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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

CONDENSATE
A comprehensive review of chemical treatment and system control for improved reliability, reduced maintenance, and increased energy efficiency.

What is condensate?
Condensate is steam that has condensed as a result of doing work and giving up heat. Examples of doing work include driving turbines, heating buildings, and processes.

Table 1 Problems caused by contaminants Iron or copper in condensate Other Contaminants: Hardness Heavy Metals Oil Sodium Silica Organics Deposits in boiler, blown boiler tubes, loss of metal from condensate pipes and steam equipment, plugged steam traps Hardness deposits in boiler blown boiler tubes Heavy metal deposits in boiler blown boiler tubes Foaming, oily deposits in boiler turbine deposits Reduced cycles of concentration, turbine deposits, coordinated phosphate program control problems Turbine deposits, boiler deposits blown boiler tubes Foaming and carryover

Why is condensate important, and how can it improve boiler operation?

Condensate is very high in heat content. A pound of 180F condensate contains 148 Btu. Bringing this condensate back to the boiler reduces the amount of fuel necessary to convert a pound of feedwater to a pound of steam. The net result is reduced fuel consumption. Returned condensate is a readily available, economic feedwater source. Since properly treated condensate is very pure, returning condensate to the feedwater will improve feedwater quality and reduce makeup water demand. Pretreatment costs will also be reduced. Better feedwater quality also means more reliable boiler operation. Since condensate is low in dissolved solids, increasing the amount of returned condensate allows a boiler to operate at a higher cycle of concentration, thus reducing the volume of blowdown. Reducing the volume of blowdown will reduce the amount of heat lost from the boiler system through blowdown, and will lower fuel expenditures.

What problems are caused by these contaminants?

Each creates individual difficulties. Table 1 shows the problems caused by each.

Why does carbon dioxide present a problem?

When steam laden with carbon dioxide starts to condense, some carbon dioxide dissolves in the condensate, forming carbonic acid. Carbonic acid dissolves iron from the condensate piping. The iron can then pass to the boiler where it can deposit, and cause blown tubes. Carbon dioxide has a high vapor/ liquid (V/L) ratio, which means it will be present in all areas of the steam system. Also, intermittently operating parts of a steam system are especially susceptible to carbonic acid attack. As stagnant condensate cools, its solubility for carbon dioxide increases and corrosion is accelerated.

How are these problems caused?

Iron and copper are present from corrosion of the condensate/steam system, or in-leakage of process water which contains iron or copper. Heavy metals, organics, or oil are usually caused by process contamination. Hardness, sodium, or silica may be caused by boiler water carryover, process contamination, or condenser leaks.

How are contamination or corrosion problems solved?

For contamination from in-leakage, sewering condensate until the leak is repaired is the main solution. If boiler water carryover is the cause, the next step is to find the cause, which may be mechanical or chemical. Corrosion usually comes from two gases: carbon dioxide or oxygen.

Are there any contaminants in returned condensate?

Yes. Primarily iron and copper and their oxides, but other contaminants are also possible such as hardness (calcium and magnesium), heavy metals, oil, organics, and sodium.

Dealkalization involves passing the water through an anion exchanger operating on the chloride cycle. The exchanger removes alkaline anions such as carbonate, bicarbonate, and sulfates, replacing these ions with chloride. The dealkalization process is preceded by cation exchange softening. Demineralization involves passing water through both cation and anion exchange resins. The cation exchange process is operated on the hydrogen cycle. That is, hydrogen is substituted for all the cations. The anion exchanger operates on the hydroxide cycle, which replaces all of the anions with hydroxide. The final effluent from this process consists essentially of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions or pure water.

Carbonic acid attack

What does carbonic acid attack look like?

Carbonic acid attack causes troughlike thinning of the bottom of the condensate piping.

What are the sources of carbon dioxide in the steam?

Breakdown of feedwater bicarbonate and carbonate alkalinity is the primary source. Some may be attributed to attemperation water if alkalinity is present.

Neutralizing amines are characterized by their vapor/liquid (V/L) distribution ratio, acid neutralization ability, and basicity. The V/L ratio is a measurement of how much of the amine will be present in the vapor (steam) phase versus the liquid (condensate) phase. The V/L ratio is pressure and temperature dependent and varies by amine. Acid neutralization ability is the amount of amine required on a weight basis to neutralize the carbonic acid and is strictly dependent on the molecular weight of the amine. Once all the acid has been neutralized, amine basicity becomes important. This is a measure of amine hydrolysis and governs the pH increase per additional pound of amine. Past a certain pH, additional neutralizing amine will do little to further increase the pH.

