BOILER FEED WATER TREATMENT

¢ Boiler feed water needs to be treated to prevent corrosion and scale formation
within the boiler and feed system.
¢ The boiler water needs more than chemicals to keep it in good condition.
¢ Regular blow down and supply of distilled water are also essential.
¢ The purpose of feed water treatment is to:
¢ Remove the scaling forming salts.
¢ Make the water alkaline.
¢ Keep dissolved solids to a minimum.
¢ Maintain the boiler water density by blow down.
¢ Feed water should be always distilled water and even though they contain no
scale forming salts it is naturally acidic.
¢ Chemicals are normally added as a dilute solution fed by a proportioning
pump or by injection from pressure pot.
¢ Use of chemicals should be kept to a minimum.
¢ Diethyl hydroxylamine DEHA :
¢ Like hydrazine, provides a passive oxide film ( magnetite) on metal surfaces
to minimise corrosion.
¢ Contributes to pH neutralisation to an extent that separate condensate control
may not be necessary.
¢ Protects entire system-feed water, boiler and condensate.

BOILER WATER TESTS

Recommended ranges(Co-ordinated phosphate treatment for w/t boiler)

pH - 9.6 to 10.3
PO4 - 4 to 20ppm
N2H4 - 0.01 to 0.03ppm
TDS - < 150ppm
Cond pH - 8.6 to 9.0
Cl - 20ppm
O2 - 10ppb
Si - 10ppb

DEHA-TEST DAILY

¢ Fill the sample cup to the 25ml mark with feedwater.

¢ Add 2 drops of activator solution. Stir gently with the tip of an ampoule from
the drewplex OX corrosion inhibitor kit to mix the contents.
¢ Immediately snap the tip of the ampoule by pressing the ampoule against the
side of the cup. The sample will fill the ampoule and begin to mix with the reagent.
¢ Wipe all liquid from the exterior of the cup and wait exactly for 10mins for
full colour development.
¢ The filled DEHA ampoule should be placed in front of the comparator for
viewing the colour standards.
¢ Record the results and adjust the dosage as required.
HYDRATE ALKALINITY
¢ Fill the boiler water sample upto the 12ml mark.
¢ Pipette 2ml of barium chloride and mix well with the sample.
¢ Add 2drops of phenolphthalein. If the sample does not turn pink then the
hydrate alkalinity is zero. If the sample turns pink, counting the drops add sulphuric
acid until the sample turns colourless.
¢ Record the results and adjust dosage as required.

NEUTRALIZED CONDUCTIVITY

¢ Switch on the conductivity meter. Place the conductivity cell inside the sample
and then add two drops of phenolphthalein and mix.
¢ If the sample turns pink add gallic acid it neutralizes the sample.
¢ Agitate the cell to remove any trapped air bubbles.
¢ Rotate the conductivity knob until the red and green lights are switched on.
Read the conductivity value.
¢ Remove the cell and record the readings.

CONDENSATE Ph-TEST

¢ Take a 10ml sample and test immediately.

¢ Add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein.
¢ If turned pink add sulphuric acid until it turns colourless.
¢ Record the results.

PHOSPHATE TEST

¢ Fill with sample upto the 25ml mark.

¢ Place the ampoule tip in the sample cup. Snap the tip of the ampoule. The
sample will fill the ampoule and begin to mix.
¢ Remove the ampoule from the cup. Mix the contents of the ampoule.
¢ Wipe all the liquid from the exterior and wait for 5mins for full colour
development.
¢ The filled ampoule should be placed in front of the comparator and the colour
is to be compared with the standards.

AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF OIL FIRED BOILER

STARTING

¢ Open the feedwater valve to admit water into the boiler.

¢ Check the fuel temperature and pressure if normal then open the fuel valves.
¢ Turn the burner operation mode switch key operated to position auto.
¢ When the burner ON/OFF switch is turned to position ON, the burner will be
automatically started and stopped by a signal from the start/stop pressure transmitter.
¢ Start-up sequence and flame supervision are controlled by the burner sequence
controller.
¢ When start-up sequence is completed the burner will be modulated as selected
by the burner modulation switch.
¢ In auto modulation the burner load is controlled automatically by the load
controller.
¢ The sootblower operation is also set to auto and will be automatically
controlled by the boiler controls and will sootblow accordingly.

SHUTTING DOWN

¢ Stop the boiler automatic cycle.

¢ Ensure fuel is circulated if on residual fuel operation.
¢ Close the feedwater valves.
¢ Leave it on stand-by mode so that it can be started instantaneously.
¢ When the boiler pressure has reduced to just above atmospheric, open the vent
cock to prevent a vacuum forming within the boiler.

