Main boiler, a boiler on a ship with a steam turbine or steam engine as the main engine, which primarily supplies steam to drive the main engine.By regularly testing and controlling key parameters such as salinity, alkalinity, hardness, pH and oxidizing indicators of boiler water, scale formation can be effectively prevented, corrosion can be reduced, and the heat transfer efficiency and service life of the boiler can be improved.This article will detail several core indicators of water quality testing of ships' main boilers to help readers understand the importance of these indicators and testing methods.
Salinity, that is, the total amount of dissolved saline substances in water, in the main boiler of a ship, if the salinity of the furnace water exceeds the standard, it will form a thick layer of foam on the evaporating surface of the boiler, resulting in excessive water carried by the steam and producing vapor-water synergism phenomenon.This not only reduces the quality of the steam, but also causes severe corrosion of equipment and piping, and even triggers water strikes on steam machinery, resulting in equipment damage.Therefore, regular testing of the salinity of the boiler water and controlling it within a reasonable range (usually between 50-200mg/L) is necessary to ensure the safe operation of the boiler.
Alkalinity, the amount of soluble alkaline material in water, is used primarily to control the pH of boiler water, prevent scale formation, and reduce corrosion.In the main boiler of a ship, insufficient alkalinity will accelerate the corrosion of the heating surface of the boiler, while too much alkalinity may produce caustic embrittlement, which may even lead to boiler explosion in serious cases.Therefore, controlling the alkalinity of the boiler water within a certain range (e.g., 1 mmol/L, i.e., about 50 ppm) is the key to ensuring the safe and stable operation of the boiler.
Hardness, the total amount of calcium and magnesium ions in water. These ions tend to form scale on the heating surface of the boiler, which seriously affects the heat transfer efficiency of the boiler, increases fuel consumption, and, in severe cases, can lead to tube blockage or burnout.Therefore, strict control of boiler water hardness (usually required to be less than 0.03mmol / L that is, 3ppm) is an important measure to prevent scale formation and extend the service life of the boiler.
pH, the indicator of acidity and alkalinity in water, is an important parameter reflecting the chemical properties of boiler water. Under normal circumstances, the pH value of boiler water should be maintained between 10-12.If the pH value is too low, it will accelerate the corrosive effect of oxygen and produce serious corrosion of boiler metal materials; while if the pH value is too high, alkali scale will be formed, affecting the normal operation of the boiler.Therefore, regularly testing and adjusting the pH of the boiler water is an important step in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the boiler.
Oxidizability indicator, which is the amount of oxides in the boiler water. Excessive oxygen content in boiler water accelerates the corrosion of boiler metal materials, while oxidizers also exacerbate the formation of boiler scale and fouling.Therefore, regular testing of the oxidizing index of the boiler water and taking appropriate measures (e.g., adding deoxidizers) to reduce the oxygen content is an important means to ensure the long-term stable operation of the boiler.
Water quality testing of a ship's main boiler is a critical part of ensuring safe and efficient navigation. Therefore, ship operators should attach great importance to boiler water quality testing and adopt advanced technology and equipment for real-time monitoring and management to provide a strong guarantee for the safe and efficient operation of ships.