Are there ways of dealing with carbonic acid if it cannot be eliminated?

Yes. Neutralizing amines and filming amines protect condensate piping against carbonic acid attack.

Why is the vapor/liquid ratio important?

The V/L ratio governs the distribution of carbon dioxide or neutralizing amine present at different locations. It is important to use a neutralizing amine that will help protect the entire system, both in the initial stages of condensation as well as the final.

Can the amount of carbon dioxide produced from alkalinity breakdown be reduced?
Yes, through split stream softening, dealkalization, or demineralization. Split stream softening is a process of blending the effluents from a cation exchanger operating on a sodium cycle with the effluent from a cation exchanger operating on a hydrogen cycle. The purpose is to reduce the alkalinity of the water. Since the hydrogen cycle produces an acid water, while the sodium cycle does not affect alkalinity, the effluents can be blended to give the desired reduction in alkalinity.

How do neutralizing amines work? How are they different?

Neutralizing amines react with carbonic acid to neutralize it. Neutralization of the carbonic acid helps prevent it from attacking the metal surfaces. Common neutralizing amines are morpholine (MOR), cyclohexylamine (CHA), diethylaminoethanol (DEAE), dimethylisopropanolamine (DMIPA), aminomethylpropanol (AMP) and methoxypropylamine (MOPA).

Can one neutralizing amine protect the entire system?

Not usually. In extremely small condensate networks where condensation only occurs at one point, one neutralizing amine might be sufficient. A blend of neutralizing amines that will help protect the entire system from carbonic acid attack is preferred. Satellite feed, which is supplemental feed of an amine to another plant location, may also be necessary.

Why does the pH usually drop in the far reaches of a condensate system?
Condensation is constantly occurring in steam piping. Traps are installed at intervals to separate steam from condensate. The majority of the carbon dioxide continues in the steam, while most amines go with the condensate. The result is that the farther away from the boiler ones goes, the lower the pH. This can be controlled by proper selection of neutralizing amines.

Why is oxygen a problem?

Oxygen in the condensate sets up a corrosion cell. The iron is dissolved from the condensate piping. This type of attack is characterized by pitting of the metal surfaces. The iron is dissolved from the condensate piping and, when returned to the boiler, can deposit in the high heat flux areas of the boiler. This type of deposit, because of its insulating nature, can lead to blown tubes due to overheating. This corrosion also damages and decreases the life of condensate piping and steam equipment. The combined action of oxygen and carbon dioxide in condensate systems can be particularly devastating. This combination can cause accelerated corrosion rates of 10 40% more than the sum of the rates of the individual gases. Oxygen is also a problem where ammonia is present in condensate systems containing copper. Rapid, severe copper corrosion occurs in the combined presence of these two gases.

What can be done to control oxygen in the steam system?

Prevention is the preferred method. Proper deaeration of the feedwater and use of chemical oxygen scavengers on the remaining oxygen will help prevent oxygen from entering the steam. Oxygen can also enter the steam/ condensate system through traps, condensate receivers, pumps, and vents. Therefore, making sure that those pieces of equipment are in proper working order will help to prevent oxygen introduction through air in-leakage. This is especially important where steam is used intermittently, since cooling and condensation of steam can create a pressure drop in the piping, drawing air in, and increasing the potential for corrosion.

Will neutralizing amines be lost when condensate passes through the deaerator?
Some amines, especially those with high V/L ratios can be lost. Some carbon dioxide will be lost as well. At higher deaerator pressures, these losses will increase.

Besides oxygen control in the preboiler system, are there other alternatives?
Yes. Filming amines and oxygen scavengers fed to the steam/ condensate system are efficient alternatives.

Does condensate return affect neutralizing amine dosage?

Yes. When condensate that contains neutralizing amine is returned to the boiler feedwater, much of that amine goes back into the steam. However, some is lost to the blowdown. This means that some of the amines can be recovered and reused when more condensate is returned. The benefit is reduced overall amine consumption.

What does oxygen attack look like?

Oxygen attack on iron looks like this:

How do filming amines and oxygen scavengers work in the condensate system?
Filming amines lay down a monomolecular film which aids in protecting condensate piping and steam equipment from oxygen and carbonic acid attack. The two commonly available filming amines are octadecylamine (ODA) and a Nalco proprietary compound. A set dosage can be used no matter what condensate oxygen levels exist.

Do neutralizing amines protect against oxygen attack?

No, they function only as neutralizing agents for carbonic acid. Filming amines and oxygen scavengers are used to help protect steam and condensate metal surfaces from oxygen attack.
Pitting of condensate piping, evidence of oxygen attack.

