THE NEED OF BOILER WATER

CONDITIONING AND THEIR EFFECTS

ON STEAM TURBINE

A.M.Talha Adnan
Manager (Chemical)
BQPS-1
 Topics to be covered

• The need of Boiler Water Conditioning.

• Scale Deposition and their Causes.
• Continuous Blow Down.
• Phosphate Addition.
• Causes of Carry Over.
• Causes of Internal Corrosion.
• Effects of Silica (SiO2) in Boiler/Steam Turbine.
 Introduction

• Before going into the detail of today's topic it

will be better first I give you a brief picture of
chemical department and its involvement.
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHEMICAL
DEPARTMENT
Analysis in Laboratory.
Bulk Chemical Loading, Unloading, Dissolving and Dosing.
Maintaining the parameters of Auxiliary cooling water system
(open/close).
Long and short time preservation of boiler for corrosion
prevention.
Chemical dosing of ferrous sulfate and NaOCl in condenser inlet
channel of sea water pump.
Oil analysis particularly HFO, transformer and other Oil.
Preparation of lye (KOH) solution to maintain it Specific gravity
and monitor hydrogen purity .
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHEMICAL
DEPARTMENT

Procurement of Bulk Supply Chemical’s like Sulphuric Acid,

Caustic Soda, Sodium Hypochlorite, Ammonia, Hydrazine
Hydrate and their quality control.
Procurement of Resin for Ion exchangers.
The main task of chemical laboratory is to maintain feed water
quality and boiler water quality by analysis, the frequency of
these analysis are as given below:
 Analysis performed in Chemical
Laboratory
Analysis

Environment Effluents
Water Analysis Oil Analysis
Analysis Analysis

Boiler Emission
Furnace Oil Sea Water
Water Analysis

Sound & Waste

Temperature Water

Cooling Lubricant
Water Oil
 Four Hours Daily Sampling (Boiler)

Condensate Pump •PH, Conductivity & Chloride.

Outlet

Feed Water •PH, Conductivity & Hydrazine.

Boiler Drum •PH, Conductivity, Chloride, Silica & Phosphate

Main Steam •PH, Conductivity & Silica.

Drain Recovery •PH, Conductivity, Chloride
 Four Hours Sampling (W/T Plant)

An-Ion Outlet •Silica & Conductivity.

Mix-Bed •Silica & Conductivity.

Outlet

Gravel Filter •Iron Test & Turbidity.

Demineralized Water
(From Storage Tank)
•Silica & Conductivity.
 Weekly Sampling

Feed Water •Dissolved Oxygen, Total Iron & Copper.

Boiler Drum •Iron

Condensate Pump
Outlet
•Copper

Sea Water
•PH, Conductivity, Temperature, TDS , TSS,
Chloride, Total Hardness & Oil/Grease.

Auxiliary Cooling •PH, Conductivity, Turbidity , Chloride &

Water (Open/Close) Dissolved Oxygen.
 Continued

• The second main task is chemical dosing. We

use different chemicals at different injection
point to maintain the feed water quality,
boiler water quality, cooling water chemistry.
• Excluding this we dose chlorine at sea water
inlet(channel) to minimized shell and micro
organisms growth in the condenser wall/tube.
Dosing Point of Sodium Hypochlorite for Unit # 3,4,5&6
 Continued

• Simultaneously we dose Ferrous sulfate at

condenser inlet points to form a protective
film on the wall/ tube of condenser. This gives
protection against corrosive sea water attack.
Storage Area of Ferrous Sulfate Plant 5 – 6
 Daily Analysis

Raw •PH, Conductivity, Silica, Chloride, Calcium

Hardness, Magnesium Hardness, Total
Water Dissolved Solid & Total Hardness.

