Boiler Blowdown Rate

Calculating boiler blow down rate

A blow down of the boiler is a routine operation necessary due to the increased concentration of Total Dissolved Solids - TDS - in the boiler during the steam production. The blow down rate of a boiler depends on steam consumption (steam used in the process and not returned as condensate to the boiler) concentration of impurities in the feed water maximum allowable TDS in the boiler

The blowdown rate can be calculated as qBD = qS fc / (bc - fc) where qBD = blowdown rate (kg/h) qS = steam consumption (kg/h) fc = Total Dissolved Solids - TDS - in the feed water (ppm) bc = maximum allowable Total Dissolved Solids - TDS - in the boiler water (ppm) (1)

Recommended Feed Water Chemistry Limits

Steam boilers and ABMA recommended feed water chemistry limits
The maximum recommended concentration limits of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) total alkalinity total dissolved solids According to ABMA - American Boiler Manufacturers Association - are given in the table below: Boiler Operating Total Dissolved Total Total Suspended Pressure Solids Alkalinity Solids (psig) - TDS (ppm) (ppm) (bar) (ppm)

0 - 50 0 - 3.5 50 - 300 3.5 - 20 300 - 450 20 - 30 450 - 600 30 - 40 600 - 750 40 - 50 750 - 900 50 - 60 900 - 1000 60 - 70 Chemical Sodium sulphite Sodium chloride Sodium sulphate Silica oxide

2500 3500 3000 2500 1000 750 625

500 700 600 500 200 150 125 15 10 8 3 2 1

Maximum Allowable Impurities in Boiler Water

Symbol Maximum Concentration (ppm) NA2SO3 1.0 NaCl 10.0

Sodium phosphate NA3PO4 25.0 NA2SO4 25.0 SiO2 0.20