VolSteamBlow™

Temporary piping is used to exhaust the steam generated by operation of the gas turbines to the condenser and specialized equipment is used for safe discharge and protection of both air cooled condensers and surface condensers. The initial steam generated during the initial operation of the gas turbines will be highly contaminated. Temporary piping and an atmospheric silencer allow this initial exhaust steam to be discharged safely to the atmosphere. Within a short time however, the cleanliness of the steam exhausted from the plant will begin to improve. Once the conductivity of the steam condensate has been reduced to levels appropriate for return to the HRSGs, steam will begin to be safely discharged to the condenser using appropriate specialized equipment. The steam exhausted to the condenser will be used to flush and passivate the condenser metal surfaces.
Under the VolSteamBlow™ protocol, excess condensate is used to wash the steam being discharged to the condenser. Both insoluble particulate contaminations as well as steam soluble contaminants are coalesced into this excess wash condensate.
Temporary pumps and filters are used to treat this wash condensate and maintain the temperature of the steam exhausted to the ACC within the manufacturers design limits. The VolSteamBlow™ temporary piping and condensate systems will be capable of supporting operation of the gas turbines up to their individual base load condition. Once all of the steam generated by the HRSGs is diverted to the condenser, Volatile chemical treatment chemistry is added to the supplied demin water. This chemical treatment is specifically designed to increase the rate of silica and other steam soluble contaminants from the plant steam cycle. This chemical treatment in addition to the higher operation temperatures generated in the HRSGs during the VolSteamBlow™ allow the steam cycle chemistry to be significantly improved over the course of the VolSteamBlow™.
The steam cycle will be rid of all particulate and most steam soluble contamination in the shortest possible time. Past experience has shown that clean targets and clean return condensate from the condenser will be achieved in the five days typically required to complete the gas turbine initial operation sequence. Since so many activities are accomplished in this coordinated procedure, project schedules will typically see a net reduction of at least twenty days in commissioning duration.
The VolSteamBlow™ process can be applied to Single-Shaft or Dual Shaft systems, with Air Cooled Condensers or Surface Condensers, multiple fuel types including solid fuel systems & Solar. The process also includes the ability to add a temporary cascading bypass system, when needed.
Summary of Process Advantages:
- Combustion Turbine tuning performed at full load on the plant during VolSteamBlow
- Condensate is cleaned, treated and reinvested back into the plant system
- CFR's (Cleaning Force ratio's) are far above accepted practices
- Steam seals cleaned and in service during the steam blow.
- Silica and conductivity are driven to lowest possible levels
- Condenser fully commissioned and ready at completion
- After initial “dirty” blow, everything is blown to the condenser so water is almost 100% recovered.
- Commissioning Fuel cost is eliminated because all the work achieved is less than would be needed for steam blow and post steam blow testing.
- Proprietary equipment is provided that gives specific protection to the Condenser and the STG
- By addressing the temperature and pH we dramatically affect and reduce the time it takes to achieve steam purity.
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