Lesson 9: Boiler Water: Test Method and Treatment

Whether it is steam powered or has a diesel engine as the main form of

propulsion, a ship without a boiler is really difficult to imagine; a boiler, in one
form or another will be found on a ship. For example if a ship is a steam powered
ship, two or more boilers will be provided to produce high temperature, high
pressure steam. If a ship is carrying a diesel engine as the main propulsion
system, one or two smaller boilers are used for running various ship’s machinery
and services. So let us find out how boilers work and learn about their
construction.

How do Boilers Work?

A basic boiler is a machine with the simplest arrangement of the internal

parts. The main job of a boiler is to make high pressure steam. The feed water
supplied to the boiler drum utilizes the heat of the energy released by burning
the fuel. This energy of the burning fuel is stored in the form of steam with
high temperature and pressure. The fuel is burnt in a combustion chamber
inside the boiler. To attain high efficiency and complete combustion, air is
supplied to this combustion chamber through a separate arrangement. The heat
generated in this combustion chamber is transferred to the water from the
boiler drum through a large surface area, which enables the highest rate of
energy transfer.

https://humix.com/video/
57de61c968e0a0dba65db5d04944bd2dd05af5a45f0f4bc032e151ca4d0c297
4

Why do we need steam in ship?

Steam is required for the following processes:

1. We use steam on the ship to heat the fuel oil, which is a low-quality fuel.
Heating it helps us achieve our desired viscosity of 13 cst. So we need to
heat fuel oil to 130-135 degree centigrade by using steam to bring the
fuel viscosity from 380 cst to desired value to achieve proper fuel
injection.
2. Need steam to heat water for the accommodation to take a bath as the
ship is sailing in a -5 degree centigrade temperature. In
 that temperature, if an individual doesn’t get warm water, then it will be
highly uncomfortable.
3. The AC system on the ship requires steam to heat the accommodation
when sailing at extremely low temperatures.

BOILER WATER TEST

What is the purpose of boiler water test?
 To ensure that proper chemical treatments are maintained at all time.
 To detect the presence of contaminants in the water that may be
injurious to boiler and the system.

What are the boiler water tests?

1. Alkalinity Test
This is to ensure that the boiler water prevents corrosion by
neutralization of acidic gases.
a. Phenolphthalein or ‘p’ alkalinity
- This test is caried out to prevent acidic corrosion.
- To test for presence of all of the hydroxides, one half of the
carbonate and one third of phosphate present in a water sample.
b. Total (T) alkalinity test
- To determine the amount all of hydroxides, all the carbonates,
and two thirds of the phosphates.
Note: Hydroxides and carbonates can co-exist together in a solution, but
hydroxides and bicarbonates cannot.
2. Chloride Test
 To know the amount of salt in boiler water.
 To minimize chloride level and to adjust the blow down.
3. Condensate pH Test
 To control condensate pH value within the limit.
 To minimize corrosion in steam and condensate system.
4. Amerzine Test (Hydrazine Test)
 To test for dissolved oxygen content.
 To know reserve hydrazine (N2H4) ppm and to prevent corrosion
and aeration.
 To minimize oxygen pitting and corrosion in boiler, steam, and
condensate system.
5. Phosphate Test
 To control the scale formation due to hardness (presence of
phosphate in sample means no hardness salts.)
  A reserve of phosphate should be maintained in the boiler water
ready to neutralize any hardness salts which may enter.
6. Conductivity Test
 Measure of the total amount of dissolved solids including the
treatment chemicals. (Excessive density leads to priming and or
deposits.)
 To remove dissolved and suspended solid by blowing down.
7. Hardness Test
 To check for salt causing “hardness”

Note: Hardness test of boiler water is not necessary when the phosphate
is above the lower limit of the control range.)

BOILER WATER TREATMENT

What is boiler water treatment?
Boiler water treatment is the conditioning and treatment of boiler feed
water for the three purposes of continuous heat exchange, quality steam
protection and corrosion protection.
If you want your boiler to remain in good condition and as efficient as
possible, it is important that the water remains free of impurities, which means
that water treatment is necessary. There are two methods of treating boiler
water, an external treatment and an internal treatment. Both processes rely on
a conditioning process that essentially counteracts the hardness in the water by
introducing softeners into the water. Once these agents are placed in the
water, most of the minerals, contaminants and chemicals in the water should be
completely altered or removed. Whichever of these methods you use, there are
many effective chemicals that can be used to keep the water free of impurities,
including everything from de-oxidizers to anti-scalers.

Boiler Treatment Chemicals

A guide to some of the more common chemicals used in boiler water
treatment is provided below.
1. Oxygen scavenger
Oxygen scavengers are specifically designed to reduce the amount of
dissolved oxygen and oxides in water. If you use a DO sensor and find high
levels of dissolved oxygen in your boiler water, deaerators such as hydrazine
and sodium sulfite can effectively reduce DO and oxides, resulting in purer
water. Deaerators also typically passivate various metal surfaces, which
helps prevent rusting and other problems.
 When you introduce chemical deaerators into boiler water, you will be
able to remove any residual oxygen from the feedwater, protecting the
boiler from harmful chemical reactions and reducing corrosion in the
feedwater tank and return line. Tannin chemicals and sulfite chemicals have
been shown to be particularly effective deaerators. If you decide to use
sodium sulfite, this deaerator will work quickly and is especially suitable for
low pressure applications. As for tannins, this chemical will remove oxygen
from the water and also form a corrosion-resistant film around the boiler
steel.
The exact dose of deaerator you should use in your boiler depends on
the type of deaerator you use and whether the boiler is paired with a de-gas
heater. For testing purposes, you should always keep 20 ppm of deaerator in
the boiler feedwater. If you want to ensure that your boiler does not
corrode, it is highly recommended that you use a deaerator.

