Maintaining a Power Plant with Humidity Control [Infographic]

When left unchecked, humidity within a power plant can have disastrous consequences. Moisture in the air can cause severe worker discomfort, provides the perfect environment for dangerous corrosion, and can ultimately be responsible for premature equipment failure.

It's obvious to see why keeping power plant workers is important, but did you know that work output decreases 40-50% when indoor temperatures reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit without sufficient ventilation? More importantly, workers can risk serious heat illness and heat stroke symptoms without proper humidity control. The body stops evaporating sweat altogether when relative humidity reaches 90%.

When it comes to equipment, moisture and humidity cause serious concern. The U.S. power industry alone experienced $23 billion in plant repairs, worker injury, and increased downtime due to corrosion alone. Corrosion repairs account for the majority of total production costs, resulting in nearly three-fourths of a plant's downtime (i.e. business losses).

Implementing humidity control strategies can have immeasurable positive impacts on a power plant's operations. However, over two thirds of power plants routinely fails to protect the boiler during layups, and only about 6% protect the turbine from corrosion and humidity-related damage. 

Contact Polygon to learn more about effective power plant layup strategies and the equipment your plant will need to protect the plant and your workers.

[Photo from jodelli via CC License 2.0]