SNPIT&RC,

UMRAKH

M. E. [CONSTRUCTION
ENGINEERING &
MANAGEMENT]
YEAR I (SEMESTER II)
ENERGY ECONOMICS MANAGEMENT

BOILER WATER
TREATMENT
PREPARED BY : PATEL TARUN
(140490714006)
PATEL JATIN
(140490714014)

GUJARAT
TECHNOLOGIC
AL UNIVERSITY

CONTENT
2

INTRODUCTION

BOILER FEEDWATER

WATER FOR BOILERS

TREATMENT METHODS

IMPURITIES IN WATER AND ITS EFFECT ON

BOILER

INTRODUCTION
3

Twenty to thirty years ago or longer, internal boiler feed water treatment chemicals
(soda ash, starch, tannin, etc.) were applied directly to the boiler and the boiler
itself was used as a softener. In these low heat release boilers, scale formation was
reduced to a sufficient degree that relatively trouble-free operation resulted.

The modern boiler, with water walls and smaller diameter tubes, employs higher
heat transfer rates and is not designed for handling feed waters of high suspended
solids content. Therefore, high quality make-up water of minimum hardness,
suspended matter, and dissolved mineral content is required for efficient operation
and minimum maintenance.

BOILER FEEDWATER
4

A boiler's efficiency is directly related to the quality of its feed water. The feed
water system refers to de aerator, feed water pumps, and the piping to the boiler.

Feed water is water added to a boiler to replace evaporation and blow down.
Feed water composition therefore depends on the quality of the make-up water and
the amount of condensate returned.

Before water enters the boiler, oxygen must be removed or corrosion can occur
throughout the boiler system, forming pits that eat away at the metal. Resulting
leaks could lead to a blown boiler tube and ultimately could cause a power plant
shutdown.

WATER FOR BOILERS

5

All natural waters contain varying amounts of suspended and dissolved

solids as well as dissolved gases (O2, CO2)

The type and amount of impurities in fresh water vary with the source
(lake, river, well)

Impurities in water are of importance when water is to be used for steam

generation.

For higher-pressure boilers, feedwater must be pretreated to remove

impurities

TREATMENT METHODS
6

External Treatment

Internal Treatment

EXTERNAL METHODS OF CONDITIONING

7

Clarification

Filtration

Ion exchange

Membrane separation

CLARIFICATION
8

Removes all types of solids & large particles sediments, oil, natural org. matter,
colour etc.

Consists of 4 steps screening, coagulation-flocculation, sedimentation, fine

filtration.

Screening protects downstream units from large, easily separable objects.

Three types:

Fine screening (spacing < 10 mm)

Medium screening (spacing 10 40 mm)

Coarse screening (spacing > 40 mm)

Coagulation-flocculation removes suspended solids & colloidal particles.

CLARIFICATION (CONTD.)
9

Important factors velocity gradient, time, pH

Flotation to separate particles having density lesser than water.

Three types:

Natural

Aided

Induced

Induced flotation facilitated through bubbling of air; 2 types :

Dissolved air flotation (DAF) (bubbles of 40 70 mm)

Mechanical flotation (bubbles of 0.2 2 mm)

FILTRATION
10

Separates un dissolved solids from water by means of a filter - porous

substance, membrane or permeable fabric.

Three types of filtration:

Micro filtration (pore size 0.1 10 m)

Ultra filtration (pore size 1-100nm)

Nano filtration (pore size < 1 nm)

Micro filtration removes bacteria; used for biological wastewater treatment,
effluent treatment, separation of oil-water emulsions.

Ultra filtration - separation of suspended solids, colloids, bacteria, virus.

ION EXCHANGE
11

Resins - acidic/basic radicals with ions fixed on them; exchanged with ions present in
water.

Theoretically removes 100 % of salts; does not remove organics, virus or bacteria.

2 types of resins gel type (microporous) and macroporous or loosely cross-linked

type.

3 systems of resin beds:

Strong acid cation + Strong base anion

Strong acid cation + weak base anion + Strong base anion

Mixed-bed Deionization

Ion exchange plant softens water, removes heavy metals, produces demineralized
water.

ELECTRODIONIZATION
12

Combines membrane separation and ion-exchange to provide

high efficiency demineralization process.

Electric potential transports & segregates charged aqueous

species.

Electric current continuously regenerates resin; no need for

periodical regeneration.

Deionization chamber - ion exchange resin, packed between

cationic & anionic exchange membranes.

INTERNAL TREATMENT METHODS

13

Deaerators:

Dissolved non-condensibles: O2 and CO2

Pitting and corrosion

Mechanical deaeration: reducing solubility of gases

Increased temperature

Decreased partial pressure over the water

Commonly used purge gas: steam

Advantages:

No added impurities

Easily available

Also provides heat

Pressure/Vacuum operation, ~98% of total and free is removed

Coupled with chemical scavengers for complete deaeration

IMPURITIES IN WATER AND ITS EFFECT

ON BOILER
14

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY IMPURITIES IN

THE FEED WATER
15

Scaling

Water Hardness is the primary source of scale in boiler

equipment, Calcium and Magnesium are main cause of
hardness in water

Silica in boiler feedwater can also cause hard dense scale with
a high resistance to heat transfer.

BOILER SCALE ON WATER SIDE

16

FAILED TUBES SHOWING SIGNS OF BOTH

CORROSION FAILURE AND OVERHEATING
17

CORROSION
18

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide cause corrosion

The carbon dioxide by dissolving in the water and
forming a weak carbonic acid which attacks the metal
in boiler

Oxygen is present in water reacts with Iron to form red

iron oxide

Corrosion reduces the thickness of the steam pipe metal

CORROSION CONTROL
19

Oxygen control: during operation

Chemical Scavengers added to feed water and condensate

Sodium sulfite, bi sulfite, hydrazine

ionone, acerbate

Common entry: between de aerator and storage

Sodium sulfite : easy to handle, safe, for pressures of < 70 bar, solid
addition to system, decomposition to corrosive gases

Hydrazine : no solid addition, high pressures, but toxic, handling

issues, Ammonia liberation, slower reaction

Constant sampling and monitoring

CORROSION CONTROL (CONTD.)

20

Control: downtime and storage

Oxygen in-leakage and pH lowering

Dry storage: long downtime, month or more

Completely dried

Applied de secants like quicklime, silica gel, activated alumina

Wet storage: short downtime

Cleaning, inspection and filling with de aerated feed water

Addition of scavenger, heat addition

DEPOSITS
21

Scaling/deposition from carryover

Carbonate/Phosphate control

Addition of certain amounts of carbonate/phosphate for ensuring precipitate in the form

of salts. Prevention of Sulphates

For removal of hardness, Ca and Mg

Precipitation in bulk instead of at walls, non-adherent

Organic supplements: fluid sludge formation (polymer addition)

Bottom blow down removes sludge

Chelan control

Combination of additives

Blow down

22

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