Spirax Sarco has launched a pressurised deaerator system that reduces the dissolved oxygen content of boiler feedwater to virtually nil without chemical treatment.
This enables steam plant operators to reduce energy consumption, save water treatment costs, increase productivity and meet BG01 Guidance on Safe Operation of Boilers .
BG01 gives guidance on complying with the recommended guideline BS EN 12953 Part 10 which deals with water quality and defines maximum levels of impurities including dissolved oxygen. A pressurised deaerator is one way to meet the requirements of BS EN 12953 Part 10 .
With a pressurised deaerator system, feedwater can be heated to greater than 100°C without boiling off to steam, removing virtually all of the dissolved gases without the need for water treatment chemicals. Oxygen levels in the feedwater are reduced to 0.02 mg/litre of water (20 parts per billion) – 1,000 times less than can be achieved with a conventional atmospheric deaerator system. Removal of oxygen is important because untreated boiler water would corrode the boiler and pipework, increasing maintenance and repair costs and reducing productivity.
In addition to aiding compliance, a Spirax Sarco pressurised deaerator system delivers a host of savings ranging from chemical treatment costs to energy savings.
In a pressurised deaerator system, make-up water is broken down into small droplets and surrounded by steam that is supplied to the deaerator head, in order to 'scrub' the dissolved gases, which are then expelled through controlled venting. Once the water has been scrubbed, it is allowed into a pressurised storage vessel where it is kept at above 100°C and covered with a blanket of steam to prevent re-absorption of gases. Each system is built on a bespoke basis according to the size and steaming time of each steam plant.
Spirax Sarco can provide all the ancillaries required for the control and instrumentation of the pressurised deaerator and also provides full training as well as ongoing support.