RR611 - Treatment of feed water for steam boilers using magnetic devices - Phase 3: Experimental Programme
HSE commissioned TUV NEL to investigate the treatment of feed water for steam boilers using magnetic devices. The key aims of the project were:
- to provide the HSE with an independent assessment of the ability of magnetic devices to treat feed water for shell or coil steam boilers; and
- to identify possible situations where magnetic devices could impair boiler safety.
The contract was divided into five phases the first of which was a literature search. The second phase was concerned with device selection in which suppliers of Magnetic Water Treatment Devices (MWTD) were identified and a judgement made of their engineering credibility and support capability. Magnetic treatment devices from four suppliers were recommended for evaluation.
This report describes the work carried out for Phase 3 of the project. This phase comprised the experimental programme executed to compare the performance of magnetic treatment devices from the four suppliers recommended in Phase 2. The chosen units were fitted to a test boiler system which enabled the effectiveness of the devices to be evaluated when operating across a range of boiler surface heat fluxes.
The device demonstrating the best performance was to be evaluated over a longer time period in Phase 4 of the work.
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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