Boiler Feed and Cooling Water Treatment was the Hot Topic on January 27, 2011

Dave Christophersen, Vice-president and Technical Manager at Crown Solutions, a subsidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, addressed both boiler water treatment and cooling water treatment.  Dave highlighted the importance of an integrated water management program that includes service, chemistry, and equipment to provide lowest life-cycle costs for system protection. Integrated water management solutions are essential to meet the changing water environment that includes water scarcity in many regions, decreasing water quality, and increasing prices for water as a valuable and limited resource. 

On the boiler side, it is important that separate chemical treatments are designed for low pressure boilers vs. high pressure boilers. Valuable discussion was also provided on prevention of flow accelerated corrosion (FAC), as well as on the importance of protective magnetite or hematite passivation layers on metal surfaces as the first defense against corrosion.  

On the cooling water side, effective biocide, anti-scalant, corrosion inhibitor, and dispersant administration are important to maintain efficient heat transfer performance. Side-stream filtration is a viable means to maintain an optimal water environment and minimize blowdown and makeup water. 

Dan Cicero, Senior Industry Development Manager at Nalco Company Power Group, focused on boiler water treatment and the importance of monitoring feedwater conditions to obtain the best control and results. ASME and other guidelines were referenced for monitoring water conductivity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and ORP. Reduced iron generation is beneficial. Benefits of carefully monitored and modulated chemical treatments include improved heat transfer, extended tube life, reduced cleaning and downtime, and faster ramping after shutdowns. Specific customer case studies were provided demonstrating improved results with closed system and water chemistry control.

Gregg Poppe, Global Application Development Specialist for Industrial Water and Power Generation at Dow Water & Process Solutions, discussed the DeMin stage of water treatment for boiler feedwater. Ion-Exchange Systems include Co-Flow Regeneration, Reverse-Flow Regeneration, and Packed Bed Systems. Advanced Packed Bed systems offer advantages that include simplicity, compact design, low investment cost, low pressure drop (energy savings), backwash capability, and superior water quality.

The Bios, Abstracts and Photos are linked below.

BIOS, PHOTOS, ABSTRACTS - January 27, 2011.htm