Water is essential for generating electricity. At a thermal power plant, water is changed to steam in a boiler, and this steam turns a generator turbine, just like in a steam locomotive.

The type of water that is used is called purified water, and is made by removing impurities from regular water, in a large device known as a purifier tower. When the pressure increases as purified water turns into steam in a boiler, many reactions can be observed. For example, assume there was a very small amount of silica (silicon dioxide) contained in purified water. Silica is one of the main component of rocks on the earth, and can be observed anywhere. It is very possible for it to be present in purified water, since it often floats in the air as dust. Particles of silica become attached to the internal surface of pipes as the high-pressure steam from purified water containing silica is sent from the boiler to the turbine. As time goes by, pipes can become narrower, as they are filled with more and more silica particles. This is just like a hardened artery in the human body-high-pressure steam cannot get through, and eventually the pipes could explode.

At thermal power plants, workers monitor the contents of the purified water for the boiler, so that they are able to maintain a stable supply of electricity. The silica analyzer helps power plants by keeping an eye on possible silica infusion.