Alberta Boiler Operator (First Class)
Certification Exam Questions And Correct
Answers With Rationales
1. What is the primary purpose of a boiler's safety valve?
A. To increase boiler efficiency
B. To prevent overpressure and potential explosion
C. To regulate water level
D. To control fuel flow
Safety valves protect the boiler by releasing excess pressure,
preventing catastrophic failure.
2. Which type of boiler is most commonly used in high-pressure
steam applications?
A. Fire-tube boiler
B. Water-tube boiler
C. Electric boiler
D. Atmospheric boiler
Water-tube boilers can handle higher pressures and temperatures,
making them suitable for high-pressure steam.
3. What is the normal operating pressure range for a typical first-
class boiler?
A. 50–100 psi
B. 100–150 psi
C. Up to 1000 psi
, D. 10–50 psi
First-class boilers operate at much higher pressures than lower-
class boilers, often reaching up to 1000 psi.
4. What does the term “superheated steam” refer to?
A. Steam mixed with water droplets
B. Steam at 100°C
C. Steam heated above its saturation temperature
D. Condensed steam
Superheated steam has been heated beyond the boiling point at a
given pressure, preventing condensation in the steam line.
5. Which of the following fuels can be used in industrial boilers?
A. Coal
B. Oil
C. Natural gas
D. All of the above
Boilers are designed to burn multiple fuels depending on design
and availability.
6. What is the purpose of the boiler economizer?
A. To increase fuel consumption
B. To preheat feedwater using flue gases
C. To remove sludge
D. To control steam temperature
Economizers recover heat from flue gases, improving overall boiler
efficiency.
7. What does the term “blowdown” in a boiler refer to?
A. Shutting down the boiler
B. Removing impurities from boiler water
, C. Increasing steam pressure
D. Reheating steam
Blowdown helps maintain water quality by removing dissolved
solids and sediments.
8. Which of the following is a common method of controlling boiler
water level?
A. Safety valve
B. Pressure gauge
C. Float-operated feedwater control
D. Economizer
Float-operated controls automatically adjust feedwater to
maintain the correct water level.
9. What is the primary function of a steam drum in a water-tube
boiler?
A. To heat water
B. To separate steam from water
C. To burn fuel
D. To control pressure
The steam drum separates water from steam and provides a
reservoir for saturated steam.
10. What is the significance of boiler “scale”?
A. It increases heat transfer
B. It reduces heat transfer and can cause overheating
C. It improves water quality
D. It increases efficiency
Scale is a deposit of minerals that insulates metal surfaces,
reducing heat transfer and potentially damaging the boiler.
Certification Exam Questions And Correct
Answers With Rationales
1. What is the primary purpose of a boiler's safety valve?
A. To increase boiler efficiency
B. To prevent overpressure and potential explosion
C. To regulate water level
D. To control fuel flow
Safety valves protect the boiler by releasing excess pressure,
preventing catastrophic failure.
2. Which type of boiler is most commonly used in high-pressure
steam applications?
A. Fire-tube boiler
B. Water-tube boiler
C. Electric boiler
D. Atmospheric boiler
Water-tube boilers can handle higher pressures and temperatures,
making them suitable for high-pressure steam.
3. What is the normal operating pressure range for a typical first-
class boiler?
A. 50–100 psi
B. 100–150 psi
C. Up to 1000 psi
, D. 10–50 psi
First-class boilers operate at much higher pressures than lower-
class boilers, often reaching up to 1000 psi.
4. What does the term “superheated steam” refer to?
A. Steam mixed with water droplets
B. Steam at 100°C
C. Steam heated above its saturation temperature
D. Condensed steam
Superheated steam has been heated beyond the boiling point at a
given pressure, preventing condensation in the steam line.
5. Which of the following fuels can be used in industrial boilers?
A. Coal
B. Oil
C. Natural gas
D. All of the above
Boilers are designed to burn multiple fuels depending on design
and availability.
6. What is the purpose of the boiler economizer?
A. To increase fuel consumption
B. To preheat feedwater using flue gases
C. To remove sludge
D. To control steam temperature
Economizers recover heat from flue gases, improving overall boiler
efficiency.
7. What does the term “blowdown” in a boiler refer to?
A. Shutting down the boiler
B. Removing impurities from boiler water
, C. Increasing steam pressure
D. Reheating steam
Blowdown helps maintain water quality by removing dissolved
solids and sediments.
8. Which of the following is a common method of controlling boiler
water level?
A. Safety valve
B. Pressure gauge
C. Float-operated feedwater control
D. Economizer
Float-operated controls automatically adjust feedwater to
maintain the correct water level.
9. What is the primary function of a steam drum in a water-tube
boiler?
A. To heat water
B. To separate steam from water
C. To burn fuel
D. To control pressure
The steam drum separates water from steam and provides a
reservoir for saturated steam.
10. What is the significance of boiler “scale”?
A. It increases heat transfer
B. It reduces heat transfer and can cause overheating
C. It improves water quality
D. It increases efficiency
Scale is a deposit of minerals that insulates metal surfaces,
reducing heat transfer and potentially damaging the boiler.
