Water treatment for a boiler.

[ericmark]

I see bags upon bags of salt, used to treat the water before it goes into the boilers, I assume the same idea as the salt used in the dishwasher, but what does it do, and why don't I have it for the water used in my boiler at home?

 

[muggles]

I've been installing for 20 years and never ever seen salt used to treat water before it goes into a boiler, where have you had this idea from?

 

[bernardgreen]

I recall that boilers that produced steam could benefit from certain salts in their feed water. Sodium chloride ( table salt ) was not on the list

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Are you sure its a Boiler and not a Water Softener? Never yet known salt to be put in boilers.

 

[ericmark]

Shown filling the boiler up, or at least the water tanks that feed the boiler. The water in the tower comes from the water treatment plant, we have just completed a new home for the plant, and there are bags upon bags of salt in the plant.

The same but smaller scale with my dishwasher, we add salt to treat the water.

I recall that boilers that produced steam could benefit from certain salts in their feed water.

How is it a boiler if it does not produce steam?

We have an engine which visits from time to time, where they don't want treated water, I know where my dad worked they had Calgon, came as shard type crystals, my dad would put it in an old nylon stocking and dangle it in the cold water tank, the side boiler on the aga we did not want it to boil, but it did from time to time, and it was directly connected to the DHW, no hot coil, so what the stuff did I don't know, hence question.

Yes, I know a salt is a killed acid, and there are other salts as well as sodium chloride, and I will admit I have not looked at the salt in the dishwasher or the treatment plant to see what type of salt, I had assumed sodium chloride, maybe I am wrong, but question remains, what does it do?

 

[Scally-Ho]

I suggest everyone learns about the ION exchange process used in water 'softening' where common salt is used as the regeneration chemical.

Briefly, ion exchange is a reversible interchange of one species of ion present in an insoluble solid with another of like charge present in a solution surrounding the solid. Ion exchange is used in softening or demineralizing of water, purification of chemicals, and separation of substances. Ion exchange usually describes a process of purification of aqueous solutions using solid polymeric ion-exchange resin.

 

[bernardgreen]

How is it a boiler if it does not produce steam?

It is a misnomer where the term "boiler" has been used for heaters that heat water without reaching 100 deg C. ( central heating )

A boiler converts liquid water into gaseous water ( vapour ) that can be used to produce mechanical energy ( steam train locomotives )

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It is a misnomer where the term "boiler" has been used for heaters that heat water without reaching 100 deg C. ( central heating )

Some early central heating boilers, did actually produce and circulate steam.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Some early central heating boilers, did actually produce and circulate steam.

There is no 'circulation' of steam. Any 'return' is in the form of condensate and then it is reheated to produce steam.

 

[fixitflav]

It is a misnomer where the term "boiler" has been used for heaters that heat water without reaching 100 deg C. ( central heating )

A boiler coverts liquid water into gaseous water that can be used to produce mechanical energy ( steam train locomotives )

I believe that in eg Australia a boiler produces steam. What we call a CH boiler they call a calorifier.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

There is no 'circulation' of steam. Any 'return' is in the form of condensate and then it is reheated to produce steam.

Then you would be wrong.

 

[fixitflav]

Briefly, ion exchange is a reversible interchange of one species of ion present in an insoluble solid with another of like charge present in a solution surrounding the solid. Ion exchange is used in softening or demineralizing of water, purification of chemicals, and separation of substances. Ion exchange usually describes a process of purification of aqueous solutions using solid polymeric ion-exchange resin.

It typically replaces calcium ions with sodium, which goes off with the treated water. The resin is regenerated with salt (sodium chloride) which replaces the calcium with sodium, ready for another go.

Never yet known salt to be put in boilers.

You wouldn't want to do that. Salt is quite corrosive to many metals. Seawater is worse.

 

[ericmark]

There is no 'circulation' of steam. Any 'return' is in the form of condensate and then it is reheated to produce steam.

Oh, yes there is, the steam from a nuclear reactor heats water so that also produces steam, but it returns to the reactor as steam. With most boilers, the steam is turned into water in a condenser, so there is a part vacuum to the exhaust of the engine, but for heating the steam is released to atmosphere giving ambiance, but it was the transfer of calcium ions with sodium which seems to explain why salt is used, so I assume a release of chlorine gas?

 

[fixitflav]

but it was the transfer of calcium ions with sodium which seems to explain why salt is used, so I assume a release of chlorine gas?

No, the chloride stays as ions, Cl- associated with either Ca++ or Na+ ions