Purpose
comment
NaOH
Increase alkanity
Na2Co3
Increases alkanity,PH
N23PO4
Precipitates Calcium
Chelants EDTA
polymers
Hydrazine
Prevents O2 corrosion
Sodium sulfite
Prevent O2 corrosion
Filming amines
antifoams
Water Quality
Drum press, psig
Fw diss oxy,mg/l
Total iron
Total cu
Total hardness
PH preboiler
Non volatile TOC
Oily matter
Boiler water
Silica
Total
alkanity(caco3)
Sp cond,mho/cm
0-300
<0.04
<.1
<.05
<.3
7.5-10
<1
<1
301-450
<.04
<.05
<.025
<.3
7.5-10
<1
<1
451-600
<.007
<.03
<.02
<.2
7.5-10
<.5
<.5
601-750
<.007
<.025
<.02
<.2
7.5-10
<.5
<.5
751-900
<.007
<.02
<.015
<.1
7.5-10
<.5
<.5
<150
<350
<90
<300
<40
<250
<30
<200
<20
<150
<3500
<3000
<2500
<2000
<1500
Asme 1979 guidelines -for boilers with heat flux<150,000 Btu/ft2h. For
higher fluxes, values for next pressure to be used
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Water Quality
Drum press, psig
Fw diss oxy,mg/l
Total iron
Total cu
Total hardness
PH preboiler
Non volatile TOC
Oily matter
Boiler water
Silica
Total
alkanity(caco3)
Sp cond,mho/cm
901-1000
<0.007
<.02
<.015
<.05
8.5-9.5
<.2
<.2
1001-1500
1501-2000
<.007
<.007
<.01
<.01
<.01
<.01
Not detectable
9-9.6
9-9.6
<.2
<.2
<.2
<.2
<8
<100
<2
<1
Not specifed
<1000
<150
<100
Water Chemistry
Scale forming substances have a decreasing solubility in water with an increase in
temeperature.Depending on tube temperatures,heat flux and solubility of these
compounds of calcium,silica,magnesium, these compounds can form deposits inside
boiler tubes.Calcium carbonate deposits quickly forming white friable
deposits.Magnesium phosphate is a binder that can produce a hard adherent deposit.
Insoluble silicates are present in many boilers.
Vaporous carryover is governed by the steam density and can be controlled only by
controlling the boiler water solids,whereas mechanical carryover is governed by the
efficiency of steam separators.
Steam purity requirements for saturated steam turbines is not stringent. The saturated
steam begins to condense on the first stage of the turbine ,water soluble contaminants
carried with steam do not deposit. With superheated steam,steam purity is
critical.Salts that are soluble in superheated steam may condense or precipitate and
adhere to the metal surfaces as steam is cooled. Deposits from steam can cause
blade failures.Deposition can occur at the salt zone just above the saturation line and
on surfaces in the wet steam zone. The solubility of all low volatility impurities such as
salts,hydroxides,silicon dioxide and metal oxides decreases as steam expands and is
lowest at the saturation line. The moisture formed has the ability to dissolve most of
the salts and carry them down. The critical region for deposition in turbines is the
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blade row upward of the Wilson line..
Solubility of Salts
Steam pressure and
temperature which
affects its density have a
strong effect on its ability
to dissolve solids. As
steam temp increases at
constant
pressure,density
decreases as also the
dielectric permittivity of
water and a lower
polarity of water.
Dissolving power of steam first decreases .With further increase of temperature,the
bonds in the solids weaken and solubility of Nacl increases. At higher pressure,steam
has higher dissolving power due to higher density.Na2so4 and Caso4 have similar
trends.If the concentration of a substance is lower than its isobaric solubility,it will be
dissolved and carried off by steam and form deposits in turbine. If the concentration is
higher the excess will be deposited in the superheater and remainder in the turbine.
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PH-8
Throttling Calorimeter
Throttling calorimeter is used to obtain estimates of steam
quality in low pressure boilers generating saturated
steam.A sampling nozzle is located in the vertical section
of pipe.Steam enters the calorimeter through a throttling
orifice and passes into a well insulated expansion
chamber.Throttling is an isoenthalpic process.
hs=hm=xhg+(1-x)hf where hs,hm,hf,hg refer to
enthalpies of steam,mixture,sat liquid and sat vapor
and x=steam quality,fraction.
The steam temperature is measure after throttling and the enthalpy is obtained
from steam tables.The steam is usually superheated at atmospheric pressure after
throttling.
Example:A throttling calorimeter measures 250 F when connected to a boiler
operating at 100 psia.Determine the steam quality.
From steam tables,at atm pressure and 250 F,h=1168.8 Btu/lb and at 100
psia,hg=1187.2 and hf=298.5. 1168.8=1187.2x+(1-x)298.5 or x=.98 or 98 %.
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12
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P=160 atm
40 atm
Using Bernoullis equations and critical flow equations,the two phase flow
through blow down lines may be estimated. The above chart is developed
from the above procedure. It shows the mass flow of water that can flow
through blow down lines based on resistance of the blow down line.At 40 ata
and with K=.023x150x12/2=20.7,m=7000 kg/m2s. So blow down flow is:2 in
ID=50 mm=.05 m.Flow=(3.14x.05x.05/4)x7000x3600=49500 kg/h.Hence
valve may be throttled to control blow down quantity if flow required is less.
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Failure Mechanisms
Caustic attack: localized wall loss on tube ID surface. High PH
corrosively attacks and breaks down the protective magnetite layer
Oxygen pitting:localized corrosion and loss of tube wall-eco inlet.flooded
or non-drainable surfaces susceptible. Occurs with presence of
excessive oxygen in boiler water.Wetted surface oxidized as water
reacts with iron to form iron oxide
Hydrogen damage:loss of ductility or embrittlement of tube. Low PH of
boiler water.atmoic hydrogen migrates into tube wall,reacts with carbon
in steel and causes intergranular separation.
Stress corrosion cracking:brittle type crack.mostly with austenitic
stainless steels.occurs when high tensile stresses and corrosive fluid
are present.protective magnetite layer is destroyed on ID,exposing tube
to corrosion.
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