Boiler Water Management

Water Characteristics and Quality

 Fundamental Mission of Boiler
Power House Management

Reliable production of steam

• continuous & quality steam (no unplanned outages)
Safe production of steam
• no injuries. no loss of capital equipment
• Food safety: FDA. Kosher
Protect the capital investment
• minimize corrosion and scaling
Environmental/Regulatory Compliance
Cost effective operation
• efficient as possible
 Water characteristics and quality
Characteristics

pH important parameter (acidity.

alkalinity)
Hardness combination of Ca and Mg
Conductivity uS/cm (relationship with dissolved
solids)
Total Dissolved Solids amount of dissolved ions (mg/l)
Alkalinity amount of buffering
p-alkalinity titration until pH=8.3
m-alkalinity total alkalinity (pH=4.3)
Total Suspended Solids everything that is not dissolved and
can be filtered out
 Water characteristics and quality
Impurities

Cations
Sodium Na+
Potassium K+
Calcium Ca2+
Magnesium Mg2+
MINERALS AIR EARTH
Ammonium NH4+
Iron Fe2+
Manganese Mn2+

Anions
Bicarbonate HCO3- Cations Oxygen Clay
Chloride Cl- Anions Carbon Monoxide Silt
Sulphate SO42-
Nitrate NO3-
Carbon Dioxide Sand
Silicate HSiO3-

a. Dissolved solids b. Dissolved gases c. Suspended matter

 Water characteristics and quality
pH Scale

ACIDIC BASIC

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

pH
Hydrogen Ions (H+) decrease pH; Hydroxyl (OH-) increase pH
 Water Characteristics and quality
Three battles

Presence of troublesome water components

requires
• Deposition Control
– Preventing overheat failures resulting from
waterside deposition
• Corrosion Control
– Maintaining materials of construction. dealing with
general and localized corrosion mechanisms
• Steam Purity
– Preventing carryover of boiler water salts into
steam phase
Deposition
 Deposition
What is

• Result of insolubility of inorganic scale formers

– Hardness Based Deposits
– Metal Oxide Based Deposits
• Can occur as a result of contaminated condensate or
feedwater components
– Unlikely with demineralized makeup water
– Good pretreatment may limit deposition potential
• Develops at areas of highest heat input
• Issue becomes more critical as boiler pressure goes up
 Deposition
Problems caused

Loss of Boiler Efficiency

• Scale reduces heat transfer
• Increased fuel/energy consumption
Boiler Tube Failure
• Scale elevates tube temperature - causing tube
overheating
• Partial destroyed boiler sections and even boiler
explosion due to overheating of tube metal over
critical temperature for steel
Under-deposit Corrosion
• Caused by high localized concentration of corrosive
molecules
 Deposition
Efficiency reduction

20

Efficiency Loss in %
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.4

2.8

3.2

4.4

4.8
3.6
0

4
Deposit in mm

Water tube boiler, 95 % of Scale CaCO3. No heat recovery

20 bar [290 psi], 11.3 ton/h
 Deposition
Increased tube temperature

Boiler tube Boiler tube Deposit Boiler tube Deposit

metal wall metal wall metal wall

Increased
wall T4

Wall T2 Wal T2
T3

Boiler Boiler Boiler

water T1 water T1 water T1
needed

Resulting
boiler
water T0

A B C
Clean internal heat Scaled surface Scaled surface
transfer surface. resulting in lower T0 Fire side T2 is increased
T1 for needed while needed T1 to T4 to reach water T1
steam production T3 is critical for metal
structure
 Deposition
Effect of scale on heat transfer

240 115
120

e)
at
li c
200 te 95

si
Tube metal temperature increase
100 ha

um
o sp
ph

in
um
um

Temperature [°C]
160 si 70

al
80 ne
ag

m
M ide

u
perature[°F]
ox

di
n
iro

o
120 50

(s
c
60 eti
gn

e
Ma te

t
a
sph

ci
p ho

al
An
80 ium
Tem

l c 25
40 Ca

40 5
20

0 0
0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01
Deposit thickness [mm]
 Deposition
Factors

