Louisiana (New Orleans)
Second Class Stationary Boiler Engineer
Exam Reference: 661-LA 661
Questions and Answers
,Section 1: Boiler Fundamentals & Types
Q1. What is the basic definition of a boiler?
A. A closed vessel that heats water for drinking
B. A closed vessel in which water is heated, steam is generated, or steam
is superheated under pressure for use external to itself
C. Any tank that stores hot water
D. A pressure vessel used only to store compressed air
Answer: B
Rationale: The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code defines a boiler as a
closed vessel in which water or another fluid is heated, steam or vapor is
generated, or steam is superheated, under pressure or vacuum, for use
external to itself.
Q2. In a fire-tube boiler, how do the hot combustion gases and water
relate to the tubes?
A. Water flows inside the tubes while hot gases surround them
B. Hot gases flow through the tubes while water surrounds the tubes in a
shell
C. Both water and gases flow through the same tubes simultaneously
D. There are no tubes in a fire-tube boiler
Answer: B
Rationale: In fire-tube (shell) boilers, the products of combustion pass
through tubes that are submerged in water contained within a shell,
transferring heat to the surrounding water.
Q3. In a water-tube boiler, how do water and combustion gases relate to
the tubes?
A. Water circulates inside the tubes while hot gases pass around the
outside of the tubes
B. Hot gases flow inside the tubes while water surrounds them
C. Water-tube boilers have no drums
D. There is no difference from a fire-tube design
Answer: A
,Rationale: Water-tube boilers circulate water (and steam) inside the tubes,
with the furnace gases passing around the outside of the tube bundle,
generally allowing higher pressures and capacities than fire-tube designs.
Q4. Which boiler type is generally preferred for high-pressure,
high-capacity industrial and utility service?
A. Fire-tube boiler
B. Water-tube boiler
C. Cast-iron sectional boiler
D. Electric resistance boiler
Answer: B
Rationale: Water-tube boilers can be built with smaller-diameter tubes that
better withstand high pressure and allow rapid steam generation, making
them the standard choice for high-pressure, high-output applications.
Q5. What term describes the amount of heating surface required to
produce 34.5 lbs of steam per hour from and at 212 degrees F, and is
used to rate boiler output?
A. Boiler efficiency
B. Boiler horsepower
C. Heating value
D. Draft loss
Answer: B
Rationale: One boiler horsepower is defined as the evaporation of 34.5
pounds of water per hour from and at 212 degrees F, equivalent to about
33,475 Btu/hr, and is a standard rating unit for boiler capacity.
Q6. What is meant by the 'heating surface' of a boiler?
A. The exterior insulated surface of the boiler jacket
B. The surface area of metal exposed to hot gases on one side and
water/steam on the other, through which heat is transferred
C. Only the surface of the furnace floor
D. The area of the safety valve seat
Answer: B
, Rationale: Heating surface is the area of boiler metal in contact with
combustion gases on one side and water or steam on the other, and it is the
medium through which heat transfer occurs.
Q7. What is a 'package boiler'?
A. A boiler shipped in pieces requiring on-site assembly of the pressure
vessel
B. A shop-assembled boiler unit complete with burner, controls, and trim,
shipped as a single unit ready for installation
C. A boiler used only for space heating with no burner
D. Any boiler under 15 psi
Answer: B
Rationale: A package boiler is factory-assembled as a complete unit,
including the pressure vessel, burner, and controls, minimizing field erection
work compared to field-erected boilers.
Q8. What distinguishes a 'high-pressure' boiler from a 'low-pressure'
heating boiler under most codes?
A. High-pressure boilers operate above 15 psig steam pressure (or above
160 psig/250 F for hot water); low-pressure heating boilers operate at or
below these limits
B. There is no regulatory distinction
C. Low-pressure boilers are always fire-tube type
D. High-pressure boilers cannot use natural gas
Answer: A
Rationale: Codes such as ASME Section IV (heating boilers) generally cap
low-pressure steam boilers at 15 psig and low-pressure hot water boilers at
160 psig/250 F; anything above these thresholds falls under high-pressure
boiler rules (ASME Section I).
Q9. What is the primary function of the boiler drum (steam drum) in a
water-tube boiler?
