8oller WaLer 1esLlng Chrls Mannlon 08nCA

1here are several ways ln whlch boller waLer can geL conLamlnaLed and Lhere are LesLs Lo
deLermlne whaL ls ln Lhls waLer so LhaL lL can be LreaLed accordlngly Lo prevenL damage
lnefflclency eLc WaLer samples can be Laken and LesLed and ln each case Lhe amounL of
chemlcals added Lo recelve a speclflc resulL wlll lndlcaLe Lhe level of conLamlnaLlon 1hese
LesLs are
nardness
1hese LesLs are carrled ouL Lo see lf Lhere are any hardness salLs ln Lhe waLer as Lhey can
cause a scale Lo form on Lhe heaLlng surfaces whlch prevenLs heaL Lransfer
Wank|yn Soap 1est lor Lhls LesL a sLandard soap soluLlon ls added Lo 100ml of waLer ln a
sLoppered glass boLLle and shaken 1he soap ls added ln amounLs of 02ml aL a Llme 1he
LesL ls sLopped when Lhere ls laLher formed whlch lasLs for 3 mlnuLes when Lhe boLLle ls lald
on lLs slde
LD1A 100ml of waLer can be placed ln a porcelaln dlsh and added Lo Lhls ls 2ml of ammonla
buffer soluLlon and 1ml of MordanL 8lack lndlcaLor lf salLs are presenL Lhe waLer wlll Lurn a
wlne red and drops of Lu1A can be added whllsL sLlrrlng unLll Lhe red colour dlsappears
Lurnlng blue
A|ka||n|ty
AlkallnlLy musL be LesLed as we keep Lhe boller waLer sllghLly alkallne Lo prevenL acldlc
corroslon Lo Lhe meLalllc surfaces AlLhough Loo hlgh an alkallnlLy can cause causLlc aLLack
on Lhe boller meLal and waLer foamlng ln Lhe sLeam drum
heno|phtha|e|n 100ml of waLer can e added Lo a porcelaln dlsh and 1ml of
phenolphLhaleln soluLlon ls added lf Lhe pP ls above 84 Lhe waLer wlll Lurn plnk Sulphurlc
acld can be added ln drops whllsL sLlrrlng unLll Lhe plnk colour dlsappears
Methy|orange test for tota| a|ka||n|ty 8lcarbonaLes do noL show up on Lhe
phenolphLhaleln LesL as Lhe pP ls below 84 so a plnk colour wlll noL be achleved ln LhaL
way Powever Laklng Lhe prevlous sample we can add 1ml of meLhyl orange A red colour
wlll lndlcaLe no blcarbonaLes whereas a yellow colour wlll lndlcaLe blcarbonaLes AL Lhls
polnL sulphurlc acld can be added ln drops whllsL sLlrrlng unLll red
8ar|um Ch|or|de 1est for caust|c a|ka||n|ty 100ml of waLer can be puL lnLo a porcelaln dlsh
and 10ml of barlum chlorlde can be added and sLlrred conLlnuously for 2 mlnuLes 1hls wlll
preclplLaLe any carbonaLes ln Lhe sample so LhaL any plnk colouraLlon galned when addlng
1ml of phenolphLhaleln musL only be hydroxldes Sulphurlc acld can be added ln drops unLll
Lhls plnk colour dlsappears lf Lhe plnk colour reappears Lhls can be lgnored
pn test 100ml of unfllLered waLer from a prevlously sealed boLLle ls spllL evenly lnLo 2
speclal 30ml LesL Lubes Cne of Lhese LesL Lubes should conLaln 02ml of a parLlcular
lndlcaLor henol red for pP range of 68 84 1hymol blue for pP range80 96 1hymol
phLhaleln for pP range 93 106 nlLro yellow for pP range 103 116
1he sLoppers should be placed on Lhe LesL Lubes and Lhe one wlLh lndlcaLor can be
compared Lo a sLandard pP charL where Lhe oLher one ls used Lo Lake lnLo accounL any
dlscolouraLlon of Lhe waLer lLself lf Loo much conLacL wlLh Lhe alr ls lnvolved Lhen Lhe
carbonaLes may form blcarbonaLes changlng Lhe alkallnlLy level As Lhls can be an
lnaccuraLe LesL elecLrlcal LesLs may be used lnsLead
