Water carries dissolved gases that can cause serious problems for commercial boiler systems. Deaerators are used to remove dissolved gases, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and ammonia, from feed water. These gases cause corrosion in the pipes and internal systems of the boiler. This corrosion can necessitate extensive repairs and cost plant owners and operators significant money. Kansas city deaerator supplies can be found to deal with the situation.
How Do Deaerators Work?
It is crucial to remove dissolved gases from the water that feeds steam boilers. If oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia and other gases are left in the feed water, these gases will cause pitting and corrosion of the metal pipes and components, reducing the life of the system.
Deaerators heat the water to a saturation temperature, and then reduce the pressure and vent off the gases. They distribute the feed water over a large area. This can done horizontally or vertically, depending upon the design of the particular system.
Types of Deaerators
Spray-type deaerators have a tank containing a series of spray nozzles to deliver the feed water into the deaerator system. The nozzles spray steam that removes the gases, which then escape from vents at the top of the system. The water is sprayed over perforated trays and the treated water flows into the boiler system from there. These mechanisms are common in large, municipal power plants as well as oil and gas refineries.
Additional Chemicals
Chemicals called oxygen scavengers are sometimes added to the previously treated feedwater to remove any remaining portions of the gas that the deaerator missed. Different chemicals are used depending upon whether the system runs at low pressure or high pressure. Some of the chemicals can be dangerous and oxygen scavenging is a controversial step in this important process.
Deaeration is a complicated, but necessary process to keep expensive equipment running smoothly.