Silica Measurements in Cogeneration

To Protect Equipment and Increase Heat Exchange Efficiency

Accurate silica measurements in cogeneration are essential in sugar and ethanol plants, where steam is generated to produce power via turbines and supply heat to production processes. The condensate coming back from the plant is recirculated to the boilers to generate steam again. Trace levels of silica in the pure water used to generate this steam can lead to damage to equipment such as turbines and boilers, and reduction in heat transfer efficiency.

Raw Sugar Production

During raw sugar production, the sugar cane juice is heated using steam, to remove excess water. The condensed steam from the evaporation process is then fed into a series of boilers to regenerate pure steam in the boiler house. If this water contains excess amounts of silica, it can be deposited onto the heat exchange surfaces, which significantly reduces their efficiency in sugar production as well as power generation. This loss of efficiency results in increased fuel consumption, reducing the profitability of the production process.

Silica can also deposit on turbine blades in the power generation cycle and cause performance degradation as well as imbalance in the turbines. These can lead to damage to the turbine and unplanned shutdowns for repair. Such shutdowns not only stop power generation, they also disrupt the production process, leading to loss of sugar production.

To avoid such production disruptions and impact on profitability, it is essential to ensure that the levels of silica in the water are the lowest possible and to have an early warning in the event that levels start to rise. This will provide adequate time to take corrective measures.

It is therefore vital that dependable and sensitive on-line silica analyzers be used to monitor this contaminant at the required concentration range. Such analyzers should also require minimal operator involvement for use and maintenance, thus ensuring maximum uptime at lowest cost of ownership.

METTLER TOLEDO Thornton 2850Si Silica Analyzer

The 2850Si Silica Analyzer offers reliable and accurate on-line trace-level silica measurements to ensure timely information to the user regarding any silica contamination. It features a fully unattended, automatic calibration process requiring limited operator interaction.

As operator interaction with the analyzer is limited to refilling the calibration standard bottle and setting the timer to schedule calibrations, the risk of inaccurate calibration is minimized. This approach, along with the automatic zero calibration at the start of every measurement, ensures excellent repeatability and reliability.

With a minimum amount of reagents consumed per measurement cycle and 500 mL bottles of the required reagents lasting three months, the 2850Si Silica Analyzer reduces both the costs of operator time by reducing the frequency of bottle changes and ongoing operation costs.

As sugar plants focus on maximizing raw sugar production, it is essential to monitor and manage contaminant levels in the pure water used in the power generation as well as production processes. This will ensure the sugar plant has consistent production with minimal downtime. The METTLER TOLEDO Thornton 2850Si Silica Analyzer continuously monitors silica contamination and allows the user to be proactive in controlling silica levels as well as minimizing any damage to equipment through such contamination.

Maintaining low silica levels is essential for protecting critical equipment and ensuring reliable cogeneration performance in sugar and ethanol plants. Download the full Application Note to learn how continuous silica monitoring helps detect contamination early, prevent costly equipment damage, and support efficient steam generation.

Discover how accurate trace silica measurements can help reduce unplanned downtime, improve boiler and turbine reliability, optimize energy efficiency, and safeguard production profitability through proactive water quality management.