s72018 Boiler Waterwall Tubes and Condenser Tube Leakage in Power Plants Bright Hub Engineering + Seeman fieen + tomas + Suche beeen + SechenlEpetng * Chctel Emineiog 1 ates cone tendarneefsheoy on Condenser Tube Leakage in Power Plants Affects Boiler Waterwall Tubes Condenser tube leakage in power plans using brackish water ea lead to byogen embri tube fue sna large scale The damage sometist iso spread over a waerll igh st x esa, Aeectng it becomes dificult without lng shutdowe ofthe uni nd special probe ultesone testing After expansion ina turbine, the stam ina powerplant goes to the condenser where its condensed ‘by cooling water The steam cus condensed ay waa seeled i the sym hough heaters, bales, and turbine to come tothe condenser aga. Condensers ar tubular heat wansfr arcs with scar 08 tne se, mainined under vacuum to smmprove eel efficiency, and cooing water on the other side. ‘The cooling water is hough tho tbe and stars ove the ube Condenser Leakage ‘The cooling water for a condenser canbe see wate, river wae, o tank or pond water As the cooling waters brackish water wit lot of contaminan's,and since the scam side is under Vacuum, this water cam id away ito the stem condensed water Ths cooling water mixing with condenser ‘war leads to many problems onthe boiler sds, The mein problem whes operating the Boiler with tne o more conser tbe ca is ube flrs. The comet ofthe boiler wate shoots up immediately and the pH level goes dowa, indicating the boiler water is ending to become aide Damage mechanism ‘The dewease inthe pH ofthe boiler water leads to acidic contact with tube material, and the {nferacton ofthe low pl water wih the paren: ube surface leads fo generation of nascent hydrogen, ihe hydrogen generation happens below shard deposit, which smote probable inthe high heat ‘ye region thes the pressure within the depost builds up the resting hydrogen enough to eactrate ‘he stl tbe, This nascent hydrogen combines wih carbon inthe metal suture and frre ‘methane. Methane molecules being 00 large to dfs trough hese, excessive pressure develops Within the meal stuctre, causing the metal to ruprve along the eytaline boundaries where methane has formed. This splis the gram boundary along the rytline boundaries gad makes a ‘window type opening. The tbe cracks ae primarily itrerystalie or intergranulay; the metallic soalecod becomes desarburized inthe process. This aus of the abe also called hydrogen Sazage. The main problem wih this faire i that gets spread across the water wal tubes totally an unpredictable way. Hence to find ou the regions nected in te watrwall by condenser leakage, exhaustive special probe ulcasonic testing is required. This enables mapping of rack the tubes, andthe area needing replacement is decided. Pen ater the relacement afew fares can sill cut iti very cic to map each millimeter ofthe waterwall tubes, Avoiding hydeogen embritlemes “Tova fare of waterall tubes duc to condenser leakage ‘© Constn: surveillance of condensate purity is required, which canbe done by online maitring devies. ‘9 leiepreierableo shut down the unit immediatly and attend to the condenser leakage © During the period of lage starting and shutin down ofthe unit maintain te Boler water pH bby proper dosing of chemical hits: brghthubengineering.com/power-plants/38832-condenser-tbe-leakage-Io-power-plants-affects-bollor-aterwal/‘ubes! 18si72018 Boiler Waterwall Tubes and Condenser Tube Leakage in Power Plants ‘Check the condenser ube for any possibly of leskage and to mints the condense tube internals. There are condenser tubes cleaning devises which can ensure fast cleaning ofthe tubes. ‘© Condener tubes ate more prone Zr leakages when Sea wae is wed a cooling modi, but other cess thie not uncommon ‘© Thiviype of ilar is preven boilers with aporating peste greater han 100 105 kom? and xo more cae as tobe exercised, ‘© Adapting io coontinsted pil phosphate catol will reduce the possiblity of hydrogen ertement which s due primarily tothe improved buftring of the Bole water with ‘phosphate present ‘The best way to avoid extensive darsage and replacement of wetcrwal tubes in high pressure boiler isto woid condenser tbe leakage, manain x strit water chemistry regime, maintain drum Water level withia limits, and to check the intemal deposi every five years of operation then go for post pertional aid cleaning if eaded ‘ater wal ne fled tohydrogen embritement the miro tractare neat flare About the Author De VT Sathyanathan is boiler consult with 35 years of experience in vatous areas ot high pressure boiler uouble shooting He holds a PRD in coal combustion is boilers Related Reading ‘UadersundingTube Failte ia Hie Pressure Bailes Boiler tobe flues ar inevitable, Thee re twenty-two primary reasons for tube fairs in a bor Ite toe that being forewarmod is being forcarmed. Knowledge and good operating and mainesance practice reduce tbe ales, ‘Wate Quality igh Pssst Roos ~The process fr water retment is decided dependent onthe ‘Source af wate ofthe powerplant adits quality. The evels of water quit tobe maintained depend upon the deurs operating pressure How Long Teum Overheating Tube Failures Happ in Boles - Long tem ovesheatng tbe failures ae de o operating metal terperatae of the hele fee gong above the allowable limit. Thess {ype of fare ar oem in steam cooled res like supereaters and eheatr and in water cooled Tubes of waterwall ‘ile Water and Conductiviy - Conductivity inezeas has been one ofthe prime too for oiler operator o suspect condenser tube leakage and take corrective ation. Conductivity at various locations in the plant has o be within specified limits Related Articles on this Site Caner Seach cy https: brghthubengineering.com/power:plants/38832-condenser-tube-leakage-Io-power-plants-affects-bollor-aterwal/ubes! 218si72018 Boiler Waterwall Tubes and Condenser Tube Leakage in Power Plants SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW: RELATED TOPICS: : rag Pere Fuaecrane yer anutcairgTshroay Tweets oy ge “ew Pn Engrg asin Tus ae nsoee by eres wt eincngnsna toroneers on BH Engineering {DEH Eraeerng ip dolls: STEM vs. Spars. Winer ae we fvestng? ‘oulyiniad0nGUGe eolge Recholarenps aston SIGNUP FOR EMAILS Choc sup ra sar» Atos BHEngnowng Tomer conse ue ry Paley éseine With Us Cony https: brghthubengineering.com/power:plants/38832-condenser-tube-leakage-Io-power-plants-affects-bollor-aterwal/ubes! 38