MARINE BOILER

WATER ANALYSIS
Boiler Feedwater
- Water feed into the boiler for the production of steam

- Free from turbidity, oil, dissolve gases, alkalis and hardness causing
substances

“ We cannot get water which is free from all these things because the
nature of water carries hardness causing substances; sometimes may
contaminated with some turbidity, oil, dissolve gases and alkalis.”

HARD WATER – high in dissolve minerals, largely calcium and

magnesium. The degree of hardness become greater as the Calcium (Ca)
and Magnesium (Mg) content increases

e.g. of soft water is rainwater and distilled water

 MARINE BOILER
WATER ANALYSIS
What happen if we use hardwater (from natural resources) leads to:
(1) Scale or Sludge Formation (3) Priming and Foaming (Carry-over)
(2) Caustic embrittlement (4) Boiler Corrosion

Sludge Formation (loose precipitate) Scale Formation (Hard and Adhering)

 MARINE BOILER
WATER ANALYSIS
Sludge Formation (loose
Precipitate)
1. Loose, slimmy & non-
adherent in nature
2. Sludge Forming Salts:
MgCO3 – Magnesium
Carbonate
MgCl2 – Magnesium Chlorite
CaCl2 – Calcium Chlorite
3. Disadvantage:
poor conductors of heat
(excess heat will have to supply
that means efficiency of boiler
decreases)
Scale Formation (Hard and
Adhering)
1. Hard and Adherent
2. Scale Forming Salts:
Ca(HCO3)2 – Calcium
Bicarbonate
CaSO4 – Calcium Sulfate
Mg(OH)2 – Magnesium
Hydroxide
3. Disadvantage:
Scale act as a thermal
insulator decreases its efficiency
of boiler and may lead to
explosion if there is crack
 MARINE BOILER
WATER ANALYSIS

1. pH Test / Alkalinity Test

2.Chloride Test
3.Hydrazine Test
4.Hardness Test
5.Conductivity Test
6.Phosphate Test
MARINE BOILER
WATER ANALYSIS
 MARINE BOILER
WATER ANALYSIS
The testing kit includes materials to test the water for Phosphate,
P/M- Alkalinity, Chloride and pH. More specifically, the kit
includes the following:
• Sample water beakers (50ml, 100ml, 200ml)
• Comparator vials (2 x 10ml)
• Comparator
• PH reagent
• PH indicator strip
• Hydrazine reagent
• Phosphate tabs
• Chloride tabs
• P&M Alkalinity tabs
• Color indicator discs (Phospate/Hydrazine)
• Filters and pill crusher
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
- A pH Test indicates how alkaline or acidic your
boiler water is. Ideally, the water should be
maintained between 9.5-11.5 pH inside the boiler
(alkaline environment)
-Engineers perform this test to prevent acidic
corrosion from the water (low pH) as well as scale
formation (high pH)
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
To perform this test, perform the following steps:
-Rinse and fill the plastic 50ml beaker with sample water
-After that is done, add 600mg of PH reagent (one scoop) to
the water sample
-Mix the reagent in the sample water to completely dissolve it.
-Next, take a PH indicator strip, dip it into the sample, and
leave it submerged for one minute
-Finally, compare with the colors shown on the box to
determine the PH level visually.

