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Cationconductivitymonitoring:Arealitycheck

Cationconductivitymonitoring:Arealitycheck
05/15/2008|DavidG.Daniels,M&MEngineeringAssociatesInc.
PRINTMODE:OFF
Theoperatorsofanewcombined-cycleplantbeingrunintwo-shiftmode(on

PAGES: 1

16hours,off8)hadbecomeusedtothecationconductivitysampleofthecondensatepumpdischargebeinginalarmforawhilefollowingeachdays
start-up.Normally,afterafewhoursofoperation,thereadingdroppedtoanacceptablelimit.So,when
cationconductivitydidntdropasusualandthealarmnevercleared,aproblemwasntcaughtintime.
Scratchingtheirheadsoverthehighreading,theoperatorsguessed,Maybethecationcolumnneedstobe
replaced.
Weekslater,whathadbeenasmallcondensertubeleaksuddenlybecamebigenoughtocontaminatethe
plantsheat-recoverysteamgenerator(HRSG)andsteamturbine.Althoughthelargeleakwasquicklydetectedandtheplantshutdown,ittooknearlythreemonthstocleanupandreconditiontheturbine.Despite

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therepairs,thelong-termdamagedonetotheexpensivenewturbineisstillreallyanybodysguess.Hadthe
operatorsnotignoredthehighcationconductivityreadingatthecondensatepumpdischarge,theywould
haveknowntheyhadaproblem.Locatingandpluggingtheleakingcondensertubewouldhavebeeneasy
andwouldhaveavoidedtherepaircostsandmillionsofdollarsinlostgenerationrevenues.
Unfortunately,thiskindofstoryhasbecomecommonplace.Achangeincationconductivityhasbeenthefirst
indicationofmanyproblems,butithasbeenignoreduntilmajorcontaminationoccurs.Nevertheless,some
operatorshavesaidthatitisunnecessary(and,insomecases,impossible)tostrictlyfollowASME,EPRI,ora
turbinemanufacturersguidelinesforcationconductivity.Theircommentsmightsuggesttosomethatthe
parameterisnolongerimportant.
Tobesure,someconventionalfossilfuelfiredboilersandcombined-cycleplantshaveoperatedformany
yearswiththecationconductivityoffeedwaterorsteamatlevelswellabovewhatisconsiderednormal.Indeed,onecombined-cycleplanthasbeenrunformorethan15yearswithcationconductivitymorethanan
orderofmagnitudehigherthantherecommendedlimitof0.25S/cm(microSiemenspercentimeter)withoutcausingcorrosionorcracksinitsturbine.Hereswhythisplanthasavoidedproblems.Becauseitswater
supplyhassignificantconcentrationsofnaturallyoccurringorganiccompounds,itaddsbothorganicamines
andacarbon-containingoxygenscavenger(areducingagent)whenpreparingmakeup.
Anothercaseofunexpectedimmunityoccurredatanolderplantthatrecentlypurchaseditsfirstcationconductivityanalyzer.Followinginstallation,theunitimmediatelyindicatedahighlevelinfeedwater,andthe
cationresincolumnswereexhaustinginafewdays.Thisplantscondensershavestainlesssteeltubingthat
hasneverleaked.Ihaveregularlyinspectedtheboilers,deaerators,andotherequipmentatthisplantforseveralyears.Thesteamdrumandtubingareinexcellentcondition.Everytimetheturbineisinspected,there
arenosignsofcrackingorpitting.Asattheotherplant,theadditionsofamineandtheCO2pickedupbythe
condensatedrivefeedwaterandsteamcationconductivityhigh.

Usefulornot?
Iscationconductivitysoimportantthathighvaluesjustifytakingaunitoff-line?Orshouldtheparameterbe
ignoredinfavorofotheranalyticalchemistrytools?
BasedontheexperienceofM&MEngineeringAssociates,measuringcationconductivityremainsoneofthe
mostsensitive,simple,andreliabletoolsfordetectingsmallamountsofcontaminationinfeedwaterand
steam.Workinginconcertwithsodiumandothermonitoring,cationconductivitymonitoringcanconfirm
thatyourfeedwateriscleanenoughtobeturnedintosteamthatwontdamageyourturbine.However,
manyoperatorsfinditdifficulttointerpretcationconductivityreadings,particularlyatplantswhosesteam
generatorsusewatercontainingeithernaturallyoccurringorpurposefullyaddedorganiccompounds.
Tounderstandthedifficulty,itsimportanttoknowwhatcationconductivityisandisnot.
Actually,cationconductivityisamisnomer.Amoreprecisenamewouldbecation-exchangedconductivity,
becauseitisameasureoftheconductivityofasolutionafterithasbeenpassedthroughastrongacidcation
exchangeresin.Thisresinexchangesallthecationsinthesampleforhydrogenions.Inhigh-puritysamples
(suchasofcondensate,feedwater,orsteam),thecationexchangedisprimarilyammoniumions.Whatpasses
throughtheresinunscathedarealltheanionsinthesample.Theseareprimarilyanionsofdissolvedcarbon
dioxide(bicarbonate),theanionsofanyorganicacidssuchasformateoracetate,and(itishoped)tracesof
chlorideandsulfate.

PRINTMODE:OFF
PAGES: 1

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2 Comments

Randal Pick

Even though we have IC, GFAA, and Na analyzers I find a silica wet test provides a quick
confirmation that high cat conductivity is due to contamination from condenser tube leaks. Most
cooling waters are high in silica and the colorimetric test is very quick and extremely sensitive with a
good spectrophotometer and 50 or 100 mm cell. Like most plants we have sophisticated on-line
instrumentation (including cat conductivity), but still fall back on this old reliable technique.

Burt FitzHugh

I enjoyed your article. Having come from a companythat specialized in UPW processes, I have
strong opinions concerning analyzer selection and application. Concerning conductivity analysis, I
believe that the Thornton line is best suited for UPW and once-through cycle chemistry applications
in the electrical power industry. I am eager to see the Thornton dissolved CO2 analyzer refined to
the point of meeting the demands of this apllication - I simply do not prefer a re-boiler, for the same
reasons cited in your article.
I believe if this instrument, and the ORION chloride analyzer can be refined to meet the demands of
once-through cycle chemistry, 1 million of each could be sold over night. It is important that the
industry stay on top of these developments, as these can revolutionize the way cycle chemistry is
viewed in the electrical power industry.
Thank you again for an excellent article.

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