Factors that contribute in waterside deposition:

• Presence of ionic scale formers in feedwater (calcium,
magnesium, barium, strontium, silica, iron)
• Presence of scale formers treatment derived
(phosphate, alkalinity)
• Presence of particulate contaminants
• Interactions with existing deposition
• Heat input
• Flow parameters
• “Microclimates”
• Location in riser circuit
 Deposition
Solubilities

Compound ppm as CaCO3

0 °C [32 °F] 100 °C [212 °F]
Calcium Bicarbonate 1620 Decomposes
Carbonate 15 13
Sulfate 1290 1250

Magnesium Bicarbonate 37.000 Decomposes

Carbonate 101 75
Sulfate 170.000 356.000

Sodium Bicarbonate 30.700 Decomposes

Carbonate 61.400 290.000
Chloride 225.000 243.000
Hydroxide 370.000 970.000
Sulfate 33.600 210.000
 Deposition
Hardness precipitation

• Precipitation of insoluble hardness

– 2 HCO3-  CO32- + CO2+ H2O100%
– CO32- + H2O  CO2 + 2OH- 60 - 80%
– Ca2+ + CO32-  CaCO3  boiler scale

– Mg+2 + OH-  MgOH+

– H2SiO3  H+ + HSiO3-
– MgOH+ + HSiO3-  MgSiO3 + H2O

Scaling & Deposits

Heat transfer limitation • Exceeding saturation through evaporation, resulting in
Boiler tube failure crystallization
– eg. CaSO4.SiO2
 Deposition
Why Hardness is Such an Issue

Most materials
are more soluble
Soluble at increasing
Amount temperature

Ca. Mg. Ba. Sr

solubility decreases at
increasing temperature

Temperature
 Deposition
Boiler deposits

Name Formula

Acmite Na2O·Fe2O3·4SiO2

Analcite Na2O·Al2O3·4SiO2·2H2O

Anhydrite CaSO4

Aragonite CaCO3 (gamma form)

Basic magnesium phosphate Mg3(PO4)2·Mg(OH)2

Brucite Mg(OH)2

Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2

Calcite CaCO3 (beta form)

Copper Cu

Cuprite Cu2O

Ferrous oxide FeO

Goetnite Fe2O3 · H2O (alpha form)

Gypsum CaSO4·2 H2O

Hematite Fe2O3

Hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2

Magnetite Fe3O4

Serpentine (magnesium silicate) 3MgO·SiO2·2 H2O

Sodium ferrous phosphate NaFePO4

Tenorite CuO

Thenardite Na2SO4

Xonotlite 5 CaO·5 SiO2 ·H2O

 Deposition
Silica

• Forms deposits in boilers

• Occurs as magnesium silicate or silicic acid

• Selective silica carryover

– Silica is selectively dissolved into the steam
– Controlled by limiting the silica concentration in the
boiler water
– Controlled by limiting boiler pressure
– Controlled by maintaining high pH
– Cannot be controlled mechanically by steam
separators
• Not usually a problem with boilers with less than 40
bar (600 psig) pressure
 Deposition
Iron scale

Iron is usually found in a boiler as one or more of

the following:
• A complex with calcium
• A complex with phosphate
• Hematite - Fe2O3
• Magnetite - Fe3O4
Corrosion
 Corrosion
What is

Definition
• The deterioration of a material by the interaction with
it’s environment

Impact
• Feedwater piping
• Feedwater heaters
Oxygen corrosion in flame • Economizer
pipe (6 bar boiler)
• Boiler
• Condensate system
•…
 Corrosion
Problems caused

Impact corrosion on boiler reliability

• Premature replacement need of boiler
– boilers should last very long upon correct use
– Water side corrosion should be nihil and not a
factor contributing to the life time of the boiler
• Unscheduled maintenance to boiler or feed water lines
• Unscheduled maintenance to the condensate system
Oxygen corrosion in flame
• Filthy steam and condensate traps can cause leaking
pipe (6 bar boiler) of steam into condensate system due to
malfunctioning valves
 Corrosion
Boiler metal passivation

