3rd Class Stationary Steam Engineer License Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Which substance is commonly used to control the pH of boiler water?
• The boiling point of water will do what with an increase in pressure?
• Which type of valve is known to offer the least resistance to flow?
• How are oxygen and non-condensable gases typically removed from feed water?
• With what is an automatic non-return valve typically used?
• The main purpose of a steam drum in a boiler system is to do what?
• Before draining a boiler, what should be allowed to cool?
• What is the primary purpose of economizers in power plants?
• Which type of valve is primarily used for controlling steam flow?
• A closed feedwater heater is always installed _______.
• A boiler evaporates 48,000 lb of steam/hr at a rate of 12 lb of steam/sq ft of heating surface. The boiler has _______ square feet of heating surface.
• What is the purpose of placing baffles between the tubes of a boiler?
• Which component controls the proper function of the burner in relation to air and fuel?
• A bottom blowdown is performed on a boiler to achieve what purpose?
• If a lather is not obtained when performing a soap hardness test, the water sample is:
• Where is the feed water stop valve typically located?
• What are the three types of boiler feed water pumps?
• When should a water column and gauge glass be blown down normally?
• A closed feedwater heater is always installed on which side of the feedwater pump?
• What are the three essential components required for combustion?
• What is true regarding steam and water in a closed feedwater heater?
• Before using blowers on a boiler, what should be done?
• What is the consequence of not properly sealing the valve between the boiler and the water column?
• A high CO2 reading in the gases of combustion is a sign of what?
• Complete combustion occurs when _______?
• A sudden rise in chimney temperature without an increase in load indicates what condition?
• On the feed water line, the valve closest to the boiler shell is a _____ valve.
• When performing a hydrostatic test on a boiler, what must be done with the safety valve?
• If a low-water condition occurs, the operator should first ______.
• When should water walls be blown down?
• Why is feed water treated chemically before entering the boiler drum?
• What does a steam trap do during operation?
• What should a valve located between the boiler and water column be?
• Why is controlling the air-fuel ratio critical in boiler operation?
• A boiler generating 6000 lb of steam/hr produces how many BTU/hr?
• What does a boiler equipped with a draft gauge and registering a negative pressure indicate?
• What is the primary purpose of a vent on the open feedwater heater?
• What is the primary function of a boiler?
• In a water tube boiler, where does the heat and gases of combustion pass?
• What is spalling caused by in a furnace?
• Where are sup blowers most commonly found?
• Which type of steam turbine allows condensate to be reclaimed for use in the system?
• What is required for complete combustion to occur in a boiler?
• What does a positive pressure reading on a boiler draft gauge indicate?
• Circulating water passes through a surface condenser ________.
• If a boiler is equipped with an automatic non-return valve, it must be located _______?
• How is a steam pressure gauge protected against excessive temperature?
• A continuous blowdown line is located:
• What should always accompany an engaged glass in high pressure boilers to determine water level?
• A duplex double-acting reciprocating feed water pump has what ratio of steam pistons to water pistons?
• High viscosity fuel oil is challenging to work with because:
• What type of steam generation system allows for high pressure operation?
• ______ draft is produced by a fan located between the boiler and the chimney:
• Before lighting off a boiler during a cold startup, what must the operator check first?
• A steam turbine operating at 3600 RPM is set to trip at which RPM?
• During a blowdown, what is the primary purpose of releasing water from the boiler?
• What is a common purpose of a hydrostatic test?
• Stay bolts are typically used in which type of boiler?
• Why is boiler water treatment necessary?
• What is the minimum size for a manhole in a boiler?
• At 0 psi, _______ BTUs are necessary to change 1 lb of water from a liquid at 212°F into steam.
• How much heating surface area does a water tube boiler with a diameter of 3 1/2" and a length of 20' have?
• What is the primary function of a flame rod in a gas pilot system?
• What could be a consequence of inadequate cooling before boiler maintenance?
• What is the function of combustion controls on a boiler?
