Prediction of Condenser Fouling in Thermoelectric Power Plant Cooling Systems

The thermoelectric power industry in the U.S. uses a large amount of fresh water. As available freshwater for use in thermoelectric power production becomes increasingly limited, use of nontraditional water sources is of growing interest. Utilization of nontraditional water, in cooling systems increases the potential for mineral precipitation on heat exchanger surfaces. In that regard, predicting the accelerated rate of scaling and fouling in condenser is crucial to evaluate the condenser performance. To achieve this goal, water chemistry should be incorporated in cooling system modeling and simulation.

This paper provides a model to estimate the rate of fouling in a recirculating cooling loop as a function of makeup water quality and operational conditions. Detail modeling of salts precipitation in condenser and volatile species desorption in cooling tower is presented. The model developed herein is used to perform case studies of various makeup water quality and treatment strategies to provide insight into the ramifications of degraded water use in the cooling loops of thermoelectric power plants.