Page 1 of 144
Chicago Stationary Engineer (Boiler) Exam
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
Chicago Stationary Engineer (Boiler) Exam
10 MOST-TESTED EXAM COVERAGE AREAS
1. Boiler Types and Construction — Fire-tube and water-tube boilers, cast-iron boilers, electric
boilers, package boilers, boiler components, pressure vessels, tubes, drums, headers, furnaces,
refractory, and basic boiler construction.
2. Boiler Operation and Startup/Shutdown — Safe startup, firing sequence, warm-up, operating
pressure, water level, normal shutdown, emergency shutdown, blowdown, low-water
conditions, and operator responsibilities.
3. Steam and Water Principles — Steam generation, saturation, superheat, pressure-temperature
relationships, latent heat, sensible heat, condensate, feedwater, boiler horsepower, and basic
thermodynamic principles.
4. Boiler Fittings and Accessories — Safety valves, water columns, gauges, low-water cutoffs,
feedwater regulators, check valves, stop valves, blowdown valves, steam traps, and other
required operating devices.
5. Combustion, Fuels, Burners, and Draft — Natural gas, fuel oil, combustion air, burner
operation, excess air, flame characteristics, draft, forced and induced draft, combustion
products, and burner safety controls.
6. Boiler Water Treatment and Feedwater Systems — Scale, corrosion, dissolved solids, pH,
alkalinity, chemical treatment, deaeration, condensate return, feedwater pumps, water level
control, and blowdown.
7. Steam Distribution and Condensate Systems — Steam mains, pressure reduction, traps,
separators, expansion, water hammer, condensate return, heat exchangers, and steam-system
operation.
8. Boiler Safety and Emergency Procedures — Low water, high pressure, flame failure, gas leaks,
unsafe conditions, relief devices, lockout/tagout, personal protection, emergency shutdown,
and safe boiler-room practices.
9. Maintenance, Inspection, Troubleshooting, and Records — Boiler inspection, cleaning, scale
removal, soot removal, leakage, abnormal readings, preventive maintenance, logbooks, testing,
and troubleshooting.
10. Chicago Licensing, Codes, and Operator Responsibilities — Chicago stationary-engineer
licensing requirements, operation of regulated equipment, examination requirements, license
term, enforcement, and responsibilities of the licensed operator. Current Chicago rules state
that the stationary engineer license is valid for two years. (American Legal Publishing)
, Page 2 of 144
1.
A boiler operator notices that the water level is slowly falling while steam demand remains normal.
What should the operator check first?
A. Increase burner firing immediately
B. Check the feedwater system and water-level controls
C. Open the safety valve manually
D. Close the main steam valve
Answer: B
Rationale: A falling water level may indicate inadequate feedwater, a feed pump problem, or a control
problem. The feedwater system should be checked first.
2.
Which boiler type normally has hot combustion gases flowing through tubes while water surrounds
those tubes inside the boiler?
A. Water-tube boiler
B. Fire-tube boiler
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C. Electric boiler
D. Flash boiler
Answer: B
Rationale: In a fire-tube boiler, hot combustion gases pass through tubes surrounded by boiler water.
3.
Why is maintaining the correct boiler water level especially important during normal high-pressure
boiler operation?
A. It prevents the burner from producing steam
B. It protects heating surfaces from becoming exposed to overheating
C. It increases the amount of dissolved solids
D. It prevents all condensate from returning
Answer: B
Rationale: If water becomes too low, heating surfaces can become exposed and overheat, creating a
serious boiler safety hazard.
4.
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What is the primary purpose of a boiler safety valve when operating pressure rises above its allowable
setting?
A. Increase feedwater temperature
B. Automatically release steam and protect against excessive pressure
C. Increase burner efficiency
D. Remove dissolved solids
Answer: B
Rationale: A safety valve automatically relieves excess pressure to protect the boiler from dangerous
overpressure.
5.
A stationary engineer sees the boiler pressure increasing rapidly toward the safety-valve setting. What is
the safest immediate response?
