Water Testing for the Power Generation Industry
Water testing is vital to the power generation industry. Coal, gas, and nuclear power plants all use fuel to generate steam that is used to turn large turbines that generate electricity. Strict water quality must be maintained in order to stay efficient and prevent damage to the boilers and turbines. Scale build-up and corrosion are the two biggest concerns for a power plant. They can make processes less efficient which increases cost or even worse results in catastrophic failure. Regular testing of water quality can prevent expensive maintenance, reduce down time, and extend the life of equipment.
Common Water Quality Measurements in Power Generation
AquaPhoenix industrial water testing products are used throughout the power generation industry to monitor deposit-forming and corrosive elements in water and to monitor biocides and corrosion inhibitors.
Dissolved Oxygen or DO, is one of the most important water quality parameters to control in a boiler system. It is the primary corrosive agent of steam-generating systems. Even low concentrations of DO can be highly destructive, causing localized corrosion and pitting of metal system components. AquaPhoenix is the source supplier of the test kits specified in ASTM D5543-15, Standard Test Method for Low-Level Dissolved Oxygen in Water. Dissolved Oxygen CHEMets® ampoules are perfect for use as the primary ASTM water testing method for dissolved oxygen or to verify readings obtained from online equipment.
Other water quality parameters of interest include
- Ammonia
- Alkalinity
- Carbohydrazide
- Chlorine
- Copper
- DEHA
- Hardness
- Hydrazine
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Iron
- Molybdate
- Phosphate
- Silica
- Sulfate
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
- Zinc
