Question 30 UFIV01 - Chief Engineer - UFIV

The Correct Answer is A **Why Option A is Correct:** Try-cocks (or gauge cocks) are small valves installed directly into the boiler shell or water column at specific levels. They are typically positioned just above the normal operating water level, at the normal operating water level, and just below the lowest permissible water level. When opened, they indicate the status at that specific elevation—if steam comes out, the level is below that point; if water comes out, the level is above that point. Their primary and crucial function is to provide an essential, secondary, and highly reliable method for verifying the boiler's actual water level in case the primary indicator (the gauge glass) becomes broken, fouled, or otherwise unreliable. **Why Other Options are Incorrect:** * **B) provide a means of adding chemical feed to the boiler water:** Chemical feed is introduced into the boiler system via dedicated chemical injection pumps and injection points, often located on the feedwater line or directly on the boiler drum, not through the try-cocks. Try-cocks are strictly for level indication. * **C) provide a means for blowing down the gage glass:** The gauge glass has its own dedicated blowdown valve (often part of the water column assembly) specifically designed for flushing the glass and its piping to ensure accurate reading. Try-cocks are separate from the gauge glass assembly. * **D) act as a steam sentinel valve, if any of the fusible plugs should melt:** Fusible plugs are safety devices designed to melt when the water level drops too low, releasing steam into the furnace to warn operators of the dangerous condition and potentially dampening the fire. Try-cocks have no function related to preventing overheating or acting as a relief valve (sentinel or otherwise).