Water Treatment Requirements for Water Tube Boilers
Fire tube boilers have long reigned supreme in the steam boiler world, but in the past couple of decades, water tube boilers have started gaining in popularity for their outstanding efficiency, safety, and reliability.
Unfortunately, because water tube boilers are designed quite differently than traditional fire tube boilers, there are many misconceptions regarding the water treatment requirements for water tube boilers. In this article, we’ll explain what facility engineers can expect when it comes to meeting water treatment needs for a water tube boiler system. We also provide a rundown of best practices, water treatment products, and monitoring systems that are used in the Miura water tube steam boiler system to ensure the longest possible lifespan of your pressure vessel.
How is water treatment different for water tube boilers?
Believe it or not, water treatment requirements for water tube boilers are not any different than fire tube boilers. Meaning, you can use the exact same water treatment products and practices for your water tube boiler that you would use for a fire tube boiler.
What is different is that water tube boilers generally require more rigorous water treatment monitoring systems than fire tube boilers. This is because the low water content and greater surface area present within a water tube boiler generally makes it more prone to developing scale. Luckily, through careful monitoring, any water treatment issues can be detected and addressed long before they have a chance to cause damage to your boiler.
Miura’s water treatment & boiler monitoring systems
At Miura America Co., Ltd., our boilers are designed with simple maintenance and monitoring in mind.
When companies are considering a Miura boiler for their facility, one of the most commonly asked questions our reps receive is, “How is water treated in a Miura water tube boiler?”
The basic principles of water treatment for Miura water tube boilers are functionally the same as any other kind of steam boiler out there. However, Miura goes the extra mile by offering water treatment products and water quality monitoring systems specially designed for Miura water tube boilers.
Water Treatment for Miura Boilers
Technically, you can use any type of water treatment solution you want in a Miura boiler. That said, we strongly recommend using BOILERMATE®. This eco-friendly silica-based water treatment solution is designed especially for once-through boilers and is guaranteed to safeguard your boiler against failures caused by corrosion. We recommend it so much that we offer a guarantee on your pressure vessel against any failures caused by corrosion.
While BOILERMATE was specially designed and tested with Miura boilers in mind, it is actually ideal for treating water in any once-through boiler. Why is BOILERMATE the best choice for once-through boilers, you ask? Traditional sulfite-based water treatments are not great for once-through boilers because they require a longer preparation period and need time and heat to activate with oxygen. BOILERMATE, on the other hand, is perfect for use in once-through boilers because silica is its main ingredient. Silica is a naturally-occurring corrosion inhibitor that sticks to the surface of the water tubes like a thin film and doesn’t require activation time.
Water Quality Monitoring for Miura Boilers
Since water tube boilers have more surface area than fire tube boilers, they tend to be a bit more prone to scaling. This isn’t an issue with Miura boilers, however, because we equip our boilers with meticulous monitoring systems and control devices that ensure minor water quality issues are detected and addressed long before they can impact the performance or efficiency of your boiler.
Here’s a quick glance at some of the other water treatment products and monitoring systems that keep your Miura water tube boiler in excellent shape:
- Chemical Monitoring System – This system administers the appropriate levels of BOILERMATE to your pressure vessels for automated protection against scale.
- BL Controller – Your boiler system’s central operating and diagnostic hub that allows you to access real-time data about your boiler and troubleshoot issues as they arise.
- Miura Online Maintenance (MOM) – Having a problem that you don’t quite know how to fix on your own? Our remote monitoring and diagnostic system lets your on-site team share real-time boiler data with certified Miura engineers, who can diagnose and troubleshoot water quality issues without needing to drive out to your facility in-person.
- Colormetry Hardness Detection – This self-calibrating colormetry system monitors your boiler’s water quality through an automated reagent injection, mixing, and evaluation process. For speed troubleshooting, the Colormetry Hardness Detection system interfaces with your boiler’s BL Micro Controller and the MOM system.
- Scale monitor thermocouple – This device helps detect scaling in your water tube boiler before it becomes a major issue by monitoring the surface temperature of the water contained within your boiler’s water tubes.