A Brief on Importance of Boiler Water Treatment

Steam Boilers are the heart of the process and manufacturing sector. Boilers are crucial for providing steam and hot water for process operation purposes. As we are aware, steam boilers generate steam by heating water through fuel combustion that implies the pivotal role of water in steam production. Therefore, boiler water treatment is imperative to ensure that the steam boiler provides high-quality steam without damaging the system. Additionally, boiler water treatment prevents various steam boiler issues such as corrosion, scaling, carryover, and even boiler failure. Maintaining proper boiler water treatment is necessary to ensure that the steam boiler operates properly.

What is Boiler Water Treatment?

Boiler water treatment refers to purifying the water and improving the quality used by a boiler system. The combustion process in the steam boiler depends tremendously on the purity and quality of the water to perform the operations of producing high-quality steam. It also safeguards the steam boiler against corrosion and ensures continuous heat exchange. If the boiler water is not treated, it can lead to the entire system facing poor efficiency and permanent damage to equipment that reduces the steam boiler’s life and may even result in a hazardous situation with boiler explosion due to superheating.

Importance of Boiler Water Treatment:

Boiler water treatment is crucial to ensure that the steam boiler is properly operating. As the impurities enter the boiler water, it fouls the steam boiler and leads to damaging the boiler system, reducing its lifespan and efficiency. It results in excessive bills for the same operation. Dissolved salts in the boiler water causes scaling, while the other contaminants in the boiler water impact the machinery if not removed by external or internal boiler treatment.

Prevents Decomposing Of Boiler Tubes:

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The dissolved salts in boiler water accumulate on the surfaces with the evaporation of water as part of the regular operation of the steam boiler. The salt hinders the transfer of heat from the steam boiler, which reduces the overall efficiency of the steam boiler system. Additionally, boiler tubes with scaling narrows, resulting in reduced flow and contributing to pressure drops. Tubes accumulated with scaling require replacement that costs both time and money.

Steam boiler with low pH water or dissolved oxygen will directly impact any steel equipment included in the steam boiler. Eventually, it results in pits or holes as well as thinning formation in the steam boiler tubes that may cause rupture and impact the entire steam boiler.

• Decreases Overheating:

As the impure water turns into steam, the impurities are passed throughout the steam boiler surfaces. It generates scale and other deposits that restrict the effective passing of heat in the steam boiler system. As the heat needs to enter the layer of deposits before transferring out of the boiler, a steam boiler without proper water treatment tends to face an increase in overheating. Utilizing pure water in steam boilers ensures that deposits or scaling are not formed, and the steam boiler can operate with its regular heat exchange.

• Maintaining Turbine Efficiency:

As steam is used to operate equipment such as turbines, the impurities present in the boiler water can be carried by steam to the turbine blades. As a result, it forms deposits that reduce efficiency and cause loud and jarring vibrations. It also leads to turbine failure over time. The erosion of turbine blades impacts its performance, leading to a further reduction in efficiency.

• Steam Boiler Corrosion:

Boiler water containing oxygen will eventually lead to the thinning and pitting of the metal pipes. It can hinder the heat transferring abilities of the steam boiler and causes contamination of the boiler water. Appropriate boiler water treatments eliminate the oxygen from the boiler water and prevent corrosion.

• Foaming or Carry-over: 

A high concentration of solids in the water leads to frothing or foaming on the surface of the boiler water. The evaporation of water as steam causes deposits in valves, heat exchangers, turbines, and superheaters. It causes corrosion and reduces the function of the steam boiler system. Boiler water treatment reduces the foaming and prevents such steam boiler issues.

• Decreases suspended solids: 

Scaling, corrosion, and impurities in the boiler water accumulate solids that cause various problems within the steam boiler. Hard water can develop in the steam boiler, causing a build-up of scale deposits and eventually, impurities in the boiler water. Water softening treatment is an essential factor of boiler water treatment.

• Impurities in Boiler Water: 

Water quality is crucial for the proper functionality of the steam boiler. A steam boiler with excessive impurities will eventually break down. Proper boiler water treatment will break down impurities and restore its functioning capacity.

Impact of Poor Boiler Water Treatment:

Neglecting boiler water treatment may cause,

• Presence of impurities from steam feed and condensate return systems
• Impurities like hardness from improper makeup water treatment system performance
• Condensate return system corrosion, damaging the piping and equipment and transferring iron oxide corrosion to the boiler, that deposits and reduces effective heat transfer

Conclusion:

Determining the proper boiler water treatment relies on various factors like boiler design and pressure, makeup water treatment system, amount of impurity present, and iron oxide carryover from condensate return. Rakhoh Boilers is one of the trusted names in steam boiler manufacturers in India with over 38+ years of expertise in thermal solutions. We manufacture efficient and reliable steam boilers, waste heat recovery systems, thermic fluid heaters, and boiler accessories. We also provide excellent boiler services like annual boiler maintenance, energy audit, steam trap assessment, boiler automation, fuel conversion, etc.