Voedwater

Voedwater, or feedwater in English, is the water supplied to a boiler or steam generator to be converted into steam. In industrial and energy contexts it is treated to minimize corrosion, scaling, and deposition that can impair efficiency or cause damage to boiler tubes and related equipment.

Sources and makeup: Feedwater typically consists of condensate returned from the steam cycle (the hot liquid recovered from turbines) combined with make-up water from external sources. The exact makeup depends on plant design, operating conditions, and losses through blowdown and leakage.

Treatment and quality control: Feedwater undergoes pretreatment such as filtration and sometimes softening to remove hardness. It then undergoes deaeration to remove dissolved gases, especially oxygen, which promotes corrosion. Demineralization or high-purity filtration reduces total dissolved solids. Alkalinity and pH are controlled to protect metals; chemical additives such as corrosion inhibitors or film-forming amines are used, and often oxygen scavengers are employed. For higher-pressure systems, strict control of silica and other impurities is essential to prevent scaling. Treatments are tailored to the boiler type, operating pressure, and water chemistry regime.

Operational aspects: Concentration of impurities is managed by controlled blowdown, which removes a portion of the feedwater to limit the buildup of salts. Efficient condensate recovery improves overall energy efficiency and provides higher-quality feedwater.

Applications and context: Feedwater is used in steam generation across power plants, refineries, chemical plants, and large industrial boilers. In specialized settings such as nuclear reactors or marine systems, feedwater treatment follows stricter protocols to meet safety and regulatory requirements.