Water related problems in boiler operation and their

solutions
By
Thermax Ltd, Chemical Division, Pune 411 0!
1."ntroduction
The safety, reliability & efficiency of the boilers depends largely on proper
conditioning of the feed water.
Water contains dissolved gases and solids. This water is not suitable for boiler and
needs a complete external as well as internal treatment before use. The objective of
the internal treatment program is to ensure
a) #$%&T' !y eliminating scaling and deposition in boilers which may cause
overheating of tubes leading to accidents.
b) (&L"$B"L"T' by reducing unscheduled shut downs and failures and avoid
production losses.
c) L)*+&( L"%& !y reducing corrosion of boiler metal, which reduce metal
thic"ness and also cause failures.
d) &%%"C"&*C' To maintain pea" efficiency by "eeping boiler internals free of any
deposits.
!y preventing # scaling ,corrosion and carryover the above objective can be met.
$or the conditioning of feedwater various internal treatment programs are in use.
% brief view of various conditioning programs systems is given in this paper which
will enable boiler user to select right program.
*eed ,or -ater treatment
a. &mpurities in water
'ature &mpurity
1 (oluble # &onic )ations )alcium, *agnesium, +otassium,
(odium, %mmonium, &ron
*anganese etc
%nions !icarbonates, carbonates, 'itrates,
)hlorides, silica etc.
, &nsoluble # 'onionic (uspended matter, Turbidity, silt,colloidal silica
- .aseous /xygen, )arbondioxide, chlorine
0 /thers )olor, /il, /rganics
b. (ignificance of the impurities
"mpurity Problem caused
+aseous
1 1issolved /xygen +itting corrosion
, )arbondioxide 2niform corrosion in condensate
)thers
- /il3/rganics )arryover
#oluble . "onic
0 )alcium3*agnesium (caling
4 (odium3+otassium )orrosion
5 )hlorides3(ulfates )orrosion
6 )arbonates3!icarbonates (caling,$oaming
7 8ydroxides (caling,$oaming
9 (ilica (caling, 1eposition
"nsoluble / *onionic
1: (uspended solids3(ilt $ouling
11 )olloidal (ilica (caling,deposition
c. ;xternal treatment # To remove the impurities in water
-. *eed ,or "nternal treatment
IMPURITIES
INSOLUBLE
SOLUBLE
SETTLING
FILTERATION
CLARIFICATION
GASEOUS
CHORINE OXYGEN
DEAREATOR ACTOVATED CARBON
SOFTENING DEMINERALISATION
DEALKALISER
;xternal treatment is done by use of e<uipments to ensure the <uality of feed water
as desired by the user or recommended by the e<uipment manufacturer. 8owever,
inspite of external treatment of the water the internal treatment or conditioning of
feedwater is re<uired because of following
a. *alfunctioning of the e<uipment= slippage of the impurities
b. 1esign of the e<uipment
c. >egeneration?s not done # timely
d. ;xternal water treatment not properly monitored.
e. )orrective actions not ta"en in time.
f. 2nforeseen problems.
g. To maintain the boiler feed water & blowdown water chemistry & steam <uality as
per 'orms @ &(,%!*%,%(*; or as recommended by the boiler manufacturer
3turbine manufacture.)
&nternal treatment # Aarious *ethods
+hosphate # 8ydroxide method
)oordinated +hosphate control
+olyphosphate # organo phosphonate based treatment
)helant
%ll />.%'&) treatment
%. +hosphate # 8ydroxide @ )onventional treatment)
This is the most common method of treatment for boilers operating below 1::: psi
pressure. &n this method addition of Trisodium phosphate @ 'a-+/0) and caustic is
added to maintain the p8 1:.4 # 11., . The primary purpose of addition of T(+ is to
precipitate calcium as )alcium 8ydroxyapatite. @ )a1:@+/0)5@/8), which is non
adherent sludge and can be drained during blowdown. )austic reacts with magnesium
to form magnesium hydroxide *g@/8), .
!. )oordinated +hosphate method
&n this method no free caustic is maintained in the boiler water. The al"alinity is
maintained in the boiler by use of combinations of Trisodium phosphate@ 'a-+/0 ,
1isodium phosphate@ 'a,8+/0) & *onosodium phosphate@'a8,+/0)
&n this method the sodium to +hosphate ratios are maintained. @'a+/0 ratio # ,.5)
). +olyphosphate # /rgano phosphonate based treatment. +olyphosphates are long
chain phosphates which form fairly soluble complexes with the scale forming salts.
The polyphosphates also give additional benefit of dispersion of scale forming salts
thus preventing scale deposition on the boiler internals.
/ /
'a/ + / + /'a

