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The time to plan for an emergency is now – before the need arises (and in the midst of hurricane season). This is extremely important in an industrial environment, where steam plays a prominent role in the manufacturing process. 

When a boiler outage occurs, companies can be faced with hundreds to thousands of dollars for each minute of lost production time. Furthermore, rental boilers can be used for many reasons other than emergency situations, such as planned maintenance, increased capacity requirements, unforeseen project delays, and even acts of nature.  This is where a contingency plan comes into play. 

Follow this guide to ensure that you are prepared for everything involved with renting a temporary boiler or mobile steam plant.   

In an emergency, time is of the essence, which is why up-front planning is the most important stage when renting boiler equipment. The first step is determining the total capacity and operating characteristics that are required to produce temporary steam for your unique process. The main factors you will want to determine ahead of time include: 

Some rental companies offer mobile rental boilers up to 125,000 lb/hr. For larger capacity demands, multiple boiler systems can be arranged in parallel, to any desired level, if a single mobile boiler is not available or if your operation requires redundancy. Boilers that are mobile, meaning that they have been permanently mounted to a highway-legal trailer, can facilitate quick delivery, savings in transportation costs vs. rail, and unlike a skid-mounted boiler, no special footing or foundation, cranes, or special rigging is required.  

Another variable to evaluate in the planning stage is the location and accessibility for delivery and setting of heavy equipment. There must be suitable access to the building or process steam main, with easy connection to fuel, water, and electrical power supplies. The connections must be verified with the supplier to ensure sufficient sizes meeting the needs of the equipment. Early determination of proper sizing will save valuable time when the equipment arrives.  

Evaluate Your Options Like rental cars, there are different rental boiler models, types, designs, and configurations on the market. The different variations of rental boiler equipment often include: 

Some rental companies store equipment in multiple locations across the country. This will increase your chances of locating a unit in proximity to quick delivery and shipping cost savings.  

When evaluating the equipment available on the rental market, be sure to also evaluate the suppliers. Companies that maintain a dedicated fleet of rental boilers will have the rental experience, equipment, and capabilities that you require. Be cautious of firms that claim to be full-time rental suppliers and offer below market-based pricing. These firms may offer a better price, but you may experience problems due to equipment age, reliability, start-up, support, code compliance, and conformance to emissions regulations. 

A concise proposal from the supplier is nice, but you need to be sure that it provides you with a clear understanding of all costs involved and who is responsible for what. Most of the time, the rental boiler supplier will provide equipment at a specific rental rate, while freight and start-up are extra, and installation is by others. Other factors may be outlined, like equipment operation, water treatment, and freeze protection, local taxes, and any damage clauses if the boiler is returned in poor condition. This can be a lot to take in – so be sure everything is spelled out clearly.  

Once a rental company is selected, the rental agreement is signed, and a delivery schedule has been set, the user must be certain that the site is ready for delivery to avoid start-up delays (and costs – those hours can add up if a service technician is standing around waiting for the equipment to be ready).

Well-trained boiler operators should be positioned and ready for training upon startup of equipment, and site-specific operating permits must be pulled by the user. This includes special permits that may be required in areas where emissions limits are enforced. Companies like Nationwide Boiler maintain a fleet of ultra-low NOx boilers and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to make sure environmental compliance can be achieved.  

To ensure continuous, trouble-free performance, a number of checks and maintenance tasks must be performed during normal operation of equipment. Keep a log on-site and record each routine check and maintenance item completed. The following are examples of maintenance items that will be required:

Finally, once the temporary boiler is no longer needed, the customer is responsible for taking the appropriate steps to ensure the safe return of each unit to the rental boiler storage facility. This includes fully disconnecting the equipment and draining and flushing all boiler lines, valves, gauges controls, and piping to minimize the chance of corrosion and freeze damage. The stack, non-return valves, and safety valves should be removed and securely stored in the correct place for shipment. And don’t forget to perform a final inspection of equipment before it leaves your facility, documenting the condition and any damage more than normal wear and tear.

Following the guidelines above and exercising caution will help ensure a smooth, successful temporary steam plant rental. Just keep in mind the main factors that lead to a bad project:

Be confident that risk is minimized by planning ahead, fully evaluating your options, and understanding the responsibilities that come along with renting boiler equipment. 

If you are in need of an industrial rental boiler, contact Tim McBride at 800-227-1966 or visit www.nationwideboiler.com.  

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