NYC Health + Hospitals Senior
Stationary Engineer Examination
Practice Exam 2026 | 100 Questions &
Answers with Detailed Rationales |
Complete Exam Prep & Study Guide
1. What is the primary purpose of a boiler safety valve?
A. Regulate feedwater temperature
B. Control combustion air
C. Relieve excessive boiler pressure
D. Increase steam pressure
Rationale: A safety valve opens automatically when pressure reaches its set
point, preventing dangerous overpressure and protecting the boiler and
personnel.
2. What instrument is used to measure boiler steam pressure?
A. Thermocouple
B. Hydrometer
C. Pressure gauge
D. Flow meter
Rationale: A pressure gauge provides a direct indication of the pressure inside
the boiler or steam system.
, 3. What is the purpose of boiler water treatment?
A. Increase fuel consumption
B. Control scale, corrosion, and water impurities
C. Reduce steam temperature
D. Increase burner noise
Rationale: Proper water treatment minimizes deposits and corrosion that can
reduce boiler efficiency and cause equipment failure.
4. What condition can result from excessive boiler water level?
A. Low fuel pressure
B. Water carryover into the steam system
C. Reduced feedwater flow
D. Increased combustion efficiency
Rationale: Excessive water level can cause moisture to be carried with steam,
potentially damaging valves, piping, and other steam equipment.
5. What is the purpose of a low-water cutoff on a boiler?
A. Increase steam pressure
B. Control feedwater temperature
C. Shut down the burner when the water level becomes dangerously low
D. Increase combustion air
Rationale: A low-water cutoff prevents operation under low-water conditions
that could overheat and damage boiler heating surfaces.
6. What is the function of a boiler burner?
A. Remove condensate
B. Mix fuel and air and produce controlled combustion
C. Reduce steam pressure
D. Remove dissolved solids
Rationale: The burner supplies and mixes fuel and combustion air to produce the
heat required for steam generation.
, 7. What is the purpose of a flame safeguard system?
A. Increase boiler water level
B. Control condensate pumps
C. Monitor flame conditions and shut off fuel if a safe flame is not
established
D. Increase steam flow
Rationale: Flame safeguard controls prevent unburned fuel from accumulating
when ignition or flame conditions are unsafe.
8. What does a boiler economizer generally do?
A. Cools combustion gases
B. Uses flue-gas heat to preheat feedwater
C. Removes boiler scale
D. Reduces feedwater pressure
Rationale: An economizer recovers heat from exhaust gases and transfers it to
incoming feedwater, improving efficiency.
9. What is the main purpose of a steam trap?
A. Increase steam pressure
B. Remove condensate and noncondensable gases while minimizing live-
steam loss
C. Increase boiler temperature
D. Add chemicals to steam
Rationale: Steam traps automatically discharge condensate while retaining
steam under normal operating conditions.
10.What is water hammer in a steam system?
A. A method of testing boiler pressure
B. A shock caused by rapidly moving condensate or water in piping
C. A type of pump failure
D. A burner ignition method
Stationary Engineer Examination
Practice Exam 2026 | 100 Questions &
Answers with Detailed Rationales |
Complete Exam Prep & Study Guide
1. What is the primary purpose of a boiler safety valve?
A. Regulate feedwater temperature
B. Control combustion air
C. Relieve excessive boiler pressure
D. Increase steam pressure
Rationale: A safety valve opens automatically when pressure reaches its set
point, preventing dangerous overpressure and protecting the boiler and
personnel.
2. What instrument is used to measure boiler steam pressure?
A. Thermocouple
B. Hydrometer
C. Pressure gauge
D. Flow meter
Rationale: A pressure gauge provides a direct indication of the pressure inside
the boiler or steam system.
, 3. What is the purpose of boiler water treatment?
A. Increase fuel consumption
B. Control scale, corrosion, and water impurities
C. Reduce steam temperature
D. Increase burner noise
Rationale: Proper water treatment minimizes deposits and corrosion that can
reduce boiler efficiency and cause equipment failure.
4. What condition can result from excessive boiler water level?
A. Low fuel pressure
B. Water carryover into the steam system
C. Reduced feedwater flow
D. Increased combustion efficiency
Rationale: Excessive water level can cause moisture to be carried with steam,
potentially damaging valves, piping, and other steam equipment.
5. What is the purpose of a low-water cutoff on a boiler?
A. Increase steam pressure
B. Control feedwater temperature
C. Shut down the burner when the water level becomes dangerously low
D. Increase combustion air
Rationale: A low-water cutoff prevents operation under low-water conditions
that could overheat and damage boiler heating surfaces.
6. What is the function of a boiler burner?
A. Remove condensate
B. Mix fuel and air and produce controlled combustion
C. Reduce steam pressure
D. Remove dissolved solids
Rationale: The burner supplies and mixes fuel and combustion air to produce the
heat required for steam generation.
, 7. What is the purpose of a flame safeguard system?
A. Increase boiler water level
B. Control condensate pumps
C. Monitor flame conditions and shut off fuel if a safe flame is not
established
D. Increase steam flow
Rationale: Flame safeguard controls prevent unburned fuel from accumulating
when ignition or flame conditions are unsafe.
8. What does a boiler economizer generally do?
A. Cools combustion gases
B. Uses flue-gas heat to preheat feedwater
C. Removes boiler scale
D. Reduces feedwater pressure
Rationale: An economizer recovers heat from exhaust gases and transfers it to
incoming feedwater, improving efficiency.
9. What is the main purpose of a steam trap?
A. Increase steam pressure
B. Remove condensate and noncondensable gases while minimizing live-
steam loss
C. Increase boiler temperature
D. Add chemicals to steam
Rationale: Steam traps automatically discharge condensate while retaining
steam under normal operating conditions.
10.What is water hammer in a steam system?
A. A method of testing boiler pressure
B. A shock caused by rapidly moving condensate or water in piping
C. A type of pump failure
D. A burner ignition method
