Why is it important to treat and clean boilers?

A: There are many common issues which can occur if you do not treat the water in your boiler system correctly. Letting these issues build up will inevitably lead to a breakdown:

Boiler corrosion: water contains oxygen which will eventually lead to the thinning and pitting of the metal pipes. This can interfere with the heat transfer abilities of the boiler and contamination of the water itself. Suitable boiler water treatments will eliminate oxygen from the water and help prevent corrosion.

Impurities: water quality is a vital aspect of proper boiler functionality. A boiler with excessive impurities in the water will eventually break down as it can no longer function fully. Proper treatment will break down impurities and restore full function.

Foaming (carry-over): a high concentration of solids in the water will lead to frothing or foaming on the surface of the water. When this water evaporates as steam it can cause deposits in valves, heat exchangers, turbines, and super heaters, and strip away the magnetic layer in steam lines. This can result in the general corrosion and reduced function of your system. Treatment can reduce the occurrence of foaming and prevent these issues.

Reduce suspended solids: corrosion, scaling and impurities in the water cause an accumulation of solids which can pose a number of problems within the boiler. Hard water: hard water can develop inside the boiler and eventually cause a build-up of scale deposits, leading to impurities in the water. Water softening treatment is one of the most common and vital parts of boiler treatment.

All of these issues, if not properly prevented or left untreated, can leave you with thousands of pesos in repair costs, as well as stranding your facility without hot water.

Q: If the feed water for the boilers contains dissolved gasses such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, what outcome can we possibly expect inside the boilers?

A: These gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) are aggressive instigators of corrosion, therefore, we can expect corrosion to happen inside the boilers. The severity of corrosion though, will depend on the amount of dissolved gases in the feed water, operating temperature and operating time of the boilers.

See our range of Boiler Water Treatment Chemicals here.