EFFECT OF WATER IMPURITIES IN BOILER

Good boiler feed water should have the following qualities:

1. It should not form scales in the boiler.

2. It should not corrode the boiler.
3. It should not cause priming or foaming in tile boiler.
4. It should not cause imbrittlement.
5. It should lower blow down requirement and increase the boiler efficiency thus
saving on fuel.

1. Scale Formation

Feed water containing a group of impurities in dissolved arid suspended form

flows in to the boiler for continuous generation of steam. With conversion of
water into steam in boiler, solids are left behind, to concentrate the remaining
water. The scale formation tendency increases with the increase in
temperature of feed water, because the solubility of some salts (as calcium
sulphite) decreases with the increase in feed water temperature. Calcium
Sulphate has solubility of 3200 ppm at 150°C and it reduces to 55 ppm at
230°C and 27 ppm at 320°C.

Scale formation takes place mainly due to salts of Calcium and Magnesium.
Sometimes, it is cemented into a hard mass by silica. Among all Calcium is
the principal offender particularly Calcium Sulphate. All the chlorides are quite
soluble in water and do not form scales. Sodium sales are highly soluble in
water and is non-scale forming. The scale formation takes place mainly in
feed water piping and boiler tubes. Its primary effect on the piping system is
to restrict the flow of water by reducing the flow area which increases the
pressure required to maintain the water delivery. Another effect of scale
formation is to reduce the transfer of heat from the hot gases to water. Real
danger of the scale formation exists in radiant heat zone where boiler tubes
are directly exposed to the metal without regard to water conditions. The
scale formation retards the flow of heat and metal temperature increases.
Even a thin layer of scale in high heat zone can over-heat metal enough to
rapture the tubes. The metal tubes weakened due to over-heating yield to
pressure providing a protrusion known as ‘bag’. Such bag provides a pocket
for the accumulation of sludge and scale, which eventually causes failure.
The Over-heating of metal causes layer of metal to separate and form a
‘blister’. The tough and tightly adhered scales are worst from the point of
removal. The formation of scale is prevented either by reducing the contents
of Calcium, Magnesium or Silica before feed water reaches the boiler or by
internal treatment.
2. Corrosion:

The corrosion is eating away process of boiler metal. It causes deterioration

and failure of the equipments. Eventually this calls for major repairs or
expensive shutdowns or replacement.

The corrosion of boilers, economizers, feed water heaters and piping is

caused by water having low pH.

In addition to this presence of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide in the

Boiler feed water also enhances corrosion rate. The presence of oxygen is
primary cause of corrosion. The permissible limit of oxygen content varies
with the pressure of boilers. Generally it should not exceed 0.1 ppm for low-
pressure boiler to 0.007 ppm for high-pressure boilers. Oxygen generally
enters into closed system through make-up condenser leakage and
condensate pump packing.

Carbon dioxide is next to Oxygen, which are responsibilities for corrosion.

When water is heated, bicarbonates dissociate to form carbonates and
carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide combines with water for form weak acid
known as carbonic acid. This acid slowly reacts with iron and other metals to
form their bicarbonates. The newly formed bicarbonates of metals
decompose by heat once more and carbon dioxide is again liberated. This
gas again units with water to form carbonic acid and the cycle is repeated.

The corrosion can be minimized by adding alkali solution to neutralize acids in

water and raise the pH value. The effect of carbon dioxide is neutralized by
the addition of ammonia or neutralizing amines in water. This is necessary
because carbon dioxide lowers the pH of the Boiler feed water. Dissolved
oxygen is removed by Thermal Deaerators or vacuum deaerators. Use of
scavenger chemical like sodium sulphite, hydrazine, tannin etc. to remove the
last traces of oxygen from the water is also very effective.

3. Priming Foaming and Carry-over:

Priming, foaming and carry-over are closely associated terms. Each

describes the conditions that cause boiler water and dissolved solids to leave
the boiler.
 Priming is a violent discharge of water with steam from tile boiler. It can be
compared to the bumping of water that frequently accompanies rapid heating
in an open vessel. In priming, the water level in the boiler undergoes rapid
fluctuations amid there are violent discharges of bursting bubbles. Therefore
‘sludge’ of boiler water is thrown over with the steam, Priming is caused due
to improper boiler design, improper method of firing, overloading, sudden load
changing or a combination of these factors. The priming effect is reduced by
installing steam purifiers, lowering water level in the boiler and maintaining
constant load on boiler.

Foaming is the formation of small and stable bubbles throughout the boiler
water. The high percentage of dissolved solids, excessive alkalinity and
presence of oil in water are responsible for foaming.

Boiler water solids are also carried over in the moisture mixed with steam
even when there is no indication of either priming or foaming. This is known
as ‘Carry-over’. The carry-over of bone water solids is partly a mechanical
and partly a chemical problem. The amount of suspended solids and alkalinity
in the boiler water is also important in addition to other reasons like boiler
design, high water level, over-loading and fluctuating loads on boiler.

4. Caustic Embrittlement :

The caustic embrittlement is the weakening of boiler steel as a result of inner

crystalline cracks. This is caused by long exposure of boiler steel to a
combination of stress and high alkalinity Water.

When boiler water contains free hydroxide, alkalinity and some silica. It has
been found that the feed water having high sodium- bicarbonates breaks
down into CO2 amid sodium carbonate in the boiler Na2CO3 partially
hydrolyzes to release NaOH to cause embrittlement as shown by following
reaction :

Na2CO3 + H2O  2NaOH + CO2

The prevention of caustic embrittlement consists of reducing the causticity or

adding inhibiting agents to the feed water. The most practical method of
preventing caustic embrittlement is to regulate the chemical consumption of
the boiler water. The obvious solution to embrittlement to eliminate all free
NaOH from feed water by addition of Phosphates.
5. Total Dissolved Solids:

In spite of treatment, boiler water contains dissolved solids. The level of

dissolved solids in the boilers has to be maintained within the limits. Also
sludge, lose scales and corrosion products are to be removed from the boiler.
This is accomplished by regularly draining certain quantity of boiler water.
This quantity is known as blow down. The blow down can be intermittent or
continuous. Tire quantity of water to be blown down will depend on the
dissolved solids entering the boiler through the feed water and maximum
tolerable levels of these salts in the boiler water. The blow down quantity can
be substantially reduced by reducing the various impurities in the feed water
like hardness, alkalinity, total dissolved solids silica etc. The lesser the
quantity of the impurities, the lower will be the blow down requirement.