Steam & boiler plant · Buyer's guide
For boiler feedwater, the purchase decision starts with the outlet oxygen guarantee and the conditions under which it must hold. Water temperature alone does not prove deaeration: steam must contact the water, released gases must leave through the vent, and the storage and feed-pump arrangement must support the plant’s changing demand.
01
ABMA’s 2011 white paper describes mechanical removal to no more than 7 ppb dissolved oxygen. Use this as an attributed performance reference, then agree the boiler’s actual water-chemistry requirement and acceptance test; it is not a universal limit for every steam plant [1].
Chemicals can react with oxygen and carbon dioxide, but mechanical deaeration removes rather than transforms the gases; ineffective mechanical deaeration shows up as extra chemical feed and operating cost [1]. Mechanical deaeration can also remove free CO₂ to non-detectable levels, though chemically bound CO₂ may remain depending on condensate pH [1].
Burnham’s suggested specification calls for 0.005 cc/L (7 ppb) oxygen or less and zero measurable CO₂ across 0–100% of rated capacity. It is a procurement specification with blanks for the selected equipment, not a test certificate for an unidentified unit. Define inlet conditions, stable operation, sampling point and test method in the order [2].
Spirax Sarco distinguishes atmospheric feedwater heating from pressurised deaeration. Its tutorial gives about 2 mg/L residual oxygen for a feedtank at 85–90 °C, with further treatment needed. A hot tank or a “deaerator head” label alone does not establish a 7 ppb outlet guarantee [6].
02
ABMA describes two stages in modern thermal deaerators: preheating by direct steam contact, followed by further steam–water contact to remove residual oxygen. The tray, submerged-injection and scrubber arrangements below accomplish that second task differently [1].
Bring water close to the saturation condition for the operating pressure. The theoretical gas-solubility argument does not mean an actual outlet contains zero oxygen [1].
So that gases are scrubbed out in a reasonable time [1].
To keep their partial pressure above the water low [1].
Vent steam is the main thermal loss of a modern deaerator [1].
| Second-stage design | How it finishes deaeration | Typical arrangement |
|---|---|---|
| Tray cascade | Pre-heated water flows down a tray stack against rising steam [1] | A separate deaerator vessel above a storage tank, or a single-tank version where little storage is needed [1] |
| Under-water steam injection | Steam injected below the water level in the storage tank scrubs residual oxygen [1] | Storage tank with a steam charging device [1] |
| Scrubbers and atomizers | Pre-heated water is broken into droplets by the incoming steam; fixed-orifice scrubbers or variable atomizers [1] | Well suited to single-tank deaerators [1] |
ABMA explains why self-adjusting spray devices maintain their pattern across changing flow more effectively than a fixed opening. Ask how the offered design maintains its outlet guarantee at your minimum flow, rather than specifying a nozzle name alone [1].
03
This functional component reference uses Bryan’s DTA tray arrangement and Burnham’s spray-scrubber specification. They are different constructions; it is not a manufacturing BOM with interchangeable parts.
| Component | What it does | Material and configuration evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Spray device / distribution assembly | Spreads incoming water to expose it to steam. | Bryan depicts stainless spray tubing; Burnham specifies a self-adjusting stainless valve. These are different distributing devices, not a single replacement item [3] [2]. |
| Deaeration / scrubbing section | Provides further steam–water contact after preheating. | Bryan specifies welded 304L trays and surfaces touching undeaerated water. Burnham instead describes a thin-film scrubbing section and 304L collection box. Do not assign the shell’s material to these internals [3] [2]. |
| Storage section / feedwater tank | Holds treated water between the deaerating stage and boiler feed pumps. | The DTA lower vessel has separate high, low and overflow levels. The cited documents do not establish its shell alloy grade; request the vessel material specification and data report [4]. |
| Vent condenser and vent path | Recovers heat from escaping steam while allowing non-condensable gases to leave. | Bryan shows an internal stainless direct-contact vent condenser and vent pipe. This is not evidence that every deaerator includes a separate external condenser, and the vent must remain functional [3] [5]. |
04
ABMA’s 2011 examples below describe plant arrangements, not mandatory setpoints. It recommends economical available steam and positive venting; its 3 psig minimum recommendation belongs to that discussion. Vacuum designs need a separate means of removing the released gases [1].
| Plant type | Typical deaerator pressure | Steam source |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler plant using reduced main steam | 5–10 psig [1] | Reduced pressure from the boiler main [1] |
| Cogeneration (e.g. paper mills) | 15–60 psig [1] | Turbine exhaust [1] |
| Central power station | 130–200 psig [1] | Turbine extraction [1] |
| HRSG plant | About 5 psig [1] | Low-grade steam from the cool end [1] |
Burnham’s suggested spray-scrubber package operates at 5–15 psig and 228–250 °F. Those are operating conditions; its stated maximum working rating is 50 psig at 300 °F. Do not order or operate from a pressure number without identifying which rating it represents [2].
05
Separate the vessel, storage, trim and feed-pump scope in the quotation. Burnham’s suggested specification gives one package example; the project’s approved drawings and equipment list must identify what is actually supplied [2].
06
The DTA-70 provides a concrete example of why the level schedule belongs in the enquiry. Bryan’s 2015 Form 2007 lists the following tank contents; the earlier brochure lists a nominal 1,400-gallon storage capacity [4] [3].
