HRSG Water Chemistry Control Overview

The objectives for this lesson are:

Boiler water chemistry is the art and science of minimizing the negative impacts of naturally occurring,
environmental phenomena on man-made materials used in modern HRSG and boiler construction. These
phenomena include attacking the copper and iron in alloys, and the formation of scales and sludges that
insulate heat transfer surfaces, making the process less efficient.

Modern HRSG systems are constructed of various iron alloys. Under normal conditions, free oxygen in the
water circuits combine chemically with the iron in these alloys to produce a protective film called
magnetite. This magnetite layer insulates the iron from further attack in a self-limiting process.
Excessive amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide can enter the system through the makeup water supply.
The increased oxygen causes the self-limiting mechanism to break down. Oxygen causes pitting on
exposed metal surfaces. Rust flakes off the metal surface exposing more iron to further oxidation, and
continued attack.
Oxygen scavengers are often injected into the condensate pump discharge line to reduce the amount of
free oxygen in the water. This chemical injection along with the deaerating action in the condenser limits
the amount of free oxygen so that it cannot react with the iron.
Acidic and alkaline solutions attack metal surfaces and can eventually lead to failure. The acidity or
alkalinity of a solution is measured by pH. The pH scale ranges from 1 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline, or
caustic), with naturally occurring water ranging around 7.

Chemical attack is more pronounced as the solution becomes more acidic or alkaline. The pH of the water
also increases the rate of other corrosion such as the oxidation process discussed earlier. Typically, this
impact is minimized around a pH of 10 and increases as pH either increases or decreases from 10.
Impurities in the HRSG water can boil out to form either scale or sludge. HRSG tubes act as heat transfer
surfaces where water protects the tubes by carrying heat away. However, as the water next to the tubes
starts to boil into steam, impurities remain behind causing them to increase in concentration. When water
forms steam bubbles some impurities plate out on the tube as a hard scale.
Other impurities form soft mud-like sludge. If this sludge contacts the heating surface, it can be baked into a
hard material resembling scale. Both of these conditions can insulate the tubes, preventing heat transfer
and causing tube failure.
Impurities can enter the system through the makeup supply. Because the HRSG has such high flow rates,
even small amounts of impurities can accumulate to cause damage. This sludge, and therefore the
impurities, is removed by a continuous blowdown system before they can reach the high concentrations
needed to produce scale and hard sludge.
The continuous blowdown system removes water from the steam drums because that is where the
impurities and sludge are in their highest concentrations. Because of this high concentration, care must be
used to prevent carryover from the steam drum.
The blowdown rate is a balance between water chemistry control and economy. It must be high enough to
remove sludge and prevent carryover while still conserving plant heat, chemicals, and minimizing water
treatment costs.

Magnetite: Insulates the iron from further attack in a self-limiting process

Solids and other chemical impurities in the water are removed by the: Continuous blowdown system

HRSG SCR and Non-SCR NOx Control Overview

The objective for this lesson is:

The SCR system is a pollution control device that reduces nitrogen oxide pollution from the flue gas by
allowing the flue gas to flow through a catalyst. Simply it is a chemical reduction of oxygen atoms from NOx
compounds

Vaporized ammonia is blown in the exhaust gas path upstream of the catalyst. The primary reaction
between the ammonia and the exhaust gas is shown here. As you can see, the ammonia and NOx are
converted to nitrogen and water.

The ammonia NOX reduction reaction can take place without the aid of catalysts at temperatures around
1,500 °F. However, the temperature of the exhaust gases in the HRSG at this location is approximately 600
°F. Therefore, a catalyst is required to aid the reaction.
The SCR catalyst is installed in modular sections inside the HRSG gas path. The ammonia injection grid is
directly upstream from the grid. The ammonia injection grid is composed of piping that distributes the
vaporized ammonia evenly in the flue gas path.
An ammonia injection system usually consists of an injection skid located next to the HRSG. Centrifugal
blowers take filter outside air and send it through a heat exchange inside the HRSG. This heated air is the
directed to the ammonia vaporizer.