/ /
'a 'a

B
>emar"s
)ommonly used in formulations.
1. )helant # based treatment program
The chelant reacts with the )alcium,*agnesium, &ron and forms soluble complexes,
which can be discharged during the blowdown.
;1T% & 'T% are the common chelants used in the )helant based treatment programs
-OOC - CH2 CH2COO-

N CH2 CH2 N
-OOC - CH2 CH2COO-
>emar"s
'ot very commonly used.
%longwith the antiscalants # /xygen scavengers have to be used to scavenge the
oxygen in the feedwater to prevent attac" of oxygen on boiler metallurgy.
)xy0en scaven0ers
a. (odium (ulfite = 'a,(/-
'a,(/- C D /, 'a,(/0
(emar1s
- 'ot used in 8igh pressure boilers as it brea"s down to form hydrogen
sulfide.
- &t adds to the total dissolved solids
b. 8ydraEine = ',80
',80 C /, ', C 8,/
(emar1s
- +referred /xygen scavenger in 8igh pressure boilers.
- (luggish in reacting with oxygen as compared to (odium sulfite
- /rganic in nature hence does not add to T1( & end products are
'itrogen & water.
- Fow flash point & carcinogenic in nature to be handled with care.

/ther /xygen scavengers # not commonly used
- 1;8%
- )arbohydraEide
- (odium erythorbate
- 8ydro<uinone
Polymers in boiler -ater conditionin0
Aarious polymers are also used in the boiler water program. Tannin & lignin are the
natural polymers. The polymers function as dispersant and thus disperse the sludge
formed in the boiler and also prevent the scale forming ions to come together.
/ther +olymers
+oly acrylate , +olymaleate are other synthetic polymers used in the boiler feed water
conditioning.
)8, )8, )8,
)8 )8 )8
)//8 )//8 )//8
+olyacrylic acid
>emar"s
- 2sed in formulations
- The molecular weight and the anionic charge decide the correct selection of
polymer to function as dispersant.
- +olymers should be thermally stable to function as dispersants.
P2 Boosters in Boiler -ater conditionin0
The most common +8 booster used is caustic.8owever, use of caustic is not done in
medium or high pressure boilers as if the monitoring is not done properly it may lead
to caustic embrittlement.
/ther p8 boosters
- %mmonia
- *orpholine
- *ono cylohexyl amine.
3)D&(* T(&*D
1emineralised water along with condensate return is commonly used for boiler feed
in many medium & high pressure boilers. The scarcity of water, increase in cost of
water and fuel , now the trend is to go for all organic treatment for boiler feed water
conditioning.
With the advent of polymer technology it is possible to prepare specific polyamine s
for boiler water conditioning.
#election o, the Pro0ram
The treatment programs available for water conditioning are described above. The
selection of the program is decided by following customer specific re<uirements
i) !oiler operating pressure
ii) (team <uality re<uirements
iii) !oiler operating conditions
iv) (ystem upsets and contamination
The table below gives guidelines for selection of treatment program based on
pretreatment method chosen and boiler pressure
+ressure
Gg3cm,
+retreatment used )onditioning program recommended
)oil type (oftener 3 1* )helant # polymer= scavenger
!elow ,: (oftener +olymer=phosphate=scavenger=chelant
1* $ilming amine # scavenger
,: = 0: (oftener +olymer=phosphate=scavenger=chelant
1* $ilming amine # scavenger
%bove 0: 1*31;%;>%T/> $ilming amine

*ote 4
The treatment programs may have merits & demerits. The success of the treatment
programs lies in correct selection, monitoring and controlling the program.
THERMAX CHEMICAL DIVISION ASSISTS IN SELECTING RIGHT WATER
TREATMNT FOR YOUR PROBLEMS INBOILER WATER MANAGEENT.
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