Posted byReuters reported that a boiler tube rupture at Dominion ‘s Salem Harbor Power Plant in Massachusetts killed three workers. Dominion said it will shut down all four units at the plant while they investigate the accident.
Category: Accidents, Current Events, Investigations
4 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL
when boiler tubes where installed was there a quality control person how sign off on boiler tube fit up, root pass and cover pass of welds and inter pass temp. of weld after each pass was done. (per ASME code) was proper tube installed was mill certs checked and did someone sign off on boiler tube before installed.
Comment by Russ — November 14, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
What was the boilers conditions prior to the accident? Are the boilers new? Are the tubes new or just been repaired? Typically boiler tubes have to be thinned/weak prior to burst. Thinning process of tube wall may occur from inside, outside, and both. It may also occur at certain locations along the tube length.
Comment by saifudin — December 17, 2007 @ 4:16 am
In the past, boiler inspections required by the individual states consisted of significantly more visual inspections than what occurs today. These boiler inspections have gradually been reduced in duration over the last 20 years or so. What used to take a week to inspect (typical power boiler such as Salem Harbor) now would take considerably less. Although I do not know this for certain, I would bet this boiler took less than 8 hrs to inspect. Dead-air spaces used to be routinely inspected and now are not. I believe this tragedy could have been prevented if quality inspections could be completed. Of course this means owners of power boilers would have to increase budgets in order for this to occur. Therein lies the rub. In our current system every dollar saved is more money for the stockholder. I used to perform these inspections and now object to the travesty that occurs in their place…
Comment by Jim Mintel — February 6, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
I honsestly beveive with happen at salem harbor station was lack of main.and preseure from our new com.dominion power who gave time lines to when a tube leek should be fixed,we went from 8 to 10 weeks of mantance to 5 or 6 days look at the recordeds.THREE OF MY FREINDS AND COWORKERS DIED THAT DAY-THAY WILL LIVE WITH ME AS LONG AS I’MM ALIVE NEVER FORGET,Dennis P LYONS FRIST RESPONDER AND PROUD T0 BE IEBW 326 FOREMAN INSULATION DEPT.
Comment by Dennis Lyons — November 12, 2009 @ 10:19 pm