MEO Class IV - GEK

Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
Boiler water tests are carried out to assess the condition of boiler water. They are as follows:

Te st f o r t o t a l d isso lv e d so lid s

This test indicates the density of the boiler water. It is the quantity of total dissolved solids per
unit volume or mass of the water. The density of boiler water should be maintained low, because
high density boiler water results in precipitation and scale formation.

This test can be done using:

 Hydrometer

 Conductivity meter

Usin g h ydr om e t e r , t e st for dissolve d solids

When the hydrometer is allowed to float in a solution of common salt or sea water at 93°C,
the hydrometer reading is taken as 1 / 32 or relative density of 1.025 or 1025 gm / litre. In
pure distilled water, the hydrometer will read zero corresponding to 1000 gm / litre in the
metric scale.

A sample of boiler water is taken and cooled. Hydrometer is allowed to float in the sample.
The corresponding reading will give the density of boiler water.

Usin g con du ct ivit y m e t e r , t e st for dissolve d solids

 Collect the boiler water sample and cool it to around 15° to 25°C.

 Add 2 drops of phenolphthalein indicator and remove the pink colouration with acid.

 Wash the conductivity cell and fill with treated sample of boiler water.

 Plug the filled cell to the conductivity meter.

 Operate the central control until null balance of the electrical bridge circuit is achieved. Posi-
tion of the central control indicates the total dissolved solids in micro mhos.

For conversion in ppm,

Total dissolved solids = conductivity in micro mhos x 0.7

 MEO Class IV - GEK
Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
Te st f o r h a r d n e ss

Take 100 ml of boiler water sample.

 Add 2 ml of ammonia buffer solution.

 Add 0.2 grams of mordant black-11 indicator and stir well. If hardness salts are present, the
solution turns wine red.

 Titrate with EDTA solution until colour changes to purple and then blue.

ppm of CaCo3=ml of EDTA solution used x10

Re a son for colou r ch a n ge :

EDTA neutralises the hardness causing salts, and then reacts with the indicator to show the
change of colour. The amount of EDTA used gives a measure of hardness causing salts.

Te st f o r a lk a lin it y Pa r t ia l a lk a lin it y
Test for alkalinity to phenolphthalein:

 Take 100 ml of boiler water.

 Add 10 drops of phenolphthalein.

 Titrate with (N/50) sulphuric acid (H2SO4) so as to clear the sample.

ml of N/50 acid used X 10 = ppm of CaCO3 equivalent

Re a son for colou r ch a n ge :

Phenolphthalein is less alkaline than hydroxides or carbonates. When it is added in a sample
containing hydroxide and or carbonates, it will turn pink in colour. The acid used after this
colouration will first neutralise the hydroxides, forming salts. It will then react with the
carbonate molecules present to form bicarbonate molecules.

Bicarbonate molecules are less alkaline than phenolphthalein. Hence, the pink colouration will
disappear once all hydroxides and carbonates have been treated with acid; two carbonate
molecules form one bicarbonate molecule. Hence, in this test the quality of acid used is a
measure of the alkalinity present in the hydroxides and half the carbonates.
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
Tot a l Alk a lin it y
 Continue with the same sample. Add 10 drops of methylorange.Titrate with N / 50 sulphuric
acid (H2SO4) until the colour becomes pale pink.

Ca lcu la t ion :
ml of N / 50 acid used for both test x 10 = ppm of CaCO3 equivalent for total alkalinity.

Re a son for colou r ch a n ge :

Methyl orange indicator is less alkaline than phenolphthalein and bicarbonates. It can be used
initially in place of phenolphthalein, as a continuation after the alkalinity to phenolphthalein
test. If no yellow colouration results when the methyl orange is added to the sample, then no
bicarbonates are present.

If the sample does not turn yellow with the addition of methyl orange it means that no
bicarbonates are present. Hence, no carbonates must have been present. Therefore the
alkalinity as determined in the alkalinity to phenolphthalein test has been due to hydroxides
alone. Hydroxides and carbonates can coexist together in a solution, but hydroxides and
bicarbonates cannot coexist.

Ca u st ic a lk a lin it y
Take 100 ml of boiler water sample and add 10 ml of Barium chloride. Add 10 drops of
phenolphthalein. Titrate with N / 50 sulphuric acid to clear the sample.

ml of N/50 acid used x 10 = PPM of CaCo3

Re a son for ch a n ge in colou r :

Barium chloride is first added to the boiler water sample in order to precipitate all the
carbonates, which are present in the boiler water sample. The test is then carried out
which indicates the hydroxides in the sample. Thus, hydroxides or caustic alkalinity is only
measured.

Ch lo r id e Te st

Continue with the sample of alkalinity to phenolphthalein, add 2 ml of sulphuric acid, add 20
drops of potassium chromate indicator.

Titrate with N / 35.5 silver nitrated solution until a brown colouration results.
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
Ca lcu la t ion :
ml of M / 35.5 solution used x 10 = ppm of CaCO3 equivalent for chlorides.

Re a son for ch a n ge in colou r :

Chlorides may be present in the boiler water sample. It is essential that they are measured
as they will give an indication of salt water leakage from a leaky condenser or a primed
evaporator or fresh water generator. The alkalinity to phenolphthalein sample taken contains
the treated hydroxides and carbonates which will not take part in the chloride tests.

The sample is made definitely acidic by the addition of a small quantity of acid. This is to
speed up the following chemical reactions.