2. Alkalinity generator
Alkalinity generators are specifically designed to raise the pH of the
water in which they are applied. For steam boilers, it is important to maintain
a high pH to prevent corrosion, minimize the amount of silica plating in high-
pressure boilers, and maintain proper boiler efficiency. If your feed water
has a high alkalinity, an alkalinity booster is not always necessary, but if the
water in your boiler becomes too acidic, you should consider using an
alkalinity booster.

All you need to do to determine the pH of the boiler water is to test

it with a pH sensor. If the pH drops too far, an alkalinity builder will help you
increase the alkalinity of the water. When you increase the alkalinity of the
boiler feed water, you will be able to protect the feed lines and hot wells
from acid corrosion. The amount of this chemical you need all depends on
how low the pH of the feedwater is.

The most common alkaline solutions for boiler water include sodium
hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. You can usually purchase these products
in concentrations of 25% or 50%. If you need to significantly increase the
alkalinity of your feed water, a 50% solution may be your most effective
choice. Some alkalinity detergents come with sludge conditioning polymers,
which can be particularly beneficial for high temperature applications.

3. Amines
Amines are neutralizing chemicals that prevent corrosion of
condensate tubes on boilers. Condensate from steam boilers can be highly
corrosive to the tubes, which can damage your boiler and cause you to make
expensive repairs to fix the problem. The three neutralizing amines you can
obtain for boiler water treatment purposes include morpholine,
diethylaminoethanol and cyclohexylamine. While these neutralizing amines
can be purchased as a single component, most solutions will be mixed with
these three components.
When these amines are placed in boiler water, they increase the pH of
the condensate, which greatly reduces the potential for corrosion. It is well
known that low pH in condensate piping can lead to significant corrosion,
which can lead to condensate leaks and steam leaks. Once this chemical is
applied to the water in your boiler, you will gain greater boiler reliability,
cleanliness and protection. While condensate piping is the primary area of
concern, this chemical will protect all condensate systems. To determine if
this chemical is needed, it is recommended that you test the return
condensate with a pH sensor.

4. Scale Inhibitors
Scale inhibitors are used to enhance the dispersion properties of any
conditioning product used in boiler water. Scale inhibitors typically consist of
a mixture of polymers and phosphates. These antiscalants can be used as
natural or synthetic chemicals. The most common natural polymers include
tannins and lignin sulfonates, while synthetic polymers available for your use
include polystyrene sulfonates and maleic acid ester copolymers.
These chemicals act as softeners to minimize scale buildup in the
boiler. Scaling can be a major problem for boilers because it causes a
significant reduction in boiler efficiency. When harder impurities such as
magnesium salts and calcium begin to increase in boiler water, they
eventually become concentrated, which means they can adhere to the pipes
and other surfaces of the boiler.
The most common feedwater contaminants that can lead to scale
formation include magnesium, aluminum, calcium, iron and silica. If you don’t
get rid of scale soon, it will first reduce the efficiency of your boiler.
Eventually, the affected tubes may rupture or overheat. Solenoid dosing
pumps are usually used to add scale inhibitors. Mechanical diaphragm
metering pumps are more suitable for large flow of chemicals. The amount of
scale inhibitor you use in your boiler water depends on the hardness of the
water and the amount of scale that forms. It is recommended that you use a
hardness test kit to determine the effectiveness of these antiscalants when
treating water with them.
Why do we need to treat boiler water?
Treating your boiler water is important because impurities in the water
can cause a host of problems, and if you don’t treat the water, this will cause
you to waste money on equipment repairs. There are many problems that can
occur if you don’t treat your boiler water. For one thing, the increased level of
impurities in the water will eventually lead to the formation of scale in the
boiler. Since scale increases thermal resistance, your boiler will automatically
become less efficient. The tubes themselves may eventually overheat or rupture
completely, which will cost you a lot of money in repairs.
While scale is the most common problem in boilers, it is also normal for
parts inside your boiler to corrode, which can also reduce the efficiency of your
boiler. When corrosion begins, your boiler will begin to lose quality, which
increases the likelihood that you will need to replace your boiler sooner than
expected. If you are using your boiler for food production purposes, water
treatment is essential if you want to ensure that your food is free of harmful
impurities. The rate at which you treat the water in your boiler depends on the
purpose for which you are using the boiler. While it is possible to treat water
daily, you should treat water at least once a week.

https://apureinstrument.com/blogs/boiler-water-treatment-chemicals/
https://planm8.io/blog/marine-boiler-water-treatment
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/principles-boiler-water-treatment-m-egemen-
onan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX6yDfJqehg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRv5GJG6k4M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oO6cQaru64