CEDI: The key to increasing boiler performance
by Yasmin Refaei, Director of Sales at Xylem
The focus is firmly on power plant operators to increase efficiency across all areas of operations. This includes optimising costs and increasing sustainability. Improving boiler performance may be a key goal but with the right technology solution, environmental and safety gains can be significant too. Here, Yasmin Refaei, Director of Sales at Xylem, discusses the benefits of new generation ultrapure water treatment systems for game changing advantages.
When it comes to boiler performance, water quality is crucial to success. Boilers and steam turbines require consistent high purity water to ensure maximum effectiveness, a long lifespan, and unplanned downtime. The alternative is water contaminated with sodium, chloride, sulfate, and silica which can lead to scale build-up on boiler heating elements and corrosion which causes costly damage.
While maximum boiler effectiveness is good for the bottom line, critically, it’s better for the environment too. With sustainability goals to meet, power plants can’t afford to overlook ways to save energy and water consumption.
Next generation technology
Today, continuous electrodeionisation (CEDI) technology has transformed the landscape for power plant operators. It’s helping achieve operating goals, while delivering results that make a real difference. CEDI is an innovative water treatment process that uses a combination of ion-exchange resins, ion-exchange membranes, and direct current to continuously deionise water without the need for chemicals.
For decades, power plants have typically used ion exchange resin beds and chemical regeneration. These large mixed bed systems produce a considerable amount of chemical and water waste, not to mention the significant safety concerns associated with them. Handling and storing hazardous chemicals puts workers and the environment at risk.
Operational benefits that matter
With CEDI systems, operators can eliminate the safety risks posed by chemicals. And reduce maintenance, as there’s no requirement to dose chemicals for regeneration. Importantly, this is all possible while meeting sustainability objectives. With no requirement for backwashing, water usage savings can be significant. Wastewater can then be recycled back to feedwater.
Another clear advantage of CEDI technology is reducing, or in some case removing, supply chain reliance. With no need for chemicals for regeneration, CEDI cuts out the risks associated with purchasing chemicals, as well as the transport costs and emissions.
Underpinning all the wider benefits of CEDI is next level performance. The technology provides an uninterrupted supply of superior quality high purity water, as the ion exchange resins continuously regenerate. Xylem’s Ionpure® CEDI system was the first of its kind for industrial users. The VNX series has been specifically engineered to meet the needs of the power market, able to provide high flow rates from 15 up to 100 gpm. While the systems meet the specifications for many new plants, this advanced technology is a simple upgrade for sites with ageing, underperforming deionisation systems.
As the cost of chemicals and waste processing continues to rise and safety concerns of handling hazardous chemicals face the spotlight, it’s no surprise that operators are seeking new ways to generate ultrapure water. And CEDI technology has changed the landscape here. It’s helping power plants significantly improve safety and manage costs, while delivering superior sustainability benefits.