Natural passivation:
• Formation of a protective barrier on metal surface by
reaction with water
Fe + 2 H2O  Fe(OH)2 + H2
3Fe(OH)2  Fe3O4 + H2 + 2H2O
• Black magnetite film - Fe3O4
• Rate of Magnetite formation is
– Temperature dependent
– Spontaneous above 180 °C (360 °F)
• Reduces general corrosion
• Difficult to quantify results
 Oxygen scavenging
Metal passivation

SHIKORR REACTION

T < 180 °C
• 3 Fe + 6 H2O 3 Fe(OH)2 + 3 H2

• 2 Fe(OH)2 + 2 H2O 2 Fe(OH)3 + H2

• Fe(OH)2 + 2 Fe(OH)3 Fe3O4 + 4 H2O

T > 180 °C
• 3 Fe + 4 H2O Fe3O4 + 4 H2
 Corrosion
Solubility of magnetite in water
 Corrosion
Effect of pH

Do we have a
better
picture ??

Check
advanced
training
series
 Corrosion
Types

Types of Corrosion
• Oxygen corrosion
• Alkalinity concentration
• Caustic corrosion
• Acid corrosion
• Chelant corrosion
• Erosion/Corrosion

Condensate return pipe with

deep attack due to the
combined effect of CO2 and O2
 Corrosion
Oxygen Corrosion

Oxygen. Hydroxide Corrosion products

O2 OH-

Metal ions dissolve

CATHODE ANODE
Electron transport

ANODE: Fe0  Fe+2 + 2e-

Natural Metal Metal ion Metal electrons

CATHODE: 2e- + 1/2 O2 + H2O  2(OH-)

Electrons Oxygen WaterCharged Ion
 Corrosion
Factors Oxygen corrosion

• Can be found throughout the system

• Mechanism same as other oxygen corrosion cells
• Corrosion mechanisms affected by:
– pH
• Minimize corrosion: pH >9.0
– Temperature
• Higher temperatures reduce O2 solubility, but
significantly increase corrosivity
– Dissolved oxygen concentration
• Higher O2 concentrations increase corrosivity
– Fluid velocity
• Enhances effect of other corrodents
• More diffusion - better mass transport
 Corrosion
Oxygen Corrosion

Dissolved oxygen as function of temperature at atmospherical

pressure

 5.5 ppm O2

 2.5 ppm O2

50°C 85°C
(122 °F) (185 °F)
 Corrosion
Oxygen Corrosion

Problems associated with oxygen:

• Crack formation in degassers - deaerator cracking

• Corrosion pits that require immediate remedy to
obtain approval after periodic inspections by
authorities
• Corrosion damage to gray cast iron in feed water
pumps
• Leaking feed water pipes, leaking economisers, pits
and craters in boiler tubes (low pressure boilers)

Oxygen corrosion in
feed water line
 Corrosion
Oxygen Corrosion

Economical impact of oxygen corrosion

• Increased energy consumption
– Oxygen corrosion introduces additional iron and
copper oxides in the water
• Deposition on heated surfaces (limiting heat transfer)
– Increased blowdown due to turbidity water
– Increased conductivity due to addition of oxygen
scavengers (e.g. sulfite) requires increased
Oxygen corrosion in
feed water line (pH blowdown
7.5. 50 °C)
 Corrosion
Caustic Damage

There are two forms of damage caused by caustic

soda to high pressure boilers, namely:
– Caustic corrosion
Do we have a – Caustic embrittlement
picture
Steef??
 Corrosion
Caustic Corrosion

• Two conditions are necessary for caustic corrosion to

occur:
– Presence of a corrosive material in the boiler water
(caustic soda)
Do we have a
– Mechanism for concentrating this material, usually
picture due to deposits
Steef??
• Usually found only in high pressure boilers

Fe3O4  Fe2O3 + FeO (Magnetite dissolution)

Fe2O3 + 2 NaOH  2 NaFeO2 + H2O (soluble)
FeO + 2 NaOH  Na2FeO2 + H2O (soluble)

• Localized in boiler
• Also called crater attack or caustic gouging
• No embrittlement of metal
 Corrosion
Caustic Embrittlement