Ammonia/oxygen attack on copper is characterized by smooth dissolving of the piping.

Oxygen scavengers react directly with oxygen and help passivate metal surfaces in the condensate network. Hydrazine, NALCO 1700, and Nalco ELIMIN-OX are com-monly used condensate oxygen scavengers. Other volatile oxygen scavengers (VOS) should only be applied when they will stay thermally stable as they pass through the boilers. Otherwise poor results and high costs will be incurred. VOS dosages should be frequently checked and adjusted to match condensate O2 levels to ensure system protection and optimize costs.

Table 2 Limits used to determine condensate quality Dissolved oxygen ppm 0.04 0.04 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.007 Total iron ppm 0.100 0.050 0.030 0.025 0.020 0.020 0.010 0.010 Total copper ppm 0.050 0.025 0.020 0.020 0.015 0.015 0.010 0.010 Total hardness ppm 0.30 0.30 0.20 0.20 0.10 0.05 N.D.* N.D.* Oily matter/ nonvolatile TOC ppm 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2

Pressure psig 0300 301450 451600 601750 751900 9011000 10011500 15012000
*Nondetectable

What limits are used to control amines?

Neutralizing amines should be used to help control condensate pH between 8.2 and 9.2. Above 8.2, carbonic acid does not exist. For octadecylamine-type filmers, pH should be 6.58.0. Outside this range, the film will not form. This can result in trap or pump pluggage or gunk ball formation in the boiler. For the Nalco proprietary filmer, the pH range is 6.59.0.

How do I know the chemical treatments are working?

Monitoring the condensate for the aforementioned contaminants (iron, copper, dissolved oxygen, pH) will tell if the programs used to help control corrosion are working. Measuring carbon dioxide content and oxygen scavenger residuals are also useful indices. Inspections of condensate piping and boilers are the ultimate criteria for judging if your condensate system is being treated properly. Corrosion coupons, installed at different plant locations, will be general trend indicators for corrosion monitoring. The Nalco Particle Monitor and Condensate Corrosion Sensor can also be used to detect condensate quality upsets and optimize treatment dosages.

the condensate stream for a period of time, usually 30 days, then removed. The weight difference is used to calculate a corrosion rate in mils per year and will determine if the corrosion is general or localized. Pitting indicates localized corrosion, such as that created by oxygen attack. General corrosion is characterized by thinning, such as carbonic acid attack on iron or ammonia and oxygen on copper.

Which type of plants can use condensate treatment?

The majority of plants can. Some of the plants that have restrictions that prevent the use of amines are milk and milk product plants, and chlor-caustic plants. In addition, some plants require FDA or USDA approval for all additives used in boiler water treatment. For those plants, Table 3 shows the amines permitted and their limits. These can be used in combination or simultaneously, provided that each does not exceed its individual tolerance and the total does not exceed 25 ppm [per 1982 FDA interpretation of Federal Regulation 21 CFR 173.310(d)].

What limits are used to determine condensate quality?

The ASME Consensus on Operating Practices for Control of Feedwater and Boiler Water Quality in Modern Industrial Boilers, issued in 1979, uses the limits on feedwater shown in Table 2. When condensate contaminants interfere with feedwater quality limits, condensate should be dumped.

What is a corrosion coupon, and how is it used?

A corrosion coupon is a preweighed piece of metal of the same metallurgy as the system being monitored. It is inserted into

Table 3 FDA/USDA approved amines Amine Cyclohexylamine Diethylaminoethanol Hydrazine Morpholine Octadecylamine Limit in Steam 10 ppm 15 ppm 0 ppm 10 ppm 3 ppm

lem area. Satellite feed is especially useful when dealing with extensive systems. Due to multiple condensation points along the pipe, amine is lost to the condensate. The steam going to the outlying areas of the condensate network may not have enough amine to help protect the heat exchanger. Satellite feed helps to ensure that the entire system is protected.

Examine a condensate corrosion inhibitor and its impact on a particular system at different dosages Optimize dosage of a particular condensate corrosion inhibitor to attain a desired pH range Calculate dosages of inhibitors for satellite feed Evaluate amine/carbon dioxide behavior for multiple boiler systems feeding steam to a common header, as well as flashed steam (cascading) systems, or thermocompressors Examine multiple amine feeds Design custom treatment programs for individual plants without putting the real system at risk The Condensate Computer Model is extremely useful in determining which amines are best for a given system.

Where are corrosion inhibitors fed?

