Water box

Umbrella sampling can give free-energy differences, but not absolute free energies Usually done in NPT—isothermal/isobaric ensembles, including a water box... 

Metal anodes using platinum and precious metal oxide coatings are also incorporated into a variety of designs of impressed current protection for pipeline and deep weU appHcations, as weU as for protection of condenser water boxes in power generating stations (see Pipelines Power generation). 

Curl Control. Many grades of paper tend to cud, especially as humidity varies, because of the stresses produced duting the dryiag process. This is especially troublesome when only one side of the paper receives a surface treatment. Judicious appHcation of water to the opposite side of the dry sheet followed by redryiag may correct the curling. Water may be appHed by surface appHcation at the size press, water box, or calender stack or it may be sprayed on. Small amounts of water can be appHed to the paper surface as a foam with exceUent results. 

Examples of the sacrificial-anode method include the use of zinc, magnesium, or aluminum as anodes in electrical contact with the metal to be protected. These may be anodes buried in the ground for protection of underground pipe lines or attachments to the surfaces of equipment such as condenser water boxes or on ship hulls. The current required is generated in this method by corrosion of the sacrificial-anode material. In the case of the impressed emf, the direct current is provided by external sources and is passed through the system by use of essentially nonsacrificial anodes such as carbon, noncor-rodible alloys, or platinum buried in the ground or suspended in the electrolyte in the case of aqueous systems. 

Figure 1.7 Simple detail of shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The water box may be designed for as many as eight passes, and a variety of configurations of shell-side baffles may be used to improve heat transfer, (a) Several water box arrangements for tube-side cooling, (b) Assembly of simple two-pass exchanger with U-tubes. [Fig. 38.2, The Nalco Water Handbook, 1st ed. (1979), reprinted with permission from McGraw-Hill, Inc.)...

Shell and tube Rolled ends at tube sheet Open welds at tube sheet Beneath deposits Water box gaskets Bolt holes, nuts, washers Baffle openings Disbonded water box linings... 

Coat condenser water boxes with protective materials. Special attention should be paid to the tube sheet area and any sharp projections such as nuts and bolts. 

Specimen Location Steel baffle plate from a test water box containing flowing cooling water... 

A test water box was installed during a 2-week trial to monitor corrosion and fouling in a utility cooling water system. A baffle plate from the test box was removed after the test. Small, hollow incipient tubercles dotted surfaces (Fig. 3.28). Small amounts of carbonate were present atop and around each tubercle. Each tubercle capped a small depression no deeper than 0.005 in. (0.013 cm) (Fig. 3.29). This indicated local average corrosion rates were as high as 130 mihy (3.3 mm/y). 

Specimen Location Main condenser near inlet water box... 

Carbon steel heat exchangers, cast iron water boxes, screens, pump components, service water system piping, standpipes, fire protection systems, galvanized steel, engine components, and virtually all non-stainless ferrous components are subject to significant corrosion in oxygenated water. 

Figure 6.126 As in Fig. 6.12A, hut split above and below the water box to show the clean outlet sheet (top) and the slimed inlet sheet (bottom). 

Figure 6.13 A dried slime layer peeling off water box surfaces on a small heat exchanger.

Figure 10.5 shows the appearance of numerous failures that had occurred in a short time in the water box inlet end. Cracking of this type was a recurrent problem in this condenser. Approximately 9% of the tubes in the condenser had been plugged. The condenser was in cyclic service, although the failures had occurred while the boiler itself was out of service. 

For example, unsatisfactory equipment design has caused inlet-end erosion due to improper distribution of water in the water box. Poor design and construction practices have caused erosion-corrosion of the tube sheet due to unsatisfactory water distribution or leakage past pass partitions. Deep channels (wire drawing) or worm holes have been observed in tube holes due to leaking tube-to-tube sheet joints. 