Chlorine
Testing in Sea •Concentration Test
Water
Ferrous
Sulphate •Concentration Test
Testing
 Continued

• Also one of the main task of chemical

department is the supervision of make up
water production, we have six streams and
three water treatments plants, each stream
have a production capacity of 40 cubic meter/
hour.
• The production capacity of these streams
varies with the quality of raw water supplied
from KW &SB.
 Continued

Below given the variation of some important

parameters of Raw water quality in different
months 2010-11.
 8
120
7

6 100

Chloride ppm
Silica ppm

5 80

4
60
3
40
2
20
1
0
0 July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan
July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan

month month

900 250
Chart
800
Title
700 200
600

TH ppm
Conductivity

500 150
400 Series1

300 100
200
100 50
0
July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan
0
July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan

RAW WATER
Average Parameters with respect to month 2010-11
 Continued

• One of the important task of chemical

department is oil analysis. We have completed
equipped oil laboratory with all latest
equipment were we analyze:
• Furnace oil
• EHC oil
• Turbine oil
• Transformer oil
• Lubricating oil Samples.
 Oil Analysis
•Specific Gravity, Kinematic Viscosity, Flash Point, Ash Content, Pour

Heavy Fuel Oil Point, Calorific Value, Sediment, Acid No., Sodium, Potassium,
Vanadium, Conradson Carbon Residue & Water Content.

Electro Hydraulic •Specific Gravity, Kinematic Viscosity, Flashpoint, Colour,

Sediment, Pour Point, Water Content & Acid No.
Control Oil
Boiler Feed Pump •Specific Gravity, Kinematic Viscosity, Flash point, Colour,
Sediment, Pour Point, Water Content & Acid No.
Oil/Turbine Oil
•Specific Gravity, Kinematic Viscosity, Flash point, Colour,
Transformer Oil Sediment, Pour Point, Water Content & Acid No.

CWP Oils/Instrument •Specific Gravity, Kinematic Viscosity, Flash point, Colour,

Compressor Oil Sediment, Pour Point, Water Content & Acid No.
 Continued

• Before entering the actual topic I would like to

give you a brief introduction about the
production of de-ionized water, which is used
as make up water at our plant. This comes
under the heading of external treatment. As
you all knows water contain different salts
which is dissolved in it. These salts having +
and – charges (i.e. ions) like
• NaCl Na+, Cl –
• CaCO3 Ca+2, (CO3) -2 and so on
• What actually happening in the process of
deionization is that all +ve ions of water are
exchange in the cation exchanger and all –ve
ion of the water are retain in anion exchanger.
This is how the water become completely de-
ionized. For fine polishing mix bed exchanger
is used.
 Water Treatment Process
Anthracite
Raw Water
Filter

Cat-Ion
Degasifier Exchanger

An-Ion Mix-Bed
Exchanger Exchanger

Deminerali
zed Water
 The need of Boiler Water Conditioning

Water Quality is an important Element in the

efficient Operation of Boilers and Steam Systems.
This factor make it essential that Water used for
Steam Generation is properly treated to minimize
damage to Boiler Equipment and unforeseen
production losses. What is often not realize is that
improper Boiler Water Treatment is also expensive
on Fuel.
 The need of Boiler Water Conditioning

As Water evaporates, impurities present become

concentrated and are finally deposited on heating
surfaces as Scale. This scale prevents optimum
Heat transfer to Water and an increasing
proportion of heating Fuel leaves the Boiler as
higher Temperature Flue Gas.
 The need of Boiler Water Conditioning

It has estimated that for every 20 oC increase in

Flue Gas temperature, the Boiler efficiency drop
by 1% point. If Boiler Feed Water (Make-up Water)
is not adequately treated, Boiler Water quality has
to be controlled by increasing Blow Down (to
control Silica & Chloride etc). This increase Blow
Down must be seen as wasted Energy.
 The need of Boiler Water Conditioning

In a number of cases improving the Feed Water

Quality by efficient Water Treatment will pay for
itself in reduce Blow Down, energy Cost alone of
curse increase Boiler Life, Problem free Steam
Supply and saving from reduce maintenance
requirement are additional reasons for better
Boiler Water Treatment.
 Scale Deposition and their Causes

A serious problem caused by untreated Water in

Boilers is the formation of Hard Scale on the
Heating Surfaces. In addition to impending Water
Flow, Scale deposits results in Fuel Loss and
overheating of Boiler Surfaces which become
weakens Boiler Tubes and finally results Heat
induced fracturing.
 Scale Deposition and their Causes

Parts of Boiler particularly susceptible to Scale

formation are Water and Furnace Tubes, where
Heat transfer and Water evaporation rates are
High. Scale Deposit results Boiler Fuel Costs while
de-scaling is a major disruption to Boiler
Operation.
 Scale Deposition and their Causes

