The Chemical Deaeration of Boiler Water—The Use of Hydrazine Compounds

Abstract

Abstract The preliminary stages in an experimental study of the reaction rates of the hydrazine-oxygen system are described. The work is continuing along four main lines, a bench-scale study of the mechanism of and the factors influencing the reaction, an investigation of reaction rates in a static autoclave system, study of reaction rates in a pilot-plant high-pressure boiler, and a series of full-scale boiler trials. The simple reaction between hydrazine and oxygen has been shown to be far more complex than was at first thought to be the case, and perhaps the most important conclusion is that even in dilute solutions this can proceed as a surface reaction. The experiments serve to indicate that in the present state of our knowledge, it would not appear possible to predict the efficiency of the reaction for a universal boiler application and that, to achieve the desired result, some form of reaction catalyst may have to be developed.