Boiler Feedwater Analysis

Marine engineers are responsible for many small maintenance tasks onboard, all
of which ensure the proper function and operation of the vessel.

One of these tasks takes a closer look at the ship’s boiler water, by performing a
number of important tests to determine its chemical structure.

Marine boiler water treatment is a procedure usually done by junior engineers.

The job is mainly focused on testing water samples for their chemical contents, the
results of which determine what sort of chemical “treatment” is needed. This article aims
to act as a guide for the new and experienced engineer, in order to help with all the
steps of the process.

Before delving into the tests, it is important to define boiler water. In short, boiler
feed water is distilled water that is chemically adjusted. The water itself is constantly
converted to superheated steam which is used for various operational purposes of the
vessel’s engine. The steam moves the turbine, then condenses back to its liquid for in a
hot well or cascade tank, and returns back to the boiler to repeat the process.

So, what makes testing of boiler water so important? Well, boiler water abides by
certain parameters in order to protect the boiler (and other engine compartments) from
corrosion, as well as protect from a scaling deposit formation. To check these
parameters and adjust the water, engineers test water samples regularly, using a
testing kit.

Before getting started it is important to keep in mind that testing equipment differs
slightly depending on the manufacturer, and so do the chemicals that you may need to
use for your marine boiler water treatment. Since most of the testing tools are unique to
the vessel’s chemical supplier, an experienced engineer will need to review the
available options and choose the most reliable.

Boiler Feed Water Test Includes:

Boiler Water PH Test

 A PH test indicates how alkaline or acidic your boiler water is. Ideally, the water
should be maintained between 9.5-11.5 PH inside the boiler (alkaline environment).

Engineers perform this test to prevent acidic corrosion from the water (low PH)
as well as scale formation (high PH). Aside from that, some of the chemicals you need
to use for water treatments require an alkaline environment to adjust the water’s levels
properly.

To perform this test, perform the following steps.

 Rinse and fill the plastic 50ml beaker with sample water
 After that is done, add 600mg of PH reagent (one scoop) to the water sample
 Mix the reagent in the sample water to completely dissolve it.
 Next, take a PH indicator strip, dip it into the sample, and leave it submerged for
one minute
 Finally, compare with the colors shown on the box to determine the PH level
visually.

Based on the results of the test, you can choose to alter the water’s PH levels in two
points using these UNITOR chemicals:

 Condensate control for feed water in the hot well to ensure at least a PH level
from 8.5 to 9.5 PH
 Alkalinity control for inside the boiler to provide 9.5-11.5 PH, which is required for
corrosion control
Boiler Water Phosphate Test

Phosphate is important to
maintain since it reacts with any
calcium impurities within the water,
and forms a precipitate that will
accumulate at the botto m of the
boiler. This can later be blown
down or discharged (by releasing
the bottom blow down valve).

To test the phosphate levels, comparator is used, a small black device that holds both
of your 10ml testing vials. And here are the steps you need to follow:

 First off, rinse and fill the two 10ml sample vials with boiler water.
 One vial contains the control sample and the placed on the left side of the
comparator (not adjusted).
 The other sample requires a phosphate indicator tablet, which you will need to
dissolve in the water and wait for 10 minutes before proceeding.
 After the 10 minutes are over, take the indicator disc and compare the vials.
Once you identify the color match, you will get an indication of the phosphate
concentration in the water.

When it comes to water treatment for phosphate concentration, we use the UNITOR
chemical Hardness Control, which has the following characteristics:

 Maintains free phosphate levels in the boiler

 Does not allow calcium to create scale and makes it easy to remove by
blowdown
 You can add 23gr per ton of feed water for 20ppm Phosphate boost

Note that Phosphate levels in the boiler water should be maintained at 20-50ppm.
Boiler Water Hydrazine Test

The determination of
hydrazine is usually made on boiler
feedwaters, process waters, and
other waters that have been treated
with hydrazine (N2H4) for the
purpose of maintaining residuals to
prevent corrosion by dissolved oxygen. This reducing chemical reacts with dissolved
oxygen to form nitrogen and water.

These are typically maintained between 0,1ppm and 0,2ppm. Hydrazine is very
important as it reacts with dissolved oxygen inside the boiler tank to form hydrogen and
water. Here are the steps you need to follow in order to test it:

 Start by repeating the steps from above, filling two vials with 10ml sample water,
which we will then use in our comparator.
 This time, the right cell will include 1 gram of hydrazine reagent, which will need
to be fully dissolved as we did previously.
 Two minutes after the agent is fully dissolved, you can once again use the color
indicator disc to determine the levels of hydrazine within the water.

To control and alter hydrazine levels we use a UNITOR chemical known as

“Oxygen Scavenger/Control”. These chemicals remove the dissolved oxygen that
causes corrosion like we previously mentioned. Once again, your choice will depend on
the chemical partners of the vessel.

Boiler Water Chloride Test

The chloride test is used (often in conjunction with the

conductivity test) to regulate boiler blowdown. Blowdown is
necessary to keep boiler solids (both dissolved and
precipitated) from building up to the level where they might
cause scale and carryover. The chloride test is also useful in
determining the percentage of condensate return and in
finding out if the condensate is contaminated by process
water in-leakage or carryover.
For this test, you will need the 100ml beaker and Chloride testing tabs.

Testing for Chloride is very important as it indicates whether sea water is

contaminating the boiler. This causes increased conductivity between the boiler metal
and its water, which accelerates oxidation.

 To start this test, fill the 100ml beaker with sample water.
 Next, dissolve chloride tabs one by one until the color of the water changes from
yellow to brown.
 Depending on the number of pills we use, we can then determine the chloride
concentration of the water (use the color indicator to determine the levels).

When it comes to chloride concentration, there isn’t a “chemical treatment” to

reduce its levels in the vessel’s boiler water. If the concentration is too high, you will
simply need to blowdown and make sure that the replacing water has a lower chloride
concentration. This is heavily depended on feed water, which comes from distilled water
created in the fresh water generator.

Boiler Water P & M Alkalinity Test

For this test, you will need to use the

200ml flask as well as the P&M Alkalinity tabs
(indicator pills). P & M Alkalinity calculates the
total amount of inorganic carbons inside the
sample, which in turn indicates the total
alkalinity in the sample. Remember that boiler
water should be in an alkaline environment but
not in excess, in order to promote the formation
of precipitates and protect from corrosion.

P Alkalinity test in boiler water

 Start by placing P indicator pills in the sample water (one by one) until the color
changes from blue to yellow.
 Depending on the number of tabs added to the water you will be able to identify
the P Alkalinity.

(Formula: PAlk = P Alk Pills x 20 - 10 = ppmCaCo3)

M Alkalinity test in boiler water

 This test starts with the same water sample you previously used to determine the
P Alkalinity (yellow).
  Add M indicator pills consecutively until the color of the sample turns from yellow
to purple.
 Then, based on the number of pills that were used, you will be able to calculate
the M Alkalinity of the sample

(Formula: MAlk = (P Alk Pills + M Alk Pills) x 20 - 10 = ppmCaCo3)

Once you know the P&M Alkalinity levels, you can easily control them by using
the UNITOR chemical “Alkalinity Control”. By doing so, you will be able to create an
alkaline boiler water environment, which in turn prevents corrosion and protects the
water from oxidation.