Spring boiler layup season is on its way to the Northern Hemisphere. Those who approach the task with the help of Cortec’s Boiler Lizard® or Boiler Dragon™ will reap the benefits next fall by avoiding many corrosion complications during startup. However, if only the boiler is treated, facility managers may be surprised by corrosion stemming from other parts of the system. In light of this concern, Cortec® reminds boiler operators and water treatment service providers that seasonal layup is not just for boilers.
Why Worry About Corrosion?
Any part of the boiler system that handles water is at risk for corrosion during layup. This includes the deaerator/feedwater tank, steam line, heat exchangers, economizer, and condensate return lines. Unfortunately, a corrosion problem in one area can impact the others. For example, high iron levels may react with water treatment chemicals and make them less effective. Iron in the water also represents metal loss that could eventually lead to leaks and/or shortened service life. Furthermore, corrosion products can plug system components such as steam traps, reducing the efficiency of water recirculation and prompting costly repairs. Inhibiting corrosion in the entire system as part of the normal layup routine can therefore lead to valuable returns on investment.
A Corrosion Inhibitor for Every Component
Fortunately, Cortec’s water treatments are highly adaptable to multiple points of the boiler and steam system. Most traditional water treatments rely on corrosion inhibitors that only protect metal surfaces in direct contact with the treated water. However, technologies such as the Boiler Lizard® and Boiler Salamander™ also include Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors that diffuse throughout void spaces and adsorb on metal surfaces in hard-to-reach spaces that are partially or fully emptied.
Dry Layup: Dry layup with Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors works for every part of the system. Boiler Lizard® is the main go-to for the boiler water side. This water-soluble pouch of Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibiting powder protects 1,000 gallons (3.8 m³) of volume and simply dissolves when the boiler is refilled. Other options are the Boiler Gecko™ (protects approx. 100 gallons [380 L]) and the Boiler Dragon™ (one gallon protects approx. 1,000 gallons [1 L/1 m³]), Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor fogging fluids that can be sprayed into almost any component of a steam generation system:
- Water side
- Fire side
- Deaerator
- Economizer
- Steam line
- Superheater
- Steam side heat exchangers
- Condensate return
Wet Layup: Alternatively, some boiler components can be protected with technologies for wet-dry or wet layup. The Boiler Salamander™ works well for this purpose and can easily be added to feedwater or condensate lines and circulated without opening or draining the boiler. It protects surfaces below and above the water level and is effective at very low dosages for layup of high-purity steam boilers. While other parts of the system will inherently require dry layup, the Boiler Salamander™ is appropriate for wet layup of the following components:
- Water side
- Deaerator
- Economizer
- Condensate return
Invest Now—Reap Rewards Next Fall
Planning takes extra effort, but the corrosion prevention investment pays off in terms of the costs and headaches avoided. Those who have spent thousands of dollars on steam-trap or other corrosion-related repairs will be the most aware of how significant the ROI for comprehensive seasonal layup can be. Contact Cortec® for help to get total system corrosion protection this spring for a better startup next fall!
Keywords: seasonal layup, boiler layup, corrosion protection, corrosion inhibitor, boiler maintenance, dry layup tips, wet layup tips, Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors, Cortec, boiler efficiency
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