Boiler Corrosion Inhibitors

High-alkalinity levels in boiler feedwater can lead to high volumes of boiler blowdown and potentially high carbon dioxide levels in the steam and, ultimately, in the condensate. Dealkalizers and decarbonators remove or lower bicarbonate alkalinity. By incorporating a dealkalizer, our customers have experienced higher cycles of concentration, reduced chemical feed rates, and lower operating costs. We have experience servicing chloride anion dealkalizers, split stream dealkalizers, weak acid cation dealkalizers, and reverse osmosis systems.

Effective boiler water treatment requires the maintenance of proper levels of boiler water alkalinity in low- and medium-pressure boilers to reduce corrosion. The proper alkalinity level also provides sufficient hydroxide for the preferred reactions between calcium and phosphate, and magnesium with silica. Failure to maintain excess hydroxide alkalinity can result in sticky, adherent calcium phosphate sludge not easily conditioned for ultimate removal from the boiler water circuit. This can be a real problem where makeup water is not softened and boiler chemical residual is poorly controlled. In extreme cases, gypsum (calcium sulfate) deposition will occur. These deposits are extremely difficult to remove and must be avoided. Adequate boiler water alkalinity is usually derived from the natural alkalinity present in the makeup water. Adding an alkalinity builder is required whenever natural alkalinities are insufficient to create the desirable free caustic range in the boiler water. ChemTreat has several products that increase boiler water alkalinity.

High levels of CO₂ in the steam and condensate require increased levels of neutralizing amines to prevent condensate corrosion. ChemTreat offers filming amine solutions to protect metal by forming a film that prevents harmful iron and copper corrosion. For FDA- or USDA-regulated operations, ChemTreat has custom-engineered products, including non-amine filming technology.

TITAN360™ film-forming amines are specifically designed to minimize corrosion throughout feedwater, boiler, and condensate systems. Used in conjunction with neutralizing amine programs, filming amines can improve overall corrosion inhibition in very complex steam/condensate systems, as well as reduce neutralizing amine usage in systems with very high boiler water alkalinity. These filming amines can also greatly improve downtime corrosion (one of the most aggressive forms of corrosion in boiler systems) compared to industry-standard programs.

TITAN360™ products have been successfully applied in a variety of industries, including Power, Chemical, and Food & Beverage.

Benefits of this technology include:

• Excellent corrosion inhibition in boiler system components during layup
• Improved overall corrosion inhibition when paired with a neutralizing amine program
• Effectiveness in systems with complex condensate systems
• Potential reduction in neutralizing amine costs in applications with high boiler water alkalinity
• Active residual testing, ensuring optimized feed rates
• Neat feed to feedwater and/or steam header
• Certain TITAN360™ products and applications have FDA approvals