Steef, kan Embrittlement is a special form of stress corrosion

deze slide cracking
eruit? Zo • Should not be confused with caustic corrosion
nee, do we
have a • Three conditions must be present
picture – Concentrating mechanism present
Steef?
– Metal under high stress
– Must contain silica

• Inhibited by improved fabrication techniques and by

Check last organic and nitrate-based inhibitors
remark!!
Nitrate??!?
 Corrosion
Concentration mechanism

Steam blanketing

Under deposit / concentration to dryness

• Excessive heat input
• Insufficient coolant flow
• Deposits
Elongated gouge caused NaOH
by steam blanketing Magnetite

Steam Out

NaOH
NaOH
Water In
NaOH

Fe3O4 porous deposit

NaOH
 Corrosion
Concentrating Mechanisms

The following conditions can result in dangerously

high localized caustic soda concentrations

• (Porous) metal oxide deposits

• Operation above rated capacity
• Excessive rate of load increase
• Excessive localized heat input
• Localized pressure differentials
• Restrictions in generating tube(s)
 Corrosion
Acid corrosion

Causes of acidity
• Feedwater acid contamination
• Acid leaks from demineralizer, e.g. acid regenerant
• Breakdown of organic materials
• Condenser leaks
– MgCl2 + 2 H2O  Mg(OH)2 + 2 HCl
• Organic chlorides
– R-X + 2 H2O  R-OH + HCl
 Corrosion
Acid corrosion
% Conversion

Special form of acid corrosion can be found in

condensate system:

Alkalinity of BFW breaks down in Boiler

• 2 NaHCO3  Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
Pressue (bar) Na2CO3 + H2O  2 NaOH + CO2

CO2 leaves with steam and reacts with condensed

water droplets to Carbonic Acid
• CO2 + H2O  H2CO3

The H2CO3 acid attacks metals by reducing pH

Steam purity
 Steam Purity
What is

Defined as the amount of non-water components

of the steam
• Priming
• Foaming
• Misting
• Selective carry-over

Normally measured in terms of ppb sodium ion

and ppb silica.
• Sodium Limits to turbines
– Old industrial turbines - max. of 20 ppb
– New industrial turbines - max. 5 ppb
• Silica Limits to Turbines - 20 ppb
 Steam Purity
Problems caused

Effects of low steam purity

• Process Contamination
• Loss of Turbine Efficiency
• Turbine Imbalance
• Operational Problems
• Plant Shut-down
Water Quality guidelines
 Water quality guidelines

Drum-type boilers using softened (not deionized) feedwaters

Boiler Water Drum Pressure. psig (bar)

component
[ppm] 150 (10) 300 (20) 600 (40) 900 (60) 1200 (80) 1500 (100)

Check
Etienne – TDS (max) 4000 3500 3000 2000 500 300

source??? Phosphate
(as PO4)
30-60 30-60 20-40 15-20 10-15 5-10

Hydroxide 300-400 250-300 150-200 120-150 100-120 80-100

(as CaCO3)

Sulfite 30-60 30-40 20-30 15-20 Not Not

recommende recommende
d d

Silica (as 100 50 30 10 5 3

SiO2. max)

Total Iron 10 5 3 2 2 1
(as Fe. max)

Organics 70-100 70-100 50-70 50-70 50-70

Different for all boiler types. feed water quality and region
•ASME: USA
•Krachtwerktuigen: Holland
•TUV: Germany
•British Standard: UK
 Water quality guidelines
High purity Feed water

Drum-type boilers using high purity (deionized) feedwaters

Boiler Water Drum

Component pressure
psig (bar)

Upto 600 900 (60) 120 (80) 1500 (100) 1800 (120) 2400 (160)
(40)
Check
Etienne –
source???
TDS (max) 500 500 300 200 100 50

Phosphate 15-25 15-25 15-25 5-10 5-10 5-10

(as PO4)

pH 9.8-10.2 9.8-10.2 9.8-10.2 9.4-9.7 9.4-9.7 9.4-9.7

Silica (as 10 10 5 2 1 0.25

SiO2. max)

