Water Analysis

Boiler water analysis

GCM Water understands the importance of continuous boiler monitoring. We take care of the water analysis function and leave the customer to concentrate on their core business.

GCM Water’s boiler analysis is dependent on the specific method of chemical treatment used varies with the type of boiler and the specific properties of the feedwater. So the boiler analysis will vary from operation to operation but GCM Water has the testing capability to cover all your requirements.

Proper boiler chemical control requires the testing of three types of water to ensure the water system is managed comprehensively.

Feedwater

Boiler feedwater is supplied from varying sources such as municipalities, dams, rivers or boreholes. All feedwater should be analysed in order to correctly determine chemical type needed as well as the dose rates of treatment the chemicals.

Depending on operation to operation, feedwater is usually a mixture of condensate and make up water from a pre-treatment system such as a softener, reverse osmosis, or demin plant. Typical tests used for boiler feedwater include:

  • Chloride or salinity
  • Conductivity
  • Water hardness
  • pH
  • Silica
  • Iron
  • Suspended solids
  • Dissolved Oxygen
  • Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

The frequency of the testing of the feedwater will be determined by the consistency of the water quality.

Boiler Water

The boiler is dosed with chemicals to maintain efficiency by preventing deposit formation and corrosion. The purpose of boiler water analysis is to keep the parameters within established limits.

Analyses of boiler water includes:

  • Chloride
  • Hydroxide (OH) Alkalinity
  • pH
  • Phosphate/polymer
  • Silica
  • Sulphite/hydrazine
  • Total Dissolved Solids

Condensate

Condensate water is water that is system generated and will be sent back as feedwater. It is therefore critical to monitor it and ensure any contamination is picked up quickly and remedial action taken.

Analyses of steam should include:

  • Ammonia
  • Conductivity
  • Copper
  • Iron
  • pH
  • Conductivity/TDS

Cooling water analysis

A cooling tower is a heat rejection device, which extracts waste heat to the atmosphere through the cooling of a water stream to a lower temperature. Cooling towers are called air scrubbers because they suck air in with all contaminants and deposit them into the cooling tower. The airborne contaminants, organic matter and particles deposited into the cooling water create an environment for microorganism growth, solid deposits and scaling.

The warm and humid environment of a cooling tower favours the growth of Legionella bacteria which causes the outbreak of the deadly Legionnaires’ disease. Thus, cooling tower water quality must be monitored on a regular basis to prevent spreading of diseases to users. GCM Water complies with statutory requirements for microbiological testing frequencies.

Raw Water/Make-up Water

The following tests are carried out:

  • pH
  • Total Alkalinity
  • Calcium & Total Hardness
  • Chloride
  • Conductivity/Total Dissolved Salts (TDS)
  • Total Organic phosphate
  • Total zinc

Open /Closed Circuit Cooling Towers

The following tests are carried out:

  • Total Alkalinity
  • pH
  • Calcium & Total Hardness
  • Chloride
  • Conductivity/TDS
  • Chemicals residuals
  • Total Bacteria Count
  • Legionella Analysis