1. Catalogs
  2. Swan Analytical Instruments
  3. An Introduction for Non-Chemists
video corpo

An Introduction for Non-Chemists

An Introduction for Non-Chemists
1 / 19 PagesView full catalog

An Introduction for Non-Chemists

Product catalog summary
Introduction
This document emphasizes the importance of specifying requirements at the beginning of engineering projects involving analytical systems in power plants. It highlights the roles of chemists and engineers and the challenges faced by instrument manufacturers, noting the evolution of instruments over the past 20 years in terms of reliability and functionality.
Importance of Analytical Instruments
Analytical instruments are crucial for monitoring water, steam, and condensate quality in power cycles, ensuring efficiency and compliance with guidelines from organizations like VGB and IAPWS. Key parameters include conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen.
Online Monitoring in Power Cycles
Online monitoring is essential for maintaining water and steam quality. Critical parameters include conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen, with sodium and silica also important for preventing corrosion and deposits.
Treatment Methods
The document discusses treatment methods such as All-Volatile Treatment (AVT) and Oxygenated Treatment (OT), with the choice depending on plant-specific factors like layout and water quality.
Water Steam Cycle Monitoring
Key parameters in a typical water steam cycle include specific conductivity, sodium, and silica, with monitoring points outlined for makeup water, condensate, and cooling water.
Remarks on Specific Parameters
Conductivity after cation exchange (CACE) is emphasized for detecting ionic contaminants, with recommendations for degassed conductivity measurements to account for carbon dioxide presence.
Conclusion
The document underscores the importance of analytical instruments in maintaining plant efficiency and preventing corrosion, stressing the need for appropriate instrumentation to support chemical treatment programs and ensure quality assurance.
Technical Guidelines Overview
The document provides detailed technical guidelines on monitoring and managing chemical parameters in power cycle systems to ensure optimal performance and prevent corrosion. Key parameters include pH value, oxygen, sodium, silica, turbidity, and conductivity.
Key Parameters
  • pH Value: Corrosion rate of carbon steel decreases at pH values above 9. Accurate pH measurement in low-conductivity water is crucial.
  • Oxygen: Continuous oxygen measurement is essential to meet chemical operating regime requirements.
  • Sodium: Presence increases the risk of stress corrosion cracking, particularly in turbine materials.
  • Silica: Can volatilize with steam and deposit on turbine blades, affecting efficiency.
  • Turbidity: Serves as a proxy for monitoring particulate corrosion products.
Sampling and Instrumentation
Proper sampling involves cooling samples and reducing pressure, with modern instruments recommended for accurate measurements. Grouping instruments by sample line simplifies calibration and maintenance.
Conductivity and Analytical Methods
Conductivity is a critical parameter, measured as specific, acid, and degassed cation conductivity. Conductivity sensors use electrodes to measure resistivity, with temperature compensation necessary for accurate readings.
Quality Assurance
Precision depends on electronic stability and cell constant accuracy, with remote monitoring and automatic resin regeneration systems enhancing quality assurance.
Specifications and Standards
  • VGB Standard VGB-S-010-T-00;2011-12.EN for feed water, boiler water, and steam quality.
  • IAPWS Technical Guidance Document TGD2-09(2015) for cycle chemistry monitoring and control.
Quality Assurance for Measurements
  • Conductivity instruments require straightforward maintenance, with no need for calibration.
  • Dissolved oxygen measurement involves sensors with temperature compensation and stable zero points.
  • Sodium detection uses ion-sensitive electrodes, with regular calibration required.
  • Silica measurement uses a colorimetric method, with frequent zero calibration necessary.
  • Phosphate measurement is based on the vanadomolybdo-phosphoric acid method.
  • Turbidity measurement uses a nephelometric system, with factory calibration recommended.
Technical Specifications
  • Power Supply: Transmitters support various voltages, with higher power consumption analyzers not operating on 24 V DC.
  • Signal Exchange: Utilizes analog signals with potential-free contacts for alarm indications.
  • Fieldbus Systems: PROFIBUS DP and MODBUS RTU are used for easy installation and communication.
Procedures and Recommendations
  • Analytical methods involve sample flow through a photometer with reagents for color change.
  • Recommendations include using colorimetric analyzers when disinfectants are not clearly identified.
Automated Quality Assurance
Process and diagnostic information are displayed on DCS and PLC+HMI systems, with alarms for instrument failures or sample absence.
See more

Catalog excerpts

An Introduction for Non-Chemists-1

Analytical Instruments in Water Steam Cycles

 Open the catalog to page 1
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-2

Online Instruments in Power Cycles 5 Typical Water Steam Cycle 6 Remarks and Recommendations on Specific Individual Parameters 8 Sampling and Sample Distribution 10 Calculating pH from Differential Conductivity 20 Free Residual Chlorine 30 Automated Quality Assurance 32 Additional Recommended Papers and Literature 34 The outcome of an engineering project such as the design, installation, and commissioning of an analytical system in a power plant will to a large extent depend on specifying the requirements at the outset. Expertise from many different sources are involved. Station chemists, I&C...

