Ball strainer

The overhaul of unit EC 7 is underway.
Here is a look in the basement; a look at the partly dismantled coolingwatersystem.
For a good perspective: I have put my safetyhelmet in the middle, in front of the s0-called ball strainer.
The diameter of the piping is 2 meters.
In the condensers (seen in the back between the scaffolding) we use titanium tubing because it can whitstand the agressive seawater. But: a disadvantage of titanium is the forming of a thin layer of slime at the inside of the titanium tubing, thus decreasing the heat transfer from steam to coolingwater. Because that's bad for the efficiency, we use a system with sponge balls, being injected in the coolingwatersystem, before the inlet of the condenser. The balls polish the tubes end are being picked up at the outlet of the condenser. A special pump transports them back to the inlet again. On this picture you see the huge strainers in overhaul. The compete set has been pulled out of the coolingwaterpipe..

Better in LARGE...

Here is how it works.