Reliable Solar Thermal Power - Thanks to Michell's Liquidew Moisture Analyzer Reliable Solar Thermal Power - Thanks to Michell's Liquidew Moisture Analyzer .

ACS Cobra Energía installed a Michell Liquidew moisture-in-liquid analyzer at the Extresol-1 thermosolar power plant in Extremadura, Spain to monitor the level of water vapor in the system heat transfer fluid. At the plant, sunlight is focused by mirrors onto a tube filled with heat transfer fluid to generate the steam that drives the turbines. The fluid is a mixture of organic liquids, at times containing dissolved water vapor. When the fluid cools, the dissolved water vapor may reach saturation and condense within the fluid. Condensed liquid water will evaporate as the fluid reheats, forming pockets of high pressure steam that could cause physical harm to the plant. To avoid damage, the analyzer continuously monitors dissolved water vapor levels and the drying processes within the heat transfer fluid loop. The analyzer alerts operators when the level of water vapor in the fluid becomes too high, enabling them to act early to avoid damage.