Ch|or|des
lL ls lmporLanL Lo LesL for chlorldes ln Lhe waLer as lL can lndlcaLe sea waLer conLamlnaLlon
and/or a boller leakage 1oo hlgh a chlorlde level lndlcaLes LhaL undue amounLs of dlssolved
salLs are ln Lhe waLer whlch can lead Lo deposlLs and/or foamlng
S||ver N|trate 1est 1he sample used for Lhls LesL musL be acldlc and so Lhe sample
prevlously used for Lhe phenolphLhaleln can be used and 4ml of sulphurlc acld added
maklng lL poslLlvely acldlc 03ml of poLasslum chromaLe lndlcaLor can now be added whlch
should Lurn Lhe sample a yellow colour lf any chlorldes are presenL Sllver nlLraLe soluLlon ls
Lhen added whllsL sLlrrlng unLll Lhe colour Lurns a reddlsh brown
lf Lhe prevlous phenolphLhaleln sample can noL be used Lhen 100ml of waLer should be
placed lnLo a porcelaln dlsh and 1g of poLasslum persulphaLe should be sLlrred ln followed
by1 ml of phenolphLhaleln and addlng sulphurlc acld unLll Lhe plnk colour dlsappears
1ota| D|sso|ved So||ds
1hls measures all of Lhe dlssolved sollds ln Lhe waLer 1oo hlgh a denslLy can lead Lo foamlng
and/or deposlLs uenslLles over 2000ppm can be measured vla a hydromeLer and Lhe
denslLles below Lhls value can be measured vla an elecLrlcal conducLlvlLy meLer
nydrometer AbouL a llLre of waLer can be poured lnLo a [ar and 6 drops of neuLral alkyl
sulphaLe added 1he hydromeLer can now be carefully lnserLed and Lhe denslLy read and
recorded provldlng Lhe hydromeLer ls floaLlng freely and noL Louchlng Lhe sldes 1he
LemperaLure musL also be recorded and lf lL does noL correspond Lo LhaL on Lhe hydromeLer
Lhen a formula or converslon Lable can be used Lo geL a more accuraLe resulL keeplng
lnsLrumenLs and conLalners clean ls a musL
L|ectr|ca| Conduct|v|ty ure dlsLllled waLer does noL conducL buL lmpure waLer does
Marlne sallnomeLers can be callbraLed Lo read dlrecLly ln Lerms of Lhe ppm of dlssolved salLs
presenL ln Lhe sample As denslLy changes wlLh LemperaLure a LemperaLure compensaLlng
devlce musL be flL 1he sallnomeLer could elLher be a consLanL auLomaLlc readouL or a
porLable devlce could be used
230ml of waLer can be poured lnLo a dlsh aL 20 degrees Celslus and 4 drops of
phenolphLhaleln lndlcaLor added AceLlc acld ls Lhen added ln drops whlle sLlrrlng unLll Lhe
plnk colour dlsappears 1hls sample can now be used Lo wash ouL and flll Lhe conducLlvlLy
cell 1he sallnomeLer should be checked LhaL lL ls seL boLh for Lhe correcL LemperaLure and
Lhe correcL denslLy range 1he denslLy ls elLher read dlrecLly as ppm of dlssolved salLs or
wlLh elecLrlcal conducLlvlLy vla a formula 1he sample musL be neuLrallsed so LhaL a more
accuraLe readlng can be Laken
hosphate keserve
A hosphaLe reserve ls requlred ln Lhe boller Lo ellmlnaLe any hardness salLs prevenLlng
scallng on Lhe heaLlng surfaces alLhough wlLh Loo hlgh a reserve foamlng can occur
VanadoMo|ybdate 1est 23ml of each waLer and vanadomolybdaLe soluLlon are Lo be
added Lo a conLalner whlch can be sLoppered 1hls should Lhen be shaken up Lo mlx Lhe
conLenLs 1hls soluLlon can be used Lo wash ouL and flll 23ml Lo a comparaLor Lube and Lhe
sLopper lnserLed A slmllar Lube ls prepared as a blank wlLh equal volumes of dlsLllled waLer