For neutralizing amines, the best feed point is the steam header because it ensures all the amine is going into the steam, and no losses occur through blowdown. If steam header feed is not possible, a CUSTAMINE product should be considered to minimize losses. For filming amines, steam header feed is a must because the filming amines are not totally volatile. It is necessary to inject the filmer to the steam header to assure distribution through the entire system. Feed to the boiler or boiler feedwater will result in significant loss of amine in the boiler blowdown. This is especially true at low cycles. For oxygen scavengers, different feed points are used. Feedwater injection helps protect the feedwater system. If the oxygen scavenger is volatile, and is being used as a condensate oxygen scavenger, then steam header injection should be used. If the condensate oxygen scavenger is not volatile, it must be fed to condensate. It cannot be fed directly to the steam. In dealing with any of these programs, satellite feed is always a viable alternative. Satellite feed consists of injecting the chemical just before the area of condensation, usually prior to the heat exchanger. This aids in controlling corrosion for that particular prob-

What happens if I overfeed my condensate corrosion control product?

If a neutralizing amine is overfed, the condensate pH will be high. Copper corrosion may be a problem if oxygen is present, and substantial chemical costs could be incurred. If a filmer is overfed, excess filmer can plug traps, lines, and pumps. Gunk balls of this excess material could form if this material reaches the boiler. If an oxygen scavenger is overfed, different problems may occur depending on the scavenger used. With some oxygen scavengers, ammonia may be released at excessive levels if overfed. Other oxygen scavengers may depress condensate pH if overfed.

How do I know if I need a filmer or neutralizer?

Neutralizers are necessary to buffer the condensate pH. If the pH is not high enough, condensate corrosion occurs from carbonic acid. Maintaining a pH range of 8.29.2 helps ensure that no carbonic acid exists. Filmers have minimal neutralizing capability. A filming amine will not work unless the condensate pH is in the recommended range (octadecylamine pH 6.58.0, Nalco's proprietary filmer pH 6.5 9.0). So supplemental neutralizing amine is necessary. Many plants have found combination products (neutralizers/filmers) offer optimum protection. Since a filming amine offers protection against carbonic acid attack, many plants use a neutralizing amine to bring the pH into the range where the filming amine

How do I know I'm using the correct condensate treatment program at the right dosage?
Nalco has a tool for modeling and predicting the behavior of carbon dioxide and various amines in condensate systems. This is called the Nalco Condensate Computer Model. The model can: Troubleshoot systems and help spot process contamination or air in-leakage by comparing actual vs. predicted pH at key plant locations

will work, and use the filming amine to achieve a higher degree of carbonic acid protection. Other plants use neutralizing amine programs alone. The economics of the choice between filming/ neutralizing amine vs. neutralizing amine must be made on individual plant factors. Also, filming amines and/or oxygen scavengers are necessary where oxygen is a problem in the steam system, because neutralizing amines offer no protection against oxygen attack.

inlet, to avoid drawing air into the cooling coil and giving false results. The sample container should be clean and free of contaminants. The cleanliness of the container is especially critical when measuring iron levels. To remove residues of iron, rinse the sample container with a few milliliters of 1:1 HCl. Be sure to follow the acid rinse with iron-free rinse water. Always rinse the sample container with sample prior to taking a sample. The reason such care needs to be taken in sampling is the high sensitivity of most condensate tests, and the need for a good, representative sample. The rewards of such measures will be accurate monitoring of the condensate system, and good treatment program results. Tests should be performed immediately after sampling. Samples for particulate iron must be drawn via isokinetic nozzles to be more than just relative indicators.

Below are a few major examples: Heat Exchangers These include paper mill dryers, refinery reboilers, space heaters, shell and tube heat exchangers, and evaporators. All of these use steam as a heating medium. Process contamination, and oxygen and carbonic acid corrosion are the problems. When shut down, the steam and condensate cool and create a vacuum, drawing in air. Two problems occur: oxygen corrosion from the air in-leakage, and increased solubility of carbon dioxide in the cooled condensate, increasing the potential for carbonic acid attack. Proper control of air in-leakage and condensate pH helps prevent corrosion problems. Condensate Polishers are ion exchange beds used to filter corrosion products (iron and copper) and help remove condensate contaminants such as calcium and magnesium. These polishers are usually either sodium cycle or mixed bed (cation/anion) ion exchange resin. Generally, polishers are used where feedwater purity demand is very high. They are usually regenerated far less frequently than feedwater ion exchange units because of the purity of the influent. Precautions for condensate polishers include: controlled feed of filming amine to help prevent its blinding ion exchange sites, and periodic cleaning of the bed to help remove particulate matter such as iron. In some plants using sodium cycle resin, a surge of condensate hardness or other contaminants can send high sodium condensate back to the boiler. With certain boiler internal treatment programs, this can cause high caustic concentration. This can be avoided by regenerating the units with NALCO 7293 instead of brine.

