Table 16-1.

Recommended water tube boiler water limits and associated steam purity at steady state a full load operation. Total dissolved b solids in boiler Drum water, ppm peessure, psig (max.) Drum-type boilers 0-300 301-450 451-600 601-750 751-900 901-1000 1001-1800 1801-2350 2351-2600 2601-2900 Once-through boilers
a

Total Alkalinity in boiler water, ppm 140-700 120-600 100-500 40-400 30-300 25-250 variable variable variable variable N/A
d d d d

Suspended solids in boiler water, ppm (max.) 15 10 8 3 2 1 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A

Total dissolved c,e solids in steam, ppm (max. expected value) 0.2-1.0 0.2-1.0 0.2-1.0 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.1 0.1 0.05 0.05 0.05

700-3500 600-3000 500-2500 200-2000 150-1500 125-1250 100 50 25 15 0.05

1400 & above

Reprinted (with permission) from "Boiler Water Limits and Steam Purity Recommendations for Watertube Boilers," American Boiler Manufacturers Association, 1982.
b

Actual values within the range reflect the TDS in the feedwater. Higher values are for high solids; lower values are for low solids in the feedwater.
c

Actual values within the range are directly proportional to the actual value of TDS of boiler water. Higher values are for high solids; lower values are for low solids in the boiler water.
d

Dictated by boiler water treatment. These values are exclusive of silica.