Boiler feed water is the treated water that is fed into the steam boiler. It must meet certain requirements to prevent corrosion and scale formation. Boiler water, on the other hand, refers to the water that is already in the boiler and participates in the evaporation process.

Not quite. VE water (fully desalinated water) is completely free of dissolved salts using ion exchange or reverse osmosis. Boiler feed water may contain deionised water, but is additionally conditioned – for example, by raising the pH value or binding oxygen – to meet the specific requirements of the steam boiler. This means that deionised water is a basis, but not a ready-to-use boiler feed water.

The requirements depend on the boiler pressure rating and the plant technology. Important parameters include conductivity, total hardness, pH value, oxygen and silicate content. Only treated feed water ensures high operational safety and extends the service life of steam generators.

Conditioning prevents deposits, corrosion and efficiency losses. Targeted dosing and coordinated water treatment systems keep water quality stable – for safe, energy-efficient operation.

Processes such as softening, reverse osmosis, degassing and conditioning are combined for treatment. The selection depends on the raw water quality and the plant requirements. Modern systems from Herco ensure that the boiler water parameters remain within the optimum range at all times.

Herco develops tailor-made systems for the conditioning and treatment. These reduce corrosion, minimise maintenance costs, increase energy efficiency and extend system service life – for sustainable and economical operation.