The Electricity Chemistry Workshop is now in its 33rd year. This comprehensive program features state-of-the-art information on controlling corrosion, improving operation efficiency, and meeting environmental challenges in fossil- and nuclear-fueled power plants. This year’s program is geared toward improved training and continuing education of personnel responsible for electric utility cycle and environmental chemistry.

More than 3,000 chemists, consultants, and power plant administrators have attended the workshop since its inception in 1981. The 2013 program has been developed by a committee of representatives from Midwestern Electric Utilities, the Illinois State Water Survey, the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and consultants serving the power industry.

Exhibitors include the following:

Advanced Sensors
Aquatech International Corporation
AVANTech, Inc.
Baker Hughes PMG
CHEMetrics, Inc.
Chemtrac, Inc.
Conco Systems Inc.
Day & Zimmermann
GE Power & Water
Graver Technologies
Hach
Illinois Water Technologies
Industrial Analytics Corp
LANXESS Sybron Chemicals Inc.
Layne Christensen
Martek Instruments, Inc.
Mettler-Toledo Thornton
Nalco Company
Ovivo Water
Plastocor, Inc.
Plymouth Tube Co.
Process Solutions, Carmel IN
Process Solutions, Inc., Campbell, CA
Sentry Equipment
Siemens Industry, Inc.
Solutions Inc
Swan Analytical USA
Thermo Fisher Scientific Water Analysis Instruments
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies
Waltron L.L.C.
Waters Equipment
Wolcott Water Systems, Inc

There will be some valuable presentations on treatment chemicals. Here are some of the abstracts:

Troubleshooting an Ion Exchange Unit Mixed Bed
Don Downey, Purolite
In the water treatment plant the Ion exchange mixed units can be your best friend or worst enemy. Mixed bed can provide very high quality water, for days, weeks or even months without regeneration. This means less hand on by operations allowing more time for other task. Compared to normal demin trains that could regenerate up to twice/day, operators do not retain the day to day routine of regenerating a mixed bed can become unfamiliar with how to trouble shoot problem. When a mixed bed unit does not work properly – it could take months or even years to get it back into proper operation. This paper will discuss some of the author’s +35 years of experience with trouble shoot and repairing various mixed bed system in North America. It will cover cases involving resin problems, mechanical failure inside the vessels and changes in feed water quality

Evaluating the Use of Condensate Polishers: Economic and Operational Considerations
Colleen M. Layman, HDR Engineering Inc
Today’s power plant steam-water cycles are subjected to more strenuous chemistry challenges than ever. Guidelines developed by EPRI, ASME, VGB and other organizations recommend stricter control of condensate, feedwater, and boiler/HRSG operating chemistry limits to prevent corrosion and deposition in the steam/water cycle. The power delivery market requires many units, including some that were not initially designed for such, to operate on a cycling basis and often also necessitate quick startup times. Water management practices have driven operators to cool the turbine exhaust steam with recycled water sources or increase cycles of concentration in fresh water towers. Factors such as these can make condensate polishers valuable tools in power generating facilities today. However, condensate polishers can be costly to install. They incur significant operating and maintenance costs, generate a wastewater stream which must be treated and disposed of, and require trained staff to maintain. The question of "to polish or not to polish" can be a complicated and difficult one. This paper will provide an overview of condensate polishing technologies and configurations, including the pros and cons associated with each technology and configuration. It will also provide a risk-based cost-benefit analysis to assist owners/operators in determining whether they should consider implementing condensate polishing at a new or existing facility. The paper will address situations in which each of the various types of polishers are best suited for application and discuss basic criteria for proper polisher technology selection and implementation at a power generating facility.

