Chemical Processes

Management of boiler and steam-side operations requires good understanding of corrosion mechanisms and water behaviour. Corrosion control greatly increases plant-wide equipment integrity. Continuous in-line measurement is of vital importance in battling corrosion, minimizing deposition and maximizing energy efficiency. Main areas of measurement in water preparation are:

• pH and conductivity measurement in reverse osmosis (RO)
• pH and conductivity measurement in demineralization
• pH, DO and conductivity measurement as well as sodium and silica analysis in boiler feedwater
• pH, conductivity and turbidity measurement in (re)boiler condensate

Both in batch and continuous operations where a pH, ORP, turbidity or conductivity value is critical, only real-time in-line analyses of these parameters enable fast and direct response process control; maximizing product quality, consistency, yield as well as safety. Processes that take place in gas phase are optimized and run safely with the use of in situ gas analysis based on tunable diode laser spectrometers with the smallest footprint available in the industry.

In solid-liquid separation, deteriorating filter media and overflowing centrifuges lead to off-spec product. In-line turbidity monitoring is a significant asset in both process control and in maintenance planning. Main measurement point applications in phase separation are:

• Turbidity measurement in filtration
• Turbidity measurement in centrifuges
• Measuring oxygen level in centrifuge headspace
• Liquid-liquid separation based on conductivity

Neutralization of acidic or alkaline process media and waste is common throughout industries and in applications. Whether in sour petrochemical processes and pulp and paper or in hydro-metallurgical applications in mining, measurements from robust process-resistant pH sensors ensure accurate control during these processes safeguarding yield, product quality and equipment integrity.

Cooling water systems are vulnerable to corrosion, scaling and biological contamination,and through continuous evaporation the concentration of impurities increases over time. A good water treatment program, maintaining ideal pH, ORP and conductivity levels, helps to control the water quality and to maximize the number of cooling water cycles without compromising human health or the integrity of heat exchangers and piping.