MATChING: Reducing wastewater in the energy sector
Materials and Technologies for Performance Improvement of Cooling Systems performance in Power Plants, in short MATChING, is a project aiming towards reducing the cooling water demand in the energy sector.
Power generation requires great amounts of water primarily for cooling purposes. Depending on the kind of cooling system adopted (once through vs. recirculating systems), water can return to the environment. In 2016, energy production accounted for 17% of the total water use in the EU, primarily serving as cooling water.
Specific Objectives
- Reduction of evaporative losses in geothermal power plants
- Increase in cooling equipment robustness to allow the use of non-traditional water sources
- Increase in heat exchange efficiency of both condenser and cooling equipment
- Application of advanced and alternative treatment equipment to promote the use of alternative water sources
DTI contribution
To reach these objectives, DTI has provided both important knowledge and technical solutions in the form of coatings. DTI participated in the designing and evaluation of coatings to protect surface pipelines for transportation of geothermal fluids. As well, DTI was involved in the designing and evaluation of coatings to enhance dropwise condensation (external surface of tube bundles) and to prevent biofouling (inner surface of tube bundles) for steam condensers in thermal power plants
If you have questions about the project you are welcome to contact us or visit the project website
Key points:
- Enhance dropwise condensation
- Antifouling and corrosion resistance in geothermal
- Antibiofouling
Other projects:
Articles published:
- S. Holberg and R. Losada. "Fouling-Release coatings for steam condensers in thermal power plants". Proceedings-Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning XII-2017.
- R. Losada, S. Holberg, L. Freire and J. Van Bael. “High Performance Coatings for Protecting Carbon Steel and Low Alloying Stainless Steel in Low Enthalpy Geothermal Fluids”. Proceedings-Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning XIII-2019.
- S. Holberg, R. Losada, F. Blaikie, H. Hansen, S. Soreau, R. Onderwater. "Hydrophilic silicone coatings as fouling release: Simple synthesis, comparison to commercial, marine coatings and application on fresh water-cooled heat exchangers". Materials Today Communications, 22 (March 2020), 100750.