1964 Kewanee Scotch Marine Boiler

Year Made: 1964
Type: Scotch Marine
Fuel: Natural Gas
Ignition System: Honeywell combustion control; optical flame scanner
Rated Output: 4,948 MBTU/hr (likely between 125-150 BHP)
Location: Panhellenic Hall, University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, Mo.)
Status: Operational

I photographed this boiler as part of a “boiler room tour” I conducted along with one of the university boiler technicians in April 2019 for my previous job with The Muleskinner, our campus newspaper. While no story was completed on the boilers (contrary to my plan), I was able to get a “behind-the-scenes” look at the HVAC systems on campus. (The boiler tech was informative, telling me about the ancient boilers that used to be housed in a central heating plant that was demolished around 2008 to make space for a new parking lot.)

Two Kewanee boilers are installed in Panhellenic Hall, a residence hall for sororities. They are the only Kewanee boilers installed on campus. The one on this page is used for “perimeter heating” during the winter, which supplements the heat produced by several York roof-top package units. The second boiler, a 1966 Kewanee Type M, is used for heating potable water in the summer while the one on this page is in lay-up.

As with all boilers on campus, they are interfaced with a computerized central control system that allows for efficient operation and maximum comfort in the building. This control system also alerts the Facilities, Planning and Operations office of any issues that arise.

This boiler has a retrofitted Industrial Combustion burner fitted to it, which uses a Honeywell combustion control.

According to the boiler tech, “no steam leaves the boiler room.” The low-pressure steam produced by the Kewanee is piped over to nearby tanks, where it heats water that is pumped to radiators located throughout the building or heats potable water for use in the building.

Click on a photo to view a high-resolution version.

The aftermarket Industrial Combustion burner

A view of the boiler’s flame from the view port on the rear.

Special thanks to Tim C., David D., Gene R., and Phillip S. for the tour and information.

The following video depicts the Kewanee Boiler going through a startup sequence, complete with view of the flame from the flame view port on the rear.