Water quality monitoring can help your facility proactively identify contamination.
Whether in a food & beverage plant, refinery, chemical processing facility, or power plant, the water needed in water-steam cycles must be ultrapure and free of organic contaminants. With the elevated temperatures and pressures in these steam generation systems, any remaining organic compounds can degrade to organic acids and accelerate corrosion. Contaminants such as sugars, cleaning agents, cooling fluids, or organic acids are often present at low levels and remain undetected.
Facilities can proactively identify contamination by implementing a total organic carbon (TOC) monitoring program, thus avoiding downtime and unnecessary spending. A robust monitoring organics monitoring is critical to maintaining cooling water quality by ensuring the inlet and outlets are free of contamination.
By monitoring organics your plant can:
- Detect contamination in heat exchangers and protect equipment
- Ensure boiler feedwater is free from organic matter thus increasing boiler efficiency
- Measure and maintain condenser performance by reducing fouling and scaling on condenser tubes
- Ensure that any source of water is treated to deliver consistent quality to boilers, cooling and process steps
To learn how your facility can get ahead of utility water contamination check out our case studies below, which highlight how total organic carbon (TOC) analysis is used to detect contamination.
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Case Studies
- European animal feed producer requires organics monitoring of hot return condensate
- Preventing improper boiler startups and associated costs using Sievers TOC Analyzers
- Sievers M5310 C TOC Analyzers ensure cooling water quality
- Colombian Sugar Mill Uses TOC to Prevent Costly Product Leaks
- Early Ethylene Glycol Leak Detection in Power Plant Steam Condensate Is Essential
- Texas Refinery Identifies the Source of Contamination and Restores Production Using Sievers InnovOx On-Line TOC Analyzer
European animal feed producer requires organics monitoring of hot return condensate
Mars GmbH, an animal feed producer in Verden, Germany, operates its boiler house in accordance with approved operating permits and harmonized European standards DIN EN 12952 and 12953, as well as former Technical Steam Directives (TRD).The manufacturer specifies that the boiler feed water and returned condensate must be free from organic contamination. While the make-up water is controlled, the returned condensate risks exposure to contamination during heat exchange, so close monitoring is required. By implementing the Sievers M9 TOC Analyzer, the manufacturer was able to monitor their condensate return on a low level over a trouble-free and maintenance-free trial period.
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Preventing improper boiler startups and associated costs using Sievers TOC Analyzers
A pinhole leak of glycol can be detrimental to the integrity of plant and process equipment. At elevated temperatures and pressures, glycol can degrade to organic acids, which can acidify the stream and lead to accelerated system corrosion. While the extent of plant aging or wall thinning is difficult to quantify, plant shutdown can cost several million dollars a day in lost revenue. Unfortunately, pH and conductivity are insufficient to detect glycol leaks from feedwater pumps and do not alert operators of degradation to organic acids until it’s too late. TOC proved to be the most valuable parameter for detecting glycol from low levels to high levels either in the lab or online. A change in TOC levels will indicate a glycol leak from the typical process levels.
Sievers M5310 C TOC Analyzers ensure cooling water quality
A large chemical manufacturer required a reliable Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzer for online cooling water monitoring. The analyzer needed to offer high uptime and accurate measurements at low TOC levels (~ 1 ppm) to meet environmental and regulatory requirements.
Colombian Sugar Mill Uses TOC to Prevent Costly Product Leaks
TOC analysis provides a simple and accurate analytical tool to detect leaks that could result in equipment damage and costly production losses. The prominent Colombian sugar mill, Ingenio Pichichi, needed to improve the monitoring and performance of its water streams. By utilizing TOC monitoring with the Sievers InnovOx Lab at critical steps, Ingenio Pichichi can achieve profit goals and maintain both environmental and operational objectives.
Early Ethylene Glycol Leak Detection in Power Plant Steam Condensate Is Essential
Fossil fuel and nuclear power plants use heat exchangers to condense processed steam back into liquid form, often using ethylene glycol as a heat transfer fluid due to its high efficiency. However, if ethylene glycol leaks into the condensate stream, it can degrade into organic acids at elevated temperatures and pressures, causing acidification and corrosion issues. Early detection of pinhole heat exchanger leaks is crucial to maintain equipment integrity. Providing two-minute resolution data, Sievers M-Series On-Line TOC Analyzer allows for quick identification and mitigation of heat exchanger leaks, preventing costly equipment damage, downtime, and environmental contamination from the toxic glycol.