Manganese-Induced Pitting of Stainless Steel Piping and Heat Exchanger Tubing
George J. Licina, Structural Integrity Associates
Many power plant heat exchangers and piping systems have experienced severe degradation due to pitting beneath manganese-rich deposits.  Such failures occurred in heat exchangers tubed with copper based alloys and especially with stainless steels.  Such failures continue today. Plants that have been plagued with this problem have generally been confounded by it.  Often, the problem is incorrectly diagnosed as microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), based upon the morphology of the pits, however, the same tunneling pit morphology that is often associated with MIC of stainless steel can be produced when manganese rich deposits contact chlorinated water, whether bacteria are present or not.  As such, chlorination or increased chlorination to address a supposed MIC problem will simply exacerbate situations where manganese-induced pitting by producing an even more aggressive underdeposit environment. This paper will provide an overview of manganese-induced pitting, discuss the operative mechanisms, and provide recommendations for diagnosis and control.

Photosynthesis-Inhibiting Biocide Solves Algae Fouling Problems in Recirculating Water Systems
Jeffrey Kramer, BWA Water Additives
Cooling tower systems offer the ideal conditions for microbiological fouling: warm heat transfer surfaces, exposed to the open air, complete with sunlight.  Algae growth can accumulate on wet cooling system surfaces, particularly during the prime cooling season, thereby impeding heat transfer, leading to increased energy consumption.  Algae growth can also cause cooling tower surfaces to be slippery, creating a work safety hazard.  Even in closed loop systems where treated sanitary wastewaters and recirculating cooling water ponds are utilized to remove and dissipate unwanted heat from heat exchangers and other plant processes, it can be challenging to control algae. Many common industrial biocides applied do not offer adequate protection against algae, which is difficult to remove, particularly if low flow conditions exist in parts of the distribution system.  One specialty algaecide, terbuthylazine (TBZ), has been particularly successful at resolving algae issues in power plant cooling towers and holding ponds due to its ability to inhibit photosynthesis.  This paper will examine a field application of TBZ and the resulting impact on cooling system operations.

Novel Biocide Program Maintains Condenser Cleanliness for Power Plant
Chris Baron, Ashland Water Technologies
A zero liquid discharge power plant in New England had historically been challenged with maintaining condenser cleanliness and maximum power production as an apparent result of high iron and manganese in the cooling tower make-up. Additionally, the cooling tower operated at 40 cycles of concentration, exceeding saturation indices. Under these operating conditions, the plant had been shutting down 2 to 3 times per year to clean the condenser with significant lost efficiency in between and during cleaning cycles. Past treatment focused on inorganic oversaturation of silica, iron, and calcium.  Ashland sought to understand the fouling mechanism through the use of the OnGuard™ 2-plus analyzer, a proprietary monitoring and control system. This technology accurately simulates the steady state conditions in plant heat exchangers while revealing differentiation among various causes of fouling (e.g., sedimentation, scaling, microbiological, etc.).  This diagnostic tool was essential in validating the response to the treatment program changes before they could impact plant efficiency.  As a result, it was discovered that fouling rates were dependent on Oxidation-Reduction-Potential (ORP) and not mineral saturation.  Although traditional bio-assay slides suggested good bacterial control, the OnGuard 2-plus analyzer results indicated that the fouling mechanism was biological in nature. Based on this information, Ashland recommended a new biocide, Biosperse™ XD3899 Microbiocide.  The active, Bromide-Activated Chloramine (BAC), performs at much lower ORP relative to traditional strong oxidizers and not only stabilized, but effectively reversed the established condenser fouling.  This paper will present data correlating the optimization of the BAC treatment program with a reduction in fouling.  The plant is now setting power generating records and shows no indications of condenser fouling after six months.

Optimization and Successful Chemical Cleaning of a Supercritical Boiler
Christopher Hegger, Ameren Missouri
Since changing boiler chemistries to oxygenated treatment in the mid-90's, the once through supercritical boilers at Ameren's Sioux Energy Center have struggled with obtaining adequate boiler chemical cleans. This paper describes the procedural and equipment modifications made to the boiler chemical cleaning process, which lead to a successful clean in 2012.