Bryan’s May 2000 brochure lists DTA-70 dimensions of 176 × 60 × 180 inches, with the height explicitly excluding the stand. It also says stand height varies with pump and job conditions. Use the current certified assembly drawing for headroom, pump access and foundation planning [3].
| DTA-70 level | Height from tank bottom | Water volume in 2015 drawing |
|---|---|---|
| Overflow | 48 in | 1,469 US gal / 5,560 L |
| High level | 46 in | 1,384 US gal / 5,238 L |
| Low level | 6 in | 80 US gal / 303 L |
Source: Bryan Form 2007, effective May 15, 2015 [4]. The high-to-low difference is 1,384 − 80 = 1,304 US gallons. That arithmetic does not establish usable reserve or running time: agree the normal level, low-level pump shutdown and withdrawal rate for the actual system. The historic nominal storage figure and level-specific volumes are different quantities.
07
Use the operating envelope and the selected configuration. Historical Bryan drawings and Burnham’s suggested specification below are reference examples, not a confirmation of a current factory build.
| Field | How to specify or interpret it |
|---|---|
| Rated capacity | DTA-70 is listed at 70,000 lb/h in Form 2007. State maximum and minimum feedwater demand, including return-water conditions; boiler horsepower is a separate column, not the feedwater flow unit [4] [1]. |
| Operating pressure | Name the normal pressure, range and gauge/absolute basis. Burnham’s package example is 5–15 psig; a higher pressure is not by itself proof of a better oxygen result [2] [1]. |
| Operating temperature | Tie it to the pressure and the guaranteed operating condition. Burnham pairs its 5–15 psig range with 228–250 °F [2]. |
| Oxygen-removal efficiency | Ask for inlet and outlet concentrations and test conditions. A percentage removal claim alone cannot establish the required outlet oxygen level [1]. |
| Residual oxygen | Specify the guaranteed outlet concentration, load range and sampling/test method. Burnham’s suggested limit is 7 ppb; an acceptance guarantee must identify the offered unit [2]. |
| Shell material | Request the pressure-shell specification separately from tray, spray and condenser materials. Bryan’s 304L statement for undeaerated-water contact surfaces does not identify every pressure-boundary part [3]. |
| Design pressure | Request design data and the vessel’s maximum allowable working pressure. Burnham’s 50 psig maximum working rating is separate from its 5–15 psig operating range [2]. |
| Design temperature | Specify it with the pressure rating. Burnham’s suggested maximum working rating is stated at 300 °F, not its normal feedwater temperature [2]. |
| Water inlet temperature | Give each make-up and condensate stream’s temperature and flow, including cold starts and changes in return rate. These determine the heating duty [6]. |
| Steam consumption | Obtain a heat/mass balance using the actual inlet streams and heating steam. Include vent and heat losses; the cited sources do not justify a single steam-per-tonne figure for the category [6]. |
| Pressure drop | Identify the path: water inlet/distributor, steam control train or pump suction piping. Ask for the selected assembly’s losses at the specified flow; no universal deaerator pressure drop is established here [2] [5]. |
| Weight | Request dry, shipping and operating masses and support loads. The cited DTA tables do not supply a mass value; capacity does not establish foundation loading. |
| Footprint and height | Use the certified assembly envelope including the stand and service access. The older DTA dimensions exclude stand height and are stated as reference dimensions [3] [5]. |
08
Bryan’s tray-type manual, Form 2142 revised May 1, 2015, provides the following maintenance checkpoints. Confirm applicability to the unit’s serial number and current supplied instructions; these are not a commissioning procedure for every deaerator [5].
09
Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.
Product: boiler feedwater deaerator, [tray / spray-scrubber / steam-injection], [one-tank / two-tank], quantity [units] Feedwater duty: minimum [ ] / maximum [kg/h or lb/h], operating schedule [ ] Outlet guarantee: dissolved O2 [ppb], CO2 [limit and measurement], load range [ ], inlet conditions [ ], test method and sample point [ ] Steam supply: source [ ], available pressure and temperature [ ], deaerator operating pressure [psig / barg / bara] Water streams: make-up [flow, temperature, chemistry]; condensate returns [flow, temperature, pressure, air exposure] Storage: normal / high / low / overflow levels [ ]; usable reserve and required duration [ ] Vessel: governing code and edition [ ], design pressure/temperature [ ], MAWP [ ], materials and corrosion allowance [ ] Trim and pumps: level controls, alarms and shutdowns [ ]; vent/overflow/protection [ ]; pump flow/head/NPSH and stand [ ] Documents: oxygen guarantee/test plan, vessel data report, heat balance, P&ID, certified dimensions/masses, supplied-parts list and maintenance instructions Delivery to [country], target date [date]
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ABMA’s 2011 white paper describes mechanical deaeration to 7 ppb or less. Agree the actual boiler-feedwater requirement, inlet conditions, load range and acceptance test with the supplier; the benchmark is not a guarantee for every unit. [1]
Chemicals transform oxygen in the water, but mechanical deaeration removes it; poor mechanical deaeration is paid for in extra chemical feed and operating cost. [1]
Choose the pressure with the available steam, venting arrangement and return-water conditions. ABMA’s 2011 examples include 5–10 psig on reduced boiler steam and 15–60 psig in cogeneration. Its 3 psig positive-venting recommendation is guidance in that context, not the operating range of every design. [1]
ABMA uses about ten minutes as a planning reference, with plant-dependent variations. Specify which water levels define the reserve and the relevant feedwater demand: overflow volume and usable operating reserve are different. [1] [4]
ABMA's 2011 white paper says deaerator pressure vessel construction is “commonly covered by ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, commonly Section VIII, Division I”, and that integral HRSG deaerators are built to the boiler codes rather than as pressure vessels; confirm the code with the vessel supplier. [1]
Sources checked 2026-10-09. Standards bodies and regulations define the requirements; manufacturer pages show published ranges for those models only. CNFX does not certify products or suppliers.
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