THERMAL POWER PLANT
CHEMISTRY
Deepak Das
Dy. Director
NPTI (ER), Durgapur
March, 2003PREFACE
“Water is our most abundant raw material end in its natural state, one of the purest. All
the same, for many industrial uses the available water is still not pure.enough and
therefore some impurity or the other has to be treated or removed in order to make it fit
for.use. Varied impurities such as suspended, colloidal, organic, and also hardness due
{to calcium, magnesium salts etc., are common requiring treatment.
‘Also water has some most unusual properties when compared with other fluids.
Engineers are familar with ils latent heat, which means that a kg of steam carries more
‘energy than any other vapourised liquid. Its main interest to engineers/chemists lies in its
‘excellent properties as 2 solvent, and the fact that it is a powerful ‘polar solvent’, which
means that the substances dissolved in it ionize readily, The most outstanding property
from the industrialist’s point of view is its cheapness and its utmost usability. Therefore
water and steam are distinct resources par excellence, inaddition to coal in running
thermal power piants.
With the increase in unit sizes and weighing economic considerations and technology
advancements for precise measurements of impurities, manufacturers have long seen
the impact on their machines and the damage caused thereby prescribing the
acceptable levels. in Boilers intensively used heat surfaces lose efficiency much more
rapidly with slight scale formation making ‘them vulnerable to the resultant overheating.
Collection of samples and on-line monitoring and analysis provides insights into
corrective and pre-emptive actions. Stringent chemical controls are therefore to be
exercised and the strategic role played by chemistry has become evan more critical.
The author of the book Shri Deepak Das is a Dy. Director at NPT Eastem Region
Institute, Durgapur with several years of proven experience lo his credit before taking up
{raining as a profession. Shri Das has written the manual in the Indian context to give
power plant engineers and chemists an easy assimilation of the requirements of the
chemical technology weaving into present day stringent engineering practices. The
second edition of this manual comes with improved and enhanced contents, including
chapter on handling of chemicals and safety aptly fiting into the context of NPT
acquiring ISO 14001 Certification, Water treatment, Corrosion, Ctiemical cleaning of the
Boiler internal surfaces, Coal & Oil combustion, Fire side deposits etc., have all been
{trealed from the engineering practices point of view. | also wish to place on record the
efforts taken by Shri S.M. Khan, Senior Manager (Chemistry), NTPC, Badarpur Thermal
Power Station in vetting this material and the contributions of Shri J.K. Loyal, Dy.
Director, NPT! Corporate Office.
Shri C.S. Malik, Principal Director, NPTI, Eastem Region, Durgapur has been a guiding
strength behind this edition extending his good offices wholeheartedly.
‘Suggestions from all the users for improvements/additions are most welcome.
Prectaced.
March, 2003 (Or. B.S.K Naidu)
Faridabad Director GeneralCONTENTS
CHAPTER-1 WATER TREATMENT o1
CHAPTER-2 CORROSION 37
CHAPTER-3 INTERNAL CORROSION 53
CHAPTER-4 : CHEMICAL CONTROL OF
WATER AND STEAM 59
CHAPTER: 5 CHEMICAL CLEANING 78
t CHAPTER-6 STATOR COOLING WATER 88
CHAPTER-7 COOLING WATER 94
CHAPTER-8, PRESERVATION OF STEAM AND
i WATER CIRCUIT DURING IDLE TIME 102
| CHAPTER-9 COAL FOR THERMAL POWER STATION 104
CHAPTER-10 COMBUSTION 116
: CHAPTER-11 OILS 123
i CHAPTER-12 CORROSION AND DEPOSITS FIRE SIDE 144
: CHAPTER-13 CHEMICALS AND SAFETY 157
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Publication of CEGB, BHEL, ION EXCHANGE, THERMAX, DUEPLAN, IOC,
CFRI & lecture notes of eminent guest faculty were of great help in
preparation of this Manual.
The author extends his sincere thanks to all of them