SM
TECHNIFAX
Proper control of blowdown is a
critical part of boiler operation.
Insufficient blowdown may lead
to deposits or carryover, while
excessive blowdown will waste
water, heat, and chemicals.
PRINCIPLES OF
BLOWDOWN
All boiler feedwaters contain
some solid impurities. When the
feedwater is evaporated in a
boiler, steam is formed from the
water, leaving the solids behind.
As a result, the solids gradually
build up in the boiler water. To
control these solids, boiler water
is blown down (discharged) and
replaced with lower solids
feedwater. In effect, blowdown is
simply a process of diluting
boiler water solids.
To keep the solids from building
to unacceptable levels, the
amount of solids removed by
blowdown must equal the
amount brought in with the
feedwater, as illustrated in
Figure 1. The quantity of
blowdown depends on both the
amount of feedwater solids and
the level of solids that can be
tolerated in a particular boiler.
CONTROL LIMITS FOR
BOILER BLOWDOWN
The American Society of Me-
chanical Engineers (ASME) has
developed a “consensus” on
operating practices for boiler
feedwater and blowdown that is
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Boiler Blowdown…
Good Control Means Savings
Figure 1 — Example showing how
boiler water solids are held in check by
blowdown
related to operating pressure
(Table 1). These suggestions
apply for both steam purity and
deposition control.
The ASME limits are a good
starting point in establishing
blowdown needs. Operating
experience with a particular
boiler then determines whether
or not it is practical to deviate
from these limits.
A steam purity study will help
define the limits to minimize
solids carryover. It can also assist
in determining the maximum
solids that can be carried to
maintain minimum blowdown
and maximum energy conserva-
tion. A steam purity study can
pay for itself very quickly by
minimizing blowdown energy
losses.
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REGULATING
BLOWDOWN
Once specific limits for boiler
water solids have been set, a
practical way is needed to
control solids level on a day-to-
day basis. Blowdown adjust-
ment can be based on simple
boiler water tests; the most
common are described below:
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) -—
Measurement of the specific
conductance of a neutralized
sample of boiler water will
provide a quick, accurate deter-
mination of dissolved solids
level. Control of blowdown can,
therefore, be based on µmhos of
conductivity. While excessive
total dissolved solids can occa-
sionally contribute to scale, they
most often will cause foaming
and carryover.
Silica — Silica can be used to
determine blowdown require-
ments of boiler waters where its
concentration is limited due to
the potential for selective silica
carryover or, under special
conditions, silica scale. This is
common practice in boiler
systems operating above 900 psi
with turbines.
Chlorides — Blowdown can be
effectively controlled by check-
ing the concentration of chlo-
rides in the boiler water. Since
chloride salts are soluble and not
usually precipitated in the
boiler, control based on chlo-
rides is accurate. (This method is
Table 1— Water-quality suggestions for reliable, continuous operation of modern The second equation shows that
watertube boilers with superheat, turbines, or process restrictions on steam purity. percent blowdown increases as
Boiler Feedwater Limits Boiler Water Limits (a) feedwater solids increase and
Operating Total Hydrate Specific2 (b) boiler water solids decrease.
Pressure Iron Copper Hardness Silica Alkalinity1 Conductance
(psig) (ppm Fe) (ppm Cu) (ppm CaCO3) (ppm SiO2) (ppm CaCO3) (TDS) Figure 2 graphically illustrates
0 - 300 0.100 0.050 0.300 150 350 3500 these points.
301 - 450 0.050 0.025 0.300 90 300 3000
451 - 600 0.030 0.020 0.200 40 250 2500
601 - 750 0.025 0.020 0.200 30 200 2000
751 - 900 0.020 0.015 0.100 20 150 1500
901 - 1000 0.020 0.015 0.050 8 100 1000
1001 - 1500 0.010 0.010 0.0 2 03 150
1501 - 2000 0.010 0.010 0.0 1 03 100
1
Minimum level of hydroxide alkalinity in boilers below 900 psig must be individually specified with regard
to silica solubility and other components of internal treatment.
