Amine Injection and Copper

stopgogo

Has anyone have had Amine injections into their building or steam system that contains copper pipe or tubing? I seem to have some bright blue like substance corrode the copper due to the amine injection which clogs up the air vents on the radiators, which brings me to my second question.
Are there any air vents that do not have copper internals?

The amine amount is based on the water quality and its on point. Any of you experience this before?

nicholas bonham-carter

Whatever chemical has been put into the water should not make its way up to the vents, if the system has been properly installed and maintained. When steam condenses only pure water is left in the pipes.
Some overpressured systems can cause the returning condensate to be mildly acidic from the formation of carbonic acid, but that is unlikely your case unless the system is in dire need of maintenance.--NBC

Jamie Hall

May I ask why you are using an amine treatment on your boiler water? I hope there is a very very very good reason -- but I can't think what it would be, just off hand...

Canucker

I'm guessing you are using ammonia as a treatment for process steam? Can't use it in a system containing copper or nickel(stainless steel). The blue colour is from those metals breaking down. I can't remember at the moment if ammonia is for a long, medium or short run distribution. Long, I think, as it travels with the steam to neutralize carbonic acid

stopgogo

district steam is what its used for and yes we use amonia as well. so you are saying its the amonia and not the amines?

Canucker

Do you know which amines are being used? Amine refers to a group of chemicals. There are a few different ones used for water treatment of which ammonia is one

stopgogo

I will follow up with you tomorrow. I don't know off the top of my head, no.