Date of Completion

8-11-2017

Embargo Period

8-11-2017

Keywords

ion exchange, condensate polishing

Major Advisor

Richard Parnas

Associate Advisor

Jeffrey McCutcheon

Associate Advisor

Douglas Adamson

Associate Advisor

Daniel Burkey

Associate Advisor

Christina Wagstrom

Field of Study

Chemical Engineering

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Open Access

Open Access

Abstract

A process was developed to produce ultra-low chloride content on the industry standard strongly basic, gel -type anion resin employed in an equivalent mixture with companion cation resin in the deep bed condensate polishers at Dominion’s Millstone Power Station. The low chloride anion facilitated on-line conversion of the polisher resins to the amine chemical form, enabling an increase in secondary cycle amine concentration and pH for the purpose of minimizing general and erosion corrosion. This dissertation describes the research, testing, and full scale implementation of this unique application of ion exchange resins that led to an eighty percent reduction in secondary side iron dissolution and transport, a decrease in steam generator corrosion deposits of seven-hundred pounds per fuel cycle, an approximate $1.3 million dollar savings in annual bulk chemical and production costs, and sixty-thousand fewer pounds per year of nitrogen loading of Long Island Sound. Millstone was the first U.S. pressurized water reactor to successfully implement full scale amine form operation of condensate polishers, with the process later implemented at Dominion’s Surry Power Station. While tailored to power plants with seawater or brackish water ultimate heat sinks, amine form polisher operation can be utilized at any power station, nuclear or fossil.

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