and reagenL 1he colour should be allowed aL leasL 3 mlnuLes Lo develop Lhen uslng a colour
comparaLor Lhe sample Lube can be maLched agalnL a sLandard colour dlsc wlLh Lhe blan
placed beneaLh lL
lf Lhe sample ls lnlLlally dlscoloured 2g of poLasslum persulphaLe should be added Lo 30ml
of Lhe waLer and bolled unLll colourless Cool and make up Lo 30ml wlLh dlsLllled waLer and
lL ls now ready for LesLlng
otass|um N|trate 1est 4g of poLasslum nlLraLe can be added Lo 30ml of hoL waLer and
shaken unLll dlssolved lL should Lhen be fllLered unLll a clear soluLlon ls obLalned and 23ml
of Lhe soluLlon ls heaLed Lo 40 degrees Celslus wlLh 3ml of molybdaLe added Lhen shaken
and allowed Lo sLand unLll Lhe onseL of cloudlness 1he Llme Laken for Lhls should be
recorded as lL wlll lndlcaLe Lhe amounL of phosphaLe reserve conLalned wlLh a qulcker
reacLlon lndlcaLlng a hlgher level 2 mlns 80ppm and 3 mlns 20ppm
nydraz|ne keserve
When chemlcal deoxygenaLlon ls belng used Lhe approprlaLe LesL wlll be necessary Lo
ensure LhaL an adequaLe reserve of Lhe chemlcal ls belng malnLalned lf Lhe resulL ls Loo low
Lhen corroslon can occur buL lf Lhe hydrazlne ls Loo hlgh Lhen an excesslve amounL of
ammonla can be formed whlch may lead Lo an aLLack on copper alloys ln Lhe feed sysLem
D|methy|am|nobenza|dehyde 1est 1hls reagenL Lurns yellow ln Lhe presence of hydrazlne
and Lhe lnLenslLy suggesLs Lhe amounL of hydrazlne uurlng LesLlng lL ls essenLlal Lo keep Lhe
sample from conLacLlng Lhls alr as lL reacLs wlLh oxygen 1he sample should be cooled Lo 23
degrees Celslus ln a sLalnless sLeel cooler flLLed wlLh an exLenslon Lube A sample of Lhls can
be Laken by lnserLlng Lhe Lube lnLo a 230ml sLoppered boLLle whlch ls fllled slowly from Lhe
boLLom wlLhdrawlng Lhe Lube and lnserLlng Lhe sLopper under runnlng waLer Lo avold
Lrapplng any alr bubbles 40ml of Lhls sample should qulckly be added Lo one of 2 30ml
sLoppered colour comparaLor Lubes conLalnlng 10ml of acldlc 4
dlmeLhylamlnobenzaldehyde lL may be necessary Lo qulckly pass Lhe waLer Lhrough fllLer
paper 1he oLher comparaLor Lube ls prepared as a blank wlLh 40ml dlsLllled waLer and 10ml
reagenL AfLer 10 mlns have been allowed for Lhe colour Lo develop lL can be compared
agalnsL a colour dlsc wlLh Lhe blank Lube laced beneaLh 1he amounL of hydrazlne wlll be
lndlcaLed on Lhls charL nexL Lo Lhe correspondlng colour 1here ls a llmlL Lo how much Lhls
LesL can measure so a dlluLed soluLlon can be LesLed wlLh a correcLed readlng Lo sulL lf
necessary
Su|ph|te keserve
1hls ls slmllar Lo Lhe hydrazlne reserve ln LhaL Loo low a value could cause corroslon
Powever Loo hlgh a value can lncrease Lhe denslLy Lo an excesslve amounL
otass|um Iodate|od|de test Slmllar Lo Lhe hydrazlne sulphlLe also reacLs wlLh oxygen so
care musL be Laken ln a slmllar fashlon 100ml of Lhe unfllLered waLer musL be poured
lmmedlaLely lnLo a porcelaln dlsh conLalnlng 4ml of sulphurlc acld and 1ml of sLarch
lndlcaLor soluLlon urops of Lhe poLasslum lodaLelodlde soluLlon are added Lo Lhe soluLlon
whllsL sLlrrlng conLlnuously whlch oxldlses Lhe sulphlLe Lo sulphaLe and when Lhe reacLlon ls
compleLe any more reagenL added causes Lhe sLarch lndlcaLor Lo produce a blue colour 1he