Texas Refinery Identifies the Source of Contamination and Restores Production Using Sievers InnovOx On-Line TOC Analyzer
A major Texas refinery experienced steam condensate contamination and severe boiler fouling, which lead to an unplanned shutdown and significant financial impacts. Upon review, the refinery found its grab sampling and lab analysis methods for monitoring organic contamination were inadequate and under-reported values. Samples cooled during transport, allowing hydrocarbons to volatilize and separate. By implementing the Sievers InnovOx On-Line Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzer, which provides real-time contamination alerts, the refinery was able to protect their assets, reduce system downtime, and optimize water reuse by accurately assessing condensate quality.
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European animal feed producer requires organics monitoring of hot return condensate
European animal feed producer requires organics monitoring of hot return condensate
Mars GmbH, an animal feed producer in Verden, Germany, operates its boiler house in accordance with approved operating permits and harmonized European standards DIN EN 12952 and 12953, as well as former Technical Steam Directives (TRD).The manufacturer specifies that the boiler feed water and returned condensate must be free from organic contamination. While the make-up water is controlled, the returned condensate risks exposure to contamination during heat exchange, so close monitoring is required. By implementing the Sievers M9 TOC Analyzer, the manufacturer was able to monitor their condensate return on a low level over a trouble-free and maintenance-free trial period.
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Preventing improper boiler startups and associated costs using Sievers TOC Analyzers
Preventing improper boiler startups and associated costs using Sievers TOC Analyzers
A pinhole leak of glycol can be detrimental to the integrity of plant and process equipment. At elevated temperatures and pressures, glycol can degrade to organic acids, which can acidify the stream and lead to accelerated system corrosion. While the extent of plant aging or wall thinning is difficult to quantify, plant shutdown can cost several million dollars a day in lost revenue. Unfortunately, pH and conductivity are insufficient to detect glycol leaks from feedwater pumps and do not alert operators of degradation to organic acids until it’s too late. TOC proved to be the most valuable parameter for detecting glycol from low levels to high levels either in the lab or online. A change in TOC levels will indicate a glycol leak from the typical process levels.
-
Sievers M5310 C TOC Analyzers ensure cooling water quality
Sievers M5310 C TOC Analyzers ensure cooling water quality
A large chemical manufacturer required a reliable Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzer for online cooling water monitoring. The analyzer needed to offer high uptime and accurate measurements at low TOC levels (~ 1 ppm) to meet environmental and regulatory requirements.
-
Colombian Sugar Mill Uses TOC to Prevent Costly Product Leaks
Colombian Sugar Mill Uses TOC to Prevent Costly Product Leaks
TOC analysis provides a simple and accurate analytical tool to detect leaks that could result in equipment damage and costly production losses. The prominent Colombian sugar mill, Ingenio Pichichi, needed to improve the monitoring and performance of its water streams. By utilizing TOC monitoring with the Sievers InnovOx Lab at critical steps, Ingenio Pichichi can achieve profit goals and maintain both environmental and operational objectives.
-
Early Ethylene Glycol Leak Detection in Power Plant Steam Condensate Is Essential
Early Ethylene Glycol Leak Detection in Power Plant Steam Condensate Is Essential
Fossil fuel and nuclear power plants use heat exchangers to condense processed steam back into liquid form, often using ethylene glycol as a heat transfer fluid due to its high efficiency. However, if ethylene glycol leaks into the condensate stream, it can degrade into organic acids at elevated temperatures and pressures, causing acidification and corrosion issues. Early detection of pinhole heat exchanger leaks is crucial to maintain equipment integrity. Providing two-minute resolution data, Sievers M-Series On-Line TOC Analyzer allows for quick identification and mitigation of heat exchanger leaks, preventing costly equipment damage, downtime, and environmental contamination from the toxic glycol.
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Texas Refinery Identifies the Source of Contamination and Restores Production Using Sievers InnovOx On-Line TOC Analyzer
Texas Refinery Identifies the Source of Contamination and Restores Production Using Sievers InnovOx On-Line TOC Analyzer
A major Texas refinery experienced steam condensate contamination and severe boiler fouling, which lead to an unplanned shutdown and significant financial impacts. Upon review, the refinery found its grab sampling and lab analysis methods for monitoring organic contamination were inadequate and under-reported values. Samples cooled during transport, allowing hydrocarbons to volatilize and separate. By implementing the Sievers InnovOx On-Line Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzer, which provides real-time contamination alerts, the refinery was able to protect their assets, reduce system downtime, and optimize water reuse by accurately assessing condensate quality.