From Cleaning to Consultation, Chemistry Services Provides Complete Solutions
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Steam Generator Chemical Cleaning
While these new processes and movements into new areas are a large part of the activity in the Chemistry & Environmental Services business unit, steam generator chemical cleaning continues to be its bread and butter.

“As the U.S. leader in chemical cleaning of steam generators, a large part of our reputation lies in our ability to deal with the magnitude of the mobile equipment required for plants to conduct chemical cleaning," said Charlie England.

“When we come to a plant to clean, our people have the know- how to configure and move the multiple systems onto site, and then coordinate the cleaning process itself with all the different areas of a plant that are involved,” England said. “This coordination includes the delivery and introduction of tractor-trailer loads of chemicals, the cleaning of the components and then the processing and disposal of the deposits removed.”

The group carried out steam generator chemical cleaning at PSEG’s Salem 2 plant last spring. “The chemical cleaning went very well,” said PSEG’s David Hughes. “We were especially pleased with the waste processing steps Framatome took, including their efforts to reduce cost.”

“We were pleased from the overall project standpoint,” Hughes said. “The chemical cleaning went very well, including the coordination of the chemical cleaning process with our people.”

Flush and Lancing
Besides chemical cleanings, the Chemistry business unit also carries out steam generator upper bundle flush and lancing, a system that requires less equipment than a typical chemical cleaning. Loose sludge in the upper bundle region can form tube deposits that can degrade heat transfer and increase tube corrosion risk. FTI’s high volume, low-pressure flush removes deposited material. Then tube sheet lancing is performed, thoroughly cleaning the upper tube bundle as well as the steam generator tube sheet.

Recently at Calvert Cliffs, more than a ton of deposits was removed from two steam generators using the combination of upper bundle flush and lancing.

FTI has multiple lancing designs to fit a variety of steam generators. “We generally conduct around six water lancing jobs a year,” according to John Concklin, FTI Supervisor of Lancing and Water Slap. “The combination of chemicals, flushing and the mechanical means of cleaning steam generators is a potent combination not only for cleaning generators but also for preventing the formation of deposits including hard collars,” Concklin said.

FTI has numerous processes it can apply to remove particular steam generator deposits, including High Temperature Chemical Cleaning, a proprietary copper/passivation process and the Standard EPRI SGOG iron, copper, crevice and passivation steps. And FTI’s online corrosion monitoring systems ensure safe, well-controlled chemical cleaning processes.

Chemical Teaming Agreements
FTI recently signed agreements with two other companies (BetzDearborn and Siemens) in order to provide the largest portfolio of processes and chemicals to its customers.

FTI is working with BetzDearborn, a division of Hercules Incorporated, to apply BetzDearborn’s propriety specialty solvents to steam generators and other types of plant components.

According to John Carroll, BetzDearborn’s Power Industry Corporate Sales Manager, “This unique teaming agreement brings to the nuclear industry the benefits of Framatome’s unequalled experience and capabilities in the nuclear power plant service business, and BetzDearborn’s technological leadership in specialty chemical treatment programs.”

For example, BetzDearborn’s FerroquestTM FQ Series products are easy-to-use, non-acid liquids which slowly dissolve rust and iron deposits while protecting system metallurgy from corrosion and plugging caused by particulate iron. Requiring no post-treatment neutralization, they are especially suited to cleaning closed cooling and service water systems like those found in nuclear power plants. In addition, BetzDearborn’s FerroquestTM LP Series products have the ability to clean calcium scales from utility condenser systems.

“Ferroquest’s great advantage for electric generating facilities is that it can be applied and the cleaning accomplished while the plant continues to generate power,” said Bowles.

FTI also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Siemens that will ultimately add to its stable of cleaning processes. It is expected that the Memorandum will lead to a Teaming Agreement in which the two companies will work together to apply Siemens’ High Temperature Chemical Cleaning (HTCC) process to nuclear power plant recirculating steam generators.

Under the Memorandum, Siemens would provide its patented HTCC process, technical expertise and equipment while FTI would manage the process application, provide waste processing and also provide personnel and equipment.

The Siemens HTCC process has been used extensively on all PWR designs with recirculating steam generators. The process can significantly reduce outage critical path time and chemical cleaning waste. FTI will continue to offer its own HTCC process and low temperature process, each having its own specific advantages.

“We are excited about what this agreement will lead to,” said Bowles. “The Memorandum is the first step in joining FTI’s project management skills and chemical application expertise with Siemens’ High Temperature Chemical Cleaning process and technical expertise to expand the chemical cleaning market for both companies.”

“We feel there are significant synergies by combining the expertise of these two companies,” said Siemens’ Scott Watson, Manager of Decontamination Services and Technology. “By teaming together we hope to offer steam generator chemical cleaning services that produce less waste and are more cost effective.”