 Open the catalog to page 2
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-3

Why Use Analytical Instruments? The aim of power cycle chemistry is to prevent corrosion and to avoid deposits in the power cycle. This will reduce downtime and protect expensive components such as boilers, turbines and condensers. All in all, the goal of power plant chemistry is to maintain the designed plant efficiency, the designed life time and to abide by all environmental rules and regulations. With the exception of precious metals, metallic surfaces are subject to water-induced corrosion when unprotected. In power plants, oxide layers provide the necessary protection. These layers are...

 Open the catalog to page 3
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-4

Typical Water Steam Cycle Example locations for On-line Monitoring in Water-Steam Cycle EXAMPLE LOCATIONS FOR ONLINE MONITORING IN THE WATER STEAM CYCLE 7 Monitoring points and key parameters in the Monitoring points and key parameters at Water-Steam Cycle Monitoring points and key parameters at Water-Steam Cycle water steam cycle: Steam turbine Steam generator FW tank FW Tank deaerator Deaerator Make-up water Cond. Cond. polisher Polisher pH, SC, CACE,(Na, SiO2, PO4, TURB) SC,CACE, (Na, SiO2, PO4, TURB) pH, SC,CACE, (Na, SiO2, PO4, TURB) Saturated steam Saturated steam Superheated/Reheated steam...

 Open the catalog to page 4
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-5

Remarks and Recommendations on Specific Individual Parameters Conductivity After Cation Exchange and Degassed Conductivity The online measurement of conductivity after water has passed through a column of strongly acidic cation exchange resin is used to indicate the presence of potentially corrosive ionic contaminants. The technique may be referred to as "cation conductivity" or "acid conductivity" in some documentation. As per IAPWS, the accepted abbreviation is CACE. This parameter can only be measured online and under no circumstances may it be replaced by grab samples and analysis in the...

 Open the catalog to page 5
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-6

Once the sampling points have been determined and the parameters to be monitored have been chosen, a P&ID (piping and instrumentation diagram) is established. The first part of the diagram is dedicated to cooling the sample and to reducing the pressure to acceptable levels. This "hot" part is often, also physically, separated from the sample distribution and from the instruments. A small number of companies have specialized in coolers and valves for these applications. Some will propose secondary coolers to maintain a temperature that is very close to the region of 25°C. This will allow the use...

 Open the catalog to page 6
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-7

Instrument Panels Sample 10QUB30 Main Steam Sodium Instrument Panels Sample 10QUG10 Make-up Water Sample 10QUC70 Condensate Hotwell ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS Acid Conductivity SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS Specific Conductivity Acid Conductivity ENGINEERING SYSTEMS ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS Dissolved Oxygen SYSTEMS ENGINEERING It is common practice to mount the instruments in groups according to their physical properties. All transmitters are mounted on one side, and all the analyzers (silica, sodium, phosphate) on the other. Grab sampling lines are put together over a discharge basin....

 Open the catalog to page 7
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-8

Acid Conductivity Conductivity is by far the most important parameter in power cycle monitoring. It is measured as "specific" (also direct or total) conductivity, as "acid" (also cationic) conductivity after a strongly acidic ion-exchanger, and as degassed cation conductivity. Analytical Method Conductivity sensors for use in the low microsiemens range consist of two electrodes made of stainless steel or titanium. The cell constant expresses the ratio of the distance between the electrodes to the area of the electrodes. A transmitter provides a constant alternating voltage. The current that flows...

 Open the catalog to page 8
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-9

All treatment methods involve maintaining a certain pH range. However, measuring pH in water with low ionic strength is not an easy job. The measurement of the oxidation reduction potential provides insight into the redox condition in the feedwater. Some plants require an ORP measurement for optimum operation. Analytical Method A pH measurement consists of a potential difference (mV) between two electrodes. The reference electrode provides direct contact between the sample and an electrolyte. The measuring electrode is separated by an ion-sensitive membrane from the sample. The potential difference...

 Open the catalog to page 9
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-11

Calculating pH from Differential Conductivity Experimental Data This method for determining the sample pH has been known for many years, and is also recommended by VGB and IAPWS. It is in fact very simple, stable and reliable, and requires low maintenance. It might not have been used widely due to a lack of adequate instruments. Analytical Method Modern electronics with advanced software can provide a suitable instrument that measures specific and acid (cation) conductivity and calculates the sample pH. It is ideally suitable for combined cycle plants with many sampling points for pH and conductivity....

 Open the catalog to page 11
An Introduction for Non-Chemists-12

Dissolved Oxygen Faraday Verification Different treatment methods require different levels of dissolved oxygen. With the exception of oxygenated The AMI Oxytrace instruments do not require a great deal of maintenance. It is sufficient to check the sensor in the air treatments, low levels are required. once in a while. The transmitter automatically checks electrolyte consumption and membrane integrity. Analytical Method The sensor consists of a cathode (gold) and an anode (silver), an electrolyte and a membrane. Oxygen diffuses across the membrane due to partial pressure differences. When a preselected...

 Open the catalog to page 12
*Prices are pre-tax. They exclude delivery charges and customs duties and do not include additional charges for installation or activation options. Prices are indicative only and may vary by country, with changes to the cost of raw materials and exchange rates.