3 Keys to Monitoring Boilers

The 3 key things to monitor on boilers are:

• pH balance in the tubes
• oxygen
• conductivity

The pH of the boiler water is normally kept alkaline to facilitate the formation of a thin oxide layer on the tubes. This oxide layer acts as a protective barrier against corrosion. M4 Knick's SE 558 pH electrode is designed to work in low ionic activity liquid found in boiler water.

Oxygen has a significant impact on the lifespan of a boiler because it causes pitting and corrosion even at trace (ppb) concentrations. Most steam boilers use hydrazine as an oxygen scavenger to prevent this problem. The SE 707 will easily monitor into the ppb range of dissolved oxygen to ensure the levels of hydrazine are adequate to prevent the damaging effects of oxygen.

Conductivity is used to identify if contaminants are becoming concentrated in the boiler water. This can be from overdosing of chemicals or a break in a tube. When the conductivity levels become too high, blow down of the boiler or inspection may be needed. M4 Knick's SE 604 is able to operate in very low conductivities such as those found in a typical boiler water system.

Steam boilers are critical to the operation of the plant and are very expensive to replace if not maintained correctly.

Contact DMS to learn more about how to protect our steam boilers today. Use the live chat on the bottom right of this page, or complete our Contact Us form anytime you want us to come on site or answer a troubleshooting question.