Applications
When seawater is evaporated to produce potable water through multiple flash distillation or the salt is removed from the seawater by means of reverse osmosis. The equipment must also have a method to prevent the fouling of equipment due to the growth of marine organisms. This is an ideal application for SEACLOR® systems that produce sodium hypochlorite from seawater.
SEACLOR systems are the standard and preferred electrochlorination unit for biofouling control in power plants, cooling towers, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and desalination facilities, as well as coastal installations using seawater for cooling or other process needs all over the world.
Power Generation
Thermal power stations powered by either nuclear energy or fossil fuel located along the seacoast normally use seawater as a coolant in the steam condensers. These are typically once-through cooling water systems. By controlling the fouling of the steam condensers the efficiency of power generation can be significantly increased. For example, in a typical 250 MW coal-fired power plant an increase of 0.2 inches of mercury in condenser back pressure (due to fouling) can cost the utility as much as $250,000 annually in fuel and replacement power costs. * Sodium hypochlorite is introduced into the seawater intake to the power station where it also prevents fouling of the mechanical equipment, such as the seawater circulating pumps, bar screens and drum screens of the power station.
* "Heat Rate Improvement Through Targeted Chlorination," Y.G. Mussalli, W. Chow & W.J. Freddo, Presented at EPRI Heat Rate Improvement Conference, Richmond, Va., May 10-12 1998.
Desalination Plants
When seawater is evaporated to produce potable water through multiple flash distillation or the salt is removed from the seawater by means of reverse osmosis. The equipment must also have a method to prevent the fouling of equipment due to the growth of marine organisms. This is an ideal application for SEACLOR systems that produce sodium hypochlorite from seawater.
Coastal Industry
Chemical plants, refineries, LNG production facilities, steel mills and other coastal industries that use seawater as a coolant in heat exchangers, also use SEACLOR systems to prevent fouling of the equipment. The marine growth that takes place when seawater is used as cooling water can be either micro-or macro-type fouling. Maintenance costs are lowered considerably by avoiding the dismantling and mechanical cleaning of the heat exchangers and other equipment which comes in contact with the seawater.
Wastewater Treatment Plants
After treating sewage through primary, secondary or tertiary treatment methods or a combination of all three, the effluent from the plant requires further disinfection before discharging to the ocean. This is typically done in a contact chamber and with chlorine gas or a related compound such as sodium hypochlorite. If the sewage treatment plant is located on the seacoast, the sodium hypochlorite produced from the seawater with SEACLOR is cost effective and a much safer method for this application.