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n a typical power plant, water plant modifications. ment. The same applies to many plant
treatment is a relatively small This article will examine water treat- owners’ engineering departments who
slice of the operating budget, ment technologies such as membrane contributed valuable input to design
generally less than 2% of the separation (e.g., reverse osmosis [RO]), engineers during the conceptual design
total cost of operation. How- electrodialysis, and electrodeionization phase. Following years of manpower
ever, its impact on the plant (EDI), and the fading, yet unique, role rationalization, many of these resources
heat rate, net capacity factor, that ion exchange (IX) can play. It will are no longer available. Furthermore,
and ultimate profitability can range from also address the critical role that chemical very competitive bidding processes dur-
significant to disproportionately high. water treatment companies can play in ing the detailed engineering phase add
One area of particular concern is the avoiding costly mistakes during power pressure on capital equipment selection,
high-purity water requirement in various plant design, how to best fit chemical often resulting in poor water treatment
areas of an increasingly complex power treatment options, and what can go se- technology choices. The “cheapest bid is
plant cycle. This ranges from several verely wrong when the raw water to the the best bid” brigade is alive and well.
boiler feedwater loops to combustion plant is not critically evaluated. Once plant operation begins, respon-
turbine nitrogen oxide (NOx) control, sibility for all water treatment related
and combustion air-cooling. Background matters usually falls upon the selected
Plant owners, developers, owners’ The author’s experience with new chemical water treatment company. The
engineers, and engineering/constructor independent power plant projects has latter, however, is often not consulted
firms (EPCs) often fail to understand the shown that water treatment is a common until the commissioning or operation
multitude, interaction, and complexity contributing factor to delayed start-ups, stages, when it is too late to undo critical
of water treatment technologies (both subsequent poor plant heat rates, and a errors made in the design phase. It often
equipment and chemical based) avail- cause of unscheduled downtime. Water takes costly retrofits and many hours of
able in the market place today and how treatment also is often the orphan of plant lost production to rectify design mis-
best to incorporate them at the design designers, seen as the necessary evil takes and return the plant to optimized
phase of the project. Equipment selec- on the overall project’s flow schematic performance.
tion is also often made with complete and capex, and as such it often does not Successful water treatment in any
disregard to the alternate use of more receive the attention it merits. plant hinges upon the proper integration
technically feasible and cost-effective Engineering, procurement, and con- of the right water chemistries with the
chemical-based treatment options. The struction firms (so-called EPCs) em- correct choice of equipment at every
end result are plant designs unable or ployed in-house water treatment special- applicable unit operation. It starts, as
barely capable to meet the performance ists in the past that were knowledgeable straightforward as it may sound, with a
specifications of critical equipment such in the selection of appropriate equip- thorough evaluation of the water sources
as steam and gas turbines even during the
start-up phase, leading to start-up delays
and legal disputes, and later translating
into high water treatment operating costs,
plant downtime and potential expensive
TABLE B
Recommended Essential Analyses for
the Evaluation of a Raw Water Supply
Note: The above constitutes a well-detailed representation of most water sources that are used in Power plant projects. Other species should be tested
(e.g., ammonia, phenols, oil and grease, copper, sulfide, mercury) as specific needs dictate.
TABLE C
Condensate Polisher Application Guidelines.
Notes: (1): These units are designed primarily as filters. Because of the large amount of water being treated, they will quickly exhaust if exposed to
high TDS.
(2): Oil and certain organics are removed by fouling the IX media. Activated carbon has been used but results are generally unsatisfactory. Each
potential contaminant must be tested.