(a) Performance requirements.
(1) All installations, including pre-existing equipment, must be required to operate such that upon evaluation of performance tests (as outlined in subdivision (e) below) it is determined that they meet the following minimum requirements:
(2) When the boiler is fired at 80 to 110 percent of the burner's maximum operational oil/gas delivery rate as specified in the application, provided that this is less than the burner's maximum design oil/gas delivery rate, oil burning installations must have a combustion efficiency of at least 83 percent and gas burning installations must have a combustion efficiency of at least 80 percent. Dual-fuel installations must meet the requirements for each respective fuel.
Oil fired installations which cannot achieve a combustion efficiency of at least 83 percent but which can achieve a combustion efficiency of at least 80 percent will have no more than one renewal cycle (three years) in which to perform necessary alterations to bring the equipment into compliance. Gas fired installations which cannot achieve a combustion efficiency of at least 80 percent will have one renewal cycle (three years) in which to perform necessary alterations to bring the equipment into compliance.
(3) When the boiler is fired at 80 to 110 percent of the burner's maximum operational oil/gas delivery rate as specified in the application, provided that this is less than the burner's maximum design oil/gas delivery rate, the maximum acceptable smoke reading must be smoke spot no. 3 in accordance with ASTM International Standard D 2156-09.
(4) When the boiler is fired at 80 to 110 percent of the burner's maximum operational oil/gas delivery rate as specified in the application, provided that this is less than the burner's maximum design oil/gas delivery rate), the installation must be capable of providing adequate pressure differential (e.g., draft) at conditions specified in subdivision (e) of this section.
(5) For installations which have low-high-low-off or modulating combustion controls, adherence to the requirements in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2), listed above, must also be demonstrated when the burner is fired at low-fire. For installations which utilize modulating combustion controls, the department requires and reserves the right to verify that the performance requirements in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2), listed above, are also met at intermediate firing rates.
(6) For multiple boiler installations the requirements in paragraphs (a)(1), (2), (3) and (4), listed above, must be demonstrated for each boiler when said boilers are operated simultaneously rather than individually when there is sufficient load demand from the premise. However, each boiler in a multiple boiler installation, when fired separately (i.e., all other boilers are shut down), must also meet these requirements and the department reserves the right to verify same.
(7) In no case must the flame impinge on any interior surface within the furnace.
(b) Preparation for performance tests. In order to facilitate implementation of the performance test by the department's engineer, provision must be made by the installer, sufficiently in advance of the scheduled inspection, such that:
(1) Continuous, uninterrupted operation of the boiler at 80 to 110 percent of the burner's maximum operational oil/gas delivery rate as specified in the application, provided that this is less than the burner's maximum design oil/gas delivery rate, for a minimum period of twenty minutes is insured. Under no circumstances must the boiler pressure relief valve(s) be tampered with to accomplish this.
(2) Two 3/8 inch diameter holes are provided in the breeching, approximately 4 inches apart and placed so that the one closest to the boiler is approximately one breeching diameter downstream from the boiler outlet. Since these holes must be used for the measurement of boiler outlet gas temperature, percentage of O
2
and smoke reading, it is important that they be placed in the system such that air infiltration from a barometric damper, smoke alarm port, etc., does not affect the composition of the combustion gases.
(3) Two 3/8 inch diameter holes are provided in the breeching placed one on each side of any power operated draft regulator damper, approximately one breeching diameter from the centerline of the damper. Note that the location of one or both of these holes may, of necessity, be in the boiler outlet.
(4) All test holes are a minimum of one breeching diameter from any flow disturbance such as a bend, expansion or contraction.
(5) Any insulation is neatly removed from approximately a 4" × 4" area surrounding any test hole in the breeching.
(6) All test holes are kept closed with a sheet metal screw or other acceptable method when not being used for testing purposes. All test holes must be marked in such a way that their location can be readily determined.
(c) Performance test equipment. All test data obtained during the performance test must be recorded on a form provided by the department.