Base on the results of the test, you can choose to alter the
water’s pH levels in two using these UNITOR chemicals:
• Condensate Control for feedwater in the hotwell to ensure at
least pH level from 8.5 to 9.5 pH
• Alkalinity Control for inside the boiler to provide 9.5 – 11.5
pH, which is required for corrosion control
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
- If the water is acidic it could cause pitting corrosion
- pH (power of hydrogen ion concentration)
( logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion
concentration)
- Small p ; capital H
- Neutral Water = pH 7
Acidic Water = pH <7
Alkaline Water = pH >7
- Too much alkalinity will result to SCALE, CAUSTIC
EMBRITTLEMENT AND GROOVING
CORROSION
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
- The most common alkaline solution for boiler
to maintain pH includes Sodium Hydroxide
and Potassium Hydroxide
- De-aeration like cascade and inspection
tank: as heat increases the water will
become acidic that’s why we supplement it
with chemicals As the temperature
increases the Oxygen content of the water
decreases. Oxygen is a dissolve gas
present in boiler water that promotes
corrosion
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
- P & M Alkalinity Test
For this test, you will need to use the 200ml flask as well
as the P&M Alkalinity tabs (indicator pills). P & M
Alkalinity calculates the total amount of inorganic
carbons inside the sample. Remember that the boiler
water should be in an alkaline environment but not in
excess, in order to promote the formation of precipitates
and protect from corrosion.
We test P&M Alkalinity by rinding and filling the 200ml
flask with sample water and adding tabs in a consecutive
manner.
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
P Alkalinity test in boiler water – Start by placing P
indicator pills in the sample water (one by one) until the
color changes from blue to yellow. Depending on the
number of tabs added to the water you will be able to
identify the P Alkalinity.
(Formula: Palk = P alk Pills x 20-10 = ppmCaCo3)
M Alkalinity test in boiler water - This test starts with the
same water sample you previously used to determine the P
Alkalinity (Yellow). Add M indicator pills consecutively until
the color of the sample turns from yellow to purple. Then,
based on the number of pills that were used; you will be
able to calculate the M Alkalinity of the sample
(Formula: Malk = (P Alk Pills+M Alk Pills) x 20-10 =
ppmCaCo3)
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
Once you know the P&M Alkalinity levels, you can easily
control them by using the UNITOR chemical “Alkalinity
Control”’ By doing so, you will be able to create an alkaline
boiler water environment, which in turn prevents corrosion
and protects the water from oxidation
MARINE BOILER 1. pH Test /
WATER ANALYSIS Alkalinity Test
- P Alkalinity
= Phenolphtalein (P) Alkalinity (pH values greater than
8.3) measures all the Hydroxide and one half of the
Carbonate Alkalinity which is sufficient for our purpose of
control. Bicarbonates do not show in this test as they have a
pH of less than 8.4.

- M Alkalinity
= Total Alkalinity or M Alkalinity (pH values greater than
4.3) measures the sum of Bicarbonate, Carbonate and
Hydroxide Alkalinity.
MARINE BOILER 2. Chloride Test
WATER ANALYSIS
- For this test, you will need the 100ml beaker and
Chloride testing tabs. Testing for Chloride is very
important as it indicates whether sea water is
contaminating the boiler. This causes increased
conductivity between the boiler metal and its water,
which accelerates oxidation.
To start this test, fill the 100ml beaker with sample
water. Next, dissolve chloride tabs one by one until the
color of the water changes from yellow to brown.
Depending on the number of pills we use, we can then
determine the chloride concentration of the water (use
the color indicator to determine the levels).
MARINE BOILER 2. Chloride Test
WATER ANALYSIS
MARINE BOILER 2. Chloride Test
WATER ANALYSIS
MARINE BOILER 2. Chloride Test
WATER ANALYSIS
- To check the salt contamination of water in the
condenser or water supply
- Chloride ions destroy the corrosion-resistant
coatings formed on metal surfaces and promote
corrosion; as such, chloride ion concentrations
should be kept as low as possible
- When it comes to chloride concentration, there isn’t
a “chemical treatment” to reduce its levels in the
vessel’s boiler water. If the concentration is too
high, you will simply need to blowdown and make
sure that the replacing water has a lower chloride
concentration. This is heavily depended on feed
water, which comes from distilled water created in
the fresh water generator.
MARINE BOILER 3. Hydrazine
WATER ANALYSIS Test
- Hydrazine (N2H4) is very important as it reacts with
dissolve oxygen inside the boiler tank to form
hydrogen and water.
N2H4 + O2 N2 + 2H2O
- First off, rinse and fill the two 10ml sample vials with
boiler water.
- One vial contains the control sample and the placed
on the left side of the comparator (not adjusted).
- The right cell will include 1 gram of hydrazine
reagent, which will need to be fully dissolve as we
did previously.
- Two minutes after the agent is fully dissolved, you
can once again use the color indicator disc to
determine the levels of hydrazine within the water
MARINE BOILER 3. Hydrazine
WATER ANALYSIS Test
MARINE BOILER 3. Hydrazine
WATER ANALYSIS Test
- To control and alter hydrazine levels we use a UNITOR
chemical known as “Oxygen Scavenger/Control”. These
chemicals remove the dissolved oxygen that causes
corrosion.
MARINE BOILER 4. Hardness Test
WATER ANALYSIS
- To measure the amount of
minerals present in the water

