Marine boilers and their feed lines suffer from two problems: scale on the water side and rust in tanks and lines. Both reduce efficiency and can lead to tube failure.
Water-side scale is removed with an inhibited acid descaler circulated through the boiler while it is off line. After descaling, the boiler is neutralised, rinsed and put back on its normal water treatment programme.
Scale and deposits in heat exchangers and pipelines reduce heat transfer, raise pressure drop and waste energy. Regular chemical descaling restores performance without opening every tube.
Most scale is calcium carbonate, which dissolves in an inhibited acid descaler. The inhibitor protects the metal while the acid works on the scale. The descaler is circulated through the exchanger with a small pump until the reaction slows, which shows the scale is gone.