IMPROVED BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT PROGRAMME

Block 2, Forum 7 poster

IMPROVED BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT

PROGRAMME
Vijay Kathin, HPCL
Sudip K Pal, HPCL
Subroto Chaudhuri, HPCL

Abstract:
The conventional BFW treatment was carried out with Amine base product comprising of
Neutralizing and Filming Amine. The function of Filming Amine is to form a Film against and
protect the equipment from dissolved oxygen. However, the film formation requires a narrow
pH control in feed water system and can be non-uniform if high dissolved oxygen is present in
feed water. Due to absence of oxygen scavenger in the treatment chemical, the high
dissolved oxygen in feed water resulted in non-uniform film resulting in pitting type of
corrosion. Also, due to higher m-alkalinity in BFW there was substantial generation of CO2 in
the boiler resulting in low pH in the steam circuit. The problem was further aggravated during
hardness slippage in BFW due to poor softner performance resulting in deposition in boiler
tubes.
To avoid the above a new multiproduct phosphate based chemicals with oxygen scavenger
and neutralizing amine was tried. Oxygen scavenger is found to be very effective in reducing
the dissolved oxygen in BFW thereby minimizing pitting type of corrosion. The observation of
phosphate residue in the boiler water indicated that all calcium magnesium hardness slippage
in the boiler was getting fully consumed with phosphate and taken out thru boiler blow down
system. This has resulted in reduced scaling inside the boiler tubes. Also, due to antifoaming
action of the chemical carry over of silica and volatile in the super heater section was
minimized. Thus, during the treatment, the boilers were operated at maximum possible cycles
_

Introduction
The conventional treatment of Boiler Feed water with Phosphate (TSP), Hydrazine, Caustic
Soda & Ammonia was common in HPCL Mumbai Refinery. The limitations of this treatment
were mainly in terms of hardness slippage, safety hazards and unsafe handling of
carcinogenic hydrazine as an oxygen scavenger. The conventional treatment was changed in
1993 to amine based single product comprising of Neutralizing and Filming Amine.

The filming amine chemical forms film on metal surfaces and protect the equipment from
direct contact of dissolved oxygen. However, the film formation requires a narrow pH control
in feed water system and can be non-uniform if high dissolved oxygen is present in the feed
water.
The performance of amine base single product was not satisfactory resulting in changing to
new phosphate based multi-product chemical treatment. The new program found to be cost
effective for improving the reliability of the boiler operation. The performance of these new
phosphate based chemical was evaluated and the details are presented.

Single Product (Amine) Treatment

Features
This product is a blend of film forming aliphatic polyamines, neutralizing amine and dispersing
amine. Aliphatic primary polyamines forms adhesive films on clean metallic surface and
prevent even the growth of microcrystalline calcium and magnesium salts. This is totally
organic formulation, safe, non-toxic and non-carcinogenic product. The elimination of salts
based treatment results in substantial reduction of blow down losses. It allows higher level of
TDS in boiler further adding to the reduction of blow down.

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 IMPROVED BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT PROGRAMME
Block 2, Forum 7 poster

Performance Trial
The trial of this product was taken in HPCL Mumbai Refinery in the past indicated savings in
terms of reduction in blow down rates compared to that of conventional treatment. Initially
boilers were operated at a blow down TDS ranging from 700 to 800 ppm which could be
increased to as high as 1800 ppm.

Limitations
All the fired as well as waste heat boilers were facing failures, mainly due to the following
reasons:
• Heavy Scales / Deposits Formation at inner surface of the tubes & HRSGs
• Pitting due to dissolved oxygen attack in the economizer section
• Corrosion in the boiler section
• Super-heater failures due to high carry-over of silica & TDS.
• Cannot protect the system in case of hardness slippage in softener
performance/Dissolved Oxygen slippage due to poor performance of de-aerator
caused by unit upsets.
• Chemicals are effective only when good quality of water is available,
• High amount of silica deposits found in the Superheater section are mainly due to
excessive carry-over from boiler drum into the steam.
• Low steam pH due to high CO2 loading due to presence of high M-Alkalinity in Boiler
Feed Water.
Refer figure 1 & figure 2 for deposit analysis for SG-5 boiler & SG-8 boiler respectively.