Note: Hardness test of boiler water

are not necessary when the
phosphate is above the lower limit
of the control range
 MARINE BOILER 5. Conductivity
WATER ANALYSIS Test
– (TDS) Total dissolve solids are the amount of organic and
inorganic materials, such as metals, minerals, salts, and ions,
dissolve in a particular volume of water. TDS are essentially a
measure of anything dissolve in water that is not an water
molecule.
- The term TDS describes all solids (usually mineral salts) that
are dissolved in water. The TDS and the electrical conductivity
are in close connection. The more salts are dissolved in the
water, the higher is the value of the electrical conductivity.
 MARINE BOILER 5. Conductivity
WATER ANALYSIS Test
– Conductivity measurement with conductive sensors
An alternating voltage is applied to the electrodes
which generates a current in the medium. The intensity
of the current depends on the number of the medium's free
anions and cations that move between the two electrodes.
 MARINE BOILER 6. Phosphate
WATER ANALYSIS Test
- to have phosphate reserve in boiler water
- What phosphate do? Convert Scale forming salts to
become soft sludge

[1] Calcium Hardness – reacts with phosphate ( PO₄³⁻) or

alkali (OH-) ions to become hydroxyapatite, half of which is
dispersed in the boiler water while the other half
accumulates as sludge on the drum bottom and in areas
where water circulates slowly. These precipitates are
drained by proper blow.

The amount of phosphate ion required to treat 1ppm of

calcium hardness is 0.57ppm.
 MARINE BOILER 6. Phosphate
WATER ANALYSIS Test
[2] Magnesium Hardness – reacts with alkali, silica ( SiO2)
or phosphate ions in the boiler water to become buoyant
magnesium hydroxide, magnesium silicate or magnesium
phosphate, which is drained by proper blow.

To test the phosphate levels, we use the comparator, a

small black device that holds both of your 10ml testing
vials, and here are the steps you need to follow:
• First off, rinse and fill the two 10ml sample vials with
boiler water.
• One vial contains the control sample and the placed on
the left side of the comparator (not adjusted).
 MARINE BOILER 6. Phosphate
WATER ANALYSIS Test
• First off, rinse and fill the two 10ml sample vials with
boiler water.
• One vial contains the control sample and the placed on
the left side of the comparator (not adjusted).
• The other sample requires a phosphate indicator tablet,
which you will need to dissolve in the water and wait for
10 minutes before proceeding.
• After the 10 minutes are over, take the indicator disc
and compare the vials. Once you identify the color
match, you will get an indication of the phosphate
concentration in the water.
 MARINE BOILER 6. Phosphate
WATER ANALYSIS Test
When it comes to water treatment for phosphate
concentration, we use the UNITOR chemical Hardness
Control, which has the following characteristics:
• Maintains free phosphate levels in the boiler
• Does not allow calcium to create scale and makes it
easy to remove by blowdown
• You can add 23gr per ton of feedwater for 20ppm
Phosphate boost

Note that phosphate levels in the boiler water should be

maintained at 20-50ppm.
MARINE BOILER
WATER ANALYSIS