Total iron (as 2 2 2 1 0.5 0.25

Fe. max)

Hydrazine Idem soft 0.04-0.06 0.04-0.06 0.04-0.06 0.04-0.06 0.04-0.06

water

Different for all boiler types. feed water quality and region
•ASME: USA
•Krachtwerktuigen: Holland
•TUV: Germany
•British Standard: UK
 Water quality guidelines
general remarks

• Limits on TDS will vary with the design of the boiler

and with the needs of the system
• Despite TDS maximums. industrial type boilers (as
opposed to utility type) should not be operated above
100 cycles of concentration
• Silica may be carried at higher levels if there are no
condensing turbines in the cycle. In any case. maintain
an "O"/SiOratio of at least 3/1 to inhibit silica
deposition.
• Iron levels shown are theoretical levels based on
feedwater iron multiplied by cycles of feed water
concentration
 ASME Guidelines for
Feedwater Quality

Water tube

Boiler Pressure Boiler Pressure Hardness Iron Copper

[bar] [psi] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm]
0 - 20 0 – 300 0.300 0.100 0.050

Make again 21 - 31 301 – 450 0.300 0.050 0.025

in PPT 32 - 41 451 – 600 0.200 0.030 0.020

format
42 – 51 601 – 750 0.200 0.025 0.020

52 – 62 751 – 900 0.100 0.020 0.015

63 - 103 901 – 1500 N/D 0.010 0.010

Fire tube

0 - 20 0 – 300 1.0 0.100 0.050

 Feedwater Quality requirements
France - Softened Feedwater

Operating bar < 15 15 - 25 25 - 35 35 – 45

pressure

Feedwater

pH ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5

Total Hardness [°F] < 0.5 < 0.2 < 0.2 < 0.1

Oxygen remove remove Remove Remove

Huil absent absent absent Absent

Boiler water

TAC [°F] ≤ 100 ≤ 80 ≤ 60 ≤ 40

TA [°F] 0.7 TAC 0.7 TAC 0.7 TAC 0.7 TAC

Silica [Mg/L] ≤ 200 ≤ 150 ≤ 90 ≤ 40

SiO2 / TAC ≤ 2.5 ≤2 ≤ 1.5 ≤1

Total dissoloved [Mg/L] < 4000 < 3000 < 2000 < 1500
solids

Chlorine [Mg/L] ≤ 800 ≤ 600 ≤ 400 ≤ 300

Phosphate [Mg/L] 30 - 100 30 - 100 20 - 80 20 – 80

pH 10.5 - 12 10.5 - 12 10.5 - 12 10.5 - 12

 Feedwater Quality requirements
France - Demineralized Feedwater

Operating bar 40 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 100

pressure

Feedwater

pH ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5

Total Hardness [°F] < 0.05 < 0.05 < 0.05

Oxygen remove remove Remove

Huil Mg/l < 0.05 < 0.05 < 0.05

Iron Mg/l < 0.05 < 0.05 < 0.03

Copper Mg/L < 0.03 < 0.03 < 0.01

Boiler water

TAC [°F] ≤ 25 ≤ 10 ≤5

TA [°F] ≥ 0.5 TAC ≥ 0.5 TAC ≥ 0.5 TAC

Silica [Mg/L] ≤ 15 ≤ 10 ≤5

SiO2 / TAC <1 <1 <1

Total dissoloved [Mg/L] < 500 < 300 < 100

solids

Free NaOH [Mg/L] < 20 < 300 < 100

Phosphate [Mg/L] 10 - 60 10 - 40 5 – 20

pH 10 - 11 10 - 11 9.5 – 10.5
Feedwater Quality requirements
France – Fire tube boilers