2
The maximum value often cannot be obtained without exceeding total alkalinity levels because of
pretreatment. Actual permissible conductance values to achieve desired steam purity must be estab-
lished by careful steam purity measurements.
3
Zero in these cases refers to free sodium or potassium hydroxide alkalinity. Some small variable amount
of total alkalinity will be present and measurable with the assumed congruent control or volatile treatment
employed at these high pressure ranges.
Source: ASME Research Committee on Water in Thermal Power Systems

Figure 2 — Blowdown needs increase

as feedwater solids increase
not suitable for boilers having water), the valve is opened and
low chloride feed-waters.) It is boiler water discharged. The
important that no variation in continual monitoring of solids in CONTINUOUS (OR
boiler feedwater chloride con- the boiler water allows the maxi- AUTOMATIC) vs MANUAL
centration occur due to zeolite mum solids level to be carried at BLOWDOWN
regenerations or condensate all times. Therefore, a minimum
There are two basic methods for
return swings to maintain a amount of heat, water, and
blowing down a boiler. The first
fixed control target. chemicals is lost, resulting in
is continuous or automatic
TRASAR® — Nalco’s TRASAR greater energy efficiency and
blowdown, which is generally
Technology can be used to maximum plant production.
favored because it yields a more
measure boiler cycles directly, as uniform concentration of boiler
well as to diagnose control valve HOW MUCH BLOWDOWN water solids and can save energy
problems and measure other IS NEEDED by allowing for heat recovery
critical control parameters. Blowdown is frequently ex- from the blowdown water.
Alkalinity — Blowdown control pressed in percentages. It can be Figure 3 illustrates that continu-
by alkalinity is most often used calculated as follows: ous blowdown not only provides
when very high alkalinities, % Blowdown = a more consistent solids level,
which may contribute to carry- but that the maximum concentra-
over, are present. Quantity of Blowdown Water tion of solids in the boiler water
x 100
Quantity of Feedwater is also the average. This helps
Automatic blowdown control-
ensure that the boiler is operat-
lers can also be used to regulate OR
ing at the maximum allowable
blowdown. In these systems, the
% Blowdown = boiler cycles (minimum percent
blowdown valve is controlled by
TDS (µmhos) in Feedwater blowdown), thus saving energy,
a probe that measures the
x 100 makeup water costs, and chemi-
specific conductance of the TDS (µmhos) in Boiler Water cal treatment costs.
boiler water. When the conduc-
tivity reaches a preset limit
(determined by the correspond-
ing solids level of the boiler
 A — Average concentration -
continuous blowdown
B — Average concentration -
intermittent blowdown
C — Highest concentration
just before blowdown
D — Lowest concentration
just after blowdown
Figure 3 — Advantages of continuous
blowdown
The second method for blowing
down a boiler, manual or inter-
mittent, consists of periodically
opening the main blowoff valve.
This valve is generally located in
the lower section of the boiler
(i.e., mud drum) where sludge is
most likely to collect. While this
method is a very efficient way to
remove accumulated sludge
from lower portions of the boiler,
it is not the best method for
controlling total boiler water
solids.
As Figure 3 illustrates, the
average boiler solids concentra-
tion with intermittent blowdown
is much less than the maximum
allowable concentration. This
results in lower boiler cycle
(higher percent blowdown),
wasting energy, and increasing
makeup water and chemical
treatment costs.
The most efficient method for
keeping dissolved and sus-
pended solids from accumulat-
ing in the boiler will incorporate
both continuous and manual
blowdown. In this way, continu-
Figure 4 — Blowdown heat recovery system
ous or automatic blowdown will
be used to deconcentrate total
solids; manual blowdown will
re- move suspended solids that
have settled in the lower areas of
the boiler.