A. To burn fuel
Second Class Stationary Boiler Engineer
Exam Reference: 661-LA 661
Questions and Answers
,Section 1: Boiler Fundamentals & Types
Q1. What is the basic definition of a boiler?
A. A closed vessel that heats water for drinking
B. A closed vessel in which water is heated, steam is generated, or steam
is superheated under pressure for use external to itself
C. Any tank that stores hot water
D. A pressure vessel used only to store compressed air
Answer: B
Rationale: The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code defines a boiler as a
closed vessel in which water or another fluid is heated, steam or vapor is
generated, or steam is superheated, under pressure or vacuum, for use
external to itself.
Q2. In a fire-tube boiler, how do the hot combustion gases and water
relate to the tubes?
A. Water flows inside the tubes while hot gases surround them
B. Hot gases flow through the tubes while water surrounds the tubes in a
shell
C. Both water and gases flow through the same tubes simultaneously
D. There are no tubes in a fire-tube boiler
Answer: B
Rationale: In fire-tube (shell) boilers, the products of combustion pass
through tubes that are submerged in water contained within a shell,
transferring heat to the surrounding water.
Q3. In a water-tube boiler, how do water and combustion gases relate to
the tubes?
A. Water circulates inside the tubes while hot gases pass around the
outside of the tubes
B. Hot gases flow inside the tubes while water surrounds them
C. Water-tube boilers have no drums
D. There is no difference from a fire-tube design
Answer: A
,Rationale: Water-tube boilers circulate water (and steam) inside the tubes,
with the furnace gases passing around the outside of the tube bundle,
generally allowing higher pressures and capacities than fire-tube designs.
Q4. Which boiler type is generally preferred for high-pressure,
high-capacity industrial and utility service?
A. Fire-tube boiler
B. Water-tube boiler
C. Cast-iron sectional boiler
D. Electric resistance boiler
Answer: B
Rationale: Water-tube boilers can be built with smaller-diameter tubes that
better withstand high pressure and allow rapid steam generation, making
them the standard choice for high-pressure, high-output applications.
Q5. What term describes the amount of heating surface required to
produce 34.5 lbs of steam per hour from and at 212 degrees F, and is
used to rate boiler output?
A. Boiler efficiency
B. Boiler horsepower
C. Heating value
D. Draft loss
Answer: B
Rationale: One boiler horsepower is defined as the evaporation of 34.5
pounds of water per hour from and at 212 degrees F, equivalent to about
33,475 Btu/hr, and is a standard rating unit for boiler capacity.
Q6. What is meant by the 'heating surface' of a boiler?
A. The exterior insulated surface of the boiler jacket
B. The surface area of metal exposed to hot gases on one side and
water/steam on the other, through which heat is transferred
C. Only the surface of the furnace floor
D. The area of the safety valve seat
Answer: B
, Rationale: Heating surface is the area of boiler metal in contact with
combustion gases on one side and water or steam on the other, and it is the
medium through which heat transfer occurs.
Q7. What is a 'package boiler'?
A. A boiler shipped in pieces requiring on-site assembly of the pressure
vessel
B. A shop-assembled boiler unit complete with burner, controls, and trim,
shipped as a single unit ready for installation
C. A boiler used only for space heating with no burner
D. Any boiler under 15 psi
Answer: B
Rationale: A package boiler is factory-assembled as a complete unit,
including the pressure vessel, burner, and controls, minimizing field erection
work compared to field-erected boilers.
Q8. What distinguishes a 'high-pressure' boiler from a 'low-pressure'
heating boiler under most codes?
A. High-pressure boilers operate above 15 psig steam pressure (or above
160 psig/250 F for hot water); low-pressure heating boilers operate at or
below these limits
B. There is no regulatory distinction
C. Low-pressure boilers are always fire-tube type
D. High-pressure boilers cannot use natural gas
Answer: A
Rationale: Codes such as ASME Section IV (heating boilers) generally cap
low-pressure steam boilers at 15 psig and low-pressure hot water boilers at
160 psig/250 F; anything above these thresholds falls under high-pressure
boiler rules (ASME Section I).
Q9. What is the primary function of the boiler drum (steam drum) in a
water-tube boiler?
A. To burn fuel
