(a) Where corrugated or plain furnaces or flues are distorted by 11⁄2 inches or more, they shall be repaired by either of the following methods:

(1) The furnace shall be forced back to a true circular shape, and the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, may require strongbacks or other acceptable means of support to hold the furnace from future collapse, if in his opinion such support is necessary; or,

(2) The furnace shall be adequately stayed as found necessary in the judgment of the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

(b) Distortion means the difference between any single measured diameter of the furnace and the diameter of a true circle at the same location. The diameter of the true circle may be taken as the original furnace diameter or may be determined by a means acceptable to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

(c) Where the distortion does not exceed 11⁄2 inches it will not be necessary to force the furnace back to a true circle if the allowable pressure is reduced in the ratio of 11⁄2 percent for each one-tenth of an inch of distortion. However, if the maximum distortion does not exceed 1 inch and the length of the distorted area is not more than three corrugations, or, if the maximum distortion does not exceed three-fourths inch for a length greater than three corrugations of distorted area, the repairs or reduction in pressure will not be required unless considered necessary by the marine inspector.

(d) When it becomes necessary to rivet a patch to a furnace or other part of the heating surface, the riveted patch shall be placed on the waterside of the plate in order not to form a pocket in which sediment may collect.

(e) Furnace crowns which have become distorted, not in excess of the limitations provided in paragraph (c) of this section, may be repaired by pumping back the distorted section to as nearly a true circle as possible and reinforcing the same by means of a ring, arc- or gas-welded to the distorted corrugation as shown in Figure 59.15-1, the welding to be done by welders and welding processors qualified in accordance with part 57 of this subchapter using acceptable welding electrodes in accordance with §57.02-4 of this subchapter.

Figure 59.15-1—Approved method of reinforcing furnaces by means of arc or gas welding