What harm does scale do to steam generators? How to avoid it?

The steam generator is an inspection-free steam boiler with a water volume of less than 30L. Therefore, the water quality requirements of the steam generator should be implemented in accordance with the water quality requirements of the steam boiler. Anyone who has been in contact with a boiler knows that boiler water is different from ordinary water and must undergo special softening treatment. Unsoftened water is prone to produce scale, and scale will cause many harms to the boiler. Let me share with you the effects of scale on steam. What are the main hazards of generators?

1. It is easy to cause metal deformation and burning damage.
After the steam generator is scaled, it is necessary to maintain a certain working pressure and evaporation volume. The only way is to increase the temperature of the flame. However, the thicker the scale, the lower the thermal conductivity, the higher the temperature of the flame, and the metal will squirm due to overheating. Deformation can easily cause metal burning.

2. Waste of gas fuel
After the steam generator is scaled, the thermal conductivity will become poor, and a lot of heat will be taken away by the flue gas, causing the exhaust gas temperature to be too high and the thermal power of the steam generator to decrease. In order to ensure the pressure and evaporation of the steam generator, more fuel must be added, thus wasting fuel. About 1 mm of scale will waste 10% more fuel.

3. Shorten the service life
After the steam generator is scaled, the scale contains halogen ions, which corrode iron at high temperatures, making the inner wall of the metal brittle, and continue to develop deep into the metal wall, causing corrosion of the metal and shortening steam generation. device service life.

4. Increase operating costs
After the steam generator is scaled, it must be cleaned with chemicals such as acid and alkali. The thicker the scale, the more chemicals are consumed and the more money is invested. Whether it is chemical descaling or purchasing materials for repair, a lot of manpower, material and financial resources are spent.

There are two methods of scaling treatment:

1. Chemical descaling. Add chemical cleaning agents to disperse and discharge floating rust, scale and oil in the equipment, restoring a clean metal surface. When chemical descaling, you also need to pay attention to the PH value of the cleaning agent. It should not be too high or too low, otherwise the scale may not be cleaned cleanly or the inner wall of the steam generator may be damaged.

2. Install a water softener. When the water hardness of the steam generator is high, it is recommended to use a soft water processor, which can effectively filter calcium and magnesium ions in the water, activate the water quality, and avoid the formation of scale later.
In summary, the harm caused by scale to steam generators and scale treatment methods are summarized. Scale is the “source of hundreds of hazards” for steam generators. Therefore, during the use of the equipment, sewage must be discharged under pressure on time to avoid the generation of scale and eliminate hazards. It will also help save energy consumption and extend the service life of the steam generator.