Vacuum Actuated Anhydrous Ammonia Feed for pH Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pH adjustment systems for power plant condensate and feed water systems face issues with contamination, vapor locking, and safety risks due to the use of aqueous ammonia and pressurized anhydrous ammonia, which can lead to hazardous ammonia releases.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum actuated and sustained ammonia feed system that uses anhydrous ammonia stored in a bulk storage system, metered and monitored by a conductivity-based metering system to control pH levels in the condensate/feed water system, ensuring safe and contamination-free pH adjustment by leveraging the pressurized water stream to inject ammonia without additional pressure, with safety features to prevent ammonia leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If aqueous ammonia is used to adjust pH, then pH control is achieved, but contamination occurs and vapor locking problems arise
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of ammonia from aqueous solution to anhydrous gas form, and changes the delivery pressure parameter from atmospheric to vacuum conditions. This resolves the contamination issue by eliminating water content and the vapor locking issue by using vacuum to control the phase and delivery of ammonia.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces vacuum as an intermediary mechanism to deliver anhydrous ammonia from storage to the pH control point. The vacuum system acts as a mediator that transports the ammonia without requiring pressurized containers or aqueous solutions, thereby eliminating both contamination and vapor locking problems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pressurized anhydrous ammonia is used for pH adjustment, then contamination-free ammonia delivery is achieved, but the risk of catastrophic ammonia release increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using positive pressure to force ammonia through the system (which creates leak risks), the invention inverts the approach by using vacuum (negative pressure) to draw ammonia through the system. This inversion eliminates the need for high-pressure storage and transport components, thereby reducing the risk of catastrophic releases while maintaining contamination-free delivery.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If vacuum actuated anhydrous ammonia feed system is used, then safety and contamination-free operation are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the driving force for ammonia delivery, provides phase control for anhydrous ammonia, enables safe low-pressure operation, and maintains contamination-free conditions. By making the vacuum system multi-functional, the invention reduces overall system complexity despite the added safety and performance benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively adjusts pH levels without contamination or vapor locking issues, reducing the risk of ammonia releases and ensuring worker and community safety by controlling ammonia flow through a vacuum-assisted mechanism, providing a reliable and safe pH adjustment method for power plant condensate and feed water systems.
Implementation Method 1
A vacuum actuated and sustained ammonia feed system uses anhydrous ammonia stored in a bulk storage system, metered and monitored by a conductivity-based metering system to control pH levels in the condensate/feed water system
Implementation Method 2
ensuring safe and contamination-free pH adjustment by leveraging the pressurized water stream to inject ammonia without additional pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum actuated and sustained ammonia feed system for the pH adjustment of power plant condensate and boiler feed water is described. This system can provide a safe means of providing anhydrous ammonia for pH adjustment to the condensate/feed water system of a power plant.