What Does
Internal Treatment Mean?
Internal treatment is the process of conditioning impurities in the boiler system that is subject to evaluation. This can be a standalone treatment or be performed in conjunction with external treatment methods.
Its main function is that it appropriately reacts with water hardness, removes oxygen and prevents water from foaming in the boiler systems.
Corrosionpedia Explains Internal Treatment
Internal treatment consists of unique treatments conducted when boilers operate under moderate or low pressure. In this process, massive amounts of concentrated steam are utilized for the feedwater or in high-quality raw water when accessible. This form of water treatment is utilized to achieve the following:
- Give corrosion protection
- Prevent foaming and scaling
- Eliminate water hardness
- Conditioning of suspended matter such as iron oxide and sludge
- Eradicate oxygen from the feed water and ensure that the water has enough alkalinity to fight corrosion
In the process, softening chemicals like polyphosphates-dispersants are used. These are capable of neutralizing water hardness through the formation of tri-calcium phosphate. Moreover, anti-scaling products such as synthetic and natural polymers are added to mitigate scaling.
Additionally, anti-foaming agents are incorporated to alter the surface tension, eradicate foam and transport fine particles of water into the steam. Oxygen scavengers like hydroxylamine play a vital role in dissolving oxygen and reducing oxides, which prevents corrosion within the boiler system.
With an efficient internal treatment program, a boiler system can operate at its best by preventing scaling, deposition and corrosion problems.