Kinetrol Vane Actuator Outperforms Rack and Pinion on Power Plant Filter-Demineralizer System

Kinetrol Vane Actuator on Power Plant
Filter-Demineralizer System

An important component of combined cycle power plant design and operation is condensate polishing, commonly referred to as "CP". CP is a process that purifies condensate. High purity condensate maximizes uptime in power plants by maintaining stable condensate chemistry and reducing corrosion transport. Power plants install specialized filter-demineralizer systems which remove both suspended solids and ionic contaminants to maintain optimal condensate  chemistry.

At one midwest power utility company, a valve controlling the flow of water (210 psi and 140 deg. F) that feeds the demineralizer was causing concern. The valve's accompanying rack and pinion actuator was creating a maintenance problem. While this isn't a high cycle application, the system must be 100% reliable, and the old actuator's performance was unreliable. The solution was to install a Kinetrol vane actuator. A new automated valve was installed 6 years ago (2012) and the Kinetrol actuator has operated flawlessly since then.