salinometer

Water purity
Water purity may refer to the absence of dissolved salts, a measurement in terms of acidity or alkalinity, or the presence of oil in a sample. Various instruments which make these measurements, their operating principles and the need for the measurement, will now be described.

Water purity
Water purity, in terms of the absence of salts, is a necessary requirement where it is to be used as boiler feed.

Pure water has a high resistance to the flow of electricity, i.e. a low conductivity, so much so that it is considered non-conductive.

Water purity
. Water containing dissolved salts, in particular sea water, has a high conductivity. A measurement of conductivity is a measure of purity. A pair of electrodes of known area are placed in the sample solution at a known distance apart. The resistance between them is measured and expressed in conductivity units which are

Siemens/cell constant
. A siemen is a reciprocal ohm and represents the passage of one ampere at one volt potential through one cubic centimeter of the liquid. Where electrodes are smaller than one square centimeter and spaced closer or farther than one centimeter then a cell constant is used to correct the readings obtained.

Salinometer
. One common type of salinity indicator uses a small cell containing two platinum electrodes.

The liquid sample passes through the cell and the current flow as a result of any conductance is measured. The reading given assumes all conductivity is due to sodium chloride which, although not strictly accurate, is acceptable for most

Salinometer
Electrical conductivity rises with temperature and thus a temperature compensating resistor is incorporated in the measuring circuit.

Salinometer
In the dionic water purity meter Conductivity is measured between two platinum wire ring electrodes and two gunmetal ring electrodes

. The liquid flows through these rings which are separated by insulated lengths of tubing, see Figure . In effect measurements are made on two columns

Salinometer

Salinometer
. In effect measurements are made on two columns of liquid.
A bimetallic strip operates a plunger which insulates the two columns and provides temperature compensation to 20C.

Salinometer
. Specific conductivity in siemens/cm3 is the conductance across a centimeter long column of mercury whose cross-sectional area is one square Centimeter. A much smaller unit, the microsiemen/cm3, when corrected to 20C, is known as a dionic unit..

Salinometer
Pure distilled water has a Conductance of about 1 dionic unit while fresh water is about 500 dionic units.

A de-grassfire should be fitted upstream of this unit to remove dissolved carbon dioxide since this will cause errors in measurement

Acidity/alkalinity/p h meter
Water, when acidic or alkaline, can cause corrosion. Boiler feed water when acidic or strongly alkaline will cause corrosion.

It is usual to monitor and maintain boiler feed water slightly alkaline. A scale of measurement using pH values indicates the degree of acidity or alkalinity within a solution. A solution which is neutral is neither acidic nor alkaline. The pH scale is a measure of