Continuous blowdown installa-
tions usually consist of perfo-
rated distribution piping a
minimum of four inches below
the steam release surface. The
blowdown pipe is located in the
steam drum near the discharge
of the generating tubes and away
from the feedwater inlet.
MINIMIZING BLOWDOWN
HEAT LOSSES
As previously stated, the greatest
advantage of continuous blow-
down is the potential for energy
savings by recovering heat from
the blowdown before it is
sewered. The type of heat
recovery system required is
dependent on boiler drum
pressure, quantity of blowdown,
and how the recovered heat will
be used.
Makeup
A typical heat recovery system
will incorporate at least one flash
tank and heat exchanger (Figure
4). The pressure of the flash tank
is determined by the end use of
the steam. It may be used as
process steam, building heat or
for heating oil, makeup water, or
feedwater. The blowdown from
the flash tank can be flashed
again for increased energy
savings if there is a use for that
steam. Finally, the blowdown
from the flash tank is passed
through a heat exchanger to
recover the sensible heat of the
water before going to sewer.
Ideally, the sewered water will
be 20°F above the inlet tempera-
ture of the water to be heated
(i.e. makeup water).
Additional methods for minimiz-
ing blowdown heat losses
include increasing the percent of
condensate returned to the boiler
and selecting proper chemical
treatments such as antifoams,
low solids oxygen scavengers
and internal treatment programs.
These methods will improve
feedwater quality (lower solids).
This permits operation at higher
boiler cycles without
“carryover”, thus reducing
blowdown requirements.
CALCULATING
RECOVERABLE HEAT
FROM BLOWDOWN
The cost of sewering blowdown,
without recovering its heat, and
the amount of heat recoverable
from boiler blowdown can be
calculated from some basic
information. The information
required and the calculations are
shown in Table 2.
CONCLUSION
Blowdown is a crucial part of
good boiler operation. It main-
tains boiler water solids at an
acceptable limit to prevent
carryover or deposits. However,
excessive amounts of blowdown
can result in wasted fuel, water,
and treatment chemicals. Proper
control of blowdown by the
operator is imperative for eco-
nomical, trouble-free boiler
operation, and maximum plant
production.
Table 2 — Calculating cost of sewering blowdown and amount of heat recoverable
from blowdown
Required Information
Boiler operating pressure (psia)
Steam production (lb/day)
Concentration ratio
Makeup water temp (°F)
Flash tank operating pressure (psia)
Heat exchanger effluent temp (°F)
Fuel cost ($/million Btu)
Boiler efficiency (%)
Cost of Sewering Blowdown
100
1. % blowdown =
concentration ratio
steam production
2. lb feedwater = = lb/day
1.00 – % blowdown
3. lb blowdown = lb feedwater – lb steam produced
4. heat of blowdown = HSLB-HMW= Btu/Ib
5. heat loss without recovery = lb blowdown x heat of blowdown
heat loss x fuel cost
6. dollars lost =
boiler efficiency
Recovering Heat from Blowdown
HSLB-HSLF
7. lb flashed steam = (lb blowdown) ( VFT )
lb flashed steam
8. % blowdown flashed = x 100
lb blowdown
9. % blowdown to heat exchanger = 100 – % blowdown flashed
10. lb water to heat exchanger = lb blowdown x % blowdown to heat exchanger
11. heat sewered = HHE-HMW = Btu/lb
12. total heat lost with recovery = heat sewered x lb water to heat exchanger
13. heat recovered = heat loss without recovery - total heat lost with recovery
heat recovered
14. % heat recovery = x 100
heat lost without recovery
NOTES: (refer to Figure 4)
HSLB = enthalpy of saturated liquid at boiler pressure
HMW = enthalpy of makeup water
HSLF = enthalpy of saturated liquid at flash tank pressure
HHE = enthalpy of heat exchanger effluent
VFT = latent heat of vaporization at flash tank pressure