Material for Pipe Carrying Bad Condensate

By bad condensate do you mean contanimated? I use 316 L stainless steel.

Too many unknowns. But the condensate temperature suggests perhaps steam condensate (176 dg F) in an unpressurized return system. Steam condensate is usually very corrosive because of the air (oxygen) desolved in the condensate, introduced in venting in the steam system. Most steam condensate systems use A53, Schedule 80, black steel pipe. Also, if the steam does not come into direct contact with the material being heated, the steam can be treated with a filming amine which carries over with the steam which will coat the condensate piping to reduce corrosion. In addition to 316 S.S., another pipe material would be Duriron which is a high grade, close grained, cast iron often used in piping sysems carrying acid solutions. Glass is some times used in lab acid drain systems....Hope this info will help.

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Old F**T is right. You being an Indian & me Pakistani, by bad condensate we usually take contanimated mostly from raptured tube heat excangers from Jet Dyeing Machines operated without PRVs. The condensate gets bad or contanimated with dyes that enters their underground tank or feed tank. Once experienced this condensate and all condensate is then drained to waste.

Based on my experience particularly with Textile Processing with high pressure jets or atmospheric winches, I use ss 316 L and indirect heating of condensate tank with coils. This practice is only with Clients who have old machines with no PRVs and not willing to install or liable to by-pass. On new plants with latest machines I follow as per F**T but with schedule 40 seamless pipe.

However, in event of future chances of contanimation, I normally use Spirax's condensate contanimation detector. This has a sensor and 3-way valve to dump the condensate down the drain safeguarding travel to the condensate tank and ring your alarm. You can also do this with 2 nos 2-way Valve (one normally close and the other normally open).

Other than this "bad condensate" as per F**T you need to be specific.

It's a question of economics. The condensate system in a factory in Dagenham uses ordinary carbon steel, and the works maintenance engineer replaces sections of it from time to time as breakdown maintenance. There is no such thing as bad condensate there. Condensate is accepted for return into the hot well, or rejected to drain, on the basis of its conductivity at the point it arrives at the hot well. On the basis of the monetary value of the heat in the water, dependent on the value of local fuels, the reject conductivity set point is a matter for local study and selection.

"Bad condensate" is blended with "good condensate" to achieve "acceptable condensate", the criterion for selection of which is the set-point of the conductivity instrument.

Generally, it is better to recover as much condensate as possible so as to preserve the value of the [heat in the condensate stream] and the value of the [demineralisation that has produced the water that has been turned into steam and condensed] as possible. Lower utilities bills ensue.