A gasket arrangement for a protruding bar of a boiler and a method of operating the gasket arrangement

A method comprising:

• inserting a distal portion of a protruding bar through an opening in a wall of a combustion chamber in a boiler and advancing the distal portion into the combustion chamber;
• positioning a gasket around and on the protruding bar and advancing the gasket to an exterior surface of the wall as the distal portion of the protruding bar is inserted into the opening;
• sealing a gap in the opening between the protruding bar and the wall of the combustion chamber by attaching the gasket to the wall such that the gasket covers the opening;
• and
• detaching the gasket from the wall of the combustion chamber as the protruding bar retracts from the combustion chamber.

A method comprising:

• advancing a distal portion of a protruding bar through an opening in a wall of a combustion chamber of a recovery boiler and into the combustion chamber using a handling device attached to a proximal portion of the protruding bar;
• advancing a gasket towards an exterior surface of the wall of the combustion chamber, wherein the protruding bar extends through an aperture in the gasket and the gasket advances with the protruding bar until the gasket abuts the exterior surface which stops further advancement of the gasket;
• attaching the gasket to the exterior surface such that the gasket substantially covers the opening to form a seal between the protruding bar and the wall;
• continuing the advancement of the distal portion of the protruding bar into the combustion chamber while the gasket abuts the exterior surface of the wall and as the gasket slides relative to the protruding bar;
• retracting, with the handling device, the distal portion of the protruding bar from the combustion chamber, wherein during an initial portion of the traction the gasket remains attached to the exterior surface of the wall and while attached the gasket slides along the retracting protruding bar, and
• detaching the gasket from the exterior surface of the wall by a force applied to the gasket by a protrusion or elbow engaging the gasket, wherein the protrusion or elbow is on the distal portion of the protruding bar and engages the gasket during a subsequent period of the retraction.