By: Ben Boslaugh—Missouri State University
Summer is upon us and with it comes the lowest steam demands of the year. At MSU the Annual Steam Outage immediately follows Graduation. This event is a 5-day scramble of Boiler Inspections, Distribution System Repairs, and Facility System Repairs.
Tip No. 1 – Start Planning Early
The coordination for the event starts immediately after the previous outage. Emails and phone calls are made with key campus stakeholders followed up with a Utility Outage Notification. Schedules are aligned with the State and Insurance Inspectors. A project is created in the CMMS System and through the year the Supervisors add applicable work orders to it. No one is surprised by it. After 5 years, it became a tradition.
Tip No. 2 – Exercise the Valves
The Annual Outage is when we exercise the Main Steam Distribution Valves in the Utility Tunnels and the Facility Steam Pressure Reducing Station Valves. Two days after the outage begins, we line the system up for start-up. We wait 2 days to allow the valves to cool. If you shut the valves too early, they will be hard to “open” due to the yoke arms cooling (and subsequently contracting). By lining the system up one can better control the system start-up. At MSU the Facility Isolation Valve bonnets are painted Purple, and the Distribution Valve bonnets are painted orange. This paint also serves as a financial boundary in the CMMS System (between Utilities, Auxiliaries, Academics, etc.). On start-up, warm-up valves are utilized and valves are not back seated “Open” until 2 days after start-up.
Tip No. 3 – Lock Out, Tag Out
“Lock Out, Tag Out” is utilized for MSU Staff and Contractors. Facilities that have systems “Open” for maintenance are locked out “Shut” at the Facility Inlet Isolation Valve. These items are tracked and inspected prior to start-up. If a system is to remain “Open” after start-up, 2-valve isolation or a pancake is utilized.
Tip No. 4 – Steam Traps
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention to check the steam traps (prior to the outage). If folks don’t know where they are, take the time to trace out the system. It can be an Indiana Jones Adventure. We have found steam traps in the strangest of places.
Each one is worth $1,000 to $1,200 a year depending on the size of the trap and the steam pressure.
Steam is an awesome resource and can be a very efficient tool for serving your campus needs. If properly taken care of it can last for generations. Wishing you a safe and productive summer.