Boiler feedwater is treated to prevent issues such as scale, sludge, and corrosion. Different processes can be used, including deaeration and filtering. Untreated feedwater can reduce efficiency and damage components. Corrosion is caused by carbon dioxide and oxygen, which can be removed with a deaerator or chemical scrubbers. Alkalinity levels must also be adjusted to prevent oxidation.
In order to prevent problems such as scale and scale, water is typically treated before it enters a boiler. This boiler feedwater can be subjected to a variety of different processes including deaeration, filtering and preheating. Caustic elements, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, can damage internal components of a boiler or associated pipes and tubes, and sediments in boiler feed water can reduce system efficiency or cause buildup of sludge. Boiler feedwater can undergo different amounts of conditioning depending on the system, although most applications use one or more methods. The water used in power generation is typically subjected to most possible conditioning methods and is also pre-heated before entering the boilers.
A boiler is a sealed vessel that can be used to create hot water or steam which can then be used in a variety of processes. Due to the pressure and heat involved, any impurities or contaminants in the boiler feed water can create problems in the heated vessel or in the apparatus to which the hot water is delivered. Various emissions caused by untreated feed water can reduce or even destroy a boiler’s efficiency, along with cooling fins or other pipes and tubes through which hot water or steam passes.
Lime and other sediments can cause scale problems or sludge buildup. The main problems associated with scale and sludge are related to heat transfer, which can lead to a decrease in boiler efficiency. A dirty unit may not heat the water sufficiently or require too much heat to generate steam. If the scale extends to other parts of the system, these too may suffer from a decrease in efficiency. In a boiler heating system, this can manifest itself in radiators failing to generate enough heat, and a severe buildup can completely block circulation within a system.
Another problem that can be caused by improper conditioning of boiler feedwater is corrosion. The primary elements involved in this type of corrosion are carbon dioxide and oxygen, which are typically dissolved in water from the air. A deaerator can be used to remove much of the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the water, although chemical oxygen scrubbers can also be employed. Boiler feedwater typically needs to be adjusted to a particular level of alkalinity as well, as any oxidation will tend to occur if the pH is below nine. If these steps are not followed, the metal components of the boiler system can corrode and can leak or fail under pressure.
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