Engineering assessment of condenser deaeration retrofits for cycling fossil plants: Final report
High dissolved oxygen levels in the condensate feedwater system contribute significantly to corrosion problems in steam generators, turbine rotor and blading, feedwater piping, feedwater heaters, and other plant equipment. While ingress of oxygen and oxidizing species into the condensate feedwater system cannot be completely eliminated due to a large number of potential air inleakage paths including air in-leakage into the condensate in the hotwell section of the condenser, oxygen levels could be kept to a minimum even at partial and no-load operation by improved condensate deaeration. The corrosion problems encountered in PWR plants, as well as those causing increased maintenance requirements and plant deterioration in cycling fossil plants are growing concerns to utilities. These concerns have motivated EPRI to investigate the causes and to seek remedies for the high dissolved oxygen levels that occur at start-up, low operating loads and shutdown. The purpose of this project was to develop the design, install and test three independent systems that could serve to reduce and maintain the low, dissolved oxygen content in the condensate of a peaking fossil unit under all operating conditions. If the results of the tests are favorable, the devices could be used at other peaking fossil plants and nuclear plants. 5 refs., 28 figs., 7 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Burns and Roe Enterprises, Inc., Oradell, NJ (USA); Bechtel National, Inc., San Francisco, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5627469
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-CS-5601; ON: TI88920161
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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