Boiler Water Testing

Boilers use steam to heat commercial buildings, manufacture products, process food, sterilize instruments, drive chemical reactions, generate electricity and many more applications.

The quality and quantity of water are critical to boiler operation. The build-up of calcium carbonate in the tubes acts as a super insulator, which reduces heat transfer to the water, therefore increasing fuel cost. Scale builds up in layers and will reduce the water flow thru the system wasting energy and efficiency. Another problem related to the quality of water is corrosion. At high temperature, even the smallest amount of dissolved oxygen can lead to corrosion occurring in the boiler drum, steam lines and condensate return systems. So, it is necessary to carry out regular boiler water testing to ensure optimum performance for this essential piece of equipment.

STEMart provides professional boiler water testing service to ensure that the entire steam system is protected and fully functioning.

Importance of Regular Boiler Water Testing

• Prevent boiler scale
• Maintain boiler water’s alkaline condition
• Limit sludge formation
• Determine the required amount of treatment
• Improve boiler efficiency
• Control water treatment chemicals

Typical Boiler Water Testing

• pH test: Boiler pH should remain between 10.5 and 11.0 to prevent acidic corrosion.
• Alkalinity test: Hydroxyl Alkalinity is necessary for corrosion control and scale prevention.
• Phosphate test: Phosphates react with calcium hardness to precipitate it in a controllable form. These levels should generally be between 30 and 50 ppm.
• Dissolved oxygen test: The quantity of dissolved oxygen in the boiler water is directly related to corrosion problems.
• Solids content test: High boiler solids will lead to foaming, priming, surging and carry over.
• Hardness test: The hardness of the water can cause the formation of scale and sludge or mud. Total hardness should not exceed 50 PPM.
• Oil content test: Oil causes foaming, or combines with suspended solids to form a sludge which can cause the overheating of boiler plates.

Test Services

For more information about our boiler water testing services, please contact us.