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Exponent’s Thermal Sciences practice specializes in the investigation and prevention of accidents in industrial combustion equipment. Users of such equipment include electric power utilities, ferrous and non-ferrous foundries, chemical plants, and food, textile, wood, and paper manufacturing facilities. Exponent engineers are principal members of the NFPA 85 (Boilers & Combustion Systems) and NFPA 86 (Ovens & Furnaces) technical committees of the National Fire Protection Association. Exponent has extensive experience with the following types of equipment:
- Boilers
- Turbines
- Furnaces
- Ovens
- Dryers
- Rotary Kilns
- Incinerators
- Flares
- Combustion Control and Burner Management
Turbines. Exponent has investigated many steam and combustion turbine failures. Our expertise in the interaction between high temperature fluids and rotating machinery is internationally recognized. Specifically, our thermal and fluid experts perform acoustic, fluid dynamic, and vibrations analyses, and we interact with metallurgists in our Materials/Metullargy practice to address turbine blade failures. We are familiar with turbine control systems, and their limitations under operational upset conditions.
 Boilers, Furnaces. Exponent has dealt with failures in all aspects of boiler and furnace design and operation. These can include breaches in pressurized water containment, fuel explosions, structural failures, water chemistry and corrosion, and burner safeguards. We have performed third-party reviews of the configuration of combustion instrumentation and controls, and their adherence to relevant fire protection standards.
Operations. In many instances, boiler and furnace failures result from human failures, which can be traced back to inadequate training, poorly implemented procedures, or improper inspection or maintenance. In such cases, we frequently interact with our Human Factors practice to help assess the contribution of human system breakdowns to the overall causation of the incident.
Worker Health, Environmental Releases. Health or environmental consequences may result when combustion equipment fails. In order for an Environmental scientist to perform a contaminant fate & transport analysis or for an Industrial Hygiene specialist to compute worker exposure to a hazardous material, the source terms must be known. Exponent’s thermal engineers have broad experience in the quantification of contaminant releases from boilers and furnaces. We perform historical reconstruction of releases, resulting from both routine operations and accidents. Further, we have accumulated an extensive knowledge base related to thermal insulation and fluid sealing technologies, especially the introduction of alternatives to asbestos containing materials in these industrial combustion systems.
Selected publications and presentations
Martin, R.J. and Christiansen,
E.W. "New Explosion Relief Standard Affects
Furnaces," Industrial Heating; Vol. LXXIV, p. 41, December
2007.
Martin, R.J. and Christiansen, E.W.
"New Explosion Relief Standards Impact Coating Equipment," Metal
Finishing, Vol. 105; No. 7/8, pp. 77-81; July/August 2007.
http://www.exponent.com/about/news/archives/2007/07/27/20.37.03/
Davis, S. G., Chavez, D. and Kytomaa, H. "Hot Surface Ignition of Flammable and Combustible Liquids," Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Paper 06B-473, SAE World Congress, Detroit, MI, April, 2006.
J. Foulds, R. Sire and F. Gavelli, and H.K. Kytomaa. “Root Cause Analysis of a Gas Turbine Compressor Stator Blade Failure,” 2005 ASME Power Conference, Chicago, IL, April 2005.
A. Kemal, M. MacDonald, J. Hebert and H.K. Kytomaa. “Explosion Hazards Due to Delayed Ignition in Gas Turbines,” Electric Power 2004, Baltimore, MD, 2004.
R. Martin, T. Myers, P. Hinze, and H.K. Kytomaa. “Test Your Incinerator Knowledge,” Chem. Eng. Progress, Vol. 99, Vol. 2, pp. 36–39, February 2003.
T. Myers, H.K. Kytomaa, and R.J. Martin; “Fires and Explosions in Vapor Control Systems: A Lessons Learned Anthology,” AIChE Spring National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 2002.
H.K. Kytomaa. “Building Air Circulation and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning,” NFPA World Safety Conference, Minneapolis, MN, May 2002.
R. Martin, T. Myers, P. Hinze, and H.K. Kytomaa. “Thermal Oxidizing Systems-Test your Knowledge to Improve Your Refinery’s Safety and Reliability,” Hydrocarbon Processing, Vol. 81, No. 11, pp. 79–80, November 2002.
H.K. Kytomaa. “Hazards Associated with Fume Collection and Abatement Systems: Process Safety,” AIChE Spring Meeting, Houston, TX, March 1997.
H.K. Kytomaa. “Avoiding Duct Explosions, System Changes Can Lead to Disaster,” Chemical Processing, July 1996.
NFPA and Other Committee Memberships
NFPA 85 - Fundamentals of Combustion System Hazards (BCS-FUN) and Single Burner Boilers (BCS-SBB)
NFPA 85 - Pulverized Fuel Systems (BCS-PFS) and Stoker Operations (BCS-STO)
- Mark T. Fecke, Principal Member (SE)
NFPA 86- Ovens and Furnaces (OVE-AAA)
NFPA 97, 211 - Chimneys, Fireplaces, and Venting Systems for Heat Producing Appliances (CHI-AAA)
- Filippo Gavelli, Principal Member (SE)
NFPA 720 - Carbon Monoxide Detection (CMG-AAA)
NFPA 921 - Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations (FIA-AAA)
Boilers, Turbines and Furnaces
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