Boiler Water Management-1

Outline

Recently, problems associated with poor boiler water management have been frequently observed. It
goes without saying that proper boiler water management by boiler operators is crucial. Not only does
it prevent issues with the boiler itself, but it also helps to prevent downtime due to main turbine
failures on the vessel. We would like to take this opportunity to review the minimum necessary
knowledge for proper boiler water management and reaffirm its importance. By doing so, we aim to
prevent future trouble caused by inadequate boiler water management.

Introduction
To manage boiler water effectively, it is essential to monitor various indicators and ensure that they are
within the appropriate range. If any of these indicators deviates from the acceptable values, efforts
should be made to restore them to within the proper range using methods such as chemicals and/or
blowdown. The following describes what these indicators signify.
Rusty Colour of water:
Many of our vessel is having discolored or rusty boiler water. It can lead to issues like steam boiler
carryover, where liquid water and impurities are carried in with the steam and affect the steam quality
and high fuel consumption.
Steam pipe lines are having internal rust, these rust being carried by steam from pipeline & gets
accululated in steam drum. if rusty water is noted, shipstaff must drain the water, wash steam&water
drum with high pressure machine and take fresh water.

pH(Potential Hydrogen)
pH 7.0 represents 10^-7 mol (0.0000001g) of hydrogen ions and 10^-7 mol (0.0000017g) of hydroxide
ions per 1 liter of water. The relative corrosion rate is minimized at around pH 10-12, which is why
maintaining a pH around this range is crucial in preventing corrosion inside low-pressure boilers.
However, in high-pressure boilers, a concentration layer forms on the heat transfer surface of the
evaporator tubes, so the pH management criterion is often set slightly lower. Additionally, the
management criteria may vary depending on factors such as the operating pressure of each boiler, so it
is important to adhere to the appropriate values specified by the ship manager instruction and boiler
water management instruction.
pH(25℃)
relative corrosion rate

Correlation diagram of pH and relative corrosion rate of mild steel at 310°C

（Source: From 'Basics and Practice of Marine Boilers）
P-Alkalinity
A scale that measures the concentration of alkaline substances dissolved in water, expressed as a value
equivalent to the concentration of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Since distilled water does not contain
substances that raise the pH above 8.3, measuring P-Alkalinity serves as an indicator of how much
boiler cleaning agent has been added.

M-Alkalinity
M-Alkalinity is another scale that measures the concentration of alkaline substances dissolved in water,
also expressed as a value equivalent to the concentration of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It indicates the
concentration of alkaline substances in the boiler water that raises the pH above 4.8. In practice, since
alkaline substances with a pH below 4.8 are rare in boiler water, Total-Alkalinity is often used
interchangeably with M-Alkalinity.

Electrical Conductivity
The scale that measures the ease of electrical conductivity in an aqueous solution at 25°C is called
"conductivity". Since the concentration of electrolytes in water is directly proportional to electrical
conductivity, conductivity is used to estimate the amount of dissolved substances in water and
determine the concentration of boiler water.

Total Solids
The commonly used ppm hardness in boiler water management is a measure of the total amount of
calcium ions and magnesium ions in 1 liter of water, expressed in terms of milligrams of calcium
carbonate (CaCO3). Additionally, the combination of carbonate hardness and non-carbonate hardness
is referred to as Total Solids. Since scale formation inside boilers is primarily caused by hardness
components present in the feedwater, it is desirable to keep the hardness of the feedwater as low as
possible when supplying water to the boiler.

Chloride Ion
Chloride ions can disrupt the corrosion-resistant film on metal surfaces and accelerate corrosion of
pipes. Since chloride ions are not typically present in boiler water, their detection serves as an indicator
of the concentration of boiler water. It is also used as a monitoring indicator for seawater
contamination.

Phosphate Ions
Phosphate ions are substances that are hardly present in water and are introduced into boilers as
cleaning agents. The purpose of their addition is to precipitate the hardness components present in the
feedwater as phosphate salts in the boiler water, thereby preventing scale deposition inside the pipes.
Additionally, sodium phosphate helps adjust and maintain pH levels, contributing to the corrosion
inhibition of boiler water. However, excessive concentrations of phosphate ions can lead to an increase
in impurities and make carryover more likely, so it is crucial to manage them within the appropriate
range.
Silica
Especially in high-pressure boilers, silica in boiler water may be carried over with steam and
transferred outside the boiler, leading to the deposition of hard scale on turbine blades, rotors, and
other components, causing operational issues. Silica concentration in boiler water is directly related to
its solubility in steam, meaning that higher silica levels in the boiler water, combined with higher
pressures, increase the likelihood of silica *carryover. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the silica content
in boiler water low to prevent such issues.

* Carryover
Carryover refers to the discharge of impurities and water in the boiler water out of the boiler together
with steam. If carryover occurs, deposits adhere to the superheater tubes and steam turbine blades,
which not only reduces boiler and turbine efficiency, but in the worst case, can cause rupture of the
superheater tubes and corrosion of the turbine blades due to local overheating.

Residual Hydrazine
The residual hydrazine level is typically established as an indicator of feedwater quality, but for
convenience, it is introduced here.
Residual hydrazine indicates the remaining amount of hydrazine, which is used as a deoxygenating
agent. This substance is an alkaline chemical that exhibits deoxygenation by undergoing a chemical
reaction with oxygen according to the following equation;

N2H4（Hydrazine）＋O2→N2＋２H2O

The reaction becomes vigorous at around 120°C, and it can be promoted by increasing the pH and
temperature. However, at temperatures exceeding 200°C, thermal decomposition occurs, generating
ammonia, which dissolves in water to form ammonia water, increasing the pH. This can accelerate
corrosion on copper alloys. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain the residual hydrazine at an appropriate
level.
3N2H4（Hydrazine）→4NH3（Ammonia）＋N2

Finally
As mentioned earlier, boiler water management varies depending on factors such as operating pressure.
Therefore, it is important to check the indicators set by each ship manager’s individual instruction and
regularly confirm whether they are within the appropriate range. Additionally, maintaining these
indicators is crucial. In the next Reminder Safety Alert we will introduce specific examples of the
consequences of deviating from each indicator.

Refer to past circulars:

ISOMRE-SI-06/001 Boiler Water Control Standard for Diesel Ships