# 475 Inside the Boiler: Inspection, Failure Analysis, and Photography with Cheryl Heiser

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/475-inside-the-boiler-inspection-failure-analysis-and-photography-with-cheryl-heiser.md
Podcast: [Scaling UP! H2O](https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746)
Published: 2026-05-08T10:46:59+00:00
Episode link: https://scalinguph2o.com/2026/05/08/475-boiler-inspection-failure-analysis/
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/scalingup/Scaling_Up_H2O_-_475_-_Cheryl_Heiser.mp3?dest-id=797464
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/scaling-up-h2o-7746/episodes/475-inside-the-boiler-inspection-failure-analysis-and-photography-with-cheryl-heiser
Duration seconds: 3418

## Resource

A boiler failure can create pressure quickly: production is down, emotions are high, and the water treater may be the first person blamed. Cheryl Heiser of TGWT Clean Technologies Inc . joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to walk through a more disciplined way to evaluate boiler issues by looking beyond chemistry alone. Why Boiler Failures Need a Broader Lens Cheryl brings field experience from the OEM boiler side, conventional water treatment, and purified tannin boiler treatment. Her perspective is rooted in the idea that no two boilers are the same. Design, operating conditions, fuel, history, circulation, steam separation, and customer practices all influence how a boiler behaves. She explains the premise of her AWT paper: helping water treaters avoid being immediately blamed when boiler tube failures occur. In her case study, two twin HRSG units were producing 100,000 pounds per hour of steam each, with superheaters operating at 600 PSI and 750 degrees Fahrenheit. The failures did not point to a simple water treatment explanation. Instead, the investigation involved steam drum internals, carryover, tube geometry, circulation concerns, and normal operating water level. What to Look for Inside the Boiler Cheryl emphasizes inspection discipline. Take photos, use a borescope when available, enter the boiler when safe and possible, and look for patterns in deposits, discoloration, distortion, turbulence, uneven circulation, and steam drum staining. She also explains why orientation matters. A photo that makes sense during the inspection may be difficult to interpret later unless the location and direction are clearly identified. Deposit analysis and metallurgical analysis can also help determine whether a failure is connected to deposits, material factors, overheating, combust…

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