Conductivity Theory

Applied to Proper Hardware

Selection

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Conductivity Measurement
Used to Measure and Control the Percent
Concentration of Acids, Bases and Salts in
Solution
Measures Total Concentration
Not Ion Specific
May be Used to Determine the Dominant
Chemical

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Electrolytes
Acids
Substances which ionize in solution and produce hydrogen
ions, H+
Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) dissociates into H+ + Cl-

Bases
Substances which ionize in solution and produce hydroxide
ions, OH Sodium Hydroxide, NaOH, dissociates into Na+ + OH-

Salts
Substances which ionize in solution and produce neither
hydrogen or hydroxide ions
Sodium Chloride, NaCl, dissociates into Na+ + ClFeb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Typical Conductivity Values

10% NaOH

355,000

Sea Water

50,000

Mains Water Supply

50

Boiler Feed Water

Distilled Water

0.5

Ultra Pure Water

0.055

Feb 2001

100

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

10,000

1,000,000

Conductivity Measurement
Units of Measurement
U.S. Units = Micromhos/cm
International Units = MicroSiemens/cm
1.0 S/cm = 1,000 mS/cm = 1,000,000 uS/cm

umho/cm = uS/cm

Conductivity is the Reciprocal of Resistance

1.0 MicroSiemen/cm = 1,000,000 Ohms/-cm
1,000,000 MicroSiemens/cm = 1.0 Ohm/-cm

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Conductivity Measurement
High Purity Water Applications
Power & Semiconductor Manufacturing
Conductivity Measured as Resistivity in
MegOhms/cm
Pure Water = 18.18 Meg Ohms/-cm = 0.055 uS/cm

Water & Water Treatment Applications

Industrial Boilers & Cooling Towers
Conductivity Measured in Total Dissolved Solids
(TDS)
Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Conductance of Common Acids, Bases and

Salts @ 25oC

MilliSiemens/cm

900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0

10 15 20 25 30

35 40 45 50 55 60 65

70 75 80 85 90 95 100

% by Weight

Feb 2001

Sodium Chloride

Potassium Chloride

Sodium Hydroxide

Hydrochloric

Sulfuric Acid

Nitric Acid

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Conductivity Measurement
Each Acid, Base and Salt has Its Own
Temperature Vs. Concentration Curve
The Temperature Slope Varies for Different
Chemicals

Feb 2001

Acids 1.0% - 1.6% /oC

Natural Waters 2.0%/oC
Bases > 1.8 - 2.2%/oC
High Purity Water 2.3% - 7.3%/ oC

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Specific Conductivity of Sulfuric Acid

mS/cm

1500
1000
500
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

% Concentration
25C
Feb 2001

60C

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

5.0% Sulfuric Acid Solution

400.0
350.0
mS/cm

300.0
250.0
200.0
150.0
100.0
50.0
0.0
0

10

16

21

27

32

38

43

49

54

Degrees C

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

60

66

71

77

82

88

93

93

Temperature Slope

Change in Temperature Slope/oC

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

10

20

25

30

40

50

75

Temperature
Ultra Pure Water
Feb 2001

Sodium Chloride

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

100

Conductivity Measurement

Na+
Cl-

Apply an AC Voltage to Two Electrodes of

Exact Dimensions
Acids, Bases and Salts (NaCl) Dissolve in
Solution and Act as Current Carriers
The Current Flow is Directly Proportional to
the Total Dissolved Solids in Solution
The Physical Dimensions of a Conductivity
Electrode are Referred to as the Cell
Constant
Cell Constant is Length/Area Relationship

Cell Constant

Feb 2001

Distance Between Plates = 1.0 cm

Area of Each Plate = 1.0 cm x 1.0 cm
Cell Constant = 1.0 cm -1
Used to Determine the Measuring Range of
the Analyzer
Acts as Multiplier
Used to Calibrate Analyzer
Determined Using NBS Standards
Can be NIST Traceable

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Four Electrode Conductivity Cells

Feb 2001

Measures Current and

Voltage Drop
Current Increases with
an Increase in Voltage
Drop Across Electrodes
Compensates for Minor
Coatings on
Conductivity Electrodes
Used for Higher Range
Measurement
File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Inductive Conductivity

Also Known as Toroidal and

Electrodless
Principle of Measurement

Advantage

No Electrodes Exposed to the

Measured Solution
Not Affected by Coating

Disadvantage

Feb 2001

Two Sealed Wire Wound Coils

Electrically Coupled by Solution
Conductivity

+- 10% Accuracy
High Range Measurement Only
> 100 uS/cm

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Reverse Osmosis Unit

pH Transmitter

Feed Water
Acid Feed

Conductivity Transmitter
Feed
Water
Tank

RO Unit

Waste

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Demineralizer Unit
Caustic Regeneration

Acid Regeneration

Conductivity
Transmitter

Conductivity
Transmitter

Conductivity
Transmitter

Cation
Bed

Anion
Bed

Mixed
Bed

To Water Storage
Conductivity
Transmitter

Feb 2001

Conductivity
Transmitter

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Power Utilities
Average Number of Analyzers for Each Demin Unit

Type
Conductivity
Concentration
pH
Total

Number
4
2
1
7

Usually 2 per generation unit (make up & polisher) and

built in pairs
Total X 4 = 28 Analyzers per Unit
Two Units Built at a time = 56 Analyzers

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Power Utilities
Average Number of Analyzers Per Generating Unit

Analyzer Type
pH
Specific Conductivity
Cation Conductivity
Condensate Analyzer
Total

Number
5
6
11
1
23

Usually Units Built in Pairs = 46 Analyzers

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Boiler Blowdown and

Condensate Return Lines
Conductivity
Transmitter

Feed
Water
Tank

Condensate Return
Waste

Heat
Exchanger

Steam Header

Steam
Drum

Conductivity
Transmitter

Top Blowdown Line

Blowdown Valve

Mud
Drum

Manual Blowdown Valve

Do Not Automate !

Feb 2001

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Flash
Tank

Clean in Place (CIP)

Conductivity
Transmitter

CIP Return Lines

Caustic

Conductivity
Transmitter
Water

Feb 2001

Caustic
Dilution
Tank

Solution
Recovery

File Name: Conductivity.ppt

Process
Vessels