In the vaporizer, compressed air and aqueous ammonia are sprayed passed though a nozzle, creating a
fine ammonia mist. The heated air vaporizes this mist, and carries it to the ammonia injection grid for
distribution.
The amount of ammonia injected is controlled by varying the amount of aqueous ammonia sent to the
vaporizer. The emissions monitoring system typically sends a signal to the aqueous ammonia pumps
based on NOx emissions. The pumps adjust their stroke length to control the amount of ammonia sent to
the vaporizer.

A catalytic grid is used because: The exhaust gases are not hot enough for the reaction to occur without it
HRSG Inspections
The objective for this lesson is:

Since the HRSG is essentially a stationary device, it falls under a different philosophy of maintenance than
does a combustion turbine. The inspections for a HRSG can be classified as:
Standby, Running, Major
Standby Inspections
The standby inspection pertains particularly to combustion turbine and heat recovery steam generators
used in intermittent service, such as peaking applications. In these cases, starting reliability is a major
concern. A delay in starting could mean that the peak demand period has passed.
Standby inspections usually include the items listed:

The inspections can be performed in off-peak hours without interrupting the availability of the equipment.
The final standby inspection is a weekly test run to verify operation of controls and equipment availability.
Running Inspection
The running inspection consists of observations made while a unit is in service. All equipment should be
observed on every shift or at a minimum once daily. Operating data should be recorded to permit an
evaluation of equipment performance and maintenance requirements.
On a running inspection, a heat recovery steam generator should be observed and data recorded on the
following items:

For heat recovery steam generators with supplemental fuel firing, the following additional items should be
observed:
The data should be compared against previously collected data to determine trends. A high rate in water
flow can indicate a valve leak, a change in blowdown rate, or tube failure. A steady increase in drum
pressure at a given steam flow and header pressure may indicate a fouled superheater.
High steam production and fuel flow could indicate overfiring of the burner if all other design conditions are
being met. Steam production at the design point and excessive fuel flow may be an indication of heat
transfer surface fouling or excessive leakage in the bypass damper or ductwork.
If steam side fouling is detected in the superheater, the heat recovery unit should be shut down and
sampling of the affected tubes should be performed. If the material is found to be water soluble, a hot water
wash may be performed to remove tube side deposits. If the material is not water soluble, a chemical
cleaning can be performed remove accumulated deposits.
Major Inspections
All heat recovery steam generators should be given at least one major inspection a year, or as required.
This inspection should consist of both the external and internal surfaces of the unit.
Suggested major inspection steps are:

Suggested major inspection steps are:.

After the inspection of all equipment is complete, a hydrostatic test of 1.5 times operating pressure should
be applied. A record of each inspection should be kept in a uniform manner so that any change of condition
can be noted and compared, especially in reference to corrosion, erosion, cracks, pitting, thickness of
scale, and other unusual conditions.
Dampers
Any damper, particularly a large one, will leak if the frame becomes twisted. The most likely cause of
distortion is uneven heating. After the unit has been operated, if some distortion takes place due to heating,
one method of correcting the distortion is to hammer the angle iron sealing strip to fit the disc on both the
upstream and downstream sealing surfaces.
Ductwork System
A weekly inspection should be made of the ductwork and its joints for signs of leakage during operation.
During ductwork system inspections, the stack, the upper transition, and the top of the economizer should
be inspected for corrosion due to condensation of corrosive elements contained in the exhaust gas.
Expansion Joints
Expansion joints are furnished in the ductwork system for both fired and unfired heat recovery steam
generators. These expansion joints will allow the duct system to move as the duct is heated and cooled. A
weekly inspection during operation should be made of the expansion joint and its connections to the
ductwork for leakage. Any detected leakage should be corrected as soon as possible.
Burner Systems
On heat recovery steam generators equipped with supplemental fuel firing, an inspection should be made
at least once per month on all joints and equipment installed in the gas line. Flame scanners should be
inspected monthly for cleanliness.
The degree of fouling of the scanner depends on the type of fuel used and the plant operating
characteristics. Also during this time, the fuel shut-off valves should be inspected to verify proper operation

Overfiring may be indicated by: High steam pressure and fuel flow
A minor inspection of the hot gas path should generally be made: Once or twice a year