Steam & Excursion > Whazzit? (9)

No picture this time - just the name:  The Blower.

Who controls it?

What does it do?

Where is it located?  Where is its control located?

When is it used?  (Careful - on this.  The answers may surprise you.)

Why use it?  (More than one answer.)

How does the operator know when/how to use it?  How does it do it's job?  How do you know when it's being used properly?

What can misuse cause?

If an engine has evidence that a blower has been misused, what can be done remedially to fix it?  (Short term/long term or severe damage)

-LD

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/20 15:42 by LarryDoyle.

LarryDoyle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No picture this time - just the name:  The
> Blower.
>
> Who controls it?

The fireman
>
> What does it do?

Creates artificial draft
>
> Where is it located?
 
In the smokebox

Where is its control
> located?

Left side of the cab

>
> When is it used?  (Careful - on this.  The
> answers may surprise you.)

When sitting still or coasting?
>
> Why use it?  (More than one answer.)

To pull combustion gases from firebox?

>
> How does the operator know when/how to use it? 

When the throttle is reduced or shut down?

> How does it do it's job? 
How do you know when
> it's being used properly?

A jet of steam in the smokebox causing a suction pulling gasses and smoke from firebox and flues?

>
> What can misuse cause?

Put out the fire???? (total guess here)

>
> If an engine has evidence that a blower has been
> misused, what can be done remedially to fix it? 
> (Short term/long term or severe damage)
>
> -LD
>
>  

I don't know but I am interested in learning.



Note- I am no expert at any stretch of the imagination so please don't make fun of my answers or lack of knowledge. I had to take a stab because of what I have picked up by reading here on t/o over the years. Some of these I did a logical guess.

Posted from Android

BLOWER ABUSE...

What can be done?

The damage has been done..
Terminate the employment/unofficial use of volunteers  of the perps..
( terminate the perps?)

W.

Install a bunch of overfire jets and call it an afternoon.

up3985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Install a bunch of overfire jets and call it an
> afternoon.

What about on an oil burner?

Ventilating the firebox enough can lead to some nasty swings in temperature which is not good for the nice
warm metal and having tried, I never did manage to draft out the fire. 

Out 

bankshotone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LarryDoyle Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No picture this time - just the name:  The
> > Blower.
> >
> > Who controls it?
>
> The fireman
> >
Yes.

> > What does it do?
>
> Creates artificial draft
> >
Yes.

> > Where is it located?
>  
> In the smokebox
>
Yes, either in the exhaust jet from the cylinders, or a separate fitting surrounding the exhaust jet even with the top and pointed up the stack.

> Where is its control
> > located?
>
> Left side of the cab
>
Yes.

> >
> > When is it used?  (Careful - on this.  The
> > answers may surprise you.)
>
> When sitting still or coasting?
> >

It should be on all the time, even if only a tiny crack.  If not used at all, water can collect in that long pipe from the firemans valve to the smokebox, then when it's intentionall turned on that water will be blown up the stack picking up soot along the way, which will rain down in the blackest dirtiest water you have ever seen.  And, of course this will be just as you are coming to. or have just made, a station stop.  Passengers and other people around will long remember how "dirty" that steam engine was!

Otherwise, yes when stopped or coasting.  Also when cleaning the fire.  Basically, just use it enough to create a small enough draft up the stack to keep smoke from coming into the cab through the firedoor.  You can turn it up a bit it you've got some spots in the fire that you want to get hot more quickly - for instance a thin spot or where you have just removed or broken up a clinker and you want to get the repair lit off.

Remember, the hardest thing on a boiler, particularly the firebox and the flues, is rapid, uneven temperature change. 

> > Why use it?  (More than one answer.)
>
> To pull combustion gases from firebox?
>
Yes.
> >
> > How does the operator know when/how to use
> it? 
>
> When the throttle is reduced or shut down?
>
The best advice is just use enough to keep smoke out of the cab.  A bit more when building up the fire - but, again, make changes slowly.   
Seldom necessary to open the valve as much as half a turn.  It doesn't take much.

> > How does it do it's job? 
> How do you know when
> > it's being used properly?
>
> A jet of steam in the smokebox causing a suction
> pulling gasses and smoke from firebox and flues?
>
Yes.

> >
> > What can misuse cause?
>
> Put out the fire???? (total guess here)
>
Lack of use when stopped can, indeed, cause the fire to die out.  Overuse can lead to leaky flues.

> >
> > If an engine has evidence that a blower has
> been
> > misused, what can be done remedially to fix
> it? 
> > (Short term/long term or severe damage)
> >
Surprisingly, if flues start leaking (it will be at the firebox end) resuming proper use the blower will usually cause them to tighten themselves up - sort of self healing.  Move severe leakage will have to repaired in the backshop.

> > -LD
> >
> >  
>
> I don't know but I am interested in learning.
>
>
>
> Note- I am no expert at any stretch of the
> imagination so please don't make fun of my answers
> or lack of knowledge. I had to take a stab because
> of what I have picked up by reading here on t/o
> over the years. Some of these I did a logical
> guess.
>
> Posted from Android