Trade Licensing Program
Steam Engineer & Boiler Fireman License
Study Guide: Grade III Steam Engineer
THE APPLICANT SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE INFORMATION RECOMMENDED FOR THE LOWER (BOILER FIREMAN GRADES IV AND V) AS WELL AS THE FOLLOWING:
  1. SKETCH A FIRE TUBE BOILER. SEE STUDY OUTLINE FOR BEGINNING STEAM FIREMAN.
  2. SKETCH A COMPLETE HEAVY GRADE FUEL OIL BURNING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:
    1. TANK
    2. VENT
    3. TANK HEATER
    4. RETURN LINE
    5. FULL FLOW RELIEF VALVES
    6. HEATER AFTER FUEL OIL PUMPS
    7. FUEL CONTROL VALVES
    8. MECHANICAL ATOMIZING BURNERS
    9. STEAM ATOMIZING BURNERS
    10. A CONSTANT DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE VALVE
    11. TEMPERATURE INTERLOCK
    12. PRESSURE INTERLOCK
  3. SKETCH COMPLETE NATURAL GAS FUEL FIRING SYSTEM TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
    1. GAS PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE WITH VENT
    2. HI-GAS PRESSURE SENSING AND INTERLOCK
    3. LOW-GAS PRESSURE SENSING AND INTERLOCK
    4. GAS QUICK CLOSING VALVES
    5. VENT LINE AND VALVE
    6. COCK OR PLUG VALVES
    7. GAS BURNER
    8. FLAME FAILURE DEVICE
    9. GAS FUEL CONTROL VALVE
    10. GAS CONTROL WITH VALVE CLOSED POSITION PROVING MICRO SWITCH
  4. SKETCH A FEEDWATER SYSTEM FOR TWO OR MORE BOILERS FROM HOT WELL OR SOURCE OF SUPPLY TO BOILER SHOWING TYPES OF PROTECTIVE VALVES AND MEANS OF WATER LEVEL CONTROL IN THE BOILERS.
  5. DESCRIBE COMPLETE OPERATION OF THE FOLLOWING STEAM TRAPS:
    1. THE INVERTED BUCKET TRAP AND EXPLAIN HOW THE SIZE OF THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE IS RELATED TO THE TRAP INPUT OR LINE PRESSURE
    2. IMPULSE TRAP
    3. BUCKET TRAP
    4. DISC TRAP
    5. THERMOSTATIC TRAP
    6. FLOAT OPERATED TRAP
  6. DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALTERNATING CURRENT, DIRECT CURRENT AND THE PHASES OF ALTERNATING CURRENT USED IN THE BOILER ROOM. INCLUDE THE VOLTAGES INVOLVED WITH THE CONTROLS, MOTORS, AND SPARK IGNITION DEVICES. DISCUSS OVER-CURRENT OR ELECTRIC SHORT PROTECTION.
  7. DESCRIBE GENERALLY ACCEPTED CURRENT FEEDWATER TREATMENT PROCEDURES FOR CONTROL OF SCALE FORMING WATER HARDNESS, REDUCE OXIDATION OR RUSTING, CONTROL OF ACIDITY OR ALKALINITY, CONTROL OF THE CONCENTRATION OF DISSOLVED AND UNDISSOLVED SOLIDS IN THE BOILER WATER, HELPING UNDISSOLVED MATERIAL TO STAY IN SUSPENSION, AND A MEANS TO PREVENT CORROSION IN THE HEATING SYSTEM.
  8. DISCUSS MEANS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND PURITY OF STEAM. THIS INCLUDES DRY PIPES, DRYERS, SCRUBBERS, AND BAFFLES IN THE STEAM DRUM.
  9. DESCRIBE A POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT AND A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP AND WHERE EACH MAY BE FOUND IN THE BOILER ROOM.
  10. DESCRIBE PROCEDURE TO PROTECT WATER SIDE AND FIRE SIDE WHEN SECURING A BOILER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
  11. DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A FIRE TUBE AND A WATER TUBE BOILER AND DESCRIBE BRIEFLY AN EXAMPLE OF EACH. INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION DETAILS, MEANS OF SUPPORT, SUPERHEATERS, AIR PREHEATERS, AND ECONOMIZERS.
  12. EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A "POP" SAFETY VALVE, A RELIEF VALVE, AND A RUPTURE DISK TO INCLUDE THE REASON FOR THE "POPPING" ACTION OF THE POP SAFETY VALVE AND THE BLOW DOWN RESEATING OF THE SAME TYPE OF VALVE.
  13. DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF FURNACE DRAFT AND MEANS OF OBTAINING A BALANCED DRAFT. INCLUDE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE PRESSURE FURNACE.
  14. DESCRIBE A DEAERATING FEEDWATER HEATER TO INCLUDE LOCATION WITH RESPECT TO THE FEEDWATER PUMP, NEED FOR VENTING, OPERATION, HOW FED, HOW WATER LEVEL IS CONTROLLED, AND REASON FOR HAVING A VACUUM BREAKER.
