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Sight Glass Erosion

Anna Conda
Anna Conda Member Posts: 121
in THE MAIN WALL
I see some rust and some scale. Particulates and dissolved solids in the water will scour glass.

Comments

  • Fred Harwood_2
    Fred Harwood_2 Member Posts: 195
    Sight Glass Erosion

    Replaced the sight glass shown below in a Burnham V-74 one-pipe steam system, which works very well.

    Can anyone tell me about the chemistry that can erode glass to the point that it causes leaks? And that edge is beyond sharp, it's got an edge one molecule wide.

    Thanks much.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Saw this many times,

    usually a result of low PH, or too high. I try to stay around 9.
    Be very curious to see what Frank(Steamhead) says.

    Dave
  • Fred Harwood_2
    Fred Harwood_2 Member Posts: 195
    Erosion

    Thanks, Anna. However the top and the bottom of the tube eroded the same, although only the bottom was in the boiler water.
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    i'm in Anna's camp

    on this one..

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  • scrook_2
    scrook_2 Member Posts: 610


    very high pH can etch/attack glass.
  • Fred Harwood_2
    Fred Harwood_2 Member Posts: 195
    Glass erosion

    High pH may be the problem. Here's comment from a ceramics outfit:

    Water can be very aggressive especially when it reaches the critical pH of 9 by dissolution of alkalis from the glass surface. Under these conditions even vitreous silica (which will protect from boiling acids) will be attacked.
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