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I'm imagining a portable boiler/turbine unit that burns wood and creates steam for a turbine, generating electricity.

I was planning on using freshwater from a river or lake. (A simple filter will remove particulate matter and minerals.)

But then I came across something called a Deaerator.

Basically, the deaerator removes oxygen and carbon dioxide from the water. Those substances often dissolve in the water and, in a boiler, can cause metal corrosion.

So I'd like to choose a material that doesn't require this, if possible. Titanium? Bronze? Carbon-carbon? Iron-Nickle like they use in jet engines?

Edit: For the curious, this question arose from studying old steam trains. Pretty sure they did not de-aerate the feedwater there and just let boiler lifetime suffer. I'm wondering if some modern "miracle" material, maybe carbon composites, can eliminate the need for de-aeration.

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  • $\begingroup$ Hmm... fresh water from a river or a lake will contain particles and all sorts of minerals. $\endgroup$
    – MaxW
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 6:06
  • $\begingroup$ @MaxW Yes but a simple charcoal filter will take care of those. Once the water is turned to steam then condensed back to water, all particulate mater and heavy minerals will be filtered out anyway. It's the dissolved gasses that remain. $\endgroup$
    – DrZ214
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 6:22

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There are many more common alloys in the Inconel , Hastelloy , and Incoloy families. And some odd balls like MP35N, 5o:5o Cr- Ni, Vitallium , and others. Titanum won't take the heat. For all of these materials; if you need to ask the price ,you can't afford them.

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