Adjusting Ph

Ken_40

The pH is a function of chemistry, not volume. Obviously, the amount of chemicals required to get the pH up is somewhat dependent on volume, but more so on what the pH is to begin with.

We always found the flux, pipe dope and cutting oils used in manufacturing and installations left a chemical "soup" that could not be reliably measured. By chemically cleaning the block and near-boiler-piping with TSP (about one cup per 100,000 BTU's at a near boil), then completely dumping the cleaning agent, refilling with clear fill water and a little skimming, the trace amounts of TSP always left behind left an 8.0 pH trace level. For residentail apps., that's just about perfect. On a commercial job, 8-10 is ideal. At 9, almost all rusting is stopped. At 10 or more, foaming and priming are likely.

Soda ash is the cheapest pH raiser. The TSP is basically a one shot deal, although, we include a TSP washout with every year's PM schedule. If the system is tight (and we alsways made it so on a replacement steamer) adding diluting feed water would only be necessary three or four times a year. Gage glasses are always clear. Priming and surging non-existent.

We found a chemical supply house in Newark, NJ that sold TSP garnular or flakes for well under a buck a pound in 50 # pails. That was pick-up pricing.

Hope this helps.

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Jim Pompetti

Adjusting Ph

Is there a rule of thumb for adjusting Ph in a steam system eg amount of water the system holds vs the amount of Ph hi or low

Perry_3

Yes there is....

The required Ph or other forms of boiler water chemistry control has absolutely nothing to do with the volume of the system.

The requirements are the same if your boiler holds 1 cup of water or 200,000 gallons of water.

The quality and precision of the chemistry control does depend on the pressure of the boiler and in some cases what the steam is being used for.

Higher pressures (& higher temperature) require better control; and steam being used for a turbine requires more pure boiler water than steam at the same presure and temperature being used for other types of process uses (retorts, heating coils, etc).

By the time you get to large high pressur boilers typical of Power Plants or some industrial uses (Paper Mills) the plant usually has a dedicated water chemistry staff. The chemistry lab, and staffing, at the power plant I work in is larger than some stand alone industrial chemical analysis companies.

Perry