Knowledge Hub
TES Knowledge Base
A central reference for engineers, chemistry teams, operations staff, and station leadership evaluating the Thermal Efficiency Solution (TES) for wet-cooled units. This hub explains the method, data requirements, and evidence used to review TES performance.
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TES Engineering Playbook
A structured, engineering-first guide covering fundamentals, readiness, troubleshooting, and compliance. Built for structured technical evaluation.
A. TES Methodology
Baseline → Intervention → Review. Every TES deployment follows a strict, repeatable, engineering-centred process aligned with Eskom verification protocols.
Baseline (3–4 weeks)
A clean, non-intervention period that establishes how the condenser and cooling-water system currently behaves.
Required measurements:
- Cooling-water inlet & outlet temperatures
- Temperature Rise (TR)
- Terminal Temperature Difference (TTD)
- Condenser vacuum stability
- ΔT across cooling towers
- Plant load profile (min/avg/max)
- Make-up water quality
- Operating constraints & excursions
Purpose of baseline:
- • Quantify fouling as a variable, not background noise
- • Understand TR/TTD behaviour relative to load
- • Confirm operational stability before intervention
- • Build a defendable dataset for GM/engineering decision-making
Intervention (4–6 weeks)
The TES system is implemented using:
Mexel®432
(chemistry)
Thingy:91X dosing skid
(IoT)
Performance view
(cooling-water)
What happens during intervention:
- Mexel®432 forms a microscopic surface film
- Existing biofilm, suspended solids, mud/ash may loosen and detach
- Tube-side heat-transfer indicators are monitored during dosing
- TR and TTD are compared against the baseline trend
- Dosing events are automatically logged for transparency
Station involvement: scoped before work starts. TES is planned around turbine, boiler, chemistry and operations constraints.
Review (2–3 weeks)
Post-intervention analysis where performance data is compared against baseline conditions at matched load and ambient temperature.
Review deliverables:
- Baseline vs intervention comparison reports
- TR/TTD trend review
- Heat-rate or efficiency calculations where data quality supports them
- Dosing event log and chemistry compliance summary
- Recommendations for ongoing TES deployment
Success criteria:
Measurable improvement in condenser performance, validated against baseline data with full transparency of dosing events and operational conditions. All findings are structured for engineering and management review.
B. Engineer FAQ
Common technical questions regarding implementation, compatibility, and operations.
Does TES require plant shutdown for installation?
The preferred arrangement is an online dosing point on the cooling-water inlet line. Final installation timing is confirmed during station scoping.
How does it affect my existing chemistry program?
Mexel®432 can be assessed as an alternative to parts of an existing cooling-water program. Any change to biocide, dispersant or anti-scalant dosing is site-specific and should be agreed with the station chemistry team.
Is it safe for condenser tube metallurgy?
Metallurgy compatibility is checked against the relevant SDS/TDS and site materials list before dosing. The product is positioned as a film-forming chemistry, but final use remains site-specific.
What about high-solids or high-turbidity water?
TES is intended for cooling-water systems with variable quality, but high solids can mask the signal or exceed hydraulic capacity. Primary screening and stable operations remain important.
How do we verify the results?
We reference ASME PTC 12.2 methodology where applicable. TTD, TR, condenser vacuum, chemistry and operating events are reviewed against comparable baseline conditions.
Is the dosing automated?
The TES skid can be configured for traceable dosing. Dosing events are logged so they can be reconciled with station data during review.
C. Industry Standards & Compliance
The TES approach is built around recognised engineering references, documented handling information, and site-specific compliance checks.
ASME PTC 12.2Methodology
"Steam Surface Condensers" Performance Test Code. It is used as a reference for condenser data collection and result interpretation where the available station data supports that level of review.
Environmental & SDSCompliance
SDS, TDS and supporting environmental documents are available for technical review. Local discharge limits and site permits determine how any chemistry change is implemented.
Evidence Library
Request access to our detailed compliance documentation.
- Verification Protocol (Tutuka/Kriel)
- Eskom/WRC-related technical references where available
- SDS/TDS and toxicology documents
- Corrosion Inhibition Studies
D. Advanced Technical Guidance
Deeper integration details for station chemists and systems engineers.
Dosing Logic
TES uses a pulsed dosing strategy rather than default continuous feed. This targets the surface interface and allows chemical runtime and volume to be reviewed against the site's existing treatment program.
IoT Integration
The Thingy:91 dosing skid operates autonomously but can integrate with plant DCS via SCADA/Modbus if required. Note: We prefer independent cloud logging for audit-trail verification.
Troubleshooting
High TTD is not always fouling. Our protocol helps distinguish between fouling, air ingress, and passing valves. The baseline phase is critical to rule out non-fouling mechanical issues before dosing begins.
Ready to explore TES for your operation?
Whether you're evaluating TES for a power station unit, industrial cooling system, or process application, we're here to answer your questions and discuss pilot readiness.