Boiler water treatment; Industrial boilers and steam raising plant are used extensively in many commercial, manufacturing and industrial processes.
To ensure that such boiler systems are correctly maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it is essential that the correct boiler water conditions are maintained at all times. This can be achieved dosing selected boiler water treatment chemicals into the feed water.
Accepta’s technically advanced boiler water treatment chemicals have been scientifically formulated to improve the operation and maintenance of industrial boiler systems and steam generation plant by proactively managing the problems associated with the use of water including scale formation, metallic corrosion, boiler water carryover and sludge deposition.
Our high performance boiler water chemicals include single-shot multifunctional treatment products, scale and corrosion inhibitors, oxygen scavengers, alkalinity builders, sludge conditioners, condensate line treatments and more…
Download our Boiler Water Treatment PDF
Oxygen Scavengers
If left untreated, boiler water derived oxygen will corrode metallic boiler components leading to increased maintenance costs and reduced boiler efficiency. To ensure that such boiler systems are well maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it is essential that the correct water conditions are maintained at all times to prevent corrosion in feed water lines and…
Multi-Functional Boiler Treatment
Accepta’s advanced technology multi-functional boiler water treatment chemicals have been scientifically formulated to offer multi-component boiler protection in a single “one-shot” chemical product. Accepta’s multi-component boiler water treatment chemicals bring together the convenience of a single chemical treatment product, with multifunctional protection capabilities to deliver superb, all-round boiler protection. This make them ideal for most industrial…
Scale Inhibitors & Polymer Sludge Conditioners
Scale is caused by the accumulation of hardness salts in the boiler water which, if not removed can cause localised overheating, reduced heat transfer efficiency, and in severe situations tube failure. Hardness salts can either be removed before they enter the boiler system or they can be treated inside the boiler itself with suitable antiscalants /…
Condensate Line Protection
To ensure that such steam boiler systems are well maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it is essential that the correct water conditions are maintained at all times. This can be achieved using carefully selected chemicals for the protection of condensate lines in steam boilers. Accepta’s advanced technology boiler water condensate line treatment chemicals have been…
Alkalinity Builders
The control of boiler water pH and alkalinity levels are important issue affecting the operation and maintenance of industrial boiler systems and steam raising plant. To ensure that such boiler systems are well maintained and operate at optimum efficiency it is essential that the correct water conditions are maintained at all times. This can be achieved…
Choosing the Right Boiler Water Treatment Chemicals
Ensuring you are using the best boiler water chemicals for your application is very important as using the wrong chemicals can be much more costly in the long run and may not provide adequate treatment for your steam boiler. Different operating pressures, system materials and make-up water chemistry have an impact on the treatment program your industrial boiler should be on. To assist in making the right choice Accepta have provided guides within each treatment category to make selection easier, you just need to know where to start.
A Steam Boiler treatment program should always include an oxygen scavenger and polymer treatment. It is typical to also include a phosphate treatment especially in applications above 10 bar (150 psi). While it is always necessary to control the alkalinity, where the makeup water is reliably softened the regular use of an alkalinity builder may not be necessary.
The above is general guidance and advises beginning with an Oxygen Scavenger and Polymer Scale Inhibitor Treatment, these can be found separately in the categories above however they can also be supplied in a blended multi-functional treatment based on Tannin or Sulphite which suit most applications. Carbohydrazide or DEHA treatments can be found in Oxygen Scavengers.
Next, you need to decide whether you require a Phosphate Supplement in your boiler program, this comes down to pressure and natural alkalinity in the make-up water and is highly recommended in the following situations:
- Where boilers operate at pressures above 19 bar (150 psi)
- Where the ‘natural’ Alkalinity of the make-up after sulphite addition is less than 20% of the TDS or make-up is dealkalised
- Or when the make-up water is not efficiently softened
Combined with Polymers, Phosphate will precipitate calcium and magnesium hardness from the boiler water into a sludge which is ejected during blowdown.
Condensate line treatment is a must for systems which incorporate a condensate return or economiser as these are at risk of Oxygen attack and Carbonic Acid attack especially in systems with low feedwater temperature. Treatment is typically using a steam volatile Amine which either neutralises the steam pH or uses a filming amine to coat the surface of the tube with a corrosion resistant film.
If you require any advice on treatment and recommended programs for your industrial steam boiler please contact us today.
Control Limits for Shell Type Boilers up to 20 bar
| Test | Units | Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 10 minimum | |
| Caustic Alkalinity (Alk OH) | mg/l as CaCO3 | 350 minimum |
| Total Alkalinity (Alk M) | mg/l as CaCO3 | 1200 maximum |
| Total Hardness | mg/l as CaCO3 | Less than 10 |
| Sulphite Reserve or Tannin | mg/l as Na2SO3 or Tannin units | 50-100 or 12-20 |
| Total Dissolved Solids | mg/l | 3000 maximum |
| Silica | mg/l as Si O2 | Less than 40% of Caustic Alk |
| Phosphate | mg/l as PO4 | 30-70 |
| Suspended Solids | Light |
Boiler Water Analysis
At Accepta head office we have an onsite chemistry laboratory which is involved in the quality control process of our boiler water chemicals, this laboratory also performs water analysis on Boiler samples from our customers in the UK and is available to order online with packages including:
- Standard Industrial Boiler Water Analysis
- Feed Water Analysis
Boiler Water Test includes:
- pH
- Total Hardness
- TDS
- Tannin/Sulphite
- M. and P. Alkalinity
- Hydroxide Alkalinity
- Phosphate
Feed Water Analysis Includes:
- pH
- Total Hardness
- TDS
- M. and P. Alkalinity
- Phosphate
- Chloride
This analysis is important to keep on top of your boiler water treatment levels as poor management can lead to scale & corrosion issues, reduced efficiency and even damage to critical systems. Ordering online is simple as Card and BACS payments are accepted, the lab will send out a Freepost returnable sample kit and provide a report of results soon after.
Additionally, periodic boiler water testing can be performed by a competent site engineer using dropper titration test kits which are also available from Accepta.
Industrial Boiler Water Softeners
An integral part of boiler treatment is make-up water conditioning by a base exchange water softener to remove hardness salts. A good treatment regimen should see make-up water softened down to below 1ppm. This is of course not always possible and some applications such as heritage steam are recommended to make up for a lack of softened water with the use of Polymer Phosphate treatments.
If you require a water softener for your application please visit our equipment page on water softeners to see our range of sizes and control types including water meter control or time clock control. In many cases for an industrial steam boiler, a duplex softener is required as there is a need for no interruption to soft water supply to the hotwell, if you are unsure about what system is best for your application then contact Accepta today.