For inlet or outlet end erosion-corrosion, either extend tube ends 3 or 4 inches into the water box or install sleeves, inserts, or ferrules into the tube ends. These should be a minimum of 5 inches long. The ferrules may be nonmetallic or erosion-resistant metals, such as stainless steel, if galvanically compatible. The end of the ferrule should be feathered to prevent turbulence. 

The rust-colored concrete chips shown in Fig. 11.24 were removed from the tube ends. Inspection of the water box revealed large quantities of debris adhering to the tube sheet. The gouging was caused by the lodgement of this hard debris at tbe inlet end of the tubes. Intense turbulence by the lodged debris was sufficient to cause highly localized erosion. 

Open Tube Sections (Water cooled) Tubes require no shell, only end headers, usually long, water sprays over surface, sheds scales on outside tubes by expansion and contraction. Can also be used in water box. Condensing, relatively low heat loads on sensible transfer. Transfer coefficient is low, takes up less space than pipe coil. 0.8-1.1... 

For surface condensers, the tubes, tubesheets, and shell should be consistent with experiences in heat exchanger construction. In sea or brackish water, one of the cupronickels or aluminum brass may be a good choice for tubes. The water boxes may be vertically divided to allow half of the unit to operate while the other half is being opened for repair or inspection. 

The air ejectors are usually of cast iron with Monel nozzles. The associated inter- and after-condensers are usually of cast iron shell and water boxes with Admiralty tubes (unless sea or brackish water) with Muntz metal tubesheets. Some inter- and after-condensers may also be barometric rather than tubular. 

Platinised-titanium installations have now been in use for 30 years for jetties, ships and submarines and for internal protection, particularly of cooling-water systems . For the protection of heat exchangers an extruded anode of approximately 6 mm in diameter (copper-cored titanium-platinum) has shown a reduction in current requirement (together with improved longitudinal current spread) over cantilever anodes of some 30% . This continuous or coaxial anode is usually fitted around the water box periphery a few centimetres away from the tubeplate. 

Chemicals, acid or alkaline solution in process tanks Heat-exchanger water boxes with non-ferrous tube plates and 53-8-269-0... 

Continuous Anodes Consist of considerable lengths of relatively flexible copper-cored material which can be contoured to suit restricted spaces or to distribute current in a localised fashion. Typically they may be used in water boxes at a non-ferrous tubeplate/ferrous water box junction. Anode terminations pass through the water box via insulating entry points and the anodes are supported on insulators within the box. Anode/cathode distance must be such as to prevent the anode becoming engulfed in calcareous deposit that forms on the cathode. 

Impressed-current systems for power stations are somewhat more sophisticated than those required for pipelines or marine structures inasmuch that a large number of items of plant, with a wide range of current requirements, are protected by one transformer-rectifier. Each section of every water box in order to provide even current distribution requires one or more anodes. In the case of a large circulating water pump as many as 30 anodes may be required to provide the current distribution necessary. Three types of system should be considered as follows ... 

Manually Controlled System A manually controlled system comprises one or more transformer-rectifiers each with its associated control panels which supply the d.c. to the various anodes installed in the water box spaces. Each transformer-rectifier is provided with its own control panel where each anode is provided with a fuse, shunt and variable resistor. These enable the current to each anode to be adjusted as required. Reference cells should be provided in order to monitor the cathodic protection system. In the case of a major power station, one transformer-rectifier and associated control panel should be provided for separate protection of screens, circulating water pumps and for each main condenser and associated equipment. 

When coolers or condensers are shut-down but remain full of water, the amount of current required to maintain satisfactory cathodic protection is considerably reduced. If the current is not reduced over-protection occurs and excessive amounts of chlorine can be generated which would tend to accumulate in the upper section of the water boxes causing considerable corrosion, not only to the water boxes, but also possibly to the tubes. To ensure against this a stand-by condition should be included on the control panel which effectively reduces the current required under shut-down conditions. This control is effected by a limit switch fitted to the outlet valve of the condenser or cooler concerned. It is impossible to determine exact requirements for the protection of circulating water systems in advance and it is normal to adjust the current to provide protection during commissioning. 

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