BOILER FEEDWATER

BOILER FEEDWATER REQUIREMENTS

Boiler Make-up Water Sources:

Salinity Classes
Fresh Water
Brackish (Well or
Aquifer) Water
Brines
Seawater

Typical Total
Dissolved Solids
(TDS), mg/L
less than 1500
1500 to 10000
greater than 10,000
35000-60000

Feedwater Impurities:
1. Dissolved gases such as oxygen & carbon dioxide, which lead to corrosion.
2. Dissolved solids which are usually inorganic salts of calcium & magnesium
3. Dissolved organics (oil, organic chemicals) that can foul Heat Transfer areas.
4. Microbiological & macrobiological organisms
5. Particulate matter such as suspended solids (mud).
6. Caustic which can cause caustic embrittlement of steel.
Scale & Deposit forming impurities are:
- Calcium Ions
- Magnesium ions
- Silica
- Phosphates (likely to be generated by chemical treatment)
- Iron & Copper
Water analyses are conventionally expressed for both cations (+ve charged ions) and anions (-ve charged ions), in parts per million by weight (ppmw) except for
hardness & alkalinity, which are usually expressed in ppw of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). These ppmw values can be converted to a common basis such as milliequivalents/liter. this permits the summation of oppositely charged ions such that total cations will equal total anions. Cation & anion meq/liter can be converted
to ppmw CaCO3.
Total hardness is defined as the sum of calcium and magnesium ions in ppw of CaCO 3. Total alkalinity is the sum of CO3-2, HCO3-1, and OH-1 ions in ppw of
CaCO3.

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BOILER FEEDWATER
CONSTITUENT

CHEMICAL FORMULA

DIFFICULTIES CAUSED

Turbidity

None. Usually expressed in

Jackson Turbidity Units

Imparts unsightly appearance to water ,

Coagulation, Settling & filtration
deposits in water lines, process equipment,
boilers & so on; interferes with most process
uses

MEANS OF TREATMENT

Color

None

Decaying organic material and metallic ions Coagulation, filtration, chlori-nation,

causing color may cause foaming in boilers; adsorption by activated carbon
hinders precipitation methods such as iron
removal, hot phosphate softening; can stain
product in process use

Hardness

Calcium, magnesium, barium,

Chief source of scale in heat exchange
Softening, distillation, internal boiler
and strontium salts expressed as equipment, boilers, pipe lines, and so on;
water treatment, surface active
CaCO3
forms curds with soap; interferes with dyeing agents, reverse osmosis,
electrolytes

Alkalinity

Bicarbonate (CHO3-1), carbonate Foaming & carryover of solids with steam;

embrittlement of boiler steel; bicarbonate
(CO3-2) and hydroxyl (OH-1)
and carbonate produce CO3 in steam, a
expressed as CaCO3)
source of corrosion.

Lime & lime-soda softening, acid

treatment, hydrogen zeolite
softening, demineralization,
dealkalization by anion exchange,
distillation, degasifying.

Free Mineral Acid

H2SO4, HCl etc., expressed as

Corrosion
CaCO3 titrated to methyl-orange
end-point

Neutralization with alkalies

Carbon Dioxide

CO2

Corrosion in water lines & particularly steam Aeration, deaeration, neutralization

& condensate lines
with alkalines, liming & neutralizing
amines.

pH

Hydrogen ion concentration

defined as pH = log (1/H+1)

pH varies according to acidic or alkaline

solids in water; most natural waters have a
pH of 6.0-8.0

Sulfate

SO4-2

Adds to solids contents & increase corrosive Demineralization, distillation,

character of water.
reverse osmosis, electrodialysis

Chloride

Cl-1

Adds to solids contents & increase corrosive Demineralization, distillation,

character of water.
reverse osmosis, electrodialysis

Nitrate

NO3-1

Adds to solids contents, but is not usually

significant industrially; useful for control of
boiler metal embrittlement.

Demineralization, distillation,
reverse osmosis, electrodialysis

Fluoride

F-1

Not usually significant industrially.