What are the bases for condensate corrosion inhibitor feed?

For neutralizing amines, feed is based on the carbon dioxide content of the steam and condensate, which is measured or calculated based on feedwater and boiler water alkalinities. Venting of the condensate system and amount of condensate return are also important. For filming amines, the amount of surface area to be filmed is the primary consideration. For oxygen scavengers, feed is based upon the amount of oxygen present.

How long do condensate pipes last?

Condensate piping needs to be replaced, just as steam process equipment does, on a periodic basis. Amortization of condensate piping is accounted for in many plants. Properly treated condensate piping should last for 1020 years. Frequent replacement of condensate piping indicates a corrosion problem that requires corrective action.

What precautions should be taken when gathering condensate samples?

The samples should be continuously flowing, if at all possible. If not, allowing the sample lines to flow for two or three hours should give a representative sample. The sample should be taken using a sample cooler. Use of a sample cooler ensures that no carbon dioxide or amine will flash off from the sample. Such flashing will give false results. Temperature after cooling should be less than 90F. The sample cooler should be throttled at the exit, not the

What are some of the different pieces of equipment encountered in condensate systems, and what type of problems do they present?
There is a large variety of process equipment seen in plants. Most are variations of the same theme.

It should be pointed out that if the main function of a polisher is to help remove condensate corrosion products, the symptom is being treated, not the cause. Condensate corrosion will still be actively destroying condensate piping and process equipment, even if the corrosion products are not returned to the boiler. The real problem of condensate corrosion still needs to be addressed. Turbines are used to generate electricity, to power a pump or compressor, or to drive other process equipment. Turbines are divided into two groups condensing and noncondensing. Since no condensation is occurring in the noncondensing type, condensate corrosion potential does not exist. Heat exchangers receiving steam from a noncondensing turbine have the same potential for condensate corrosion that any other heat exchangers would. Condensing turbines also have the same condensate corrosion problems as other types of steam process equipment. Carbonic acid attack and oxygen attack can occur in a condensing turbine as it could in a heat exchanger. The solutions for these problems are the same for turbines as for other pieces of steam equipment. Cascading Systems and Traps are pieces of equipment used by plants to conserve energy and separate steam from condensate. Cascading systems employ flash tanks which receive condensate at high pressure and, by using the energy in the high pressure condensate, create steam at a lower pressure. This flashing process produces steam to be used in other heating processes.

Traps remove condensate at intervals in a steam piping network. Steam continues flowing in the piping, and the condensate is usually returned to the deaerator. Both systems have a common problem. The amines may not have the proper vapor/liquid distribution ratio to continue with the steam. Hence, the next condensate formed has little or no amine to help prevent carbonic acid attack. Satellite feed or sufficient feed of the proper amine may help prevent carbonic acid attack.

Nalco can also provide specialized sensors such as TRASAR Technology, particle monitors, condensate corrosion sensors, and the Mobile Condensate Center for more precise system troubleshooting.

What are the savings of having a good condensate maintenance program?

Benefits are as follows: Properly treated, returned condensate is a readily available energy source in most plants. Its reuse cuts plant energy costs. Condensate piping and steam equipment life is extended through good condensate corrosion inhibition. Proper condensate treatment reduces the time and material costs in a plant maintenance budget and frees up man hours for other improvement projects. Increasing returned condensate reduces costs for makeup water and pretreatment, and allows higher cycles of concentration in the boiler, thus reducing blowdown and related heat losses. Improving feedwater quality by increasing returned condensate improves boiler reliability and reduces acid cleaning frequency. Your Nalco representative is well trained to help you design a condensate treatment program with these goals in mind.

What is a condensate receiver? What problems may it cause?

A condensate receiver is a tank that has various condensate streams sent to it from different plant locations. The condensate is then pumped back to the boiler house. The receiver may be vented to release steam pressure and carbon dioxide or could be nonvented. Vented receivers are vulnerable to air in-leakage through the vent. Nonvented receivers may have problems with carbonic acid attack from not venting off any carbon dioxide. Mechanical checks and filming amines help to protect the vented type; proper selection of neutralizing and filming amines help protect the nonvented.

What electronic monitoring devices are available to monitor the condensate and signal problems?
There are monitoring devices available for hardness, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, sodium, and silica.

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