Boiler Overview

Steamisthebasicenergytransfermedium
Usesinclude

Residen7alandcommercialhea7ng
Plantprocesssteam
Plantpowergenera7on
U7lityplantopera7on

Cri7caltotheopera7onoftheboileriswaterpurity
Thecomponentssurroundingatypicalboilersystem
includethefollowing:
Pretreatment(ionexchange,ltra7on)
Dearator(combinedwithcondensatereturn)
Economizer(heatreuse)
Steammanagementequipment(headers,traps)

Pretreatment
Preparethewatertobeboiled

Calciumandmagnesiumsaltsaremost
insolubleinthehoHestareas

Goalofpretreatment

Minimizewateruseorwastage
Minimizechemicaluseandreduceoverallcosts

Commonmethods

SoLeningexchangehardnessforlessharmfulion
LimesoLeningprecipitatehardness
Filtra7onremovesolids
Demineraliza7onexchangeallionsforH+&OH
Reverseosmosisremoveallionstoconcentrate

Softening
Removeshardnessinexchangeforsodium
[Ca&Mg]*[SO42Cl2HCO3]

ZeoliteSoLener

Na*Resin

[Na2SO42NaCl2HCO3]

Ca/Mg*Resin

RegeneratesoLenerwithsodiumchloride
Hardnessproblemsandconsequences

Ironfouling,organicfouling,poorregenera7on,poorcontrol,
damagedinternals
Increaseddeposi7oninboiler,lossofheattransfer

Deaeration
BasedonDaltonsandHenrysLawsofgassolubility
inwaterrela7ngtopressureandtemperature.

Deaeration
Toomuchoxygenintheboilercausesrust

4Fe3O4(magne7te)+O26Fe2O3(hema7te)

Canremovethisoxygenmechanicallyorchemically
Mechanically
Increasetemperaturedrivingooxygen
Increasesurfaceareaofwaterdrivingooxygen
Chemically
Sultereactswithoxygentomakesulfateinwater
Organicacid,hydrazine,DEHA,hydroquinone

Combina7onofmechanicalandchemicalmeans
istypical

Boiler System
Firetubeboilers

Combus7ontakesplaceinsidetubes
Wateronshellside,mustkeepimpuri7esfrom
s7ckingtotheoutsideofthecombus7ontubes
MudgravityseHlestoboHomtobeblowndown,withsteam
outthetopofthevessel
Commonpackagedsystems

Watertubeboilers

Waterontubeside,tubesconsistofrisersanddowncomers.
Steamisontopinthesteamdrum,withdepositscollectedin
boHommuddrum
Severalshapesandsizesexist
Inspec7on

Water Treatment Programs

Inaboiler,mineralcontentinthe
remainingboilerwaterisconcentrated;
ionsdonotevaporate
Cyclesofconcentra7on
Internalboilerwatertreatmentprograms

Precipita7ngprograms
Phosphatebasedprograms
(10Ca2+6PO42+2OHCa10(OH)2(PO4)6)
Analy7caltes7ngproceduresandreview

Solubilizingprograms

Allpolymerdispersantprograms
Analy7caltes7ngproceduresandreview
Chelantprograms
Analy7caltes7ngproceduresandreview

Condense Treatment
Oncesteamisused,itiscondensed
andreturnedtothefeedwatersystem

ThemorereturnedthebeHer
Savingsinmakeupwater,becausefeedwateris
composedofmakeupandcondensatereturn
Savingsinheat,withcondensateabout140degrees
hoHerthanmakeup,sofor1lbofwater,ittakes140BTU
ofenergytogetmakeuptoanequivalenttemperature

Thecarbondioxideinsteamcondensesandcanform
carbonicacid,unlesspHiscontrolled
Neutralizingamines

Theycondenseinselec7veloca7ons
inthecondensatesystem(near,intermediate,andfar)

Testing Methods
Analysisofimpuri7espresentinwater
Repor7ngquan77es

Explana7onofpartspermillion

Titra7ons

Alkalinity,sulte,hardnessandchlorides

ColorimetricTests

Phosphate,molybdates

Onlineinstrumentaltests

TDS/conduc7vitymeasurement/pH
Forsurfaceblowdown
andcondensate

Test Procedures
HardnessTestSoLener&Condensate
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Measure100mLofsample
Add2brassdipperfulofHardnessBuerReagent(Code291)
ands7r
Add1brassdipperfulofHardnessIndicatorReagent
(Code290)ands7r.Ifsampleisblue,thewaterissoL
AddHardnessTitra7ngSolu7ondropbydropun7lcolor
turnsblue
Mul7plybureHereadingby10todeterminepartspermillion
totalhardness
Controlatlessthan1.0ppm

Test Procedures
SulteTestBoilerWater
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.
6.

Measure50mLofsample
Add4dropsofPhenolphthaleinIndicator(Code212)
Add1plas7cdipperfulofSulteIndicator(Code219)ata
7meands7rbetweeneachaddi7on.Con7nueaddi7onun7l
redcolordisappears,thenaddoneaddi7onaldipperful
SlowlyaddPotassiumIodideIodatesolu7on(Code237).
S7rconstantlyun7lafaintpermanentbluecolordevelops
Mul7plybureHereadingby10todeterminepartsper
millionsulte.
Controlat3060ppmsulte

Test Procedures
NeutralizedConduc7vityBoilerWater
1.
2.
3.

To50mLboilerwater,add1mLofLiquidConduc7vity
Reagent(Code944)ata7meandswirltomixun7lcolorless
Measureconduc7vityonMyronconduc7vitymeter
Controlat40005000umhos

Test Procedures
OrthophosphateBoilerWater
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Add5mLoflteredsampletomixingtube(Code152)
AddMolybdateReagent(Code236)tosecondmark(15mL)
Stopperandmix.AddonebrassdipperfulofStannous
Reagent(Code239),stopperandmixwell
Placemixingtubeinviewingcompartment,compare,
andrecordresult
Controlat3060ppmphosphate

Test Procedures
HydroxylAlkalinityBoilerWater
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Fillmixingcylinderto25mLmarkwithboilerwater
Add1mLbariumchloridesolu7on,swirltomix
Add2dropsPhenolphthaleinindicator,swirltomix
Addsulfuricacidreagentonedropata7me,un7lcolor
changesfrompinktoclear
Mul7plynumberofdrops7mes50
Controlat200400ppm(48drops)hydroxylalkalinity

pHCondensate
1.

UsepHmeter,controlatpH8.28.8

Safety Precautions
Handlingboilerwatertreatmentchemicals
Samplingsteamgenera7ngsystems

Boilerwatersampling
Highpuritysteamsampling
Samplingquillexplana7on
Condensatesampling
Coolingcoilexplana7onanddiscussion

Boilerhousesafetyconcerns
Analy7caltes7ngprecau7ons
Reagenthandling
Handlingprecau7ons

Review Quiz
Whydoweworryabouthardness(calciumand
magnesium)intheboiler?
Whatarethetwowaysthathardnessismanaged
(inmakeupandboilerwater)?
Whateectdoesoxygenhaveontheboiler?
Ifmakeupcalciumis1ppm,andtheboileris
runningat20cyclesofconcentra7on,howmany
ppmcalciumisintheboilerwater?
Whattwopiecesofsafetyequipmentshouldyou
havewhenhandlingchemicals?