Electrochemical corrosion behavior and film characteristics were investigated in simulated all-volatile treatment (AVT) waters containing both sulfate (SO₄^2–) and chloride (Cl–) for 13Cr, 16Cr-4Ni, 3.5NiCrMoV and high-purity 9CrMoV steels of low-pressure (LP) steam turbines in power plants. Concerning the 13Cr, 16Cr-4Ni and high-purity 9CrMoV steels, the corrosion pit growth proceeded with an increasing content of SO₄^2– up to 50 mg · kg^–1 in the test water with 100 mg · kg–1 Cl–, although a SO42– concentration above 50 mg · kg^–1 in the test water suppressed the corrosion pit growth due to the combined effect of Cl– and SO₄^2–. No corrosion pits occurred for 3.5NiCrMoV steel, which showed predominantly general corrosion in the test waters with Cl– and SO₄^2–. It is concluded that both the heat-treatment-improved 16Cr-4Ni steel for blades and the newly developed high-purity 9CrMoV steel for rotors have a high resistance to pitting corrosion.

The heat transfer coefficients during pool boiling of water at steel heating surfaces are subject to irreversible temporal changes. The influence of the responsible physicochemical processes on the steel surface was investigated by thermo-technical measurements in a special apparatus using conditioned water. For this purpose an oxide layer, whose surface structure, composition and thickness vary with the respective kind of treatment, was generated on steel tube samples under specified conditions.

Due to their surface activity, film-forming amine-based organic corrosion inhibitors feature a theoretical improvement potential regarding the heat transfer in nucleate boiling at steel heating surfaces. The intensifying impact of these filming agents on bubble evaporation during pool boiling compared to a classic water treatment was quantified in long-term tests. The impact of the corresponding conditioning program was examined and characterised by means of analytical methods. Significantly higher heat transmission coefficients were determined for film-forming amine treated tubes as compared to classic conditioning.

This contribution gives an overview of the Cetamine® Symposium "Film-Forming Amines in Plant Cycles" held in Essen, Germany, on May 19, 2010. Brief summaries of all the presentations at the symposium are given.

Over the past 20 years the main components of power plants such as gas turbines, steam turbines, boilers, and plant control systems have been continuously improved. Strangely, during the same period an auxiliary system with interfaces to several of these main components has hardly seen any changes: the steam/water sampling and analysis system (SWAS).

For engineering, procurement, and construction contractors and boiler manufacturers, it is still common practice to specify designs which are out of date. Neither the changed requirements of modern power plants nor the possibilities offered by state-of-the-art online instrumentation are taken into account.

With a broad palette of sampling system examples from around the world, the most common SWAS design "sins" are illustrated. Alternatives presented illustrate that a water/steam sampling system does not have to be a purgatory for the plant chemist and that reliable measurements, ease of maintenance and low cost of ownership can be achieved.

The applicability of using underwater acoustic sensors in polisher separation regeneration vessels for measuring polisher resin total levels and resin interface levels was determined on Eraring Energy's polishing regeneration plant. Ascertaining the total resin volumes and resin interface levels at certain stages of the resin regeneration process in the polisher separation vessels is extremely important. Total volumes need to be checked at early stages of the regeneration process to ensure the hydraulically transported resin has not remained in the pipework or service vessels. Interface levels of the resins are important to prevent cross-contamination of either the cation or anion resin by regenerant chemicals.

Verification of resin levels within the polisher vessels involves manual intervention and current procedures require operating staff to ascend portable steps to platform heights of 3.3 m above floor level. Eraring Energy recognised the potential for accidents to occur when staff were accessing the platforms and sought to eliminate this manual check procedure.

Investigations led Eraring Energy to trial sophisticated level detection equipment which had the capability of underwater material profiling. Eraring Energy's primary objective centred on eliminating the manual check procedure by installing detection equipment which could purposely detect and trend the total resin volumes and the resin interface levels. Accurate and reliable detection of resin levels would also permit Eraring Energy to automate the resin checking requirement and thus provide quicker turnaround times on polisher regenerations as no 'stop and hold' steps would then be required in the regeneration process control system program.

This paper details the process in investigating, sourcing and trialling a proprietary acoustic underwater sensor to determine the polisher resin total volume and interface levels in Eraring Energy's condensate polishing regeneration vessels. The outcome of the trial has provided encouraging results in regard to the instrument's capability in determining total resin volumes and this may allow Eraring Energy in the future to eliminate the safety issues from staff accessing platforms at heights. However, the instrument's failure to detect resin interface levels requires on-going fine-tuning and modifications, and Eraring Energy are implementing strategies to overcome this problem.

This paper is focused on providing a brief overview of the experiences of the Termokimik Corporation (TKC) in particulate removal by means of fabric filtration in coal-fired power plants. From the first commercial installation at the end of nineties to the most advanced filters worldwide performing in Torrevaldaliga Nord, the main design criteria and technical results are summarized. TKC experience in fabric filtration is now exceeding 40 years and covers a wide range of applications from glass factories, foundries and steel plants, blast furnaces to waste incinerators. Experience with coal-fired power plants is relatively new because only recently did several utilities start using fabric filters instead of electrostatic precipitators. In particular, ENEL, one of the most important power companies in Europe, began making extensive use of fabric filters on coal-fired boilers during the end of the nineties. Since then, TKC has accumulated more than 4 600 MW of references on coal-fired boilers.