Hydrogen cooling thermal flowmeter supports gas safety for power plant generators
The advanced, compact ST75V Air/Gas Flow Meter from Fluid Components International (FCI) helps monitor the potentially volatile, hydrogen (H2) gas necessary to help large electric plant power generators keep their cool as they produce electricity across the power grid.
Power generation is a high-temperature, hazardous process. At the front-end, there are natural gas fueled steam boilers that drive power turbines.
At the back end of the process, where the electric current is generated, there is a large amount of heat that must be managed in order to keep the generator’s wire coils cool enough to avoid degradation or failure.
Depending on the MVA size of the power generator, hydrogen (H2), air or water is typically used to provide generator coil cooling. In all electric power generators, the wire coils will otherwise quickly overheat and degrade if they are not continuously cooled during operation. H2 is the industry’s most efficient coolant, particularly for large generators (over 100 mW); because hydrogen has a 15 times higher heat/thermal conductivity efficiency compared to air. The downside of using H2 as a coolant is that it is potentially dangerously combustible and its flow must be monitored closely to detect and prevent gas leak conditions.
FCI’s ST75V Flow Meter with its built-in Vortab Flow Conditioner is equally well suited for both H2 low flow and high flow measurement in the monitoring of electric power generator chambers.
It operates over a wide flow range, from 0.01 to 559 SCFM (0.01 to 950 NCMH) depending on line size. For variable process conditions, the ST75V is factory preset to a wide turndown range at 10:1 to 100:1.
With built-in temperature compensation, the ST75V Flow Meter maintains consistent performance in rugged, hot electric power plant generation environments. The basic ST75 model features accuracy to ±2% of reading with ±0.5% repeatability over varying process temperatures in line sizes from 0.25 to 2 inches (6 to 51 mm). With the integral Vortab Flow Conditioner added as a built-in spool piece, the Models ST75V or ST75AV are ideal for installations with limited straight-run such as crowded power plant generator areas and/or for operating in transitional flow ranges with accuracy of ± 1% reading, ± 0.5% full scale.
Power generation is a high-temperature, hazardous process. At the front-end, there are natural gas fueled steam boilers that drive power turbines.
At the back end of the process, where the electric current is generated, there is a large amount of heat that must be managed in order to keep the generator’s wire coils cool enough to avoid degradation or failure.
Depending on the MVA size of the power generator, hydrogen (H2), air or water is typically used to provide generator coil cooling. In all electric power generators, the wire coils will otherwise quickly overheat and degrade if they are not continuously cooled during operation. H2 is the industry’s most efficient coolant, particularly for large generators (over 100 mW); because hydrogen has a 15 times higher heat/thermal conductivity efficiency compared to air. The downside of using H2 as a coolant is that it is potentially dangerously combustible and its flow must be monitored closely to detect and prevent gas leak conditions.
FCI’s ST75V Flow Meter with its built-in Vortab Flow Conditioner is equally well suited for both H2 low flow and high flow measurement in the monitoring of electric power generator chambers.
It operates over a wide flow range, from 0.01 to 559 SCFM (0.01 to 950 NCMH) depending on line size. For variable process conditions, the ST75V is factory preset to a wide turndown range at 10:1 to 100:1.
With built-in temperature compensation, the ST75V Flow Meter maintains consistent performance in rugged, hot electric power plant generation environments. The basic ST75 model features accuracy to ±2% of reading with ±0.5% repeatability over varying process temperatures in line sizes from 0.25 to 2 inches (6 to 51 mm). With the integral Vortab Flow Conditioner added as a built-in spool piece, the Models ST75V or ST75AV are ideal for installations with limited straight-run such as crowded power plant generator areas and/or for operating in transitional flow ranges with accuracy of ± 1% reading, ± 0.5% full scale.
