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    21946, Water pp381 384 PDF

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    This document provides an overview of common water treatment chemicals used in boilers, cooling towers, and closed loops. It summarizes the purpose of these chemicals in controlling scale, corrosion, microbiological activity, and foaming/carryover. Key treatment chemicals are outlined for each application, including oxygen scavengers, phosphates, polymers, biocides, and corrosion inhibitors. While chemicals are important, the document concludes that external treatment, process control, equipment maintenance, and operational procedures are also critical parts of effective water treatment.

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    21946, Water pp381 384 PDF

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    shyamal
    79 views4 pages
    This document provides an overview of common water treatment chemicals used in boilers, cooling towers, and closed loops. It summarizes the purpose of these chemicals in controlling scale, corrosion, microbiological activity, and foaming/carryover. Key treatment chemicals are outlined for each application, including oxygen scavengers, phosphates, polymers, biocides, and corrosion inhibitors. While chemicals are important, the document concludes that external treatment, process control, equipment maintenance, and operational procedures are also critical parts of effective water treatment.

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    This document provides an overview of common water treatment chemicals used in boilers, cooling towers, and closed loops. It summarizes the purpose of these chemicals in controlling scale, corrosion, microbiological activity, and foaming/carryover. Key treatment chemicals are outlined for each application, including oxygen scavengers, phosphates, polymers, biocides, and corrosion inhibitors. While chemicals are important, the document concludes that external treatment, process control, equipment maintenance, and operational procedures are also critical parts of effective water treatment.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    79 views4 pages

    21946, Water pp381 384 PDF

    Uploaded by

    shyamal
    This document provides an overview of common water treatment chemicals used in boilers, cooling towers, and closed loops. It summarizes the purpose of these chemicals in controlling scale, corrosion, microbiological activity, and foaming/carryover. Key treatment chemicals are outlined for each application, including oxygen scavengers, phosphates, polymers, biocides, and corrosion inhibitors. While chemicals are important, the document concludes that external treatment, process control, equipment maintenance, and operational procedures are also critical parts of effective water treatment.

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    of 4

    Big Picture of Water

    Treatment Chemicals
    By James McDonald, PE, CWT
    Originally Published: CSTR – August 2006

    Boiler and cooling operators perform


    routine chemical tests on their water
    systems, record the results, and make
    adjustments. Do they really understand
    the basics of the chemistry they use?
    What does sulfite do? Why is phosphate
    added? What are phosphonates doing?
    In this month’s edition, we will cover the
    “Big Picture” of what these water
    treatment chemicals do.
    This newsletter coupled with the earlier
    article on Boiler and Cooling Tower Control Basics newsletter will give the
    operator a good foundation for understanding water treatment chemistry and
    how to control it.

    Boilers
    The big picture of boiler water treatment chemicals is the control of scale,
    corrosion, and boiler carryover. Scale can lead to boiler inefficiency,
    plugged tubes, hot spots, under-deposit corrosion, and ultimately boiler
    damage. Corrosion can reduce the operating life of a boiler system and
    increase maintenance costs. Boiler carryover can lead to reduced steam
    quality and purity and cause turbine damage.
    Typical boiler treatment chemicals are listed below.1
    • Oxygen Scavengers: chemically neutralize oxygen not removed by the
    deaerator (if present). Oxygen can lead to pitting in a boiler system.
    ƒ Sulfite/bisulfite
    ƒ Hydrazine
    ƒ DEHA (Diethylhydroxylamine)
    ƒ Carbohydrazide
    ƒ Erythorbate