reagenL should be ceased now and Lhe amounL added should be noLed 1here ls Lhen a
formula Lo calculaLe Lhe sulphlLe reserves
Ammon|a In 1he Ieed Water
As prevlously menLloned ammonla can cause damage Lo copper alloys ln Lhe sysLem
Ness|er keagent 1est 1hls LesL need only be carrled ouL lf hydrazlne ls belng use Lo
scavenge oxygen 1he reagenL used ls already prepared for use buL ls made from a mlxLure
of poLasslum lodlde mercurlc chlorlde and sodlum hydroxlde A reddlsh brown colour wlll
be presenLed upon exposure Lo ammonla and Lhe lnLenslLy lndlcaLes Lhe level of ammonla
1hls ls a hlghly polsonous reagenL so care musL be Laken
A sample ls Lo be drawn off and poured Lhrough fllLer paper Lo flll 2 30ml sLoppered colour
comparaLor Lubes 2 ml of Lhls reagenL can Lhen be added Lo one of Lhe Lubes and Len mlns
allowed for colourlng Lo be developed As wlLh mosL oLher LesLs Lhe colour ls Lhen checked
agalnsL a dlsc for comparlson and Lhe amounL of ammonla can be read of Lhe dlsc vla Lhe
colour or Lhrough a formula
D|sso|ved Cxygen In 1he Ieed Water
1hls can cause a LhreaL Lo Lhe bollers meLalwork as oxygen corrodes so lL musL be removed
by LreaLmenL
Ind|gocarm|ne test Slmllar Lo oLher LesLs Lhe conLacL Lo alr musL be mlnlmlsed so LhaL an
accuraLe resulL can be Laken 1he reagenL used ln Lhls LesL wlll glve a range of colours as a
resulL whlch ranges from orange Lhrough plnk Lo blue ln respecL Lo an lncrease ln oxygen
conLenL
1o make Lhls reagenL 2ml of poLasslum hydroxlde soluLlon ls added LogeLher wlLh 8ml of a
soluLlon of lndlgocarmlne reduced wlLh glucose 1hls musL be ln a closed conLalner and
mlxed up and Lhen sLored ln a dark place for abouL 30 mlnuLes unLll Lhe colour changes Lo a
lemon yellow 1hls ls referred Lo as Lhe leuco reagenL as ls only sLable for 1213 hours
Speclal Lubes are requlred for Lhls LesL and are called modlfled nessler cyllnders 1hey are
colour comparaLor Lubes wlLh a small lnner Lube whlch ls Lo be fllled wlLh Lhe leuco reagenL
and sealed wlLh a small glass ball Alr bubbles should noL be conLalned
1he waLer Lo be LesLed should be cooled Lo Lhe amblenL LemperaLure and Lhen flll Lhe
nessler Lube and a glass sLopper ls placed belng careful agaln Lo exclude any alr bubbles
now sealed Lhe cyllnder can be Lurned Lo allow Lhe glass ball Lo fall off and Lurned several
more Llmes Lo allow a good mlxLure lL should Lhen be allowed 3 mlnuLes for Lhe colour Lo
develop Agaln llke mosL LesLs Lhe colour can be compared Lo a dlsc whlch wlll lndlcaLe Lhe
amounL of dlssolved oxygen

Note MosL LesLs glve a raLlo as a resulL and musL be compared Lo someLhlng lor hardness
alkallnlLy and chlorldes Lhey are compared wlLh calclum carbonaLe as lL has a molecular
mass of 100 maklng calculaLlons easler

Cther 1ests
1here are oLher LesLs whlch can be done ashore whlch can deLermlne Lhe level of slllca lron
and copper for example ln Lhe waLer Cll conLamlnaLlon may be dlscovered ln Lhe boller
also elLher by means of Lhe gauge glass or a known conLamlnaLlon 1hls can be removed vla
Lhe scum valve
kesu|ts
All resulLs should be recorded as well as a record of chemlcals added and blowdown or
scum removals