Question 465Steam Plants - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is A) force the feed water into the boiler. The pressure in the feed water system must exceed the boiler steam drum pressure in order to force the feed water into the boiler. This ensures that the feed water can overcome the steam pressure in the boiler and enter the steam drum, where it will be heated and converted to steam. The other answer choices are incorrect because: B) is incorrect as the feed water pressure does not need to exceed boiler pressure to remove steam from the steam drum. C) is incorrect as preventing water hammer is not the primary reason for the feed water pressure requirement. D) is incorrect as preventing air leakage is not the main purpose of the feed water pressure exceeding boiler pressure.