Working on the old boiler at the Franklin Paper Mill in Ohio

I was there last week and saw they still use the original 1928 riveted sections for the main steam drum. Some guys say keeping that old iron is a safety risk waiting to happen, but others argue it's proven its strength for nearly a century. What's your take on using historic riveted boilers in a modern plant setting?

2 comments

2 Comments

henrygrant9d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, that "proven its strength" argument ignores modern safety codes for a reason. Old iron gets brittle, and a century of stress cycles is a real gamble.

king.zara9d ago

Actually, it's not the iron itself that gets brittle. Old bridges used wrought iron, which is pretty tough stuff. The real issue is fatigue in the riveted connections and corrosion you can't see. That's where the century of stress adds up.