Advanced Boiler Water Treatment - 'Porta Treatment'

I have a huge amount to write on Porta Treatment (PT) which I will do as time permits. However as a brief summary of the system it deals with the major failings of traditional boiler water treatment systems, Porta listed these as:

  1. Scaling.
  2. Corrosion.
  3. Steam contamination.
  4. Caustic embrittlement.

In addition it has some extremely important features:

  1. Washouts are reduced to levels previously thought impossible. The number required per year depends on individual circumstances but can easily be reduced to 2 per year.
  2. Blowdowns are virtually eliminated
  3. Feedwater quality and type is irrelevant - what other treatment can say that ?! All others I am aware of are very specifically controlled according to the feedwater qualities.

FCAF, in Ushuaia, uses 'Porta Treatment' in their locomotive boilers. In January 2004 I witnessed a washout on FCAF No.3 'Camila'.

FCAF undertake USA practice hot washouts. Before a boiler in drained the water is heated until it is just off the boil. Here Shaun McMahon tests the water temperature. The colour of the water is normal and healthy for locomotives on the treatment. To the touch it is rather soapy due to the high alkalinity. The hose leading into the cab is providing atomising air to the oil burner. January 17 2004
FCAF undertake USA practice hot washouts. Before a boiler in drained the water is heated until it is just off the boil. Here Shaun McMahon tests the water temperature. The colour of the water is normal and healthy for locomotives on the treatment. To the touch it is rather soapy due to the high alkalinity. The hose leading into the cab is providing atomising air to the oil burner. January 17 2004

This was the pressure washer used for the washout. January 17 2004
This was the pressure washer used for the washout. January 17 2004

With the boiler water hot enough the plugs were removed to drain the boiler. The success of this very simple treatment regime is underlined by several key facts: 1. This was the first washout in SIX MONTHS of daily use with only 4 short blow downs in that period. 2. There was no hard packed mud anywhere in the boiler. The internal surfaces were CLEAN. All that existed was a fully mobile sludge removed by water alone. 3. Scale removed almost entirely results from when the locomotive did not use Porta Treatment. The treatment effectively dissolves scale. 4. The boiler surfaces are virtually corrosion free.

With the boiler water hot enough the plugs were removed to drain the boiler. The success of this very simple treatment regime is underlined by several key facts:

1. This was the first washout in SIX MONTHS of daily use with only 4 short blow downs in that period.
2. There was no hard packed mud anywhere in the boiler. The internal surfaces were CLEAN. All that existed was a fully mobile sludge removed by water alone.
3. Scale removed almost entirely results from when the locomotive did not use Porta Treatment. The treatment effectively dissolves scale.
4. The boiler surfaces are virtually corrosion free.
January 17 2004

With the dome off the pressure wash is directed in to the boiler gradually pushing any solids (scale shells and residual sludge) back towards the foundation ring. It has to be said this locomotive lacks decent access to the boiler for washing out, hence the removal of the dome. The amount of steam visible clearly shows this is a HOT washout ! January 17 2004

With the dome off the pressure wash is directed in to the boiler gradually pushing any solids (scale shells and residual sludge) back towards the foundation ring. It has to be said this locomotive lacks decent access to the boiler for washing out, hence the removal of the dome. The amount of steam visible clearly shows this is a HOT washout ! January 17 2004

As the boiler drains the colour of the water changed reflecting the settling out of the fully mobile sludge when there is no water circulation in the boiler. Also as the washout progressed scale shells started to appear. This scale is a hang over from the 5 years of no water treatment at FCAF. January 17 2004
As the boiler drains the colour of the water changed reflecting the settling out of the fully mobile sludge when there is no water circulation in the boiler. Also as the washout progressed scale shells started to appear. This scale is a hang over from the 5 years of no water treatment at FCAF. January 17 2004

On a 1024x768 dpi screen resolution this is more or less life size. It shows some of the scale shells that have been removed from Camila's boiler by the treatment. No rods etc were used to get the scale shells out. They were washed out by the force of water alone. Note the surface of the largest piece, it is as if the scale is slowly peeling away, layer by layer. January 17 2004
On a 1024x768 dpi screen resolution this is more or less life size. It shows some of the scale shells that have been removed from Camila's boiler by the treatment. No rods etc were used to get the scale shells out. They were washed out by the force of water alone. Note the surface of the largest piece, it is as if the scale is slowly peeling away, layer by layer. January 17 2004

As the boiler drains samples of the water are taken for study. The first sample is on the right and has had the most time to settle. January 17 2004
As the boiler drains samples of the water are taken for study. The first sample is on the right and has had the most time to settle. January 17 2004

FCAF 'Technical & Technical Projects Manager' Shaun McMahon checks the internal surfaces of the firebox on FCAF No.3 , with an endoscope, for corrosion and scaling during the washout pictured above. The surfaces were clean. January 17 2004
FCAF 'Technical & Technical Projects Manager' Shaun McMahon checks the internal surfaces of the firebox on FCAF No.3 , with an endoscope, for corrosion and scaling during the washout pictured above. The surfaces were clean. January 17 2004

On March 29 2003 a paper prepared by Shaun McMahon was presented at the annual Fedecrail conference by Chris Parrott, FCAF seasonal driver and European representative of Tranex Turismo S.A..

Click here to read Shaun McMahon's paper on Porta's revolutionary Boiler Water Treatment. (Note this paper is to be revised during 2004 to bring it up to date in light of experience during the last year.)

Do you want to know more ? If you operate any form of non-condensing steam locomotive you should ! Click here for more information on 'Porta Treatment'.

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