Influence of Hard Water on Generator Set Engine

In hot weather, the engine of the generator set is prone to overheating. Over time, this problem has become more and more prominent. Hard water generally refers to water that contains more soluble calcium and magnesium compounds. The hardness of water usually refers to the content of salt compounds dissolved in the water, that is, the content of calcium and magnesium salts. The higher the content, the higher the hardness, and vice versa.

Numerous failure issues can cause engine overheating that is prone to gensets. One is the type of water used in the cooling system. If hard water is chosen, the unit will accumulate too much silicate and calcium. Silicate and calcium build-up can block the transfer of heat out of the radiator, which can easily lead to engine overheating. Additionally, the temperature sensor may give erroneous temperature readings when corrosion builds up.

Hard water is very easy to form fouling, and the heat of the metal is difficult to conduct heat to the cooling water as it is hindered by the fouling, which causes the engine temperature of the generator set to rise significantly. When the temperature is higher than the allowable temperature, the metal strength is significantly reduced, which in turn causes the metal to deform due to overheating.

Looking into the radiator from above, the tubes can be inspected to check for silicate and calcium build-up, if there appears to be silicate and calcium build-up, be sure to clean the radiator and engine. If scale is formed in the water pipe, it will reduce the flow cross-sectional area, increase the water flow resistance, seriously destroy the conventional water circulation, and in severe cases, all the pipes will be blocked.

To change hard water into soft water, you can choose the precipitation method, which is treated with water softeners such as lime and soda ash, and then you can get soft water after filtration. You can also choose the boiling method to boil the hard water to make soft water immediately, and you can also use the ion exchange method to mix inorganic or organic compounds. After gelation, hard water is converted into soft water by ion exchange, or electrodialysis is selected to obtain soft water with DC power as power.

If there is equipment in the workshop, follow the steps recommended by the manufacturer to clean the radiator and flush the cylinder block. If the coolant is discharged from the cooling system, ensure that the coolant is disposed of properly. Adding water to the generator set is not allowed to add hard water. Will greatly shorten the service life of the boiler.

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