Operating bar ≤ 10 10 - 15 15 – 25
pressure

Feedwater

pH ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5 ≥ 8.5

Total Hardness [°F] < 0.5 < 0.5 < 0.2

Oxygen remove remove Remove

Huil Mg/l absent absent Absent

Boiler water

TAC [°F] ≤ 120 ≤ 100 ≤ 80

TA [°F] 0.7 TAC 0.7 TAC 0.7 TAC

Silica [Mg/L] ≤ 200 ≤ 200 ≤ 150

SiO2 / TAC ≤ 2.5 ≤ 2.5 ≤2

Total dissoloved [Mg/L] ≤ 5000 ≤ 4000 ≤ 3000

solids

Free NaOH [Mg/L] < 20 < 300 < 100

Phosphate [Mg/L] 30 - 100 30 - 100 30 - 100

pH 10.5 - 12 10.5 - 12 10.5 - 12

 Feedwater Quality requirements
Germany - VGB

Scope Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous operation Continuous

operation operation operation operation

Fully demineralized Demineralized Demineralized Demineralized feedwater Steam for

feedwater feedwater feedwater condensing turbines

Alkalized boiler Alkalized boiler Volatile agents

water – Na3PO4 water –
recommended Na3PO4
recommended

Pressure area [bar] > 68 68 - 136 > 136

PH (25 °C) 9.8 – 10.2 9.3 – 9.7 Alkaline

Neutral operation 7-8
Combined operation 8-9
Alkaline operation 9-10

Conductivity (25 °C) [uS/cm] < 0.25 < 50 < 50 < 5 (for < 250 kW/m2) < 0.2
< 3 (for > 250 kW/m2)

Oxygen [mg/l]
Neutral operation 0.050 - 0.250
Combined operation 0.030 – 0.150
Alkaline operation < 0.100

Iron [mg/l]

Copper [mg/l] < 0.02 < 0.020

< 0.03 < 0.030

Na [mg/l] < 0.01 < 0.010

Silica [mg/l] < 0.02 < 0.020

If Na3PO4 is dosed PO4 [mg/L] <6 <3 NA

 Boiler water Quality requirements
Germany - TÜV

Scope Softened Boiler water on softened feedwater Demin. Boiler water based on
feedwater feedwater demin. feedwater

Pressure area [bar] 1 <> 68 1 <> 22 22 <> 44 44 <> 68 < 68 < 68 < 68

Appearance Colourless, free from suspended matter

Conductivity (25 °C) [µS/cm] < 10,000 < 5,000 < 2,500 < 0.2 < 150 <3

Hardness [ppm CaCO3] < 1.0

Oxygen ppm < 0.02 < 0.1

Phosphate [mg/l ] 10 – 20 5 - 15 5 - 15 <6

PH (25 °C) 10.5 – 12 10 – 11.8 10 – 11 >9 9.5 – 10.5 >7

p-alkalinity [ppm CaCO3] 50 – 600 25 - 300 5 – 50

CO2 fixed [mg/l ] < 25

Iron ppm < 0.03 < 0.03

Copper Ppm < 0.005 < 0.005

Silica [mg/l] NR Graph Graph < 10 < 0.02 <4 <4

Organic carbon [ppm as KMnO4] < 10 <3

Oil ppm <1 <1

 Boiler water Quality requirements
Italy

Scope

Pressure area [bar]

Appearance

Conductivity (25 °C) [µS/cm]

Hardness [ppm CaCO3]

Oxygen ppm

Phosphate [mg/l ]

PH (25 °C)

p-alkalinity [ppm CaCO3]

CO2 fixed [mg/l ]

Iron ppm

Copper Ppm

Silica [mg/l]

Organic carbon [ppm as KMnO4]