CONDENSATE AND EVAPORATION SYSTEM

EXHAUST GAS BOILER

¢ The EGB water is pumped to the two drums (HP & LP).
¢ It takes suction from the deaerator tank through the EGB feed pumps.
¢ The feed water in order to be heated is passed through the M.E scavenge air
coolers for the HP drums and the LP water is heated by the M.E jacket cooling water.
¢ It is then sent to the two drums.
¢ If there s excess water that is not required by the boiler it will be automatically
by-passed to the drain tank since it's a closed feed system.
¢ The water for the boiler is then taken out from the drums by the HP & LP
circulating pumps.
¢ The saturated steam generated by the boiler is then sent to the various
consumers in the engine room and outside the engine room for the various fuel tanks.
¢ The turbine generator is supplied with superheated steam from the EGB.
¢ The steam leaving the turbine is then sent to the condenser where it is cooled
by sea water.
¢ The vacuum pumps help in maintaining a vacuum condition inside the
condenser.
¢ Create vacuum conditions assisting flow of exhaust steam and also allowing
for low saturation temperature and hence increasing recoverable heat energy from the
steam.
¢ The condensed steam is then taken out from the hotwell using the condensate
pumps.
¢ This is again used as the feed water for the boilers and hence it is a closed feed
system, there s no loss of water.
¢ The remaining condensate from the various consumers is sent to the dump
condenser where they are cooled by the L.T water system.
¢ They are then pumped back to the drain tank via an air driven pump from the
dump tank and is us as feed water.

OIL FIRED BOILER

¢ The feed pumps take suction from the drain tank.

¢ It is then pumped to the boiler.
¢ The steam generated is then sent to the various consumers.
¢ The oil fired boiler can be operated in parallel operation with the EGB if the
main engine load is considerably reduced.
¢ The OFB is mostly used at ports where the EGB is not in service as the main
engine is not running.
¢ The OFB does not supply steam to the turbine generator as it does not produce
superheated steam.
¢ The OFB can supply steam to the HP drum but it's not used very often.

DAILY OPERATION AND ROUTINE CHECKS

¢ During normal operation of the boiler some work and check procedures have
to be considered every day.
¢ Check the steam pressure and water level in the drums.
¢ Check that the feed water control system is operational.
¢ Check the boiler water condition and make necessary counter measures with
regard to the feed water and boiler water treatment.
¢ If required blow down drums by means of the scum valve and the bottom
blow down valve.
¢ Check that the circulation pumps are running smoothly without vibration or
noise and check that the flow rate is correct.
¢ Check that the feed pumps are running smoothly without noise or vibration.
¢ It is recommended that the boiler heating surfaces should be cleaned with the
sootblowers at least once a day.
¢ Check and record the exhaust gas inlet and outlet temperatures and also the
differential pressure across the boiler.
¢ An outlet temperature or a pressure loss higher than expected indicates that the
heating surfaces may be fouled and needs to be cleaned.

EXHAUST GAS BOILER

STARTING

¢ When starting an exhaust gas boiler from a stand-by condition the following
are to be observed.
¢ Open the feed water valves to the HP drum and LP drum.
¢ Gradually fill the drums until you see the water in the gauge glasses.
¢ The feed valve can then be closed.
¢ The reason for not filling the drums to the normal level is that the water level
will rise considerably as it heats up and may end up too high when normal working
temperatures is reached.
¢ Check whether the feed pumps are running and they are in good condition.
¢ Gradually start admitting the exhaust gas to the boiler, this can be controlled
by the exhaust gas damper.
¢ Rapid heating will cause stress on the components due to different expansion
rates.
¢ Once the boiler is warmed up the damper can be fully closed.
¢ The feed valve can be opened once the boiler is set to normal working
temperatures and then set to automatic operation.
SHUTTING DOWN

¢ Before shutting down the boiler operate the soot blowers.

¢ Start by-passing the main engine exhaust gas by opening the exhaust gas
damper.
¢ The feed water is left on circulation in order to maintain the heat in the boiler
and it is left in stand-by mode.
¢ The feed valves to the drums are shut.

START - UP FROM NORMAL STAND - BY CONDITION

¢ The boiler plant is considered as cold when the temperature in the drum is
below 100deg Celsius.
¢ The steam drums are filled to normal stand-by level.
¢ Pressure gauges and transmitter are connected.
¢ Water level gauges are connected.
¢ Level control equipment is engaged and working properly.
¢ One of the feed water pumps is running and the other is in auto stand-by start
mode.
¢ One of the circulating pumps is running and the other is in auto stand-by start
mode for both HP and LP boiler.
¢ Air escape valve on the drums is open.
¢ Steam valve from service steam system is closed.
¢ Main steam valve on superheater outlets and service steam valve on HP drum
is open.
¢ Condensate which may have accumulated in the steam piping and superheater
outlet header should be drained off.
¢ The main engine is started and now the exhaust gas by-pass can be shut at any
time during the process.
¢ The boiler system is heated to working conditions by the exhaust gas.
¢ The water level will rise considerably in the drums as steam starts to evaporate
in the HP and LP boiler.
¢ The level controls will automatically increase the set point to normal working
levels when normal working conditions are reached.
¢ The air escape valve on the drum is manually closed when all air has been
expelled and it should be shut as soon as steam comes out.
¢ The drum is also heated by a heating coil in order to reach working
temperatures for the turbine generator.