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Successful operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP) demands careful control and monitoring of water chemistry in primary coolant dosed with boron and lithium, steam generator tubes dosed with ammonia, closed cooling water systems dosed with nitrite and other structural parts that are subject to corrosion and crud deposition. This can affect plant operation and radiation exposure during refueling downtime. Ion chromatography is the safe and reliable method of choice to determine both µg/L (ppb) and mg/L (ppm) levels of anions and cations including transition metals in power plant waters. Cation-exchange chromatography with non-suppressed conductivity detection is a simple and direct technique for quantifying low-µg/L concentrations of selected transition metals. Lithium-borated water, and ammoniated condensate, is measured for low-level µg/L concentrations of fluoride, chloride, and sulfate with the addition of a continuously regenerated cation trap column (CR-CTC) to remove interference from mg/L concentrations of either lithium or ammonia in the samples. Other closed cooling water systems are dosed with high nitrite concentrations (up to 1000 mg/L) to prevent corrosion, but low-level µg/L chloride measurement is required for early signs of seawater ingress. This is possible with a Thermo Scientific Dionex AS14A Eluent Concentrate; (Sodium Carbonate/Bicarbonate Concentrate).
By viewing this presentation you will learn:
how the new Thermo Scientific Dionex CR-TC Continuously Regenerated Trap Column (CR-CTC III) removes interference from mg/L concentration of either lithium or ammonia in samples
how ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection is the safe and reliable method of choice to determine both µg/L (ppb) and mg/L (ppm) levels of anions and cations, including transition metals, in power plant waters.
About the presenter
Peter O’Brien, Systems Engineer,
EDF Energy, UK
Peter O’Brien has been a chemist at Sizewell B Nuclear Power Plant since 2006. He joined as a chemistry apprentice and graduated as a shift chemistry technician before progressing into the position of Chemistry Lab Team Leader. To-date, he has accrued 16 years of experience with ion chromatography at a nuclear power plant. Peter’s achievements include working with Thermo Fisher Scientific to move lithium and sodium determination away from flame atomic absorption, using unstable explosive acetylene, to a far safer method using ion chromatography, and improving levels of precision and accuracy measuring sub-µg/L concentrations of primary coolant and feed water anion and cations.