In Boilers, Scale and deposits formation are caused by

the following mechanisms:
 High Concentration of dissolve Salts ----- this occurs
during evaporation in the Boiler when Chemicals with
low solubility precipitate (e.g) Salts of Calcium,
Magnesium and Silicate etc.
 Inverse Temperature effect on Solubility (i.e)
Decrease in Solubility of Salts with increse in
Temperature.
 Scale Deposition and their Causes

 Formation of Less Soluble Salts by Chemical

Reaction, (e.g)
Ca(HCO3)2 + Heat CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O
 Surface fouling due to setting and baking of an
already precipitated Solid on the Surface.
 Deposition of Insoluble Corrosion products on
Heating Surfaces. Soft Scale and Solid Deposits
formed in Feed Water Heaters and Economizer
can also find their way into Boiler. If not removed
regularly this accumulation of Sludge can Harden
and retard Heat Transfer.
 Continuous Blow Down

 The Term Continuous Blow Down or Blow Off is

used to describe the process of continuously
discharging a small Stream of concentrated Boiler
Water from Boiler for removing suspended and
dissolved Solids which have concentrated during
Operation.
 All manufacturers of modern Boilers specify the
upper limits of the Concentration of the Total Solids
required to meets the Guarantee of Steam Quality.
 Continuous Blow Down

 It is not uncommon to Blow Down solely for

maintaining a maximum permissible Concentration
of Silica. This is specially necessary in High Pressure
Boilers to avoid Siliceous Turbine Deposits.

Intermittent Blow Down & Continuous Blow Down

 In recent Boiler Design for more effective and
economic regulation of Boiler Water concentrations
continuous Blow Down is incorporated.
 Continuous Blow Down

 Water Blown from Boilers may be wasted with or

without Heat Recovery.
 At Both High and Low Pressure Stations the Btu
available from this Water is often used for Feed
Water Heating in accordance with a Scheme which
fits into the Heat Balance of the Station.
 In High Pressure Boiler more Flash Tanks are used
to reduce the Temperature stepwise and to recover
the Heat of Continuous Blow Down.
 Phosphate Addition

This is actually a part of internal Water Treatment

program. There are Two Types of Treatment (viz)
1. Precipitation Programme.
2. Non Precipitation Programme.
 Phosphate Addition comes under the Heading of
Precipitation Programme.
 Even after External Treatment, Boiler Feed Water
may contain contaminants that can cause
deposits, corrosion and carry over.
 Internal Treatment carried out within the Boiler
System to render the Water less harmful to
System Operation (i.e) Boiler.
 Phosphate Addition

 Scale formation is reduce by converting

Hardness Salts to a free flowing Sludge, while
Corrosion is minimized by Chemically removing
Dissolve Oxygen in Water and by keeping it Alkaline
(i.e) by maintaining recommended PH Value.
 Scale formation inside the Boiler can be
eliminated to a large extend by maintaining a
controlled Dosage of Phosphate Alkalinity to
precipitate out the undesired compounds.
 Phosphate Addition

Phosphate Cycle:
In this Calcium Salts are precipitated as Phosphates and
Magnesium Salts as Hydroxides or Silicates. The
Reactions are as given below:
3Ca(HCO3)2 + 2Na3PO4 Ca3(PO4)2 + 3Na2CO3 +
3CO2 + 3H2O
3CaSO4 + 2Na3PO4 Ca3(PO4)2 + 3Na2SO4
Na2CO3 + H2O 2NaOH + CO2
MgCl2 + 2NaOH Mg(OH)2 + 2NaCl
 Phosphate Addition

 In High Pressure Boiler the recommended PH for

Boiler Drum is 9.2 – 9.5 and the Phosphate Value
maintained in Boiler Drum is 1.0 – 3.0 ppm.
 Various forms of Phosphates of different alkalinities
are used in Boiler Treatment, they include:

 Trisodium Phosphate
 Disodium Phosphate
 Monosodium Phosphate
 Sodium Hexa Meta Phosphate
 Causes of Carry Over

