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Maintaining High Combined Cycle HRSG Efficiency and Reliability
This article in Power Engineering by Brad Buecker of Kiewit addresses chemical treatment of HRSG feedwater. During the heyday of coal-fired power plant construction and operation in the last century, many lessons were learned regarding correct water/steam chemistry control in high-pressure, fossil-fuel steam generators. Even seemingly minor issues had the potential to cause serious problems, and some corrosion-induced failures led to injuries and death of plant personnel. Progress in transferring these lessons to the combined cycle power industry has often been slow, and a number of outdated chemistry concepts continue to appear in the specifications for new combined cycle plants. Some problems are magnified by the unique geometrical features of heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) as compared to their coal unit counterparts. This article will examine three of the most important issues in this regard, as outlined below: • Unless the condensate/feedwater system of the HRSG contains copper alloys (very rare), an oxygen scavenger should not be part of the chemical treatment program. Use of oxygen scavengers, a more accurate term is reducing agent, induces flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) of plain carbon steel. FAC has caused catastrophic piping and tube failures at a number of facilities over the last three decades, and it continues to occur at many plants. • Tri-sodium phosphate has served as the primary chemical for boiler water treatment in many base-loaded coal units, and the chemistry is often employed in HRSGs. Even at steady load, phosphate treatment is problematic due to the phenomenon known as phosphate hideout. In cycling units, hideout may make phosphate chemistry extremely difficult to control. • While a strong focus should always be placed on operating chemistry, off-line chemistry control is frequently neglected. Air in-leakage into water-filled steam generator networks during down times can significantly damage tubes, piping, turbine blades and rotors, and other equipment. Given the regular cycling nature of most power plants in today's environment, the potential for air ingress and subsequent corrosion may be extensive.
Revision Date: 3/5/2018
Tags: Kiewit, Feedwater, Chemical, Heat Recovery Steam Generator, Power Engineering
Power Plant Chemicals Webinar - Hot Topic Hour September 25, 2014
The level of knowledge demonstrated by the speakers relative to the challenges of preventing corrosion and malfunction of gas turbine combined cycle plants which are cycling hundreds of times per year and may be using poor quality source water makes a persuasive case for continuing expert advice.
Revision Date: 9/25/2014
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, McIlvaine, Kiewit, Miox, HDR Engineering, Heat Recovery Steam Generator, Air Cooled Condenser, Fogging System, Cooling Tower, Treatment Chemicals, Ultrapure Water, Cycle Chemistry, Corrosion, Water Treatment, Zero Liquid Discharge
Questions answered regarding HRSG water/steam chemistry and prevention of corrosion and fouling in steam generators. Even seemingly minor issues have been known to cause failures that cost power producers millions of dollars and in some cases even claimed lives. This is the ultimate cost.
Revision Date: 9/25/2014
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Kiewit, Air Cooled Condenser, Heat Recovery Steam Generator, Fogging System, Treatment Chemicals, Cycle Chemistry, Corrosion, Ultrapure Water, Water Treatment, Zero Liquid Discharge
Demineralization and Degasification Webinar - Hot Topic Hour August 28, 2014
Advantages of combining membrane contactors and EDI. Focus on the choices that need to be made by purchasers and operators of ultrapure water systems for gas turbine combined cycle power.
Revision Date: 8/28/2014
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, SnowPure, Ultrapure Water, Kiewit, EDI, Membrane, Ultrapure Water, Corrosion
Flow accelerated corrosion is an important issue causing problems in turbulent areas such as elbows.
Revision Date: 8/28/2014
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Kiewit, Oxygen, Demineralization, Corrosion
More Dry scrubber analysis from Kiewit
See previous articlesfor details but here is more: For the CFBs, a typical approach temperature is 30°F to 40°F, while for the NID a tighter approach of 25°F to 30°F is more common. Because the temperature is still maintained above saturation, reactor materials of construction are typically carbon steel. Type 316 L stainless steel is often used for specialty components such as water injection nozzles and some lime hydrator parts.
Revision Date: 3/26/2014
Tags: Kiewit Power Engineers, Energy-Tech Magazine
Dry scrubber options as listed by Kiewit
In addition to Graff-Wulff, Babcock Turbosorp, and Allied/Lurgi design provide the CFB options. SDA is more widely used but concern about atomizer O &M costs as well as distributing the slurry in droplets which will dry prior to reaching the particulate collector.
Revision Date: 3/26/2014
Tags: Kiewit Power Engineers, Power Engineering
Tightening regulations on the quality, and sometimes quantity, of power plant wastewater streams are influencing cooling tower treatment programs.
Revision Date: 5/23/2013
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Kiewit Power Engineers, Cooling Tower, Treatment Chemical, Heat Exchange
Power Plant Cooling Towers and Cooling Water Issues Webinar - Hot Topic Hour May 23, 2013
Power plant cooling presents regulatory and technical challenges.
Revision Date: 5/23/2013
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Ovivo USA, Hydrolox, Xcel Energy, Nalco, Kiewit Power Engineers, Treatment Chemical, Screen, Cooling Tower, Water Treatment, Heat Exchange
Power Plant Automation and Control Webinar May 23, 2013 - Presenters Bios
Revision Date: 5/23/2013
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Kiewit Power Engineers, Xcel Energy, Ovivo USA, Hydrolox, Nalco
Fundamentals of Cooling Tower Heat Transfer Brad Buecker, Kiewit Power Engineers Many power plants and other industrial facilities utilize open recirculating cooling systems equipped with cooling towers for heat transfer from condensers and auxiliary heat exchangers. Cooling towers commonly sit well away from the main plant, and it is often possible to forget about them until something goes awry. This talk outlines the fundamentals of heat transfer in a cooling tower and important issues for maximizing heat exchange.
Revision Date: 4/14/2011
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Kiewit Power Engineers, Cooling Tower, Cooling, USA