Water quality in thermal
power plants
Thermal power plants are at the core
of an industrial society. If this core becomes unstable
then the consequences are unpredictable. No matter whether
the power plant operates with fossil or nuclear fuel,
its safe and reliable operation must be guaranteed.
Water is at the source of all thermal power plants.
Water enables cooling, expanding water vapor drives
the turbines, and water moderates nuclear fission. In
power plants, water comes into contact with numerous
components, some of which are mentioned below:
- piping
- heat exchangers
- ion exchangers
- turbine blades
- condensers
- reactor pressure vessel
- fuel rods
The protection of these components guarantees operational
safety and reduces maintenance costs. Ion chromatography
offers the possibility of determining important monitoring
parameters. Both anions and cations
can be determined reliably in the nanogram per liter
(ppt – parts per trillion) to milligram per liter
(ppm – parts per million) concentration range. |
