Steam Trap Condensate Rate

Calculate condensate rate of a steam trap? You have to size & engineer the steam trap as per the calculated rate of whatever unit you may be draining,eg: Steam Mains, Headers, Driers, Cylinder Driers, Heat Exchangers etc., etc.,

After you calculate the condensate rate you have an option to select from Types: Mechanical/ Thermostatic.

Intimate :

1 . Unit to be drained: Mains/Headers/Driers/Heat Exchangers etc.

2 . Operating Pressure.

3 . Discharge to atmosphere/ condensate main.

4 . Outlet Pressure.

5 . Condensate rate: lbs/hr or kg/hr

Only then a selected steam trap can be sized.

The condensate mass flow rate at the trap is the same as the steam mass flow rate into the equipment that is being heated, assuming no leaks. The flow is determined by the rate of heat transfer from the steam into the appliance and the pressure and dryness of the steam being supplied.

http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_steam.htm

http://www.spiraxsarco.com/products-services/products/steam-traps.asp

First I am proud that you being at the "university" would really want an answer to an important design item.

So being a 25 year field lay person I submit this for your consideration.

1. The capacity of the equipment to be "trapped"

2. The mechanical (or not) design of the trap that best fits the application.

3. The distance between the boiler and the equipment (distance adds condensation). The pressure that best fits the project...110 psi is rarely the best choice.

4. "Good steam management" as I see it is as much an art form as it is an engineering challenge so the better the system design the better the steam trap operation. What I mean is if you design a system that is installed as designed and is designed well your steam trap capacity and operation will you be text book and flawless as suggested in many books like the Sarco or Armstrong steam product guides.

5. The sad truth is the system will be designed against a budget and with all piping runs at minimum sizes (most common problem is condesate return piping too small for real operations) and dry steam headers are almost unheard of now days. Installers don't always take steam from the "top" of the pipe (the second most common problem) so slugs of water can tear a trap up or cause water hammer that has been know to blow large gate valve apart.

6. The short answer is after your piping design is on the CAD screen and all capacities are labeled on equipment and all piping losses are known, go to the product guides to check your trap's capacities. At this point you are like every eager design engineer close to releasing a project. But please look one more time at your steam traps and any trap that is within 50% of capacity up size it to the next greater capacity. It could be simply an internal orfice but even if it is the next size larger trap they are the cheapest life line to success. With no increased labor cost.

7. My reason for this long and short explainations is a tribute to all of my truely respected engineering partners most of which are friends. Even the best "design can fail during start-up". So unfortunately you need to factor for Murphys Law. I know "university" probably will shake at the foundation because of my recommendation but you will have successful projects if you consider my thoughts. There will be water carry over from the boiler, valves install wrong, check valves left out and many other problems that you could not factor from a distance so be a throw back to the early 1930-40's when it comes to steam traps - bigger is probably better and it certainly is safer.

Please let me know what you think because I know I will blasted from this great CR4 brotherhood as I am just a "field guy".

Congrates on your choice of careers, find an old guy to hang with at some old builds during break from "university" and you will see my point.

Respectfully

Mike Robertson

702-557-0847

Las Vegas NV

Dear friend,

Please do not scare away the child. He is 25 years behind you. If he was your kid asking the same question you would'nt be replying him like this. " A journey of thousand miles starts but, with a single step".Do not push him down with your 25-year heavy weight.Help him out.

You might be "something" if not 'university' in this field but there is something beyond tomorrow so give this child this 'tomorriow' for 25 years from now when he'll come up to your level or maybe beyond you & I will not be around.

Aplogising for this reply.

Ducon,

Thank you for your response.I was not trying to scare him off I was just trying to let him know all is not perfect after the ink dries on a design and the "field" gets theirs hands on it. If he were my kid I would (as I have my own) take him to an old building and then new ones and give a hands on show of my thoughts. Ducon thanks again for accepting my so respectfully. I read all of your input to CR4 with great interest.

