Deaerator systems are essential components in a variety of industrial applications. Without one of these high-functioning devices, your water tanks or vessels could be vulnerable to harmful gases — such as oxygen and carbon dioxide — that can cause corrosion. Oxygen deaerators remove these gases from your systems so they can provide better profits, longevity and reliability.
Industries and Applications
A few of the industries that use oxygen deaerators include process plants and thermal power plants. They may also be used for boilers and water systems in a range of manufacturing plants and industrial facilities.
Oxygen deaerators are common in facilities that use steam-generating systems, which is why they are so widespread in the energy industry. Steam generators create steam by applying heat and pressure to water. When that water is exposed to air and fills up with oxygen and other dissolved gases, the metals inside the vessel may start to oxidize or rust. This could cause irreparable damage to your boiler.
How Does an Oxygen Deaerator Work?
Most oxygen deaerators use the same basic principles to remove gases from boiler feedwater. By taking advantage of gas solubility and temperature, it’s possible to strip oxygen from water so that it’s safe for use inside metal vessels.
In most deaerators, the water must pass through a steam-filled vent, where the temperature begins to rise. While the high temperature separates most of the gases from the water, it may also undergo a scrubbing process with oxygen-free steam to ensure effective oxygen removal.
MACH Engineering Oxygen Deaerators
At MACH Engineering, we offer three types of deaerators for boiler applications:
- Spray Type Deaerators: If you use a spray type deaerator, the process takes place in two main sections. The water first enters a preheating section and stays there until it reaches its saturation temperature. From there, the water moves into the deaeration chamber, where a sparger system releases steam to remove all the gases.
- Tray Type Deaerators: A tray-type deaerator consists of a vertical deaeration vessel, a section of perforated trays and a lower water storage tank. In this deaeration process, the water from the boiler enters through the vertical component and makes its way down through the perforated trays. Meanwhile, steam rises up through the perforations, removing the gases before the feedwater flows into the storage tank and is released into the boiler system.
- Vacuum Deaerators: Instead of heating the feedwater to its saturation temperature before stripping away gases, a vacuum deaerator is designed to boil the water at a lower temperature. This is made possible by a vacuum pump, which creates vacuum conditions inside the deaerator and removes oxygen and carbon dioxide by venting out the steam. This method is typically used in situations that require lower temperature solutions.
Materials and Components Used
A deaerator typically consists of both a deaeration system and a storage device. These may be configured as separate tanks or as one vessel, depending on the type of oxygen deaerator used.
The most common tower packing solutions we use for boiler deaerator systems include Tri-Packs and Hi-Flow Rings. These packing products offer the most benefits in terms of surface contact, mechanical strength and heat resistance for scrubbing applications.
Contact Us for More Details
MACH Engineering has been working in the mass transfer industry for over 25 years. Our vacuum deaerators are designed to protect industrial water storage vessels from the effects of oxidation and corrosion while improving the performance of your systems.
We are available online or by phone to support your latest project. If you’re interested in learning more about our services or the types of boiler deaerator systems we offer, contact us today for more information.