• During a boiler inspection, what status should the main steam stop valves be in?
• What is a common result of not properly treating boiler feedwater?
• What should be done to correct a low water condition in a boiler?
• What might indicate a problem with the gauge glass if it is not displaying the correct water level?
• If the chimney temperature is 250 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the steam and water temperature, the boiler is ______.
• What is typically monitored to assess the efficiency of a steam boiler?
• What is determined by a Ringelmann test?
• Which safety feature is essential in preventing boiler overpressure?
• Compared to fire tube boilers, water tube boilers require?
• According to ASME code, how often should the low water fuel cutoff switch be tested by an evaporation test?
• A boiler burning fuel oil and using forced draft requires ________ cubic feet of furnace volume per boiler horsepower.
• Blowers are normally used with which type of boilers?
• The Pour point of a fuel oil is ________.
• Who should perform safety valve repairs?
• In a duplex reciprocating feed water pump, the steam piston area must be how much larger than the water piston?
• Which component helps maintain proper air flow in boiler systems?
• What does oxygen in a boiler drum typically cause?
• What is steam at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit and a pressure of 50 psi categorized as?
• What is the function of baffles in a boiler?
• In a surface condenser, what are in direct contact with each other?
• Four basic systems found on boilers are ______.
• What is the BTU content of natural gas?
• What is the primary purpose of a steam trap?
• A high-pressure boiler operates at a pressure above which of the following PSI levels?
• What is the likely consequence of not following proper boiler operation procedures?
• An accumulation test is primarily used to determine what aspect of a boiler system?
• What is the function of a water column in a boiler?
• Which type of gauge glasses are used on boilers with pressures exceeding 250 psi?
• Under what pressure is it permissible to have one blowdown valve on a boiler?
• What type of pump is a reciprocating pump classified as?
• Why is periodic blowdown necessary in boiler operations?
• In a fire tube boiler, the heat and gases of combustion pass through which of the following?
• What does a low-water cutoff device do?
• Automatic toilets are programmed to ignite the burner ______.
• What type of maintenance does spalling indicate is needed in a furnace?
• What can cause overheating of tubes on a boiler?
• What does sensible heat refer to?
• What does the air flow switch at the burner fan housing indicate?
• Who is authorized to make repairs on a safety valve?
• At atmospheric pressure, at what temperature does water boil and turn to steam?
• What is sensible heat?
• What prevents condensate from backing up into the steam line on a deaerator?
• To convert 1 lb of water at 212 °F into steam at atmospheric pressure, how many BTUs are needed?
• A broken baffle on a water tube boiler would cause a/an _______?
• An oil cooler is commonly used with which component when operating in conjunction with a turbo-generator?
• In order to ensure the gauge glass indicates an accurate water level reading, the stationary engineer should:
• Which type of boiler can operate at higher pressures?
• What is the purpose of the safety valve?
• A safety valve on a boiler pops at what point in relation to working pressure?
• How does air requirement relate to the combustion of 1 lb of fuel oil?
• An accumulation of snow on the fireside of a boiler tubes does what?
• Which fitting is considered the most important on a boiler?
• A gas pressure regulator is used to control the ______.
• How many BTUs are approximately found in 1 cubic foot of natural gas?
• What is the purpose of the economizer on a boiler?
• When should the overspeed tripping device on a steam turbine be activated?
• What is generally used for temperature control in a steam condensing system?
• The minimum size of a water column blowdown valve is how many inches?
• When may the diameter of a chimney need to be increased?
• In a surface condenser, how does the cooling water circulate?
• What must be done after replacing a gauge glass before placing it in service?
• A temperature reading of 80 degrees Celsius is equal to:
• At 212°F, how much water does one boiler horsepower (bhp) evaporate in one hour?
• If a boiler is rated at 30,000 lb/hr with a 5% blowdown loss, what is the minimum size feed water pump required to supply this boiler in gal/hr?