Figure 1 – Deposit Analysis of SG-5 Boiler

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 IMPROVED BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT PROGRAMME
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Figure 2 – Deposit Analysis of SG-8 Boiler

Treatment of New Multi-product Phosphate based Chemicals

In order to overcome the problems faced in single product amine treatment, amalgam of the
conventional phosphate dosing system and the advanced filming amine system was
evaluated. Also considering the problems being experienced at boilers, the treatment program
evaluated to achieve the desired performance in terms of minimizing the boiler failures due to
internal deposition of hardness scales, corrosion products as well as pitting corrosion due to
the dissolved oxygen present in BFW.

New Scale/Corrosion Inhibitor Chemical:

This product contains the following ingredients-
Proper forms of Phosphate to take care of calcium & magnesium hardness slippage entering
in the boiler system, when sufficient boiler water alkalinity is maintained.
Polymer based chemical for a broad spectrum of ions is very effective for hardness as well as
iron oxide dispersion.
Antifoaming agent minimizes carry-over of silica & other volatile solids in to the superheater
section.
The new phosphate based chemical was injected @ 10 ppm based on BFW flow at deaerator
outlet.

New Oxygen Scavenger Chemical

This product controls oxygen induced corrosion while providing superior metal passivation.
The oxygen scavenging efficiency is greater than hydrazine, especially at lower temperatures.
Being a strong reducing agent, it also reduce certain forms of metal oxides, thereby
passivating metal surfaces & thus providing much better protection from corrosion attack.
Further, this is safer in handling, as compared to hydrazine, which is known to be suspected
carcinogen.
The new oxygen scavenger was injected @ 3 ppm based on BFW flow at deaerator outlet.

New Neutralising Amines

This product is a blend of neutralising amines and injected @ 11 ppm based on BFW flow at
deaerator outlet for maintaining steam pH at desired levels.

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 IMPROVED BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT PROGRAMME
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Boiler Feed Water System at HPCL Mumbai Refinery:

The boiler feed water required for steam generation in boilers is schematically represented in
figure 3.

Figure 3 – Present Chemical Treatment System

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 IMPROVED BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT PROGRAMME
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Trial Observations
In order to establish the efficacy, the multi-product treatment program was initiated. Various
boiler water parameters were monitored during the treatment. Since starting of program, the
following notable improvements were observed that are of prime importance in improving
boiler reliability & the performance on long-term basis:

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in BFW

Before starting the treatment, DO readings taken with DO meter viz. Orbisphere indicated
substantially higher level of DO in BFW (100 ppb). After starting of treatment with new
Oxygen scavenger, DO in BFW (20 ppb) has come down. This implies that due to new
product, DO was being removed & thus minimizing oxygen related corrosion problems in
boiler system.

Residual Phosphate in blow-down water

After starting of new treatment, phosphate residue was observed in the blow-down samples
on a consistent basis. This indicates that hardness slippage in the boiler system was getting
fully consumed with phosphate in new product to form Calcium phosphate & Magnesium
silicate, which were getting dispersed due to polymer were taken out of the boiler system via
blow-down. Further due to iron dispersant action of polymer, corrosion products entering in
the boiler system were also being dispersed & are removed through the blow-down.

Improvement in steam quality

Since starting of the treatment, steam quality has improved in terms of less carry-over of silica
& volatile solids in the steam. However, the steam pH has not improved much due to
presence of high M-Alkalinity in the Boiler Feed Water. This problem was overcome with
addition of neutralising amines. Due to this, silica deposition & corrosion related problems in
steam system were minimized.

Advantages of New Treatment Chemicals

• New phosphate chemical acts as a strong dispersant and takes care of both hardness
as well as corrosion products entering the boiler system. This has eliminated the
problem of scale deposition keeping the boilers clean.
• New oxygen scavenger, is safe to handle & speedily reacts with the dissolved O2 in
the feed water, even at low temperature to remove traces of oxygen. The residue test
indicates the complete oxygen scavenging.
• The neutralizing amine has the combination of both low & high distribution
ingredients, thus protecting the entire network of boiler system.

Conclusion:
As mentioned above, experience with single product in the past 8 years has not been
particularly encouraging. Severe scale deposits on the boiler internals resulting in overheating
leading to tube failures occurred during this period. The usage of phosphate based multi-
product treatment was successful and preferentially recommended over single product
formulation in HPCL Refinery.

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