those parts and link them to the ordering platform at www.stromquist.com. Once we get that done you will be able to order your replacement boiler controls just by pointing to a picture of the part on your boiler that you want to order and clicking.

Not only do you save time by ordering online and not having to look for part numbers, but you also will save money by taking advantage of special online pricing that we offer our Boiler Vision customers.  Plus we will guarantee to have your part in stock. If we do not have it we will pay any expediting fees to have the product shipped.

To get started contact your Stromquist and Company customer service representative.

If you are looking to upgrade your boiler control system check out the Honeywell Delphi system. If you order a Honeywell Delphi boiler control system before December 31, 2010, we will include Boiler Vision at no charge.

Stromquist & Company sold the first Delphi control systems in the United States. We are pleased to report that the installation of this advanced flamesafeguard system was very easy and our customer is thrilled with how well the system is working. Check out Matt’s demo of the amazing new Honeywell Delphi System!

Gas metering is a big part of what we offer customers. One product that has proven to be very successful is the Honeywell Smart Multivariable (SMV) Transmitter.  It is an industry leader – there are no others on the market that work as well.  It measures the gas pressure & temperature and measures a differential pressure across a primary element.  The primary element can be an orifice plate or a Preso Ellipse pitot tube.  It creates a differential pressure that we measure and relate to flow (the square root of the pressure drop is proportional to the flow rate).  The SMV calculates a corrected flow by accounting for the compressibility of the gas along with the pressure and temperature that exist in the pipe.  It is quite an involved calculation that is pre-loaded into the transmitter and set up using a software wizard.  Please keep it in mind for gas metering applications – it is an affordable alternative.  For under $4000 you can measure big flows accurately with easy installation.

Honeywell has added a new Delphi video presentation to its Environmental and Combustion Controls website.

Go to: http://customer.honeywell.com/Business/Cultures/en-US/Default.htm and look to the left of the page under the “What’s New” section, then click on the Delphi Combustion Efficiency Panel Video Presentation (in red) and follow instructions to the video.

Other Delphi and related Information:

http://www.controltrends.org/2010/02/on-site-training-for-honeywell-delphi-2/

http://www.controltrends.org/2009/11/first-commercial-installation-of-delphi/

http://www.controltrends.org/2009/08/honeywell-announces-delphi/

http://www.controltrends.org/2009/08/simply-amazing-product/

http://www.controltrends.org/2009/08/honeywell-abc900-advanced-burner-control/

http://www.controltrends.org/2009/08/honeywell-mf020-oxygen-sensors/

Being an avid  motorcycle rider, vintage motorcycle restorer, and photographer I am reminded, while on a long trip or during a tough restoration project, how our hobbies and our jobs are so much the same if you do them with the same vigor and dedication. (Yes that’s me in the yellow shirt next to the dark blue BMW.)

Ever notice after a good vacation you often say ” I need a vacation”? Why is it that our hobbies are so much work?

These thoughts ran through my mind when I came off a job site, which I am proud to say Stromquist and Company was associated with. The job was the first commercial installation of the new Honeywell Delphi system that was the featured product for installation. Three days of intense conversations with Honeywell, job project managers, and end users left me at the end of each day completely worn out mentally and physically. The job was hard and taxing, but when the boilers fired off without a hitch and the client was beaming with delight, I was just as satisfied as if  I completed a successful motorcycle trip or finished a restoration.

As wholesalers we at times forget the long time effects of our jobs as we move on to the next project. What we do matters and it matters to a lot of people and it matters to us because it’s not just a job, it’s a continuation of our own sense of being and satisfaction.

My restored 1965 Honda 150 Dream and my 1969 Bridgestone Mach 2 RS (graciously given to me to restore by Stromquist’s own Bob Koch. Thank you so much Bob.)