Boiler Water Analysis And its Importance

Water analysis

The process of determining how much of various substances (impurities) are present in given
sample of water is known as Water Analysis. Boiler water analysis is very important things in
any power plant industries because of maintaining life of boiler or its equipment’s Need for
Boiler Water Analysis Water analysis is essential for the following reasons:

1. Raw water source selection.

2. Analysis of raw water determines the type of treatment and unit size.
3. Treated water analysis indicates the efficiencies of various units of water treatment.
4. Designing of most economical water treatment plant.

To design a water treatment plant knowing the impurities present in the water to be treated is
needed. Complete analysis helps in determining the degree of pre-treatment required in Ion
Exchange and other process like reverse osmosis etc. Minor constituent like silica is very
important since it may have influence on the regeneration technique used and can affect the
capacities that can be obtained. Analysis of Iron and chlorine is important for reverse osmosis
design

Trems used in water analysis:-

pH:
It is common practice to express hydrogen ion concentration in terms of pH.

By definition the pH is the negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration to the base of l0.

pH = – log10 (H+) = log (1/H+)

Ionic product of water Kw has a value of 1 x 10 – 14 and in neutral water H + concentration

is equal to OH – concentration.

Kw = H + x OH- = 1 x 10- 14 —————– (1)

For neutral water = (H+) = (OH-) = 1×10 – 7

The equilibrium represented by equation (1) occurs universally in aqueous solution regardless
of the equilibrium or the solutes present. Hence equation (1) should always be satisfied. Thus
the terms pH expresses the acidity or basicity of water. Neutral water has a pH of 7. pH lower
than 7 indicates acidity and greater than 7 is alkaline.

Alkalinity:
As mentioned earlier alkalinity in water is due to presence of HCO-3. CO- 3 and OH- ions. In
raw water alkalinity is mostly due to HCO-3, but in some cases CO- 3 ions also may be
present. It is important to note that out of the three ions only two ions can exist in any system.
That is HCO-3, CO- 3 or OH- can exist alone or in combination with one more ion. Any water
analysis reporting the presence of all three ions should be discarded. Alkalinity of water is
determined by titration with phenolphthalein and methyl orange indicator. The result of titration
with methyl orange indicator is called Total Alkalinity or M Alkalinity.

1. Alk. = Total Alk = HCO- 3 + CO- 3 + OH-.

The result of titration with phenolphthalein indicator is called PAlkalinity.

2. Alk = OH + 1/2 CO3.

Hardness Calcium and Magnesium salts impart hardness to water. Hard water is defined
as a water which does not lather or foam with soap easily. The salts of calcium and
magnesium which causes hardness is divided in two parts.

1. Temporary hardness or carbonate hardness.

2. Permanent hardness or non-carbonate hardness.

The sum of temporary and permanent hardness is called Total Hardness. Total Hardness
= Carbonate hardness + Non Carbonate hardness Carbonate Hardness

Carbonate Hardness
It is mainly due to presence of bicarbonates of Calcium and Magnesium. Alkalinity in raw
water is normally due to bicarbonate ions. Therefore, carbonate hardness (Alkalinity) plus Non
Carbonate hardness is equal to total hardness.

1. Carbonate hardness = Alkalinity, when alkalinity is less than total hardness.

2. Carbonate hardness = Total hardness, when alkalinity is greater or equal to total
hardness.

Conductivity:
The conductivity of water is dependent on the ionic content of water, specifically on the ability
of ionic impurities in the water to conduct electricity. Ionic impurities have the ability to conduct
electric current and thus there is direct linear relationship between ionic impurities and
conductivity which help in determining the ionic impurities in water. Conductivity is also related
to TDS empirically.

Conductivity x 0.65 = TDS.

Total Dissolved Solids

This represents all the soluble inorganic solids in water expressed in ppm.

Total Solids
Total solid is defined as SUM of soluble and insoluble solids.
Electrolytes
This is total ionizable dissolved solids in water. Total electrolyte is numerically equal to
total cation or total anions (not sum of both). Total electrolyte does not include CO2 and
silica.

Total Cations
Sum of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium all measured in the same unit. Total
Anions Sum of alkalinity (HCO-3 + CO-3+ OH-) + Cl + SO4 + NO3 all measured in the same
unit. Total Cation = Total Anion = Total Electrolyte

Equivalent Mineral Acidity (EMA)

The equivalent mineral acidity, EMA is equal to the sum of equivalent concentration of
sulphate, chloride and nitrate. It is also called sometimes as Total Mineral Acidity. Free
Mineral Acidity (FMA) Free mineral acidity is equal to (EMA – Sodium leakage).

EMA – Sodium leakage = FMA

EMA – FMA = Sodium leakage.