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Preventive Maintenance

Root Cause Prevention Principles for Boiler Protection from Water-Side Corrosion and Scale Formation

This article provides an overview of several of the most important root cause prevention techniques to minimize corrosion, scaling, and fouling in steam generating systems.  A follow-up piece will outline instrumentation that is vital for these efforts.

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scale formation in cooling water systems

Scale Formation in Cooling Water Systems: Protecting Cooling Water Systems, Part 3

The focus of the previous installment was on cooling water microbiological fouling and control basics, as fouling can cause the most prompt and intense damage in cooling systems.  However, scaling and corrosion can be problematic as well.  Because scale and corrosion control programs often overlap, the next two installments will outline, respectively, primary scale-forming and corrosion mechanisms (scale formation in cooling water systems).  We will tie these together in Part 5 when examining the evolution of scale/corrosion control programs.  

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Metal Corrosion Basics

This article explains metal corrosion basics – the process including the basic chemistry of how metal loss occurs. Methods to control corrosion are also listed and explained. Metal corrosion is a chemical reaction between a metal surface and its environment. Corrosion can occur in a gaseous (dry) environment or a damp (wet) environment. It is the result of an electrical process in which electrons are exchanged between the corroding metal atoms and the acceptor element atoms. Corrosion control involves stopping or minimising the loss of electrons between the components involved in the process.

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Boiler Water Chemistry Control: Preventive vs. Reactive Maintenance  

Any number of impurities can cause scaling and corrosion in boilers unless properly controlled. But even with properly-treated makeup, boilers require internal treatment to minimize corrosion and other problems. The high-temperatures and pressures in boilers magnify chemical reactions and corrosion mechanisms. This installment examines important boiler water treatment concepts.

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Back to Basics: Understanding Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD)

Reliability Block Diagrams have been around for a very long time, helping system engineers understand how the various elements, and their relationships, could impact the overall reliability and operation of the system. Taking the effort to diagram a system logically can provide great insight into where the weak links are. In some cases, an RBD can expose that your assumed redundancies are not actually as effective as you think they are. 

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