PROCESS ANALYTICS

Cooling Tower Monitoring

In a wide range of industrial sectors, cooling towers are used to dissipate process heat from cooling circuits.

Mineral deposits and corrosion reduce their efficiency and lead to premature wear on plant parts. Further, lime or corrosion deposits offer a platform for organic material and biofilm. As a result, colonization by Legionella bacteria can lead to the contamination of plant parts and serious health hazards, for example. In order to avoid unplanned downtime, the expensive plants must be carefully maintained.

Chemistry

Energy

Reliable Process Measurements Prevent Downtime

In order to prevent mineral incrustations on plant parts, the pH value of the water in cooling towers is regulated by the addition of acids like sulfuric acid. They neutralize or dissolve the alkaline calcium carbonate in the cooling water to prevent lime deposits, which have a negative effect on heat exchange and therefore, the efficiency of the cooling plant. Monitoring pH regulation with digital Memosens sensors like SE555 minimizes corrosive effects and enables process breakthroughs to be detected early on.

Metering equipment feeds oxidizing agents in a controlled manner into cooling towers in order to disinfect the water and pipe surfaces. The concentration of the oxidizing agent (typically sodium hypochlorite) in the water is monitored by using ORP sensors to measure the oxidation/redox potential. The quantity of oxidizing agent required to completely disinfect the cooling tower is based on the measurement. The Memosens SE565 ORP sensor featuring measurements with high precision and repeat accuracy is used for these processes. It is designed for hygienic processes and sterile applications.

The purpose of desalination is to reduce the salt content in the cooling system by removing minerally enriched cooling water and supplying water with a minimum salt content to the system. This is why automated desalination requires conductivity measurements that provide information about the salt content of the water.

The Memosens SE630 sensor made of non-corrosive material measures contacting conductivity up to 20 mS/cm. The robust design of the sensor ensures a long service life – even in high pressure and temperature ranges.

Since the connections of conventional analog sensors are usually not watertight, using them in moist environments like cooling towers is a challenge. This is why manufacturers of analog products encapsulate the connecting cable in the sensor – with the consequence that users must remove the cable at the transmitter during sensor replacement.

Thanks to their contact-free, fully moisture-proof transmission of measured values, these circumstances are eliminated

with Memosens sensors. Because the sensor coupling inductively transmits data between the sensor and the cable, these sensors can also be plugged in under water.

Memosens technology makes it possible to pre-calibrate the sensors under ideal conditions in the laboratory and then have them replaced on site – even by untrained personnel. Memosens couplings are available for pH/ORP, dissolved oxygen, and contacting conductivity sensors. Knick recommends using the industrial transmitters in the Stratos series

Return on Investment

Use Memosens technology to reduce the time and money you spend on maintaining and repairing your measuring loops: By using the Memosens SE555, SE565 and SE630 sensors and transmitters in the Stratos series, you significantly reduce the frequency of necessary calibration and sensor replacements – and with this, the number of sensors that you hold in reserve. At the same time, simplified maintenance reduces personnel costs.
Automated monitoring and regulation of the chemical sequences in the cooling circuit not only reduces cost-intensive corrosion damage, but also reduces the amount of water and chemicals required for maintenance. As a result, the entire plant has a longer service life.

Associated Products

Product number:

SE555X/1-NMSN

SE565 ORP Sensor | Memosens | 120 mm | Ex | For hygienic processes and sterile applications

Product number:

SE565X/1-NMSN

SE630 Conductivity Sensor | 2 Graphite electrodes | Memosens | NPT 1 | Measurement of conductivities up to 20 mS/cm

Product number:

SE630N-N1MSYB0M

Stratos Multi E471N Multiparameter Transmitter | Memosens/Analog Sensors | 2-Channel |EtherNet/IP | 2x 4…20 mA Outputs

Product number:

E471N.010

Associated Industries and Applications

Energy

In power plants, water is used in many processes with completely different requirements: for example, for steam generation, cooling, and flue gas scrubbing.

Chemistry

The chemicals industry is characterized by an extremely wide variety of applications, often in toxic and explosive environments.

Pulp and Paper Production

Many measuring loops in pulp production are located in environments in which technical personnel must spend as little time as possible.

Breakthrough Detection for Heat Exchangers

Heat exchangers are used when liquid process media need to be cooled and/or dissipated heat needs to be recovered for other processes.

pH Measurements in the Dye Synthesis of Azo Dyes

In terms of numbers, azo dyes are the largest group of synthetic dyes. They are used as food dyes, paint dyes, primary colors for 4-color printing (yellow and magenta), and on a massive scale, as textile dyes.

Ion Exchanger Systems

Measurement of pH values, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity in boiler feed water, steam, and condensate in combined gas turbines in power plants.

Boiler Feed Water Circuits

Measurement of pH values, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity as key parameters in the boiler feed water circuit.

Cooling Water Systems

Measurement of pH value, redox potential, and conductivity in cooling water, which has to be continuously treated with acid and biocides.

Monitoring Steam Generators

Since steam generators fulfill application-critical functions and the cost of their downtime or replacement is extremely high, damage caused by wear should be prevented by monitoring water quality.

Flue Gas Desulfurization

pH value measurement in the pre-scrubber, the neutralization phase, and the lime scrubber as part of the flue gas desulfurization process in power plants.

Combined Cycle Power Plants

Measurement of pH values, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity in boiler feed water, steam, and condensate in combined gas turbines in power plants.

Water Treatment Systems

Measurement of pH value, dissolved oxygen, and redox potential in various applications during the water treatment process of power plant wastewater.

Reverse Osmosis Systems

Reverse osmosis systems are used for water treatment in a wide range of industrial applications. The main application is industrial saltwater desalination.

Energy Industry Brochure

Overview of energy-specific applications and product solutions

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