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Water quality of boiler blowdown?
QUESTION:We're trying to determine what types of contaminants may
have been encountered in boiler blowdown from a steam-driven power
generating plant built in 1909 in Oakland, CA. We suspect heavy metals
leached from the steel tanks and condenser equipment. Does anybody know
which metals specifically and in what concentrations (typically)?
Anything other than metals? We have observed relatively high pH levels
(9 to 10) in modern blowdown.
ANSWER: There is possibly Ni and Cr in the boiler tube steel. Most likely, there
is nothing of consequence in any of the rest of the steel components in
contact with boiler water and steam. (Other than iron!!) The condenser is
probably made of bronze (Cu + Sn)
The mere fact that the plant has been around since 1909 suggests that
there was not significant leaching of metallic components.
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