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Optimal Water Treatment
for Steam Boilers
A Water Treatment Program Adapted to Your Equipment’s Specific Needs
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Steam boilers and other steam production systems require excellent water quality to perform at an optimal level. Corrosion, deposit formation and carryover are all typical problems associated with poor water quality management, which eventually results in premature wear, efficiency losses and equipment malfunction. We use our multidisciplinary knowledge in the field of chemistry and mechanics to design and offer you the most appropriate treatment programs. The judicious use of physical principles and state-of-the-art chemical technologies are the basis of the solutions that we offer to ensure the best results.
Corrosion
Corrosion in a steam system can be catastrophic for equipment durability. Metal loss is often localized and can cause tube ruptures and other heat exchange surfaces or leaks in condensate piping. Premature wear is usually caused by corrosive gases, specifically oxygen and carbon dioxide, being dissolved in water.
Oxygen causes localized corrosion, most often occurring in the internal section of steam boilers and in the feedwater system and internal section of steam boilers. This is characterized by the presence of tubercles and metal loss in the form of large, deep pits under the deposit nodules.
Carbon dioxide makes the condensate acidic, which causes the metal to dissolve and thin out. This is characterized by metal loss in the submerged section of the piping.
Deposit formation on internal surfaces of steam boilers quickly causes resistance to heat transfer, resulting in reduced capacity and loss of energy. The buildup of scale and sludge, on the boiler tube surfaces, also causes metal to overheat and a risk of rupturing the boiler tube.
Scale, caused by the precipitation of impurities because of the effects of temperature, is the main reason for the formation of deposits in steam boilers. The deposits usually develop in dense, uniform layers on the heating surfaces.
Sludge accumulation can also occur inside steam boilers and is typically associated with various components, such as condensate contaminants, corrosion residues, process by-products or calcite deposits.
Scaling
Carryover
Steam quality and purity are influenced by water carryover at steam boiler outlets. This problem can be identified by an excessive concentration of dissolved solids in the condensate. In more severe cases, it can also result in sudden variations in the boiler water levels. This results in operational fluctuations and the risk of shutdowns caused by level alarms.
Although often related to mechanical problems, the carryover of boiler water in the steam can also be influenced by the water quality in the steam boilers. High conductivity or alkalinity causes foaming and promotes water carryover into the steam.
Other contaminants may have a major impact due to their foaming properties. Machining oils used in the construction of steam boilers are a good example. These need to be removed using the proper cleaning techniques.