Oil ppm
 Boiler water Quality requirements
Spain – Firetube: UNE 9-075-92

Feedwater Feedwater Boiler water Boiler water Boiler water

≤ 0.5 bar > 0.5 bar ≤ 0.5 bar 0.5 <≥ 13 bar > 13 bar

Appearance Colourless and

without
suspended solids

Hardness [ppm CaCO3] ≤ 10 ≤5

Oxygen [mg/L] - ≤ 0.2

PH (20 °C) 8-9 8-9 10.5 – 12.5 10 - 12 10 – 12

CO2 fixed [mg/l ] ≤ 25 ≤ 25

Organic carbon [ppm as KMnO4] ≤ 10 ≤ 10

Oil ppm ≤3 ≤1

Conductivity (≤ 40 kg/m2) [mg/L] ≤ 6,000 ≤ 6,000 ≤ 4,000

Conductivity (> 40 kg/m2 [mg/L] ≤ 5,000 ≤ 5,000 ≤ 3,000

p-alkalinity [ppm CaCO3] ≤ 1,000 ≤ 800 ≤ 600

Phosphate [mg/l P2O5 ] ≤ 30 ≤ 25 ≤ 20

Silica [mg/l SiO2] ≤ 250 ≤ 200 ≤ 150

 Boiler water Quality requirements
Spain - water tube: UNE 9-075-92

Maximum allowed Hardness Alkalinity TSS pH (20 °C) Phosphate Silica

values

[mg/L] [mg/L] [mg/L] [Mg/L P2O5] [mg/l]

< 20 Natural circulation 3,500 700 150 9.5 - 11 25 140

21- 32 Natural circulation 3,000 600 100 9.5 - 11 25 50

33 – 40 Natural circulation 2,500 500 80 9.5 - 11 10 50

41 – 53 Natural circulation 2,000 400 60 9.5 - 11 10 50

54 – 64 Natural circulation 1,500 300 40 9.5 - 11 10 10

65 – 70 Natural circulation 1,250 250 20 9.5 - 11 3 10

71 – 126 Natural circulation 100 100 10 9.5 – 10.5 3 4

127 – 165 Natural circulation 50 40 9.5 – 10.5 3 4

166 – 180 Natural circulation 25 10 9.5 – 10.5 3 4

181 – 203 Natural circulation 15 2 9.5 – 10.5 3 4

> 98 Forced circulation 0.05 9.5 – 10.5 3 4

< 20 Forced circulation with 2,000 400 100 - - 140

continuous steam formation

20 - 40 Forced circulation with 1,000 200 50 - - 50

continuous steam formation
 Boiler water Quality requirements
Netherlands

Parameters

Krachtwerktuigen KEMA

Waterpijp Low pressure

boilers
CHECK Pressure area [bar] 0.5-20 <80

Phosphate [mg/l ] 30-80 <15

I do not have PH (25 °C) 9.8-10.2

the original! p-alkalinity [ppm CaCO3] 250-750

Chloride [mg/l] <2

Silica [mg/l] <5

TDS

Conductivity [µS/cm] < 6000 (pH=8.3) <2500 (after cation

filter)

Organic carbon [ppm CZV] <150

Iso ascorbic acid [mg/l]

 Boiler water Quality requirements
UK – Shell tube upto 30 bar

Parameter Unit Feedwater Boiler water Boiler water

Demineralized feedwater

Heat flux ≤ 300 > 300

Appearance Clear, no foam

CHECK pH (25 °C) 8.5 – 9.5 10.5 – 12.0 9.5 – 10.5

Total Hardness Mg/kg CaCO3 ≤2

Oxygen Mg/kg
Is there an Total M-alkalinity Mg/kg CaCO3 ≤ 1000 ≤ 100
update, have O- and P-alkalinity Mg/kg CaCO3 ≥ 350 ≥ 20
seen the Oil and grease Mg/kg ≤1
draft! Oxygen scavenger Mg/kg
Sulfite, or 30 – 70 Assess
Hydrazine, or 0.1 – 1.0 0.1 – 1.0
Tannin, or 120 – 160 Assess
Iso ascorbic acid, or 15 – 30 Assess
DEHA 0.1 – 1.0 (FW) 0.1 –1.0 (FW)

Phosphate Mg/kg 30 – 60 10 – 30

Silica Mg/kg ≤ 150 ≤5

Suspended solids Mg/kg ≤ 200 ≤ 20

Dissolved solids Mg/kg ≤ 3500 ≤ 1000

Conductivity (25 °C) uS/cm ≤ 7000 ≤ 2000

 Boiler water Quality requirements
UK – Fired Water tube
CHECK - Is there an update,
have seen the draft!
Parameter Unit 0 - 20 21 – 40 41 - 60 61 - 80 81 - 100 101 - 120 ≥ 121

Feedwater

pH (25 °C) 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5

Total Hardness Mg/kg CaCO3 2 1 ND ND ND ND ND

Oxygen Mg/kg ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.01 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005