Mike

RE Steam Trap Condensate Rate? I represent the inventor who Patent the first Electronic Condensate Controller. This is the best explaination of the 95 year old SteamTrap design compared to the new Technology of Controlling Condensate. This Article is from K & H Energy Systems Inc. STEAM TRAPS VS AUTOMATED CONDENSATE CONTROLLERS Know the difference of using one or the other The Concept of Steam traps Steam Traps traditionally have been considered as a "trap" for steam only. It means that the steam trap had the competence of removing the (liquid) called condensate as soon as it is accumulated upstream of the trap. This restricted point of view has firmly been fixed in our mind as a consequence of the slow evolution of steam traps. In fact, during decades the Steam Trap has been considered as an on - off valve unable to control energy, but differentiates between water and steam (float and inverted bucket traps). The arrival of thermodynamic steam traps did not change that way of thinking, but instead contributed to waste energy, reinforcing the old idea of "trapping".Although the Condensate Control Valve (thermostatic steam trap) was developed to improve and replace the old steam trap idea, most people associated the on-off operation principal (trap concept) to the thermostatic steam trap. Presently, manufacturers and users defend their position according to their interests; experience, or any other reason, without analyzing technically the consequences of using any of these concepts. The Modern concept of Energy Control Valves, Now days the concept of steam trap additionally involves the idea of controlling the energy discharged through the valve, as well. Then we should say steam traps when we talk about mechanical or thermodynamic steam traps, reserving a new name, condensate controllers orcondensate drain valve systems for example, when talking about modern condensate control systems. Trapping versus Controlling Condensate Energy, Concepts are easier understood when we analyze the old global problem (the tree does allow seeing the forest). Consider the simplified steam installation. The steam producer (boiler) is connected to the energy users through the steam distribution lines (high energy level) and the condensate return system (low energy level). Trapping steam means creating a physical barrier between the steam zone and the condensate region (the old "trap concept). The trap discharges condensate at saturated temperature (maximal remaining energy) producing flash steam in the return collector. That way, backpressure increases downstream of the trap and thermal water hammer often occurs. Excess of remaining energy is lost along the return system or discharged to the atmosphere at the condensate receiver tank. Controlling Condensate energy means not only establishing a boundary between two zones at very different levels of energy, but controlling the transition between both zones. With the condensate "control" valve concept discharge of condensate is controlled automatically, which means that remaining Energy is Efficiently reduced to low level Temperatures (releases more Latent Heat in the Steam User) reducing Flash Steam, Water Hammer, and often reduces Steam Energy Consumption by as much as 15%, while also reducing a portion of air contamination. The trap concept is necessary only in a few applications while Controlled Discharge of Condensate can be applied on the majority of situations. It should be clarified that most typical "trapping" examples must be considered as "controlling" applications. When Trapping and Controlling Condensate Energy, Conventionally "trapping" was suggested when we need be sure that no condensate is upstream of the trap and "controlling" is used when we need to save energy. Condensate return systems at large installations (oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and Pulp and Paper facilities, etc) are very sensitive to persistent problems caused by back pressure and water hammer. It is strongly recommended to use the "controlling" condensate energy concept to prevent these occupancies. The condensate energy controller's evolution (automated condensate controllers) makes it difficult to find applications where they cannot be successfully applied. Checking "Traps" or "Condensate Energy Controllers" No matter what type of steam trap is being used it is necessary to establish a periodically testing program to determine the working condition to ensure that they are not leaking steam (failed open) or water logged (failed closed). To check "condensate Energy Controllers" we need only to check the pressure into the controller and the pressure out of the controller. Intelligent Condensate Energy Control System These systems combine condensate controllers with continuous monitoring devices, such as electronic line monitoring equipment that measures pressure and temperature into and out of these condensate controllers. These systems add the advantage of setting and reporting conditions on line without stopping or altering the units operation. That performance gives it one formable tool to solve the very different problems of back pressure or water hammering in condensate collecting and storage devices. Improving energy efficiency, reducing maintenance costs and reducing energy consumption... Monitoring systems applied to the concept of "trap" have reduced interest due to the following reasons: O The trap concept wastes energy and is condemned to disappear. O Traps generate serious problems. O Traps cannot be repaired while in operation. Conclusion, Over many decades steam traps has slowly mechanically improved. At present, the incorporation of electronics on intelligent condensate energy controllers (the newest and most dependable energy controllers in the 21^st Century), which satisfactorily solves most important problems derived from the growing size of installations and the continuous energy price increases. Intelligent condensate controllers easily reduce energy consumption up to 15% at steam installations. This Article is from K&H Energy Systems Inc. Hie Sheppard a Steam Engineer for over 55 yrs has designed, built, tested, patent, the first Electronic Condensate Controller. For more Information, Check our website; K & H Energy Systems

Steam Trap Defined. - A device which traps steam in the steam system and allows condensate - and condensate alone - to pass through it. Steam traps are easily performance tested on a flow bench to the ASME PTC39.1 standard. Today many steam traps are zero- steam loss - unmeasureable to this very accurate PTC39.1 spec. Conversely an orifice is a 1/4 % accuracy device where the bore of an orifice, wedge, venturi, or flow nozzle can be calculated using industry approved (custody transfer) sizing programs and flow benches. There is a fixed relationship between the amount of liquid and the amount of a a gas which will flow through such a device. Steam Loss numbers being posted on the web are not consistent with these sizing calculations and flow bench tests. These sites and numbers are by companies that are boasting of their condensate removal systems – orifice traps. Orifice, flow nozzle and the like are correctly sized to one flow rate and only one flow condition. When more condensate is produced these devices back up condensate, essentially shrinking (by flooding) the size of the equipment they serve until it is putting out the number of BTUs that are in the latent heat of the steam, which when condensed, can pass through the device. When less condensate is present they pass live steam. When sizing a fixed bore device pressures P1/P2, the orifice bore, the fluid characteristics and the flow play a part in the calculation. In mixed flow there is no "phenomenon" occurring. Mixed flow calculations for orifices - the bore of the orifice ( in square inches) Minus the required bore (for the condensate present) which gives the available area for steam flow - by which steam loss can be calculated. This is the way control valves and relief valves been calculated for years. (There is one small correction when using Diers calculations for relief valves).

