Lesson 16: Lab Flashcards
- What two types of water do we normally run tests on?
Circulating water and Boiler water
- What is the control range for Boiler Feed water and Boiler Brine PH?
9.2 to 9.6 pH
- If the PH is low on Boiler Feed Water and/or Boiler Brine what should you do?
Check ammonia bottles.
Make sure they’re not empty and valved in.
Make sure the ammonia valves going into condensate pipes under condenser are valved in
Consult the chemist or shift supervisor before valving more into the system.
- If the PH is very low on Boiler water such as in a condenser tube leak situation, what possible actions would you take?
Check Analyzers
Run a hand test for Boiler pH
Add TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) if the pH is low enough
Consult chemist or supervisor
- If we get a Condenser tube leak, why does the sodium in Boiler water go high?
Circulating water has higher sodium content so it will contaminate the condensate.
- If the PH is high on Boiler water what corrective action should be taken?
Check ammonia valve position and verify it’s in Auto Make sure ammonia bottle isn't empty Open the Air Ejector drains Consult CRO or supervisor, Possibly open boiler blowdown more
- What do we use to determine if Silica is within range on Boiler water tests?
Low Silica water test and the Silica conversion chart
- What is the control range of Boiler Brine Silica?
100 ppm
- Why do we need to control silica?
High levels of Silica could damage the turbine blades due to carryover.
- If O2 goes high in boiler water what could be the cause?
Air entering the Gland Seal vents on the condensate pumps, booster pumps, or the low-pressure heater drain pumps.
- If you add Di-Sodium Phosphate to boiler water what does it do? Tri-sodium Phosphate?
Di-Sodium Phosphate lowers pH
Tri-Sodium Phosphate raises pH
- Why do we want to control Oxygen in boiler water?
To prevent oxidation/corrosion inside the boiler, drum and feedwater heaters.
- What do we use to control Silica in boiler water?
Small/Big Boiler Blowdown and the Recovery system.
- What should you do if the REAGENTS LOW alarm comes in on one of the analyzers?
Contact the chemist and shift supervisor.
- How many block valves have to be put in service to feed ammonia and where are they?
7 total block valves
3 near the bottles
4 at the control valve
- What can happen if the small boiler blow down is opened to far?
Silica could be carried over into the saturated steam.
- As a last resort, if the Blow down Recovery Storage Tank becomes full and is going to run over, what action should you take?
Contact your supervisor about opening a drain valve on the storage tank.
- What parameters do we use when looking at the Cal/Sulf. Curve?
Calcium Hardness and Sulfate solubility factor
- What is the Cal/Sulf. Curve used for?
The curve is used to determine the blowdown setting on the CT.
- What should you do before using the PH meter?
Place the meter in buffer solution then calibrate it.
Remove probe from buffer solution and clean with condensate before use
- After getting a Boiler water PH reading on the PH meter what else should you do to accurately determine correct PH?
Use the Temperature Correction chart to add/subtract from the reading.
- What is the control range for Cooling Tower PH?
7.7 to 7.9
- What is used to control Cooling Tower PH?
Sulfuric Acid
- What Titration Tests do we run on the Cooling Tower water?
M-Alk, Chlorides, Calcium Hardness and Total Hardness
- What is the control range for Chlorides in the Cooling Tower water?
Unit #1 – Less than 2000
Unit #2 – Less than 2300
Unit #3 – Less than 2300 if Injection well is off, 3000 if its running.
- How do we determine if the Calcium Hardness or Sulfides are out of range?
Calcium/Sulfate Curve chart
- What is the control range for the Cooling Tower water PO4 (phosphates)?
Less than 15 ppm
- What is the control range for the Cooling Tower water Silica?
Less than 150 ppm
- What effects does adding Sulfuric acid have on Cooling Tower water?
Sulfuric acid lowers the pH.
- What would you do If both Chlorides were high and the Cal/Sulf Curve were out of range?
Increase the cooling tower blowdown
- Where is the injection point of both the Ammonia and Hydrazine?
Near the Hotwell into the Condensate Discharge lines
- Why do we want to maintain Ideal water conditions in the Cooling Tower water?
To prevent scaling, fouling or biological growth inside the Condenser.
To prevent a loss of heat transfer.
- If the Cal/Sulf curve is high what action should you take?
Increase the Blowdown setting.
- If the Chlorides are low what action should you take?
Decrease the Blowdown setting.
- What is the purpose of the Cooling Tower fans?
To remove heat from the Circ. water.
- Where would you reset a vibration trip on a Cooling Tower Fan?
At the fan motor’s panel.
- Where are the Cooling tower make-up pumps and valves located?
Unit #1 and 2 make up pumps are at the West lagoon. Unit #3 make up pump is at the East lagoon.
Unit#1 make up valve is on the East side of its cooling tower.
Unit #2 make up valve is behind the CT switchgear room.
Unit #3 make up valve is in its Circ Pump room on the north wall.
- If the level becomes low in the Cooling Tower what actions should be taken?
Verify Makeup pumps are valved in and operational.
Increase flow from Makeup pumps
Decrease CT blowdown if possible
- How can the condensate on one unit contaminate the condensate on another unit and what can be done to prevent this?
If the Recovery valve is open on another unit or
tie valves are not shut
then it can flow into the condensate tank of the other unit.
- What should you check in the water sample rooms?
Check for leaks
Check for alarms
Analyzer flow
Check chemical bottle levels
- What should you do with the reagent bottles after running your tests?
Refill the bottles
- What should be done with the spectrophotometer after running each timed test?
It should be rinsed out with condensate.
- What does CRMWA stand for?
Canadian River Municipal Water Authority
- What is condensate and where does it come from?
Condensate is treated water that Nichols processes through reverse osmosis.
- What are some of the possible actions that we may have to take in the event of a Condenser Tube leak?
Add TSP with supervision from chemist/supervisor
Monitor lab analyzers
Run hand tests to verify analyzer readings
Possibly lower load or trip the unit
- Besides the fact that the boiler water can become contaminated, why is it very important to identify a condenser tube leak as soon as possible?
Contaminated water could increase carryover which will damage the turbine blades.
