5 - Boiler Blowdown
5 - Boiler Blowdown
5 - Boiler Blowdown
Feed pump
s Receiver
s
Water Condensate
Column
Boiler Plant Process s Sample point
s
s
Water Quality affects
• Efficiency of the boiler
• Safe performance
• Quality of steam
• Boiler life time
TYPE OF IMPURITIES IN WATER
1. SUSPENDED IMPURITIES : Insoluble
6
EFFECT OF SCALING, CORROSION,
CARRY-OVER ON BOILER SYSTEM
• Reduction in heat transfer
• Severe elevation of metal/tube temperature
• Promotes under deposit corrosion - pitting
• Loss of construction material
• Failure of boiler tubes
• Water losses
• Increased maintenance cost
• Unplanned shut downs
• Ultimately, increased operational costs and loss of
productivity.
7
Energy Loss Versus
Scale Thickness
7
6
Energy Loss (%)
5
4
3
2
1
0
1/64 1/32 3/64 1/16
Scale Thickness (Inches)
9
UNITS OF CONCENTRATION
ppm
ppm == mg/l
mg/l
Relative Density (each increase of 0.000 1 relative density at
15.5°C is approximately equal to 110)
Conductivity (µS/cm)
TDS (ppm) = conductivity in µS/cm x 0.7
10
HARDNESS
• Total hardness is a measure of Ca & Mg cationic
2+ 2+
.
• Non-alkaline/Non-carbonate/Permanent hardness
is hardness associated with Sulphates, Chlorides
and Nitrates.
• All salts of hardness have inverse solubility w.r.t.
temperature.
• Bicarbonate of hardness decompose to
carbonates having low solubility.
11
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS)
• Indicates total content of dissolved solids in water
• Represents all charged ions - cations and anions -
as well as uncharged and molecular species
• Summation of cations mainly calcium,
magnesium, sodium; anions mainly bicarbonate,
chloride, sulphate and silica.
Non Total
Total
Hardness Dissolved
Hardness
Salts Solids
12
SILICA
• Dissolved in water in molecular form SiO2 or hydrolysed as
the acid H2SiO3 (silicic acid)
• Also present in water in undissolved state or colloidal form
as polymeric silica (SiO2)n or a complex colloid that
includes organic material and heavy metal ions
• Colloidal silica in water is converted to the dissolved state
under the action of high temperature and pressure as
experienced in a boiler or autoclave
• Colloidal silica is removed substantially by coagulation,
flocculation, sedimentation and filtration. It is totally
excluded in ultra filters.
• Maintain feed water pH > 9.4
13
DEPOSIT FORMATION
14
DEPOSIT FORMATION
15
DEPOSITS - EFFECTS ON METAL
16
DEPOSITS - EFFECTS ON METAL
17
DEPOSITS - EFFECTS ON METAL
EXTRENAL TREATMENTS
• Ion exchange
– Base exchange
19
EXTRENAL TREATMENTS
• Reverse Osmosis
• Membrane allows only the water to pass through, not the impurities or
contaminates.
• These impurities and contaminates are flushed down the drain.
20
DEMINERALISATION
21
EXTRENAL TREATMENTS
22
ASME GUIDELINES
Table 1 - Watertube Boiler with Superheater/Turbine
All Pressures: FW dissolved oxygen < 7 ppb (with DA)
Feedwater pH: 8.3 - 10.0 (0- 900 psig) / pH 8.8 - 9.6 (> 901 psig)
Note: All limits are expressed “less than” the value specified (e.g., < 0.100 ppm)
CORROSION
Primarily caused by Dissolved oxygen and
dissolved carbon-di-oxide.
High temp & Pressure means even trace
quantities of oxygen are highly corrosive
Oxygen pitting
• Removal of oxygen
– Mechanical Deaeration
– Scavenging by chemicals
• Neutralising carbon dioxide
– Free CO2 = 0 if pH > 8.3
– Target pH = 9 – 11
– BS 2486: pH 10.5 – 12 for shell boilers
pH 9 for large pressure boilers
25
MECHANICAL DEAERATION
26
OXYGEN SCAVENGERS
28
CAUSTIC EMBRITTLEMENT
29
CAUSTIC EMBRITTLEMENT
Fe3O4 + 4NaOH = 2 NaFeO2 + Na2FeO2 + H2O
(Sodium ferroate)
Fe + NaOH = Na2FeO2(Sodium Ferrite) + H2
31
Carryover
• Carryover is any solid, liquid or vaporous
contaminant that leaves a boiler along with
the steam.
– Priming
– Foaming
PRIMING
33
FOAMING
• Pure water does not foam & steam bubbles are
large & burst quickly
• Following causes foaming by altering surface
tension- reduce bubble size:
– High suspended solids
– High alkalinity
– High dissolved solids
– Contamination of oils &other surfactant
• 0.1 - 0.5 ppm antifoam (certain organic
compounds) cause bubbles to coalse
34
BOILER BLOWDOWN
FOAMING
Pure water does not foam & steam bubbles are large & burst
quickly
Following causes foaming by altering surface tension- reduce
bubble size:
High suspended solids
High alkalinity
High dissolved solids
Contamination of oils & other surfactant
0.1 - 0.5 ppm antifoam (certain organic compounds) cause
bubbles to collapse
DECIDING ON THE REQUIRED BOILER WATER TDS.
Maximum TDS tolerated Maximum TDS
by boiler type (ppm)
Lancashire 10,000
Boiler
Bottom Blowdown
CALCULATING BLOWDOWN QUANTITY
Let:
Limitations
Cannot adjust with steaming rate
Flashing – erosion & wiredrawing
Possibilities to restrict / block
CONTROLLING BLOWDOWN RATE
Limitations
Small clearance
Flashing – erosion & wiredrawing
Higher possibilities to block
CONTROLLING BLOWDOWN RATE
ON/Off Blowdown Valves
Small boilers – correctly sized solenoid valve
Large boilers – sophisticated valve
Have adjustable stroke – to select blow down rate
CLOSED LOOP ELECTRONIC SYSTEM
Manual B/D
Automatic B/D
PROJECT BOILER
10,000 kg/h
steam to plant
Flash
vessel
Heat
exchanger
Boiler Trap
Flash
vessel
Boiler Trap
Heat
Feed pump To drain exchanger
BOTTOM BLOWDOWN
Suspended solids fall to the bottom when boiler stops
Short sharp blast to remove this sludge
Major influences on rate of blowdown
Boiler pressure
Size of the blow down line
Length of the blow down line
If equivalent length of blow down pipe less than 7.5 m,
vessel should size to higher flow
BOTTOM BLOWDOWN
Energy content of blow down (10 bar boiler, 40 NB
valve)
250 x 10,000
= 2,500 - 250
= 1,111 kg/h
HOW MUCH IS THE ACTUAL BLOWDOWN?
Given Information
250 x 10,000
= 2,200 - 250
= 1,282 kg/h
Flow
Rate
(kg/s)
Pressure (bar g)