Effective and efficient boiler operation requires the use of auxiliary steam plant equipment. The deaerator is a necessary auxiliary of a boiler. The purpose of the deaerator is to reduce the oxygen content of the water being fed to the boiler system. This process must be done after the water has been treated with a water softener because hard water can damage the equipment.

The deaerator avoids boiler corrosion and pitting by utilizing a chemical oxygen scavenger to remove the oxygen, carbon dioxide and other dissolved gases present in normal water. In addition, deaerators provide feedwater storage and proper suction conditions for boiler feedwater pumps. The deaerating process raises the water’s temperature to within a few degrees of the temperature of saturated steam and increases a plants thermal efficiency.