• The steam line going to the blowers is connected to the main what?
• What is the purpose of a dry pipe separator in a steam system?
• What is the term used for carrying over particles of water with the steam?
• Overheating of tubes in a water tube boiler results if _______?
• The heat absorbed by water when changing from liquid to steam at the boiling point is called _______?
• How does snow accumulation on boiler tubes affect thermal efficiency?
• Combustion efficiency can be increased when air is:
• What should you inspect regularly on a steam boiler system?
• A manometer is read in:
• How can the low water fuel cutoff be tested?
• In relation to boiler operation, what does the term 'gagged' refer to?
• What should the steam inlet connections of a condenser have for safety?
• What is the purpose of a desuperheater drain in a steam system?
• Which of the following is an indicator of excessive scale buildup in a water tube boiler?
• What is the first step when using a soot blower?
• What is the accepted practice concerning the pressure when testing a safety valve by hand?
• In a condensate return system, what effect does carbon dioxide have?
• What is the primary function of a pressure control on a boiler?
• What is the pH classification of boiler water with a pH of 11?
• In coal classification, which term refers to the hardness of the coal?
• What is drilled in the end of a staybolt to warn of corrosion?
• What is the purpose of listing levers on safety valves?
• Which of the following is a primary method to reduce emissions from combustion?
• What is the primary function of the economizer in a steam generating plant?
• What is always necessary in the combustion process?
• What must be monitored to prevent a feed water pump from becoming steam bound?
• Approximately how much air is required to completely burn 1 lb of fuel oil?
• Water in a D rating feed water heater is prevented from entering the steam line by what mechanism?
• The standard for 1 boiler horsepower (bhp) is based on the evaporation of how many pounds of water from and at 212°F?
• Which component is essential to prevent water hammer in steam systems?
• What is the role of a dry pipe separator in a boiler?
• If a boiler evaporates 50,000 lbs of steam/hour and 10 pounds of steam is evaporated per square foot, what is the heating surface area?
• What is a common component in the combustion process?
• When a quick opening valve is used as a blowdown valve, where is it located?
• What is the function of a blow-off valve?
• The range of a pressure gauge should be at least how many times the safety valve setting?
• What protects sewer lines from pressure and temperature when blowing down a boiler?
• Which safety device is typically found in steam systems?
• A thermostatic steam trap opens when which of the following occurs?
• Boilers in a battery equipped with what must have two main steam stop valves and a free-flowing drain between them?
• What are some of the functions of combustion controls during burner operation?
• A condensate pump is located 75 feet below the feed water heater, and its discharged gauge reads 75 PSI. The pressure at the inlet to the heater is _______ psi.
• Approximately how much does one gallon of No. 6 fuel oil weigh?
• How does the safety valve setting on the steam and water drum compare to that of a superheater safety valve?
• What is defined as balanced draft in a combustion system?
• An economizer located in the path of the gases of combustion increases boiler efficiency by approximately how much for each 10°F rise in feed water temperature?
• How many BTUs are needed to raise the temperature of 1 lb of water from 32°F to 212°F?
• If a motor rated at 25 horsepower is delivering 20 horsepower, what percentage of its capacity is it operating at?
• A flame scanner is used to verify what in boiler operations?
• A globe valve installed in the feed water line has a pressure from the feed water pump affected in what way?
• A boiler with 3450 square feet of heating surface designed for 5 square feet of heating surface per BHP has how many horsepower?
• Three boilers are connected to a common header, each carrying 100 PSI. What would the pressure gauge on the header read?
• What is the purpose of electrostatic precipitators in power plants?
• What can cause incomplete combustion in a boiler?
• According to ASME code, what type of safety valve is allowed on a boiler?
• Why is it critical to maintain an adequate oxygen level during combustion?
• In what units are steam pressure gauges typically calibrated?
• A steam trap serves what primary function?
• Baffles are used in the steam and water drum of water tube boilers to _____.
