Technique for monitoring the oxidation/reduction potential characteristics of a steam environment

摘要

The invention provides a method for the continuous monitoring of the oxygen or hydrogen concentrations in a steam system with a solid electrolyte oxygen analyzer. The operating temperature of the analyzer is adjusted to about 500 DEG C. and the reference gas used for the analyzer is air or oxygen-inert gas mixture. Under operating conditions, an oxygen or hydrogen level of low parts per billion in superheated or saturated steam can be identified and measured. This technique is specifically useful for continuously monitoring the air inleakage, that is, the oxygen contents in steam and for controlling the corrosion intensity that is, the hydrogen levels in steam in, for example, steam turbine systems in power plants.