[2026 Condition Analysis] Why is it necessary to maintain the water level within the normal range while the boiler is in operation?

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This post was last edited by The one on 2026-5-5 06:26. If the water level in the steam drum is too high, it will affect the efficiency of steam-water separation, increasing the humidity of the saturated steam as well as its salt content. This can lead to scaling on the walls of the superheater tubes and in the flow areas of the turbine, reducing the flow area of the superheater, increasing resistance, raising thermal resistance, and causing the tube walls to overheat (even resulting in tube rupture). In cases of severe overfilling, the steam temperature in the superheater drops sharply, causing water hammer in the steam pipes and turbines, which leads to serious destructive accidents.       An excessively low water level in the drum can disrupt the boiler’s water circulation, and severe water shortage, if not addressed properly, can lead to the rupture of the boiler tubes. For high-parameter, large-capacity boilers, due to their relatively small drum volume and high evaporation rate, stricter water level control is required. As long as the water supply volume does not match the evaporation rate, shortages or overfilling of water can occur in a short period of time. Therefore, it is essential to maintain the drum water level within the normal range during boiler operation.