Project Overview
Client: Electricité Du Liban (EDL) – Zouk Power Plant
Location: Zouk Mikael, Lebanon
Project Type: Water Treatment & Industrial Rehabilitation
Capacity: Unit III (Industrial Scale Multi-Stage Flash/Distillation)
Year of Execution: 2023
Scope: Comprehensive Overhaul & Corrosion Control
Project Description
The Zouk Thermal Power Plant relies heavily on high-purity demineralized water to operate its steam boilers. ISPC was contracted to execute the critical rehabilitation of Desalination Unit III, which had suffered from severe efficiency drops due to aging and saltwater corrosion. The objective was to restore the unit’s production capacity, ensuring a steady supply of boiler feed water and service water essential for the plant’s power generation cycle.
Scope of Work
1. Mechanical Rehabilitation:
Evaporator & Condenser Overhaul: Inspecting and repairing the internal stages of the evaporation chambers.
Heat Exchanger Maintenance: Cleaning and retubing of heat exchangers to restore thermal efficiency and heat transfer rates.
Pump Systems: Overhauling high-pressure brine recirculation pumps and seawater intake pumps, including shaft alignment and mechanical seal replacement.
Vacuum System: Repairing the steam ejector system to maintain the necessary vacuum pressure for low-temperature distillation.
2. Piping & Corrosion Protection:
Pipe Replacement: Replacing corroded sections of seawater piping with high-grade, corrosion-resistant materials suitable for high-salinity environments.
Valve Refurbishment: Repairing and replacing butterfly and check valves to ensure tight shut-off and flow control.
Surface Treatment: Application of specialized marine-grade epoxy coatings to internal shell surfaces to prevent future pitting and rust.
3. Instrumentation & Control:
Sensor Calibration: Replacing faulty pressure transmitters, temperature gauges, and flow meters.
Control Logic: Checking and calibrating the pneumatic and electronic control loops for precise water level and salinity monitoring.
Key Challenges & Solutions
Challenge: Dealing with aggressive saltwater corrosion that had fused mechanical components, making dismantling extremely difficult.
Solution: ISPC utilized advanced chemical cleaning agents and specialized mechanical extraction tools to disassemble components without damaging the core structure, followed by applying advanced anti-corrosion barrier coatings.
Results
The rehabilitation successfully restored Desalination Unit III to its design operating parameters. The unit now delivers high-quality distillate with low conductivity, safeguarding the power plant’s boilers from scaling and ensuring reliable electricity production.