In-Reply-To Message by Guest I have asked Hie Sheppard who invented,has a patent on the Electronic Condensate Controller to reply to your Steam Traps Defined reply

· The Electronically controlled trap is equipped with an alarm, which is energized when the condensate level gets too high in the trap body alerting operators to a potential problem.

· The control valve uses sensors at different levels in the unit body to open 12% to 100% allowing a constant flow of condensate back to the boiler room resulting in a more uniform pressure, temperature control.

· Use of an alternate software program allows the trap to be controlled by the steam user's main frame computer. The trap sensor software would control startup and shutdown, switching from sensor control to main frame computer control is by an on (remote) and off (local) switch.

· The Electronically controlled unit is equipped with an automatic air purge system that will open a ½" or ¾" valve located at the very top of the trap body. This occurs when the temperature inside the trap chamber drops to 175 degrees F. allowing a rapid evacuation of air from the steam user units, This results in a much faster and more uniform warm up of the steam user equipment. On startup the air purge will automatically close when the temperature inside the trap chamber exceeds 175 degrees F.

The Electronic condensate controller allows the steam user to extract the maximum contained latent heat in a given saturated steam pressure, if the condensate is going to a vented receiver and condensate line has a 5 lb pressure drop the condensate leaving the unit will be approximately 226 to 228 degrees F.

· The Electronic Condensate Controller used with an electronically controlled Steam Flash Tank combination results in better heat control in Corrugator Hot Plate sections. This is accomplished by utilizing a Pressure Reducing Valve at the top of the flash tank section that controls the outlet pressure between 40 psi and 70 psi saturated steam. The flash tank; trap combination unit is controlled by a microprocessor that can vary the saturated steam pressure between the above limits and direct the steam to any combination of hot plate sections. Utilizing proper software the corrugator operator can select the best combination of heat control for any paper grade by varying the saturated steam pressure and hot plate sections served. Other steam systems using pressure-reducing stations reduce high-pressure steam to a lower pressure resulting in superheated steam being used in the lower pressure steam user sections. Superheated steam must cool down to a saturated steam temperature condition before it will condense and release the contained latent heat in the steam. .

Summery:

The Electronic Condensate Recovery System (ECRS)

· Increases steam user reliability.

· Reduce product waste.

· Improved steam system energy efficiency.

· Better control of heat distribution, resulting in higher machine speeds and greater quality control.

· Controls problems with short fiber condition associated with a high percentage of recycle paper by allowing improved control of heat distribution to the hot plate sections of a corrugator in a Box Plant steam system.

· The Electronic Condensate Recovery System will allow the complete steam system including the boiler and boiler room auxiliaries to be automatically controlled by the steam user main frame computer or an on site, or a remotely located PC.

The above are some of the many advantages of the electronic condensate controller over any mechanical or thermoststic steam trap. That is why it is a patented system.

It may seem that the answer is simple but why all the additional equipment when a simple steam trap is zero steam loss? In steam / condensate systems there is an abundance of condensate to allow desuperheating in the flashing which occurs in the pressure drop, which should desuperheat. Why all the gear?

Guest

I am pleased that you understand Steam Hammer. I would like to know where you purchase your simple Steam Traps with zero Steam loss and what kind of ear plugs you use use when desuperheating Condensate. Latent heat, is the Energy required to change a liquid to a vapor and is the Energy released turning a vapor back into a liquid. The Electronic Condensate Controller was designed and patent to control this latent heat energy transfer process without any Steam Hammer. The ECC does not trap Steam, it controls the Condensate as it transfers it's latent heat changing it back into a liquid(condensate) which is discharged from the ECC by the Controller. The only moving part is the controller which is operated by the Electronic System. Any additional equipment, which is available, is added by customers request to monitor the ingoing pressure and out going pressure, the only items to check while operating. This Equipment also reduces personnel required to do random operational checks, sometimes in harsh or high inaccessible dark areas. The ECC was designed for Efficiency, something a Steam Trap never has been known to have. DonnieH

The Electronic Condensate Controller- Please email me a catalog at duconems@yahoo.com

Intelligent Condensate Energy Control System or AUTOMATED CONDENSATE CONTROLLERS. Please mail me the catalog/Broucher of this at duconems@yahoo.com

"I am at the university would you help how calculate the condensate rate of steam trap."

Most steam trap and condensate control manufacturers can help.

Spriax/Sarco has more than you can possible want to know about Steam and Steam Processes. http://www.spiraxsarco.com/

Tutorials on all aspects of steam: http://www.spiraxsarco.com/resources/steam-engineering-tutorials.asp

Next: enter "Condensate Traps," "Condensate Trapping," and "Condensate Controllers," in the search box in the upper right hand corner of the last page there will be links to specifics of you inquiry.

More than you or any casual inquirer could possible want to know!

The following document may be of assistance to you:

https://www.armstronginternational.com/files/common/allproductscatalog/consguidelines.pdf

PB