A. Ignore the pressure because the safety valve will always work
B. Reduce or stop firing and determine why pressure is increasing
C. Close the safety valve
D. Increase the feedwater temperature
Chicago Stationary Engineer (Boiler) Exam
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
Chicago Stationary Engineer (Boiler) Exam
10 MOST-TESTED EXAM COVERAGE AREAS
1. Boiler Types and Construction — Fire-tube and water-tube boilers, cast-iron boilers, electric
boilers, package boilers, boiler components, pressure vessels, tubes, drums, headers, furnaces,
refractory, and basic boiler construction.
2. Boiler Operation and Startup/Shutdown — Safe startup, firing sequence, warm-up, operating
pressure, water level, normal shutdown, emergency shutdown, blowdown, low-water
conditions, and operator responsibilities.
3. Steam and Water Principles — Steam generation, saturation, superheat, pressure-temperature
relationships, latent heat, sensible heat, condensate, feedwater, boiler horsepower, and basic
thermodynamic principles.
4. Boiler Fittings and Accessories — Safety valves, water columns, gauges, low-water cutoffs,
feedwater regulators, check valves, stop valves, blowdown valves, steam traps, and other
required operating devices.
5. Combustion, Fuels, Burners, and Draft — Natural gas, fuel oil, combustion air, burner
operation, excess air, flame characteristics, draft, forced and induced draft, combustion
products, and burner safety controls.
6. Boiler Water Treatment and Feedwater Systems — Scale, corrosion, dissolved solids, pH,
alkalinity, chemical treatment, deaeration, condensate return, feedwater pumps, water level
control, and blowdown.
7. Steam Distribution and Condensate Systems — Steam mains, pressure reduction, traps,
separators, expansion, water hammer, condensate return, heat exchangers, and steam-system
operation.
8. Boiler Safety and Emergency Procedures — Low water, high pressure, flame failure, gas leaks,
unsafe conditions, relief devices, lockout/tagout, personal protection, emergency shutdown,
and safe boiler-room practices.
9. Maintenance, Inspection, Troubleshooting, and Records — Boiler inspection, cleaning, scale
removal, soot removal, leakage, abnormal readings, preventive maintenance, logbooks, testing,
and troubleshooting.
10. Chicago Licensing, Codes, and Operator Responsibilities — Chicago stationary-engineer
licensing requirements, operation of regulated equipment, examination requirements, license
term, enforcement, and responsibilities of the licensed operator. Current Chicago rules state
that the stationary engineer license is valid for two years. (American Legal Publishing)
, Page 2 of 144
1.
A boiler operator notices that the water level is slowly falling while steam demand remains normal.
What should the operator check first?
A. Increase burner firing immediately
B. Check the feedwater system and water-level controls
C. Open the safety valve manually
D. Close the main steam valve
Answer: B
Rationale: A falling water level may indicate inadequate feedwater, a feed pump problem, or a control
problem. The feedwater system should be checked first.
2.
Which boiler type normally has hot combustion gases flowing through tubes while water surrounds
those tubes inside the boiler?
A. Water-tube boiler
B. Fire-tube boiler
, Page 3 of 144
C. Electric boiler
D. Flash boiler
Answer: B
Rationale: In a fire-tube boiler, hot combustion gases pass through tubes surrounded by boiler water.
3.
Why is maintaining the correct boiler water level especially important during normal high-pressure
boiler operation?
A. It prevents the burner from producing steam
B. It protects heating surfaces from becoming exposed to overheating
C. It increases the amount of dissolved solids
D. It prevents all condensate from returning
Answer: B
Rationale: If water becomes too low, heating surfaces can become exposed and overheat, creating a
serious boiler safety hazard.
4.
, Page 4 of 144
What is the primary purpose of a boiler safety valve when operating pressure rises above its allowable
setting?
A. Increase feedwater temperature
B. Automatically release steam and protect against excessive pressure
C. Increase burner efficiency
D. Remove dissolved solids
Answer: B
Rationale: A safety valve automatically relieves excess pressure to protect the boiler from dangerous
overpressure.
5.
A stationary engineer sees the boiler pressure increasing rapidly toward the safety-valve setting. What is
the safest immediate response?
A. Ignore the pressure because the safety valve will always work
B. Reduce or stop firing and determine why pressure is increasing
C. Close the safety valve
D. Increase the feedwater temperature
