Determine potential in the operation of steam boilers

Continuous monitoring of pH, residual oxygen and conductivity of the feed water, condensate and boiler water allows the changed conditions as a result of the operating modes to be determined and constantly adapted to new changes. In this way, steam, water and energy can be reduced and service and maintenance simplified.

On the website "steam boiler optimization", comparisons between the fixed and variable operation of the boiler system are explained as well as measures to improve them. By entering operating data for the feed water and steam boiler, the expected savings are displayed online in a clear manner. Of course, these are guide values ​​and should be specifically agreed with the operator taking into account real conditions on site.

Because steam and hot water systems are among the most expensive cost centers in a company. OFS solutions without high investment costs offer the operator the opportunity to save costs on energy, fuel and water. This not only makes boiler operation more economical, but also more ecological and sustainable.

In practice, the feed water boilers are operated with the vapor valve open all the time in order to guarantee freedom from oxygen. However, the presence of oxygen-free water enables the vapor valve to operate more efficiently if these requirements are met. In this way, steam losses are only reduced to the bare minimum. With a qualitative monitoring of the dissolved oxygen content in the feed water and an automatic control of the vapor valve, unnecessary water and energy losses are prevented.

Furthermore, in connection with the dosing control for the oxygen binding agent, ineffective salt build-up in the feed water (theoretically up to 10 mg / l excess) is prevented. The thickening in the steam boiler is consequently improved combined with less desalination. This reduces fuel, treated process water and generated carbon dioxide to the bare minimum.

A pH value of nine to ten in the feed water is quite feasible and legally permissible. However, the consumption of chemicals increases up to 10 times. This results in up to a 10-fold increase in energy and water losses.

If the pH, conductivity and residual oxygen are constantly monitored and controlled, the dosage of inhibitors can be reduced to a necessary minimum. The result is less energy and water losses in the steam boiler. At the same time, the efficiency of the steam boiler operation improves and carbon dioxide emissions are also reduced.

Using the example of the printing service provider Prinovis GmbH & Co. KG at the Dresden location, the goal was set to reduce the use of steam and chemicals. There are three large-capacity water boilers each with five MW and two gas engines with five MW each and a downstream waste heat boiler. Then "FWO-Control" was subsequently installed on the feed water boiler. This monitors the feed water, doses quality-oriented inhibitors and controls the vapor valve on the feed water boiler depending on the oxygen. The measurement and control process resulted in savings of up to 50% due to the adapted addition of chemicals to the feed water boiler. The steam losses from the degassing from the feed water tank could also be reduced by more than 50%, so that the investment amortized within a year.

As a result, increased savings in resources and energy can be demonstrated with the optimized variable operation, which has led to better efficiency of the entire steam boiler system.