Westinghouse Electric Corporation

David F Pensenstadler

William A Byers

Gerald L Carlson

Steven H Peterson

Warren E Snider

Michael J Wootten

James E Richards

A system for automatically sampling, monitoring and analyzing power plant steam cycle water supplied from various points in a power plant steam cycle system as a plurality of influent fluid sample streams. A continuous monitor module including continuous on-line monitors and a calibration unit provides continuous on-line monitoring of each influent fluid sample stream, and an ion chromatograph unit provides semi-continuous monitoring of a selected one of the influent fluid sample streams. Each calibration unit is operable to condition the corresponding influent fluid sample stream to provide a conditioned influent fluid sample stream having predetermined chemical characteristics; the continuous on-line monitors are calibrated with respect to the predetermined chemical characteristics of the corresponding conditioned influent fluid sample stream and the ion chromatograph unit is calibrated with respect to the predetermined chemical characteristics of the selected conditioned influent fluid sample stream supplied thereto. A control unit receives signals representative of the monitored chemical characteristics from the continuous on-line monitors and the ion chromatograph unit and uses these signals in a feedback loop to control the monitoring system and to detect, analyze and correct steam cycle water chemistry changes before corrosion or other problems related to water chemistry imbalances. The control unit controls the monitoring system by determining the sequence in which the plural influent fluid sample streams are supplied to the ion chromatograph unit, controlling the monitoring performed by the ion chromatograph unit, and automatically calibrating the continuous on-line monitors and the ion chromatograph unit.

Automatic on-line chemistry monitoring system

An on-line calibration system for calibrating chemical monitors which monitor a selected chemical characteristics of a fluid sample stream, including a conditioning system for conditioning an influent fluid sample stream to produce a conditioned fluid sample stream having a predetermined level of the selected chemical characteristic. By exposing a sensor of the monitor to the conditioned fluid sample stream and calibrating the response of the sensor with respect to the predetermined level of the selected chemical characteristic in the conditioned fluid sample stream, this calibration system eliminates the effects on the response of the sensor of any ionic species in the fluid sample stream which do not affect the chemical characteristic being monitored. The on-line calibration system also includes a system which is selectively operable to establish first and second fluid sample stream flow paths, the first flow path providing the influent fluid sample stream to the detector for monitoring of the selected chemical characteristic, and the second flow path providing the influent fluid sample stream to the conditioning system and the conditioned fluid sample stream to the detector for calibrating the monitor.

On-line calibration system for chemical monitors

Apparatus for sampling water or steam condensate in a steam turbine system includes a plurality of lines connected to receive fluid samples from various points in the system for delivering a selected sample to an analyzer through a valving arrangement. The valving arrangement and analyzer are under control of a microprocessor which has a set of stored instructions governing the random selection of which lines are to be selected for sampling. The selection may be interrupted as a result of the analysis whereas the result of abnormal fluid conditions in a particular line is determined by sensors provided in each line. The valves are of the type which provide for continuous fluid flow therethrough so that a fluid sample if selected will be provided to the analyzer and all those not selected will be returned back to the steam turbine system for reuse.

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North Huntingdon, PA, United States of America

David F Pensenstadler