Fe, Cu, and Ni Mg/kg ≤ 0.05 ≤ 0.05 ≤ 0.03 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02

Boiler water

O- and P-alkalinity Mg/kg CaCO3 50 - 300 50 - 150 25 – 50 10 – 20 5 - 10 2-5 1-5

Oxygen scavenger Mg/kg

Sulfite, or 30 – 50 20 – 40 15 - 20 NR NR NR NR
Hydrazine, or 0.1 –10 0.1 –0.5 0.1 –0.2 0.05 –0.1 0.05 –0.1 0.05 –0.1 0.05 –0.1
Tannin, or 120 – 160 NR NR NR NR NR NR
Iso ascorbic acid, or 15 – 30 15 – 30 15 – 30 NR NR NR NR
DEHA in FW 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25

Chloride Assess Assess Assess Assess

Phosphate Mg/kg 30 – 70 20 – 50 20 – 40 15 – 30 10 – 20 3 – 10 3–5

Silica Mg/kg ≤ 0.4 x O & ≤ 0.4 x O & ≤ 20 ≤5 ≤2 ≤ 1.5 ≤ 0.5

P alkalinity P alkalinity

Dissolved solids Mg/kg ≤ 3000 ≤ 2500 ≤ 1000 ≤ 200 ≤ 50 ≤ 20 ≤ 10

Conductivity (25 °C) uS/cm ≤ 6000 ≤ 5000 ≤ 2000 ≤ 450 ≤ 150 ≤ 60 ≤ 35

 Boiler water Quality requirements
UK – Other boilers

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Non-fired Non-fired Non-fired Once Coil boiler Coil boiler Electrode boiler
Water Tube Water Tube Water Tube through

Parameter Unit 0 - 40 41 - 80 > 80 < 40 > 41 101 – 120

Feedwater

pH (25 °C) 9.3 – 9.8 9.3 – 9.8 9.3 – 9.8 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 7.5 – 9.5

Total Hardness Mg/kg CaCO3 ND ND ND ≤1 ND ≤1

Oxygen Mg/kg ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.01 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005 Nil

Fe, Cu, and Ni Mg/kg ≤ 0.05 ≤ 0.03 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.2

Cond ≤ 400

Boiler water

O- and P-alkalinity Mg/kg CaCO3 25 - 50 10 - 50 2–5 ≥ 300 ≥ 150 ≥ 300

Total ≤ 600

Oxygen scavenger Mg/kg

Sulfite, or 15 - 20 - - 10 - 20 NR 50 – 100
Hydrazine, or 0.1 –0.5 0.05 –0.1 0.05 –0.1 0.05 –0.1 0.02 –0.05
Tannin, or 120 – 160 NR NR NR NR pH > 9.5
Iso ascorbic acid, or 15 – 30 15 – 30 15 – 30 NR NR Hardness 0 - 10
DEHA in FW 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.1 – 0.25 0.02 – 0.05

Phosphate Mg/kg 20 - 40 15 – 30 3 – 10 Assess 3-5

Silica Mg/kg ≤ 20 ≤5 1-5 ≤ 0.02 < 0.4 X O&P alk < 0.4 X O&P alk

Dissolved solids Mg/kg ≤ 1000 ≤ 200 ≤ 50 ≤ 200 ≤ 8000 ≤ 5000

Conductivity (25 °C) uS/cm ≤ 2000 ≤ 400 ≤ 100 ≤ 0.2 400 – 2000
 Boiler water Quality requirements
UK – Fired Water tube

Feedwater
Parameter Unit 0 - 20 21 – 40 41 - 60 61 - 80 81 - 100 101 - 120 ≥ 121

Pressure bar ≤ 300

Appearance Clear, no foam

pH (25 °C) 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5 8.5 – 9.5

Total Hardness Mg/kg CaCO3 2 1 ND ND ND ND ND

Oxygen Mg/kg ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.01 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005 ≤ 0.005

Fe, Cu, and Ni Mg/kg ≤ 0.05 ≤ 0.05 ≤ 0.03 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02 ≤ 0.02