pwr_october-2024 - 35

Period
On-peak (Full load)
Off-peak (70% Load)
Before
1.6
2.1
After
1.1
1.6
WATER TREATMENT
Gain
0.5
0.5
Table 1. Backpressure can adversely affect heat rate and power output, leading to decreased
revenue and increased operational costs for a plant. Backpressure values (in Kilopascal [kPa])
are shown in this table before and after a vacuum pump problem was corrected at a plant in
Thailand. Source: Nalco Water
2. A field service associate completes an inspection.
Courtesy: Nalco Water
Subsequent
deposit
analysis
confirmed
what the Nalco Water technology
had predicted: an iron-silica scale caused
by elevated levels of contaminants associated
with the recent startup and the
new well-water source. The data collected,
transmitted, and analyzed by the
Nalco Water team helped the plant engineering
staff understand how this event
happened and recommend corrective actions
to prevent its recurrence. By using a
holistic approach to analyze the insights,
Nalco Water identified a potential value of
$3.3 million in improved productivity and
reduced maintenance costs, if the plant
implemented critical improvements.
Using Digital Intelligence to Increase
Power Plant Output
In another example, Nalco Water used
digital intelligence to help a combined
cycle power plant increase megawatt
output. Based in Thailand, the 125-MW
plant contributes electricity to a local
power grid, as well as steam to industrial
businesses. The plant consists of
two identical blocks, using natural gas
as fuel. Like most combined cycle units,
the plant's surface condensers are central
to its production efficiency, needing
to operate as designed to maximize profitability,
minimize fuel costs, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
Plant operators contacted Nalco Water
to conduct an extensive plant survey.
While conducting the survey, engineers
found a discrepancy in vacuum pressure
between two condensers, despite
similar operational conditions. The difference
between the condensers resulted
in backpressure penalties that adversely
affected heat rate and power output-
leading to decreased revenue and increased
operational costs for the plant.
Nalco Water introduced a digital solution,
OMNI Condenser Intelligence, powered
by ECOLAB3D, to evaluate the performance
of each condenser and pinpoint
the underlying issues.
The issue was found to be in the vacOctober
2024 | POWER
uum pump system of the condenser. The
plant maintained two vacuum pumps, one
operating and one on standby. Nalco Water
noticed that one of the vacuum pumps
caused more backpressure than the other.
Based on the insights generated from
the pumps, the plant conducted a twomonth
trial, exclusively using the pump
that caused less backpressure. Nalco Water
used OMNI Condenser Intelligence to
monitor and analyze performance, and to
quantify the impact of the change.
Through the trial, the plant and Nalco
Water concluded that the vacuum with
more backpressure caused performance
degradation when in use. Specifically,
the analysis indicated that the average
backpressure penalty was reduced by
0.5 kiloPascal absolute (kPa) during both
off-peak (70% load) and on-peak (full
load) operations, as illustrated in Table 1.
Nalco Water collaborated with the
plant efficiency engineer to estimate the
actual megawatt increase during the trial
for both on-peak and off-peak periods.
Based on their calculations, the team estimated
that the plant could increase output
by 1,100 MW per year, equivalent to
$91,000 annually in increased revenue.
The Power of an All-Encompassing
Approach
Nalco Water approaches cooling water
operations with the end-to-end experience
in mind. By looking holistically
at plant processes, the company can
help manage performance and support
key business drivers, like sustainability.
To bring together innovations like enhanced
automation, sensing, and intelligence,
and pair them with innovative
chemistry treatments, Nalco Water recently
launched the Premium Cooling
Water Program. The program takes an
integrated approach to help power plants
optimizing cooling water operations, addressing
water quality and scale control
through the following:
■ Real-Time and Predictive Asset Intelligence.
Available for multiple types
of assets, like heat exchangers, condensers,
air separation units, and
steel contact systems, Nalco Water's
digital solutions help protect asset
www.powermag.com
life and maximize system uptime. Using
historical and real-time data from
multiple sources, and leveraging predictive
analytics, the solutions help operators
identify and address potential
mechanical, operational, and chemical
issues early to minimize unplanned
downtime and maintenance.
■ Automation and Deposit Sensing Technology.
Nalco Water uses automation to
detect cooling water variability and determine
potential corrective actions to
deliver optimized water treatment. The
system features an enhanced all-in-one
controller with a touchscreen user interface
and deposit sensing technology.
The system also connects to the Ecolab
Global Intelligence Center, a network of
remote monitoring specialists who provide
24/7/365 support at six intelligence
centers worldwide.
■ Premium
Chemistry Products
for
Scale and Corrosion Control. Nalco
Water offers a variety of low-phosphorous
and non-metal products formulated
to help optimize operations while
also complying with regulations. The
solutions help operators balance performance
with sustainability by contributing
to less phosphate and metal
discharge into the environment.
By combining automation and predictive
insights with innovation and a global
expert ecosystem of engineers and service
specialists, Nalco Water aims to
help increase system uptime, reduce
water and energy use, and maximize
productivity. " As industries worldwide
face pressure to maintain cost-effective
performance while moving toward sustainability
targets, our Premium Cooling
Water Program emerges as a crucial
solution that can help customers prioritize
both, " said Jeff Bulischeck, executive
vice president and general manager
of Global Heavy Water at Nalco Water.
" Through this program, Nalco Water can
deliver comprehensive customer value
enabled by best-in-class digital technology
and expertise. " ■
-Chad Williams is director of Marketing,
Global Power for Nalco Water,
an Ecolab company.
35

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