 Priming is the Term usually reserved for the

propulsion of Liquid into the Steam Drum by
extremely rapid, almost explosive Boiling of Water at
the Heating Surface.
 When Boiler Water is entrained in the Steam, it may
leave deposits in Steam mains and Valves, Super
Heaters and Turbines. If such deposits occur to an
appreciable extent, they are soon reflected in loss of
efficiency or damage to the equipment.
 Causes of Carry Over

 Water can be carried into the Steam space by means

of other than priming and foaming.
 Priming and Foaming are less likely to occur at High
Pressures than at Low, because the Bubbles
apparently are produced near the Water surface and
their size is much reduce.
 A 3rd Condition responsible for deposits in the Steam
Cycle is due to certain constituents principally Silica
dissolving in the Steam and later re-depositing on
Turbine Blades when critical reduction of Pressure
and Temperature occurs.
 Causes of Carry Over

Prevention of carry over

These phenomena can be controlled by keeping low
concentrations of dissolved and suspended solids in
the Boiler Water.
 By avoiding process contamination.
 By avoiding contamination with Oils, Greases and
Foam producing organic Compounds.
 By Operating the Boiler at proper Pressure.
 By Controlling sudden fluctuation in the Steam Load.
Note: Foaming can be suppressed by the use of Anti-
Foaming Agents.
 Causes of Internal Corrosion

What is Corrosion?
Corrosion is the destructive attack of a substance by
Chemical, Electrochemical or a combined
electrochemical and Mechanical Reaction with its
surroundings. As an evident corrosion can result in
loss of Metal/Material and Equipment Failure.
Corrosion in Boiler:
Corrosion often experienced can be of various Types.
 General Corrosion:
It is uniformly distributed over the Metal surface. It is
due to the properties of Water such as its acidity.
 Causes of Internal Corrosion

 Pitting Corrosion:
It is located at a small area. It is corrosion due to
Dissolve Oxygen. Its mechanism that is the
Electrochemical cell principle is explained as shown
below:
 Causes of Internal Corrosion

 Galvanic Corrosion:
Galvanic Corrosion occurs when Two dissimilar
Metals are in contact. A common example in Water
System is Steel and Brass.
 Corrosion due to Oxygen:
The presence of Oxygen in Condensate Lines also
leads to Corrosion. Typically with the formation of
Pits with the associated Corrosion Deposits. The
presence of O2 & CO2 means that a Higher Rate of
Corrosion will occur.
 Causes of Internal Corrosion

 Corrosion Reaction:
4Fe + 6H2O + 3O2 4 Fe (OH)3
Corrosion resulting in Ferric Hydroxide
4Fe (OH)3 2Fe2O3 + 6H2O
Formation of Iron Oxide
4FeCO3 + 10H2O + O2 4Fe(OH)3 +
4H2CO3
Release of Carbonic Acid from Ferrous Carbonate
increases effect of Carbonic Acid Corrosion.
 Causes of Internal Corrosion

 Corrosion generally increases with increase in

Temperature.
 The Corrosion Inhibitor generally slows down
Corrosion. These may be Organic or Inorganic in
nature.
 In our Station at BQPS-1 we use Hydrazine Hydrate as
an Oxygen Scavenger to treat Feed Water and
Condensate for the prevention of Corrosion in the
System.
 Effect of Silica in Boiler

 Contaminants in Water-Steam circulating in the

Systems of Steam Turbine Plants may reduce the
Long Term reliability of the Equipment.
 To prevent this the Feed Water and Boiler Water
Quality have been controlled very carefully.
 Performance Reduction:
Contaminants such as Silica dissolve in Steam may
adhere to the High Pressure Turbine Steam paths.
This impairs the smooth flow of Steam & reduces
Nozzle Areas.
 Effect of Silica in Boiler

 Table 1 List Example of Contaminants that have been

detected in Steam Turbines. As can be seen a wide
range of Materials have been detected.
 Effect of Silica in Boiler

 The Thickness of Deposits varies from several

microns to several millimeters and does not depend
on the Stage.
 This can only be minimized by strict control of Steam
Quality as described earlier.
 Conductivity and PH measurements are not enough
to ensure good control of Feed Water Quality. The
Levels of Sodium Ions, Dissolve Oxygen, Hydrazine,
Silica, Chloride Ions, Sulfate Ions, Copper, Iron and
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) must also be measured.
 Effect of Silica in Boiler

 Given Table shows Limits and Target Values of Steam

Purity.