Low pressure boilers used for heating purposes typically are exposed to conditions that predispose them to corrosive attack by oxygen. Variable feedwater quality combined with non-uniform chemical treatment, iiequently result in excessive oxygen levels being present and this can in turn lead to corrosion of heat exchange surfaces. While a number of different approaches have been tried in the past, they all suffered from a variety of shortcomings. The use of molybdate to stop oxygen corrosion in low pressure steam boilers has been proven to be both effitive and extremely operator friendly. This paper will discuss both the theoretical and practical aspects of this treatment technology.
Keywords: molybdate, oxygen corrosion, low pressure steam, passivation.