    Chemistry 381
    • Phosphates: inhibits scale formation on heat transfer surfaces.
    ƒ Orthophosphate
    ƒ Sodium tripolyphosphate
    ƒ Sodium hexametaphosphate
    ƒ TKPP (tetrapotassium pyrophosphate)
    ƒ HEDP (an organic phosphate)
    • Chelants: inhibits scale formation by complexing with the hardness
    ions.
    ƒ EDTA
    • Antifoams: surface-active chemicals that reduce foaming.
    ƒ Polyalkalene glycol
    • Neutralizing & Filming Amines: neutralizing amines protect
    condensate system by neutralizing effects of carbonic acid and filmers
    provide a protective coating.
    ƒ Morpholine
    ƒ Cyclohexylamine
    ƒ DEAE (Diethylethanolamine)
    ƒ Aminomethylpropanol
    ƒ Aqua ammonia
    ƒ ODA (Octadecylamine) – filming amine
    • Alkalinity Control: maintaining proper boiler alkalinity or pH protects
    the boiler from corrosion and facilitates certain types of chemical
    treatment programs (e.g., phosphate precipitation programs).
    ƒ Caustic (sodium hydroxide)
    ƒ Mono-, di-, and trisodium phosphate (coordinated phosphate
    control)
    • Polymers: disperse solids and inhibit scale.
    ƒ Polyacrylates
    ƒ Polymethacrylates
    ƒ Polymaleic acid
    ƒ Polyacrylate/acrylamide
    ƒ Acrylate/AMPS/sulfonated styrene terpolymer
    ƒ Acrylate/sulfonic acid/nonionic terpolymer

    Cooling Towers
    The big picture of cooling tower water treatment chemicals is the control of
    scale, corrosion, microbiological activity, and foaming. Scale can lead to
    heat exchanger inefficiency, plugged tubes, inadequate flow, and under-
    deposit corrosion. Corrosion can reduce the operating life of cooling
    equipment and increase maintenance costs. Microbiological activity can lead
    Chemistry 382
    to reduced heat exchanger efficiency, plugged tubes, inadequate flow through
    the cooling tower fill, under-deposit corrosion, etc.
    Typical cooling tower treatment chemicals are listed below. 1
    • Corrosion Inhibitors: to protect metal surfaces from corrosion.
    ƒ Phosphates (orthophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium
    hexametaphosphate, TKPP)
    ƒ Phosphonates (HPA and others)
    ƒ Zinc
    ƒ Silicates
    ƒ TT (Tolyltriazole – for yellow metals)
    ƒ BZT (Benzotriazole – for yellow metals)
    ƒ Molybdate
    • Scale Inhibitors: to protect heat transfer surfaces and cooling system
    from scale.
    ƒ Phosphates (sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium
    hexametaphosphate, TKPP)
    ƒ Phosphonates (HEDP, AMP, PBTC)
    ƒ Polymers (polycarboxylates, polyacrylates, polymaleic acid,
    maleic anhydride copolymer, acrylate/AMPS copolymer,
    acrylate/AMPS/sulfonated styrene terpolymer, acrylate/sulfonic
    acid/nonionic terpolymer) – many are dispersants too.
    • Antifoams: surface-active chemicals that reduce foaming.
    ƒ Silicone and non-silicone blends
    • Biocides: for microbiological control.
    ƒ Oxidizing biocides (bleach, bromine, chlorine gas, BCDMH,
    calcium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide,
    iodine, ozone)
    ƒ Nonoxidizing biocides (isothiazolin, gluteraldehyde, DBNPA,
    MBT)

    Closed Loops
    For closed loops, the big picture of water treatment chemicals is to control
    corrosion and microbiological activity. Corrosion can lead to equipment
    failure and increased maintenance costs. Microbiological activity can lead to
    reduced heat exchanger efficiency, plugged tubes, and under-deposit
    corrosion.
    Typical closed loop treatment chemicals are listed below. 1
    • Corrosion Inhibitors: to protect metal surfaces from corrosion.
    ƒ Nitrites
    ƒ Zinc
    Chemistry 383
    ƒ Silicates
    ƒ TT (Tolyltriazole – for yellow metals)
    ƒ BZT (Benzotriazole – for yellow metals)
    ƒ Molybdate
    ƒ Sulfite
    ƒ pH control (caustic, borates, etc.)
    ƒ VpCI (Volatile Phase Corrosion Inhibitors)
    • Biocides: for microbiological control.
    ƒ Nonoxidizing biocides (isothiazolin, gluteraldehyde, DBNPA,
    MBT)

    Conclusions
    Chemical treatment is only one method to control scale, corrosion,
    microbiological activity, and foaming/carryover. External treatment (e.g.,
    softeners, reverse osmosis), good process control, proper maintenance of
    equipment, and excellent operational procedures must be part of the picture
    too.

    References
    • Water Treatment Chemicals, Crown Solutions, 2004
    • Biocide Selection Chart, Crown Solutions, 2005

    Note: The lists of treatment chemicals are not all inclusive and many other
    chemicals could be added.

    Chemistry 384

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