3 Importance of Effective Monitoring

Effective monitoring of makeup water, condensate, feedwater and boiler water qualities and steam purity is necessary to control deposition and corrosion within the boiler, steam, and condensate systems. The absence of adequate monitoring and control can lead to operational upsets or unscheduled outages and is ill advised from the point of view of safety, economy and reliability.

A key component of effective monitoring is sampling. The sample must be truly representative of the stream being monitored. This requires a proper sampling system, adequate system flushing, the required sample velocity, and appropriate sample handling during the time between sample collection and analysis. If proper procedures are not followed, analytical results may not be representative of the stream being monitored and the results will be meaningless and potentially harmful if used as the basis of operating decisions.