Water maintenance is the most critical factor in ensuring the longevity of the Attsu HHE fire-tube steam boiler. As this is a hybrid unit that uses high-temperature electric heating elements in addition to a conventional burner, the water quality must be excellent to prevent limescale deposits. The electric heating elements are particularly sensitive; a layer of scale just a few millimetres thick acts as thermal insulation, causing the element to overheat and potentially melt.
To protect your investment, it is essential to have a water softening system and reverse osmosis or thermal deaeration equipment, depending on the hardness of the local water. Control of total dissolved solids (TDS) through automatic blowdowns is essential in this fire-tube steam boiler, as high conductivity can cause water carryover into the steam line, affecting the quality of the industrial process. Properly treated water not only prevents internal corrosion of the smoke tubes and reversal chamber, but also ensures optimal heat transfer, keeping the unit’s efficiency close to 91%.