Adsorption with magnesium

hydroxide, calcium phosphate or
bone black; Alum coagulation,
reverse osmosis, electrolytes.

Silica

SiO2

Scale in boilers & cooling water systems;

Hot process removal with
insoluble turbine blade deposits due to silica magnesium salts; adsorption by
vaporization.
highly basic anion exchange resins,
in conjunction with
demineralization, distillation.

Iron

Fe+2 (ferrous); Fe+2 (ferric)

Discolors water on precipitation; source of

deposits in water lines, boilers etc.;
interferes with dyeing, tanning, paper manufacture.

Aeration, coagulation & filtration,

lime softening, cation exchange,
contact filtration, surface active
agents for iron retention.

Manganese
Oil

Mn+2
Expressed as oil or chloroform
extractable material, ppmw

same as iron
Scale, sludge & foaming in boilers; impedes
heat exchange; undesirable in most
processes.

same as iron
Baffle Separators, strainers,
coagulation & filtration,
diatomaceous earth filtration.

Oxygen

O2

Corrosion of water lines, heat exchange

equipment, boilers, return lines, etc.

Deaeration, sodium sulfite,

corrosion inhibitors, hydrazine or
suitable substitutes.

Hydrogen Sulfide

H2S

Cause of "rotten egg" odor; corrosion.

Ammonia

NH3

Corrosion of copper & zinc alloys by

formation of complex soluble ion.

Aeration, chlorination, highly basic

anion exchange.
Cation exchange with hydrogen
zeolite, chlorination, deaeration,
mixed-bed demineralization.

Conductivity

Expressed as micromhos,
specific conductance

Conductivity is the result of ionizable solids

in solution; high conductivity can increase
the corrosive characteristics of a water.

Any process which decreases

dissolved solids content will
decrease conductivity; examples
are demineralization, lime
softening.

Dissolved solids

None

"Dissolved Solids" is a measure of total

amount of dissolved matter, determined by
evaporation; high concentrations of
dissolved solids are objectionable because
of process interference & as a cause of
foaming in boilers.

Various softening processes such

as lime softening & cation
exchange by hydrogen zeolites will
reduce dissolved solids;
demineralization; distillation;
reverse osmosis; electrolytes.

Suspended Solids

None

"Suspended Solids" is the measure of

Subsidence, filtration, usually
undissolved matter, determined
preceded by coagulation & settling.
gravimetrically; suspended solids, plug lines
& cause deposits in heat exchange
equipment, boilers etc.

Total Solids

None

"Total Solids" is the sum of dissolved &

suspended solids, determined
gravimetrically.

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pH can be increase by alkalies &

decreased by acids.

See "Dissolved Solids" &

"Suspended Solids".

BOILER FEEDWATER

Blowdown:
All dissolved & suspended solids entering a boiler with the feedwater remain in the drums and tubes as steam is generated. The continual addition of feedwater
produces higher & higher concentration of solids in the boiler water. A point can be reached beyond which operation is completely unsatisfactory. this situation
may be caused by dissolved solids, silica content or alkalinity. Every boiler has a limit above which scaling, foaming & carryover occur. In order to keep boiler
water concentrations below this limit, some of the concentrated boiler water must be removed from the unit as blowdown.

