Testing of Boiler Water

Recommended Parameters For Feed Water

Dissolve
Iron
Chlorides d Solids Copper
Boiler max
max. ppm pH Oxygen max ppm
Pressure ppm
CaCO3 max ml / Cu
Fe
liter
0 to 15 bar 5

15 to 30 bar 5 8.5 to 9.5 0.04

30 to 40 bar 1.0 8.5 to 9.5 0.02

40 to 60 bar 1.0 8.5 to 9.5 0.01 0.01 0.01

60 to 80 bar 1.0 8.5 to 9.5 0.007 0.005 0.01

 Recommended Parameters for Boiler Water
Boiler EDTA Alkalinity to Chlorides Phosp Dissolv Sulphite or Silica
Pressure Hard-ness Phenol- max. hate ed Hydrazine Excess max
max. ppm phthalein ppm ppm Solids ppm ppm N2H4 ppm
CaCO3 ppm CaCO3 CaCO3 PO4 ppm Na2SO3 SiO2

30 to 50 to 0.1 to
0 to 15 bar Nil 30 to 300 300 1500
70 100 0.3
30 to 50 to 0.1 to
15 to 30 bar Nil 150 to 300 150 1000
70 100 0.3
20 to 30 to 0.1 to
30 to 40 bar Nil 100 to 150 100 500
50 50 0.3
20 to 0.1 to
40 to 60 bar Nil 50 to 100 50 500 5
50 0.3
15 to 0.1 to
60 to 80 bar Nil 50 to 80 30 300 3
50 0.3
To convert from Chloride as ppm CaCO3 to ppm NaCl, multiply by 1.17
To convert from Chloride as ppm CaCO3 to ppm Cl, multiply by 0.71
To convert from Alkalinity as ppm CaCO3 to ppm NaOH, multiply by 0.8
To convert from Phosphate as ppm PO4 to ppm P2O5, multiply by 0.75
 Sampling of Boiler Water
• Obtaining representative samples is first requirement to
control feed & boiler water conditions.

• Coolers necessary where medium to be sampled is at a

temperature of more than 600C to:

 Prevent a proportion of water flashing off as steam

resulting in false high readings.

 Protect the operator from scalding.

• Sample to be taken must be run to waste for sufficient

time to flush out all lines & the collection container.
Boiler Water Sampling Cooler
Boiler Water Chemical Dosing Unit
 Sampling of Boiler Water
• Sampling methods vary & treatment chemical companies
have simplified methods for their own proprietary
products.

• Trend is towards use of on-line instrumentation, e.g. pH,

conductivity & sodium analysers, fitted with high or low
level alarms to give early warning of dangerous
conditions.

• Samples are tested to compare with recommended

parameters for boiler water & feed systems
 Testing of Boiler Water Samples
Boiler water is normally tested by titration, for the following
parameters:
 Alkalinity
 Chloride
 Sulphite
 Phosphate
 Hardness
 pH value
 Dissolved oxygen
 Total dissolved solids – using hydrometer or conductivity
meter
 Hydrazine

(Refer Reeds Vol 8, chapter 4 for details)

 Boiler Water Testing Using UNITOR Kit
• UNITOR Spectrapak 310 or 311 water test kits are used
on board GES vessels for testing boiler water
• Samples are tested regularly and boiler water chemical
added to correct the levels of chemical to the required
standard
• Sampling – water samples are to be cooled to 20-250C
before testing, to obtain correct values
• Tests done for following using the Spectrapak 310 test
kit:
 P Alkalinity
 pH
 Chloride
UNITOR Spectrapak 310
 P. Alkalinity Test for Boiler Water
• Take 200 ml of water sample in stoppered bottle
provided
• Add 1 P.Alkalinity tablet & shake to disintegrate
• If P.Alkalinity is present, the sample will turn blue
• Repeat tablet addition till the blue color changes
to permanent yellow.
• P.Alkalinity ppm (CaCO3)=(No. of tablets
usedx20)-10
• Record the result on the log sheet with the date
of the test.
 pH Test for Boiler Water
• Take 50 ml of water sample in plastic container
• Using the 0.6 gm scoop provided, add 1 measure of the
pH reagent to the water sample, allow to dissolve, stir if
necessary
• Select the appropriate range of pH test strip & dip into the
water sample for 1 minute:
For Boiler water take the 7.5 -14 range
For Condensate take the 6.5 – 10 range
• Withdraw the strip from the sample & compare the color
obtained with the color scale on the pH indicator strip
container
• Record the result on the log sheet with the date of the test
 Chrloride Test for Boiler Water
• For boilers under 30 bar, take a 50 ml sample in the
stoppered bottle
• Add 1 Chloride tablet, shake to disintegrate, sample
should turn yellow if Chlorides present
• Repeat tablet addition until yellow color changes to
orange / brown
• Chloride ppm =(No. of tablets used x 20) -20
 Chrloride Test for Boiler Water
• For higher expected Chloride levels, reduce the water
sample size, to 25 ml to give steps of 40 ppm per tablet
used
• Chloride ppm =(No. of tablets used x 40) - 40

• For lower expected Chloride levels, increase the water

sample size, to 100 ml to give steps of 10 ppm per tablet
used
• Chloride ppm = (No. of tablets used x 10) - 10
UNITOR Spectrapak 311

Full Service Boiler Water Test Kit

for Phosphate, P & M Alkalinity,
Chloride & pH
 UNITOR Spectrapak 311
• Can be used for carrying out the following tests for boiler
water.
• Phosphate PPM PO4
• P.Alkalinity PPM CaCO3
• M.Alkalinity PPM CaCO3
• Chloride PPM Cl
• pH test