TABLE 1

SUGGESTED WATER QUALITY LIMITS

BOILER TYPE: Industrial watertube, high duty, primary fuel fired, drum type
MAKEUP WATER PERCENTAGE: Up to 100% of feedwater
CONDITIONS: Includes superheater, turbine drives, or process restrictions on steam
SATURATED STEAM PURITY TARGET: See footnote
Drum Pressure (psig) 0-300 301-450 541- 601- 751- 901- 1001- 1501-
600 750 900 1000 1500 2000
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) <0.04 <0.04 <0.007 <0.007 <0.007 <0.007 <0.007 <0.007
Total iron (mg/l Fe) 0.1 0.05 0.03 0.025 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.01
Total Copper (mg/l Cu) .05 .025 0.02 0.02 0.015 0.015 0.01 0.01
Total Hardness (mg/l 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.05 None
CaCO3) detected
Ph range @ 25F 7.5-10 7.5-10 7.5-10 7.5-10 7.5-10 8.5-9.5 9.0-9.6 9.0-9.6
Nonvolatile TOC (mg/l C) <1 <1 <0.5 <0.5 <0.5 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2
Oily Matter (mg/l) <1 <1 <0.5 <0.5 <0.5 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2
Silica (mg/l SiO2) 150 90 40 30 20 8 2 1
Total Alkalinity (mg/l <350 <300 <250 <200 <150 <100 Not
CaCO3) specified
Free Hydroxide (mg/l Not None
CaCO3) specifi detectabl
ed e
Unneutralized <3500 <3000 <2500 <2000 <1500 <1000 150 100
Conductivity (mho/cm @
25F)

Source: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Footnote: No values given because steam purity achievable depends on many variables, including boiler water total alkalinity and
specific conductance as well as boiler design, steam drum internals and operating conditions. Since boilers in this category
require relatively high steam purity, operating parameters must be set as low as necessary for the protection of the
superheaters and turbines.

Source: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

 TABLE 2

SUGGESTED WATER QUALITY LIMITS

BOILER TYPE: Industrial watertube, high duty, fossil fuel fired, drum type
MAKEUP WATER PERCENTAGE: Up to 100% of feedwater
CONDITIONS: No superheater, turbine drives, or process restrictions on steam
SATURATED STEAM PURITY TARGET: 1.0 ppm TDS in the steam

Drum Operating Pressure (psig) 0-300 301-600

Dissolved Oxygen before scavenger feed <0.04 <0.04
(mg/l O)
Dissolved Oxygen after scavenger feed <0.007 <0.007
Total iron (mg/l Fe) <0.1 <0.05
Total copper (mg/l Cu) <0.05 <0.025
Total hardness (mg/l CaCO3) <0.5 <0.3
Ph range @ 25F 7.0-10.5 7.0-10.5
Nonvolatile TOC (mg/l C) <1 <1
Oily matter (mg/l) <1 <1
Silica (mg/l SiO2) <150 <90
Total Alkalinity (mg/l CaCO3) <1000 <850
Free Hydroxide alkalinity (mg/l CaCO3) Not specified
Unneutralized conductivity <8000 <6500
(mho/cm @ 25F)
TABLE 3

Source: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

 SUGGESTED WATER QUALITY LIMITS

BOILER TYPE: Industrial firetube, high duty, primary fuel fired

MAKEUP WATER PERCENTAGE: Up to 100% of feedwater
CONDITIONS: No superheater, turbine drives, or process restrictions on steam
SATURATED STEAM PURITY TARGET: 1.0 ppm TDS in the steam

Drum Operating Pressure (psig) 0-300

Dissolved Oxygen before scavenger feed <0.04
(mg/l O)
Dissolved Oxygen after scavenger feed <0.007
Total iron (mg/l Fe) <0.1
Total copper (mg/l Cu) <0.05
Total hardness (mg/l CaCO3) <1.0
Ph range @ 25F 7.0-10.5
Nonvolatile TOC (mg/l C) <10
Oily matter (mg/l) <1
Silica (mg/l SiO2) <150
Total Alkalinity (mg/l CaCO3) <700
Free Hydroxide alkalinity (mg/l CaCO3) Not specified
Unneutralized conductivity <7000
(mho/cm @ 25F)
TABLE 4

RECOMMENDED BOILER WATER LIMITS

AND ASSOCIATED STEAM PURITY

Source: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

 AT STEADY STATE FULL LOAD
FOR DRUM TYPE BOILERS

Drum Pressure Boiler water Boiler water Boiler water Steam purity range
(psig) TDS total alkalinity total suspended (ppm TDS)
(ppm TDS) (ppm as CaCO3) solids
(ppm TSS)
0-300 700-3500 140-700 15 0.2-1.0
301-450 600-3000 120-600 10 0.2-1.0
451-600 500-2500 100-500 8 0.2-1.0
601-750 200-1000 40-200 3 0.1-0.5
751-900 150-750 30-150 2 0.1-0.5
901-1000 125-625 25-125 1 0.1-0.5
1001-1800 100 Dependent on type 1 0.1
of boiler water
chemical treatment
program
1801-2350 50 None 0.1
detected
2351-2600 25 0.05
2601-2900 15 0.05

Source: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers