Lesson 2 - Water
In this lesson we take a closer look at water from a utilities perspective. We will consider different forms of water treatment and look at the equipment required and operation thereof. The focus will be on treatment required for process and service water. Water chemistry will not be covered in any detail, as this is covered in Diploma Brewing Module 1.
Boiler Feed Water
Boiler feed water is critical to ensure that the boilers that produce steam are not negatively affected.
Due to the high temperatures within a boiler, scaling is a huge risk. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep the boiler feed water free from hardness (< 1 mg/L CaCO3). The total alkalinity must also be limited to avoid breakdown into sodium hydroxide and carbon dioxide in the boiler, as these cause corrosion.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide must be removed as they cause corrosion. This is usually done by thermal deaeration.
Boiler water is often treated with oxygen and hardness scavengers. Some operations may even require totally demineralised water. Luckily, we already have a solution for that called a RO plant.