• A boiler is operating at 400 PSI, and the safety valve opens at 410 PSI and closes at 398 PSI. What is the blowdown?
• The purpose of a burner pressure control is to _____.
• Where would one typically find ceiling strips that warn of excessive radial tolerance?
• What are package boilers programmed to do upon start-up?
• What characteristic easily identifies a Scotch Marine boiler?
• A steam pressure gauge must have a range of at least how much in comparison to the MAWP?
• Pressure atomizing burners atomize fuel oil using _______.
• What is the recommended action to check the water level on a boiler?
• The purpose of chemically treating feedwater is to do what?
• What action should be taken if oil viscosity needs to be decreased for better flow?
• A feed water pump will become steam bound if the water temperature in the open feedwater heater is too _______?
• Where are downcomer tubes found?
• Where are bottom blowdown lines located in relation to a boiler?
• How does increased pressure affect the performance of a steam system?
• Extra-heavy pipe must be used on blowdown lines when the steam pressure exceeds what limit?
• What is the purpose of a water column in boiler systems?
• Increasing the temperature of feed water by 10 degrees Fahrenheit results in what percentage increase in plant efficiency?
• What is the instrument used to measure draft in boilers?
• What does viscosity of fuel oil measure?
• A steam turbine exhaust end and condenser are prevented from excess pressure by ________.
• What is the purpose of the siphon between the boiler and the steam pressure gauge?
• As steam pressure in a boiler increases, what also increases alongside steam and water?
• Water columns are connected to the boiler with a minimum of what pipe size?
• Most furnace explosions are attributed to which failure?
• What is the proper way to stop a steam turbine when taking it offline?
• What is a common indicator of a faulty gauge glass?
• A chimney temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit above steam temperature indicates:
• When is extra heavy steel pipe required on a boiler bottom blowdown line?
• Water wall tubes serve to protect the refractory and do what else?
• What component of a boiler is primarily affected by spalling?
• Boilers that are equipped with air heaters and economizers usually have _____ draft fans.
• What device is tripped to safely conduct an offline process for steam turbines?
• What are the three most common fuels used in boilers?
• How can chemicals be added to a boiler system?
• If the burner is firing and there is no water in the gauge glass, what should be done?
• What ensures safe operation of a steam turbine when reaching critical RPM?
• What type of steam is characterized by being at 250 psia and 400 degrees Fahrenheit?
• If the upper connection to a gauge glass is closed, what will the gauge glass show if the boiler has a normal water level?
• What instrument is essential for monitoring steam pressure in a boiler?
• The _________ on the steam turbine functions as a limit switch.
• When performing a hydrostatic test on a boiler, what must be done to each safety valve?
• How many bottom blowdown valves are required on boilers operating at pressures above 100 psi?
• What happens to the boiling point of water when pressure increases?
• What is the primary risk associated with not having an effective blowdown process?
• A thermostatic trap opens when which component contracts?
• When taking over a shift, the first thing to check is the ________.
• The most controllable heat loss in a boiler is from the loss of heat in ______.
• In which units are steam pressure gauges typically calibrated?
• The frequency of performing a bottom blowdown is determined by what?
• Which chemical process occurs when feed water enters the boiler?
• What is a primary purpose of using a reducing valve in a steam system?
• Why is proper sizing of a manhole important?
• The ASME Code recommends that safety valves should be adjusted by which personnel?
• What effect does oxygen in feed water have on boiler systems?
• What is the primary hazard associated with high CO2 levels during combustion?
• What is the primary function of a safety valve on a boiler?
• A valve that requires five 360° turns of the hand wheel to change from fully open to fully closed is classified as what type of valve?
• When the burner is in high fire, what is at its maximum rate?
• What is the maximum allowable pressure for a safe operation in high-pressure boilers?
• If dry saturated steam at 200 PSI is reduced to 25 psi, what type of steam is it?
• Why should a boiler be warmed up slowly during startup?
• What can cause a bag to develop in an HRT boiler?