Here are the Headlines for the May 3, 2013 – Utility E-Alert 

UTILITY E-ALERT 

• Lawsuit against Santee Cooper Grainger about Seepage containing Arsenic from Ash Pond
• Navajo Nation OKs Coal-fired Power Plant Lease Extension
• Power4Georgians restructures, will not Own 850 MW Washington County Power Plant
• WPL receives approval for FGD/Baghouse at Edgewater 5
• Construction to begin next Year on La Paloma Power Plant in Texas

• Hitachi to modify NTPC Rihand ESPs
• 450 MW Khanyisa Waste Coal-fired Project in South Africa delayed
• Uzbekenergo plans 450 MW Power Plant in the Namangan Region of Uzbekistan
• Groundbreaking for Jindal Steel and Power 1320 MW Captive Power Plant in Godda district, Jharkhand, India
• 1200-MW Power Plant at Matarbari, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
• BHEL to build Odisha Power Generation 2x660 MW Banharpali Units III and IV in India
• Environmental Questions about Adani/SEZ Power Project in Mundra, Gujarat, India
• Alstom to supply Equipment for 2x800 MW Gadarwara Super Thermal Power Plant in Madhya Pradesh, India
• S&L/Kiewit JV to install Emissions Controls at Petersburg and Harding St. 7

• Alliant Energy’s 600 MW Marshalltown Combined Cycle Project moving Forward
• Celanese Corp. to swap Coal Boilers for Natural Gas-fired Ones in Virginia
• We Energies plans to convert Valley to Gas-firing by 2015
• IPL to build 650 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant at Eagle Valley Station
• Vogt Power to supply HRSGs to TECO’s Polk Power Station

• Notore Partners with ContourGlobal on 500 MW Power Plant in Onne, Nigeria
• Capital Power’s Genesee Power Plant in Alberta, Canada, is Site for Proposed 900 MW Natural Gas-fired Power Plant
• EBRD Loan for 450 MW Stalowa Wola Combined Cycle Power Plant in Poland
• MPX Energia to build 56 MW Power Plant in Maranhao, Brazil
• Siemens to provide Gas Turbines for 535 MW Punta del Tigre in Uruguay100 MW Gas Turbine Power Station in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
• Meralco and Chubu Electric to build 1,500 MW LNG-fired Power Plant in Quezon, Philippines

• Altavista Power Plant reopens as Biomass-fired Plant

• Metso to modernize Automation and Field Instrumentation at Helsingin Energia’s Salmisaari Power Plants in Finland
• Industry Groups and States ask Supreme Court to Review EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Regulations

• NRC rules against NRG/Toshiba Partnership for South Texas Project
• Delays for Sizewell C and Hinckley Nuclear Power Projects in the UK
• CEZ wants New Bids from Westinghouse and Atomstroiexport for Temelin Nuclear Power Project
• Dominion to use GE Hitachi Reactor if it builds North Anna 3
• MHI and Areva to build 4,800 MW Sinop Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey
• Experts divided on Controversial Longmen Nuclear Power Plant in Taiwan
• Slower Growth drives Duke Energy to suspend Plans for Harris Nuclear Power Plant Expansion

• Nigeria offers to sell 500 MW Omotosho Power Plant to Chinese Firm
• Minister of Energy says Mongolia to be Energy Self-sufficient by 2014
• Electric Power May 14-16 - Rosemont
• Investment in Refurbishing and Maintaining Coal-fired Power Plants will Increase by 40 Percent over the Next Five Years

• Asian Market for Stationary and Mobile Catalytic System Revenues to Approach $12 Billion this Year

• "Fossil-fired Power Industry Water Flow and Treatment Issues and Markets" was Hot Topic Hour on May 2, 2013
• "Clean Coal Technologies" will be the subject of the Hot Topic Hour on May 9, 2013
• Upcoming Hot Topic Hours

For more information on the Utility Tracking System, click on: http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72