  15. DISCUSS NECESSITY FOR SOOT BLOWERS, HOW OPERATED, HOW INSTALLED, AND PROPER ALIGNMENT.
  16. DISCUSS CLASS A, B, AND C FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND TYPES OF FIRES THAT THE EXTINGUISHERS ARE USED FOR.
  17. DESCRIBE THE COMBUSTION PROCESS AND WHAT IS MEANT BY FUEL AIR RATION TO INCLUDE WHAT A GOOD MINIMUM EXCESS AIR PERCENTAGE BY VOLUME IS FOR BURNING NATURAL GAS, FUEL OIL AND COAL. INCLUDE THE MEANS USED TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF EXCESS AIR.
  18. DESCRIBE PROCEDURES FOR BOILER/FURNACE MAINTENANCE TO INCLUDE CLEANING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, TESTING FOR LEAKS, EXAMINATION INSIDE FOR CORROSION INSPECTION FOR WEAKNESS, FEEDWATER VALVES AND CONNECTIONS, SURFACE BLOW DRY PIPES, BAFFLES, WATER COLUMN LINES, SAFETY VALVES, VENT VALVE CONNECTION, GAGE CONNECTION, CLEANING FIRESIDE OF TUBES AND TUBE SHEETS , FIRESIDE CORROSION, PITTING, GROOVING, FIRE CRACKS, BULGING, BAGGING, BLISTERS, ETC.
  19. DISCUSS PROPER START-UP OF AUXILIARY STEAM TURBINES AND DESCRIBE GOVERNING, OVERSPEED TRIP, TYPES OF BEARINGS, LUBRICATION, THRUST BEARINGS, GOVERNING WHEN USED TO DRIVE A FEEDWATER PUMP, ETC. WHEN USED TO DRIVE A CENTRIFUGAL FEEDWATER PUMP TO A BATTERY OF BOILERS AND IN PARALLEL WITH OTHER FEEDWATER PUMPS, DISCUSS HOW THE TURBINE DRIVEN CENTRIFUGAL FEEDWATER PUMP SHOULD BE PIPED, HOW THE PUMP IS BROUGHT ON THE LINE AND PRECAUTIONS THAT MUST BE TAKEN WHEN LOADING THE PUMPS AND RUNNING THEM IN PARALLEL.
  20. DISCUSS RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY AIR COMPRESSORS TO INCLUDE STARTING, MEANS OF UNLOADING, COOLING REQUIREMENTS, WATER TRAPS, INTAKE FILTERS, AIR RELIEF VALVES, AND SAFETY ALARM DEVICES.
  21. DISCUSS STEAM TABLES INCLUDING A COMPARISON OF STEAM AND WATER DENSITY AT DIFFERENT PRESSURES UP TO "CRITICAL PRESSURE" AND WHAT TAKES PLACE AT THAT POINT. DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCE IN VOLUME BETWEEN ONE POUND OF WATER AND ONE POUND OF STEAM FROM ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ON UP. KNOW THE TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AT CRITICAL PRESSURE. DISCUSS THE ENTHALPY OF WATER, THE ENTHALPY (LATENT HEAT) OF EVAPORATION, AND THE TEMPERATURE OF SATURATED STEAM AT VARIOUS GAGE PRESSURES FROM ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO CRITICAL PRESSURE. EXPLAIN HOW THESE CHARACTERISTICS EFFECT THE CIRCULATION AND GENERATION OF STEAM IN THE BOILER UP TO AND PAST CRITICAL PRESSURE. DISCUSS SUPERHEAT, DESCRIBING WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT IS USED IN A POWER PLANT. DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HEAT STORED IN WATER AT THE BOILING POINT TEMPERATURE WHEN THE BOILER PRESSURE IS REDUCED BY AN ADDITIONAL LOAD BEING PLACED ON THE BOILER AND THERE IS A NATURAL LOWERING OF BOILING POINT TEMPERATURE. EXPLAIN HOW THIS AND THE LOWER PRESSURE ON THE STEAM BUBBLES EFFECTS THE WATER LEVELS IN THE BOILER.
  22. KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE "STEAM ENGINEER AND BOILER FIREMAN LICENSE LAW." SECTION 6.204.090 AND CHAPTER 6.230 OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
    1. DEFINITIONS
    2. LICENSE REQUIRED AND EXPIRATION
    3. EXEMPTIONS FROM LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
    4. GRADES OF LICENSES
    5. MAXIMUM CAPACITY ALLOWABLE FOR GRADES OF LICENSES
    6. ISSUANCE OF LICENSES. METHOD AND REQUIREMENTS
    7. SPECIAL LICENSES
    8. DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND LAND USE
    9. LICENSES TO BE POSTED OR CARRIED
    10. NOTICE OF PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
    11. REPORTING OF DEFECTIVE BOILERS
    12. DUTIES OF STEAM ENGINEERS AND BOILER FIREMAN
    13. OBSERVATION AND INSPECTION OF BOILERS
    14. POSTING OF REGULATIONS
Last Updated: July 11, 1996