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WATER SOFTENING PLANTS - TO PREVENT LIMESCALE IN LOCO BOILERS


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I am trying to research water softening plants and how they were used in conjunction with railways tp prevent limescale in loco boilers.

 

I assume the calcium sludge was taken away by rail ................ any info gratefully received.

 

Paul

 

(thread title and this thread edited to clarify what I meant)

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You'd be better off asking narrow gauge people as most water treatment railways were narrow gauge, typically 2ft. gauge. The only standard gauge system I know of was that Blackburn Meadows, in Sheffield. The Industrial Railway Society's Industrial Railway Record No.106 covered this in some detail and it would be worth getting hold of a copy.

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You'd be better off asking narrow gauge people as most water treatment railways were narrow gauge, typically 2ft. gauge. The only standard gauge system I know of was that Blackburn Meadows, in Sheffield. The Industrial Railway Society's Industrial Railway Record No.106 covered this in some detail and it would be worth getting hold of a copy.

 

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/privateownerwagon/h134e19eb#h134e19eb shows one of the wagons for the Sheffield traffic. 

 I'm most grateful for this..... many thanks.

 

I must admit I'm not making a model of a water treatment plant myself but a friend of mine is.  When I said 'try RMweb' he said he didn't use RMweb so happy to do this on his behalf - any more info anyone?

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Wikipedia brings up a useful list.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_industrial_narrow_gauge_railways#Water_treatment_and_sewage_works

 

Your original query is a bit vague, so you might find some inspiration in the links above that will open up some closer ideas to what you are trying to achieve.

 

Again thanks.

 

My query was somewhat vague because I am doing this for a friend who doesn't us RMweb .............. have gone back to him to ask more questions as to what he has in mind.

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Esholt was standard gauge.  Coal in, sludge internally in tippers from press house to drying ground, bagged organic fertiliser out. The railway was also used for maintenance, they had some self propelled cranes for fishing large detritus out of the screens on the inward side.

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Again thanks.

 

My query was somewhat vague because I am doing this for a friend who doesn't us RMweb .............. have gone back to him to ask more questions as to what he has in mind.

 

I have now read the previous posts and realised that I was not clear ..............  I am not meaning sewage treatment ..... I meant water softening ... the removal of calcium from hard water.

 

I have now changed the thread title to be clearer.............. many apologies to those who have posted because of lack of clarity.

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I have now read the previous posts and realised that I was not clear ..............  I am not meaning sewage treatment ..... I meant water softening ... the removal of calcium from hard water.

 

I have now changed the thread title to be clearer.............. many apologies to those who have posted because of lack of clarity.

The railways had water softening plants in hard water areas serving either loco sheds or water troughs, I have seen articles on the latter which used old tenders for removal of the sludge. A long time ago, probably in Model Railway News or Model Railway Constructor.

Regards

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Hello again

 

Thanks for everything so far.

 

I've spoken to my friend and he confirms that the period is 1950's.

 

He understands the need for these installations but seeks more info on the structures design, construction and use.

 

Hopefully someone out there can help.

 

Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not sure what you really wanted, but back in the early 1950's I started work as a trainee chemist in the laboratory in a power station. The water softeners came under our responsibility and when the attendant was on holiday, us trainees had to operate them.

The principle was very simple, they consisted of drum like tanks 6 or 8 feet diameter, and capped at the ends. Pipe work and valves were part of the softeners. They were filled with sodium zeolite, sodium aluminium silicate. When the hard water was passed through, percolating through the zeolite,the hardness -- that is the calcium and magnesium compounds exchanged with the sodium in the zeolite changing with the calcium in the water. So the water now contained sodium compounds and the zeolite was now calcium aluminium silicate.

The effluent from the softeners then went on to the various primary and secondary heaters, economisers etc then into the boilers.

The "spent" zeolite was regenerated by passing brine -- salt solution -- through the softeners and so restoring the zeolite for further use.

The waste went down the drains in our place but I can imagine in the railway context, the waste could be stood to allow the sludge to settle then into some sort of vehicle.

The amount of softened water was relatively small as the steam driving the turbines was condensed and re-used, and that coming from the softeners was just make up water.

As far as I know, the zeolite has now been replaced by a type of resin, but the principle is the same.

I hope this is what you were asking.

Derek

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