descaling commercial big heaters - Page 3 - Plumbing Zone

Protech · 08-20-2010, 12:44 PM

From Wikipedia: "Water with a pH maintained to 7 can dissolve up to 15.9 g/L of CaCO3"

Thinking out loud: 15.9 g/L means 62.89 L is needed to disolve a KG of boiler scale. So if I have an estimated 2.5 kilos of scale I want to get rid of I will need 157.23 L of RO water or about 41 gallons of RO water.

Seems like if this works the way the math says it does, I would be better off just filling up some barrels of RO water and trucking them in rather than buying chemicals.

Thoughts?

PaulW · 08-20-2010, 01:57 PM

I think your spot on flushing the system with RO especially the one in question only two years old would work beautifully. Most systems have the Culligan system (or equal) in place.

Paul

ckoch407 · 08-20-2010, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

How much calcium carbonate does RO water dissolve at room temperature? I know that acid neutralizers for well systems use calcium carbonate and the chemical must be replenished as it is dissolved away by the acidic water. I was just wondering how practical it would be to use RO water to descale a boiler.

Let’s say hypothetically that 1 gallon of RO water at room temperature will dissolve 5 grams of boiler scale. That would mean that you would need only 200 gallons of RO water to dissolve a kilo of boiler scale.

Why does this matter? Well, what if a small RO unit could be installed in a boiler room with flush rigs built into the boiler piping. When one of the boilers starts popping you simply turn the isolation valves off to 1 boiler and open the RO purge valves and walk away. Come back a few days later and all of the scale will be dissolved away. Switch to the next boiler and repeat. Once said rig is installed, boiler maintenance is cheap.

Thoughts?

When you say boiler do you mean a real boiler that makes steam or direct systems for heating water? The theory sounds pretty good if it works. If you invent something don't sell out cheap. But on real boiler systems all of the ones I've ever seen have a softener on the make up water inlet. Nothing for big direct heaters though.

Protech · 08-21-2010, 10:29 AM

I'm talking about a big direct water heater. BTW, I'm pretty sure that even a direct water heater that is 250 gallons or more is technically a boiler even though it doesn't actually boil water.

Also, I believe I did say that they were AO Smith Cyclones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ckoch407

When you say boiler do you mean a real boiler that makes steam or direct systems for heating water? The theory sounds pretty good if it works. If you invent something don't sell out cheap. But on real boiler systems all of the ones I've ever seen have a softener on the make up water inlet. Nothing for big direct heaters though.

Protech · 08-22-2010, 02:55 AM

Well, I can't sleep so I figure I'll post some pics.

SewerRatz · 08-22-2010, 10:09 AM

Protech, it may not be pictured, where is the vacuum relief valve? Or is it not required per your code?

Code for us is if the heater is elevated, or bottom feed it requires a vacuum relief valve.

Protech · 08-22-2010, 04:26 PM

no vacuum relief. I don't believe it is required here. I almost never see them.

Yes, I understand what it's function is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SewerRatz

Protech, it may not be pictured, where is the vacuum relief valve? Or is it not required per your code?

Code for us is if the heater is elevated, or bottom feed it requires a vacuum relief valve.

Protech · 08-24-2010, 09:14 PM

Well I got the job

I'll post some pics soon.

Pipe Rat · 08-25-2010, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

From Wikipedia: "Water with a pH maintained to 7 can dissolve up to 15.9 g/L of CaCO3"

Thinking out loud: 15.9 g/L means 62.89 L is needed to disolve a KG of boiler scale. So if I have an estimated 2.5 kilos of scale I want to get rid of I will need 157.23 L of RO water or about 41 gallons of RO water.

Seems like if this works the way the math says it does, I would be better off just filling up some barrels of RO water and trucking them in rather than buying chemicals.

Thoughts?

How much?

Protech · 08-25-2010, 01:51 AM

I got 2.5 kilos of white crystaline to get rid of man. You buyin?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piperat

How much?

08-20-2010, 12:44 PM	#21
Protech ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Polk County, Florida Posts: 7,167 My Photos	From Wikipedia: "Water with a pH maintained to 7 can dissolve up to 15.9 g/L of CaCO3" Thinking out loud: 15.9 g/L means 62.89 L is needed to disolve a KG of boiler scale. So if I have an estimated 2.5 kilos of scale I want to get rid of I will need 157.23 L of RO water or about 41 gallons of RO water. Seems like if this works the way the math says it does, I would be better off just filling up some barrels of RO water and trucking them in rather than buying chemicals. Thoughts? __________________ Plumber, Repiping, Replumbing, Leak Detection, Solar Water Heater, Drain Cleaner, Pipe Leak, Polk County Plumber, Lakeland Plumber, Winter Haven Plumber, Haines City Plumber, Bartow Plumber

08-20-2010, 01:57 PM	#22
PaulW Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 99 My Photos	I think your spot on flushing the system with RO especially the one in question only two years old would work beautifully. Most systems have the Culligan system (or equal) in place. Paul __________________ General Manager Progressive Services LLC Clermont, Florida http://www.progressiveservices.com

08-22-2010, 10:09 AM	#26
SewerRatz Illinois Licensed Plumber Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 2,706 My Photos	Protech, it may not be pictured, where is the vacuum relief valve? Or is it not required per your code? Code for us is if the heater is elevated, or bottom feed it requires a vacuum relief valve. __________________ Ron Hasil Lic #058-160417 A-Archer Sewer & Plumbing specializing in: Tankless Water Heaters \| Drain and Sewer Cleaning Sump and Ejector Pumps \| Backflow RPZ Testing

08-24-2010, 09:14 PM	#28
Protech ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Polk County, Florida Posts: 7,167 My Photos	Well I got the job I'll post some pics soon. __________________ Plumber, Repiping, Replumbing, Leak Detection, Solar Water Heater, Drain Cleaner, Pipe Leak, Polk County Plumber, Lakeland Plumber, Winter Haven Plumber, Haines City Plumber, Bartow Plumber

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