Traitement intégral Armand

I probably know the answer but is anyone in the UK using TIA? I was thinking particularly of Bulleid Pacifics, on which it was original equipment.

For those who don't know, Traitement intégral Armand (TIA) is a chemical process intended to prevent the formation of scale and corrosion in boilers, invented by Louis Armand (1905-1971), chief engineer at SNCF. It involves treating feed water using a chemical compound that contains soda ash, sodium phosphate, caustic soda and tannin.

 

Sounds very much like an old type water treatment known (over here) as Lauritzen 'P' Brick, which I seem to remember was made by a chemical firm somewhere around Harlow way.

 

That looks like a solid, soluble treatment. TIA was a liquid treatment dispensed by equipment that, apart from filling the reservoir, was entirely automatic.

 

Alflock (or something similar) is a name for the pellets in use in the mid-1960s for Diesel-Electric loco train heating boilers.

 

Yes It is something like a brick, but about 10"x 21/2"x 5" looking a bit like a McVities ginger cake You dissolve a piece in a watering can of water and sprinkle it into the tank, about half a block to 1000 gallons.

 

Tannin? What does that do (apart from improve the flavour of older red wines...)

 

Its an oxygen scavenger