ABSTRACT
The objectives of modern boiler water treatment are to maintain the integrity and performance of steam boiler components. Before considering the specifics of boiler water treatment, it is helpful to focus briefly on the functional components of a typical steam-generating system and explain the importance of a water-treatment system on performance and maintenance requirements. Steam is the primary medium used to produce electricity. Even though the fuel used to produce heat may vary, the basic process for generating steam is virtually the same. The extent to which pretreatment is undertaken is determined by raw water characteristics, the systems operating pressure, required steam quality, average steam load, amount of returned condensate, type of boiler, fuel cost, the degree of heat treatment, and overall capital cost. Deaerating heaters serve two purposes in a steam-generating system: to increase feedwater temperature by direct contact with low-pressure exhaust steam and to remove undesirable dissolved gasses.