(d) Procedure for performance tests. The following is an outline of the procedure which must be used to obtain data necessary for evaluating the performance of an installation and determining whether it meets the requirements specified in subdivision (a), above.
(1) Verify that all conditions in the boiler room are characteristic of proper operating conditions (i.e., boiler room door is shut, non-fixed ventilation sources such as windows are shut, etc.).
(2) The burner must be started up and operated at 80 to 110 percent of the burner maximum operational oil/gas delivery rate as specified in the application, provided that this is less than the burner's maximum design oil/gas delivery rate, depending on the demand load throughout the sequence of steps specified in paragraph (4) below.
(3) The probe(s) of the testing equipment must be inserted into the test holes provided at the required locations.
(4) Commencing after burner startup, boiler outlet gas temperature must be read at one minute intervals until the difference between two successive readings is not greater than 5°F at which time steady state conditions will be assumed and the following data must be obtained and recorded:
(i) The boiler outlet gas temperature must be determined. In addition, the ambient air boiler room temperature in the vicinity of the burner must be determined.
(ii) The percent oxygen (O
2
) in the flue gas must be determined.
(iii) The pressure differential across the damper of a power operated draft regulator must be determined. This is not applicable to condensing boilers.
(A) The pressure differential measurements and the gas temperature and outside ambient air temperature measurements must be used to determine whether adequate pressure differential (e.g., draft) can be provided when outside ambient air temperature is 94F.
(B) When a power operated draft regulator is used, the pressure differential measured across the damper must be equal to or greater than the value obtained when the height of the stack (H) is multiplied by ΔDr/H, i.e.
ΔP ≥ H × (ΔDr/H)
where,
ΔP (inches H
2
O) is the pressure differential measured across the power operated draft regulator damper.
ΔDr/H (inches H
2
O/ft) is the differential draft per foot obtained from Table I using the outside ambient temperature measured when the performance test was conducted.
H (feet) is the height of the stack.
(C) When a barometric or manual damper is used, the theoretical pressure differential caused by the barometric or manual damper must be equal to or greater than the value obtained when the height of the stack is multiplied by ΔDr/H, i.e.
ΔP ≥ H × (ΔDr/H)
where ΔP, ΔDr/H, and H are defined in (B).
The static pressure is measured at the boiler outlet. The barometric damper or manual damper is gradually opened until the calculated DP is measured. The barometric damper is then returned to its original setting and the manual damper is then returned to its initial position and fixed. The department will review alternative demonstrations of adequate pressure differential if they comply with 2009 ASHRAE Fundamentals Chapter 21, and are stamped by a professional engineer.
(5) The smoke reading must be determined and recorded in accordance with ASTM D 2156 (2009).
(6) For boilers which have low-high-low-off or modulating controls, upon completion of the above sequence of steps, the burner firing rate must be changed to low-fire for all boilers with a maximum heat input rating greater than 4.2 million Btu per hour.
(7) Dual-fuel burners will be tested separately for oil and gas on high fire and on low-fire if the maximum heat input rating is greater than 4.2 million Btu per hour.
(8) For multiple boiler installations, all boilers must be started up and operated simultaneously at 80 to 110 percent of their respective maximum operational oil/gas delivery rates as specified in the application, provided that this is less than the burner's maximum design oil/gas delivery rate, and the boiler outlet gas temperature, boiler room ambient air temperature, percentage of O
2
, smoke reading, and pressure differential must be determined for each boiler. The burner firing rates for all boilers must then be changed to their respective low-fire firing rates, and the boiler outlet gas temperature, boiler room ambient air temperature, percentage of O
2
in the flue gas, and smoke reading, must be determined for each boiler at this firing rate.
(e) Evaluation. The boiler outlet gas temperature, boiler room air temperature, percentage of O
2
in the flue gas, draft measurement, and smoke reading data must be used to determine whether the installation meets the minimum performance requirements for combustion efficiency, adequate reserve draft and smoke reading.