Truck wash boiler scale broken and purged
Truck wash boiler scale was coating the internal tubes of a Minnesota truck wash’s 60 HP low-pressure natural gas steam boiler, despite softening and chemical treatment already being in place. Heat transfer was reduced and acid cleaning was being considered. In August 2013 one HydroFLOW® i45 was installed on the feed water line entering the boiler, with the existing treatment left running during a six-month evaluation. The scale became brittle, broke away and purged through blowdown, new scale did not form, and heat transfer efficiency recovered. The evaluation returned a 216% ROI, and acid cleaning was avoided.
The Challenge
- Truck wash boiler scale persisted despite softening and chemicals
- Heavy scale coated the internal boiler tubes
- Heat transfer efficiency was reduced by scale
- Acid cleaning was being considered
- The existing treatment had to stay in place during the evaluation
The Solution
- Unit installed: HydroFLOW® i45
- Installation point: feed water line entering the boiler
- System: 60 HP low-pressure natural gas steam boiler
- Installed: August 2013
- Trial: six months, with softening and chemical treatment left running
The i45 went on the feed line in under an hour, and the softener and chemicals stayed on. The signal makes existing scale brittle so it breaks away and purges through blowdown, while new scale does not form. The boiler technician tracked truck wash boiler scale coming out through blowdown over the six months rather than opening the boiler.
