Amercentrale Power Station
Pennguard® lining protects leaking brick chimney liner
In 1996, Amercentrale Power Station found an unexpected problem in the chimney of its 600 MW Unit 9. The internal brick liner of this concrete chimney was under attack from highly acidic flue gas condensate. This condensate was permeating the brick liner and threatening to attack its concrete support structure.
Many different approaches to the problem were analyzed, including the use of additional reheat to ‘dry out’ the flue gas which comes from a wet flue gas desulphurization plant. However, the goal of the owner Essent was, to run the power station at the highest possible efficiency.
Essent selected the Pennguard® Block Lining System to protect the chimney.
Acidic condensate permeating the ceramic brick liner
The ceramic brick liner of the Unit 9 chimney consists of 9 independent sections with an internal diameter of 8.25 m / 27.07 ft. The reheated flue gas enters the chimney at 75 m / 246 ft above ground level, leaving the lower part of the chimney as ‘dead space’.
Large amounts of acidic condensate were coming out through the brick joints into the annular space. The problem was the worst in the lower three sections. The acid ran down the outside of the brick, behind the insulation, and gathered on the concrete support structure in highly acidic puddles.
Pennguard® seals and protects brick chimney liner
Pennguard® linings are suitable for brick substrates because:
- a Pennguard® lining is impermeable and forms a positive barrier between the ceramic brick and the humid flue gas environment;
- a Pennguard® lining is a strong insulator and it will protect the brick from temperature shocks;
- a Pennguard® lining is tolerant of imperfect substrates, such as open joints;
- a Pennguard® lining can be installed quickly.