A boiler is used for generating steam. It does this by heating water to its boiling point, after which steam will evaporate from it. When you boil a kettle of water, you will shut off the fire or electric power when the water comes to a boil. Generation of steam is a continuous process. Once a boiler is generating steam, it may take quite a long while before it is stopped. When steam is evaporated from the water, new water has to be added in to replace the water given out. As more and more steam is evaporated, the water becomes more and more concentrated with salts and other impurities. If you use your kettle for a long while, you will see some chalky deposits inside it. The fresh water supplied to replenish those lost through evaporation cannot be pure and free from salts.Even minute quantities of salt in the water will eventually become so concentrated as to form scales or deposits, because of its inverse solubility property .The deposits are usually calcium or magnesium salts. These scales are very damaging to the boiler because they interfere with the heat transfer and can lead to overheating and eventually, boiler rupture. Soft water is water that contains very little calcium or magnesium salts. They are used to feed the boilers. However, they tend to be acidic in nature. Acidic water tends to corrode.
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RAHUL SHUKLA (THERMODYNAMIC SERVICES)
117/49-A Sarvodaya Nagar, Kanpur- 208005 U.P., Uttar Pradesh, India
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