Auxiliary Boiler Plant

Water Testing and Treatment Scale Formation and Corrosion

When water containing dissolved and suspended solids is evaporated in a boiler, the solids
concentrate and scales are formed.

The formation of scale is a complex process. The physical formation of scales depends on constituents
in boiler water and the prevailing conditions.

Mechanics of scale formation

When a steam bubble is formed on a plate which is hot, the plate under the bubble becomes
overheated locally. The plate is insulated momentarily by the steam bubble from the water. The
salts in solution are in contact with the plate. The periphery around the bubble is overheated.

With the movement of water, these solids are reabsorbed, but some amount insoluble salts are
left behind and stick to the heating surface. The adhered insoluble salts forms a scale.

If the solubility of salts decreases with increase in temperature, then scale is formed.

Scale deposits impede heat transfer and restrict flow of water leading to local overheating and
subsequent failure. One way of controlling formation of scale is by regular blow down of the
boiler.

Oxygen corrosion

The presence of oxygen in the feed water is harmful for the metals in the system. Oxygen in
feed water gives rise to feed line corrosion. This results in the formation of corrosion products
such as oxides of iron and copper. Effective thickness of the metals in the feed system gets
reduced.

Oxygen not used up in the feed line corrosion reaches the boiler along with the feed water. It will
be carried over with the steam. But when oxygen attack does take place in the boiler, it causes
localised deep pitting. Deep pitting leads to boiler tube failure.

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 Auxiliary Boiler Plant
Water Testing and Treatment Scale Formation and Corrosion

Consequence

Corrosion in the feed line mainly occurs due to iron and copper oxides. These oxides get
deposited on steam generating tube surfaces. It restricts heat and leads to increase in the
temperatures of tube metal. Therefore localised heating takes place resulting in tube failure.

Comparison between scale formation and corrosion

When hard scale deposits on the heating surfaces, it forms a thick insulating layer. It restricts
the flow of heat from the heating surface. The result is a steep temperature gradient across the
heating surface. This results in inefficient heat transfer and subsequent tube failure.

It has been estimated that a scale of 3 mm thickness increases the fuel consumption by 16%
and 6 mm scale by 50%. This proves that the over heating effect is not a straight line gradient
but is exponential.

Fuel oil
consumption
(ltrs / hr)
Effect of
50 overheating
40
30
20
10
3 6
Scale thickness (mm)

As compared to scale formation, acidic corrosion due to chlorides is less dangerous, because the
scale formation is rapid when compared to chloride corrosion. Therefore, hardness is limited to
a low value of 5 ppm. Chlorides should be less than 20 ppm for boilers operated above 30 bar.
The chloride content should be as less as possible for low pressure boiler to Enhance the life and
performance of the boiler.

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