Silver nitrate has affinity for potassium chromate and a chloride, its principle preference
however is for the chlorides. When it has reacted with the chlorides present in the sample, it
is then free to react with the potassium chromate. In doing so, it produces a reddish brown
colouration. It is therefore apparent that the amount of silver nitrate solution used is a direct
measure of the chloride content of the boiler water sample.

Ph o sp h a t e Te st :

 Take 25 ml of filtered sample of boiler water.

 Add 25 ml of Vanadomolybdate reagent.

 Fill the comparator tube with this solution and place it in the right hand compartment of the
comparator. In the left hand compartment place a standard reference by mixing equal volumes
of Vanadomolybdate reagent and distilled water.

 Allow the colour to developfor at least three minutes and compare with the disc comparator. The
disc reading gives the phosphate reserve in ppm.

Ph osph a t e t e st ( r e se r ve )
This test is conducted to determine the phosphate reserve in the boiler, which is necessary to
deal with the extra feed taken in.

 Take 50 ml of hot boiler water sample, add 4 grains of potassium crystals, and take 25 ml of
the above in a test tube.

 Place thetest tube in a water bath at 38°C to 45°C.

 Add 5 ml of ammonium molybdate reagent.

A sample of boiler water which contains sodium phosphates and dissolved potassium nitrate
will turn cloudy when ammonium molybdate is added. This reaction to produce cloudiness in
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
the sample is faster, if the quantity of phosphates is larger.

If the cloudiness does not result even after five minutes , then the phosphate reserve in the
boiler water is too low (below 20 ppm).

If the cloudiness results before two minutes , the phosphate reserve is too high (above 70
ppm). It will be appreciated that the sample of boiler water must be hot in order to effectively
dissolve the crystals.

Su lp h it e t e st ( r e se r v e )

This test is conducted to determine the sulphite reserve in the boiler to tackle the small
quantities of dissolved oxygen.

 Take 100 ml of boiler water sample.

 Add 2 ml of sulphuric acid

 Add 1 ml of starch solution and titrate with potassium iodideiodate solution, until the sample
turns blue.

ml of iodide iodate solution used X 12.5 = ppm of Na2SO3 in sample.

The boiler water sample is made slightly acidic to speed up the chemical reactions. Potassium
iodide iodate produces a blue colouration through reaction with starch, but it has a preferential
chemical reaction with sulphite, if present in the sample. Hence, when the potassium iodide
iodate solution completes reaction withsulphite, it is free to react with starch present in the
sample; producing a blue colouration.

The amount of potassium iodide iodate solution used is a direct measure of the sulphite content
in the sample of boiler water. If the test indicates that adequate reserve of sodium sulphite is
present in the boiler water, there is no need to conduct a test for dissolved oxygen.

p H v a lu e

Boiler water’s pH value can be obtained by three methods:

 Litmus paper test

 Colourimetric method

 Electrolytic method
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
Lit m u s pa pe r t e st
Litmus paper test is used to ascertain the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the boiler water.
Insert a litmus paper into a sample of boiler water. The litmus paper changes its colour to
blue, if water is alkaline or red if water is acidic.

Colou r im e t r ic m e t h od
 Take a sample of boiler water

 Place one Thymol blue tablet in a 50 ml Nessler cylinder

 Add 50 ml of boiler sample to Nessler cylinder 1 and ensure that tablet is dissolved

 Take 50 ml of boiler sample into the other Nessler cylinder 2

 Place Nessler cylinder 2 in right hand compartment of the Nessleriser

 Place Nessler cylinder 1 in left hand compartment of the Nessleriser

 Place appropriate disc in Nessleriser and match the colours, then read the pH value from
the right hand window

Coloured glass
Ground glass
stopper, Nessleriser disc
air tight seal
when
Glass ball Lid with windows
seal
Disc
Inner cylinder
Cylinders

Nessler Switch
cylinder
Modified Battery and light
nessler source
cylinder
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Auxiliary Boilers
Boile r W a t e r Tr e a t m e n t Boiler Feed Water Test
Ele ct r olyt ic m e t h od
An electric cell, using the boiler water as an electrolyte and two special electrodes, both
made of glass, is used. The potential difference between the electrodes is directly dependent
upon the hydrogen ion content of the electrolyte (boiler water). This potential difference is
maintained by a sensitive voltmeter connected to the external circuit of the cell and calibrated
to read pH values.

Te st for dissolve d ox yge n

Take 500 ml of boiler water sample and add 0.3 ml of manganese chloride.

 Add 0.3 ml of potassium hydroxide, 1 ml of hydrochloric acid and 2 ml of orhto tolidine.

In this test, it is essential that the atmospheric air is excluded from the test. A specially
designed sampling flask is used. After the addition of various chemicals to the sample of
boiler water, the resulting solution is compared with the colour chart.

Where colours of sample and indicator coincide, the dissolved oxygen content of the sample is
read from the indicator.

H y d r a z in e t e st

 Take 250 ml of boiler water sample, exclude air and cool to 16°C to 25°C

 Add 15 ml of 0.5 N hydrochloric acid, to each of two Nessler cylinders

 Add 25 ml of boiler water sample and 10 ml of 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde to one cylinder 1

 Add 35 ml of boiler water sample to other cylinder 2

 Place cylinder 1 in right hand compartment of the Nessleriser

 Place cylinder 2 in left hand compartment of the Nessleriser

 Match samples against disc colours

disc reading / 25 = ppm hydrazine

The hydrazine reserve in the boiler water should be between 0.1 to 1 ppm.

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