The intermittent or manual blowdown is taken from the bottom of the mud drum. This blowdown is mainly intended to remove any sludge formed in the boiler
water. Both suspended & dissolved are present in the water. These must be removed to prevent solids from settling & caking on the heat transfer surfaces. the
manual blowdown should be used approximately once per day for a few seconds to remove suspended solids which may have settled in the mud drum.
A continuous blowdown system helps to keep the boiler water within the concentration limits on a
relatively constant basis. Removing a small stream of water continuously saves water, chemicals,
and heat. The heat in the continuous blowdown water can be recovered in a heat exchange
system installed in the blowdown system. The continuous blowdown connection is usually
located below the low water level in the steam drum.
Proper regulation of boiler blowdown is very important in boiler operation. Too little blowdown
allows the concentration of suspended and dissolved solids to become too great, resulting in scale
formation and carryover of impurities in the steam. Too much blowdown wastes fuel and
feedwater. Globe valves with position indicators allow for accurate control of the blowdown rate.
Boiler concentration limits to control corrosion and fouling in the boiler vary as a function of the
operating pressure. In some cases, the blowdown from a high pressure boiler may be suitable for
makeup to a lower pressure boiler.
Steam that is dirty and wet can cause deposits in superheaters, turbines, and control valves. A
good separation of water and steam must occur inside the boiler steam drum to produce clean and
dry steam. Most boilers have effective mechanical separators in the boiler steam drum when the
water boils smoothly. When boiler water primes (high level) or foams, however, impurities are
carried over in the steam. While water priming and foaming are partly controlled through careful
operation of the boiler drum level and chemical injections, respectively, they are highly dependent
on maintaining proper boiler blowdown.
Some blowdown systems have automated blowdown control based on a continuous conductivity
measurement of boiler water. Conductivity is a measure of the dissolved solids in the boiler
water.
The blowdown system must safely dispose of the flashing steam and hot liquid as previously
discussed.

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BOILER FEEDWATER
Cycles of Concentration:
A dissolved salt entering the boiler system will not leave the boiler in the steam. The dissolved
salt will concentrate in the boiler water as steam is formed. The dissolved salt concentration can
be controlled to a given level by adjusting the blowdown rate. A simple mass balance on the salt
will demonstrate this principle.
The mass of salt entering the boiler is the mass of boiler feed water (BFW) times the
concentration of the salt. Since there is no salt in the steam, the mass of salt leaving the boiler is
the mass of blowdown (BD) times the concentration of salt in the BD as shown in the figure below.
The concentration of salt in the blowdown will be the same as the concentration of salt in the steam
drum. The cycles of concentration (CC) is defined by the concentration in the blowdown divided
by the concentration in the boiler feedwater which is equal to the BFW rate divided by the
blowdown rate.
The percent blowdown is defined as the blowdown rate divided by the BFW rate times 100. The
cycles of concentration is the inverse of the percent blowdown multiplied by 100. The steam
drum (blowdown) concentration can readily be controlled by blowdown rate since they are
directly related.
FSTM

X = (FBD / FBFW) *100

FBFW*CBFW = FBD*CBD
CBFW / CBD = FBD / FBFW = X / 100
CC = CBD / CBFW = 100 / X

FBFW
CBFW

where:
CBD

FBD

FBFW = Feedwater flow, kg/h (lb/h)

CC = Cycles of concentration, dimensionless

FBD = Blowdown flow, kg/h (lb/h)

X = % blowdown, percent of boiler feedwater

FSTM = Steam flow, kg/h (lb/h)

CBFW = Solids concentration in boiler feedwater, ppm
CBD = Solids concentration of blowdown (circulating boiler water), ppm
Deposits are most likely to occur in the riser tubes. The concentration of dissolved solids will be
greater in the riser tubes than in the steam drum because some water has been vaporized. The
steam drum concentration is controlled at a level that minimizes deposits in the riser tubes.
Care should be exercised in use of % blowdown because some use % blowdown to mean % of
steam and not BFW as defined here.
Example:
Water is fed into a boiler from a DM water plant. The chloride specification of this water also controls the solids specification. The chloride content of the steam drum water
must be 10 ppm by weight. The boiler feedwater has a chloride content of 0.2 ppm by weight. The boiler produces 200,000 kg/h of steam. Calculate the BFW & Blowdown
rates.
Calculations:
CBFW =

0.2

CBD =

10

FSTM =

200000 kg/h

FBD / FBFW = CBFW / CBD = X /100

FBD / FBFW =
FBD =

0.02

0.02*FBFW

FBFW = FSTM + FBD

From 1 & 2
0.98*FBFW = FSTM =
FBFW =
FBD =

200000

204081.6 kg/h
4081.6 kg/h

Boiler Feedwater quantity

Blow down quantity

Prepared Ankur Srivastava

by:
Chemical Engineer
Email:
ankur_2061@hotmail.com

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