| Abstract |
Continuous measurement presents a step change in monitoring corrosion and erosion, the levels of corrosion rates that can be determined and the accuracy of that determination. Pipework and vessels in geothermal facilities are always at risk of corrosion or erosion, and continuous monitoring substantially reduces the risk of failure, increases safety for the workers and the environment, and reduces operational interruption, repairs and reputational damage. This paper will illustrate the application, deployment and real-time monitoring capabilities of Permasense corrosion and erosion monitoring systems. These systems provide asset and integrity managers with a real time picture of how their facility is coping with the high demands placed upon it by corrosive fluids and erosive solids. Continuous corrosion and erosion monitoring solutions can be deployed almost everywhere in geothermal power facilities but are particularly focused on: •Superheated steam vessels, pipework and systems •Cooling towers and condensate piping •Heat exchangers •Well casings and liners. The data to desk capability of these systems proves valuable real-time information to enable specialists remote from the plant to support local teams in using the data to optimise operations. For instance, these systems can provide direct feedback on the effectiveness of inhibitor injection as lines suffer from ever changing levels of corrosivity, and the data can provide valuable information to optimise inhibitor strategies over short timescales to prevent the frequent replacement or repair of metalwork. The unique self-contained wireless and battery systems are meeting the monitoring needs of power generation facilities, including high temperature applications such as boiler vessels and associated pipework, typically on insulated lines at temperatures around 350°C, and on wall thicknesses up to 150mm (6 inches). Where flow-accelerated corrosion is a problem these systems allow direct correlation between operation conditions over particular periods and wall loss rates over the matching period. In summary we will show how continuous ultrasonic pipe thickness measurement can be used in real time to understand corrosion and erosion rates on critical parts of the installation and when combined with wireless transmission can bring significant cost, safety and environmental benefits to the operators of Geothermal installations. |