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Boost Steam-System
Efficiency by Improving
Condensate Recovery
Pressurized condensate-return systems and flash-steam vent condensers offer opportuniti
for fuel cost savings in a plant’s steam system. Here’s how to take advantage
P
ressurized ' t !H. Kelly Paffel
steam- Inveno Engineering, LLC
condensate uZ
systems ;
can provide plants ■■
11 9 *
with a minimum of
between 15 and 35% IN BRIEF
savings in fuel costs PRESSURIZED
when compared to 'E CONDENSATE
conventional atmo- ™ RECOVERY
spherically vented INCREASE EFFICIENCY
steam-condensate k < ft AND REDUCE COSTS
systems. That is a
tremendous oppor STANDARD CONDENSATE
tunity for chemical RETURN SYSTEM
process industries EXAMPLE STEAM
(CPI) facilities, since PROCESS CONDITIONS
fuel prices have IMPLEMENTING
risen and are ex- FIGURE 1. Pressurized condensate tank systems, like the one shown here, can help maximize
PRESSURIZED SYSTEMS
pected to increase efficiency in a plant's steam generation
even further. The surized condensate systems and explains ENERGY SAVINGS
pressurized condensate system should not how to evaluate whether the technology COMPONENTS
be thought of as a luxury; rather, it should could be a cost saver at your plant. REQUIRED
be considered a necessary component to
GETTING STARTED
maximize and increase the efficiency of a Pressurized condensate recovery
plant’s steam system (Figure 1). Pressurized condensate recovery systems
Unfortunately, it is not possible to imple operate continuously at pressures above 15
ment high-pressure condensate return sys psig, and the condensate recovery system is
tems for all steam plants and all steam ap not vented to the atmosphere. The pressure
plications (see box, p. 37). Therefore, properin the condensate system is sustained by the
preliminary engineering assessment, designdynamics of the system or by a systematic
review and knowledge of the application arecontrol process loop. Typical condensate
necessary to ensure a successful conden systems operate with backpressure because
sate system. In the examples discussed in their condensate line is improperly sized for
this article, energy savings of $226,700 weretwo-phase flow and because plants often
achieved by implementing a 50-psig pres neglect steam-trap stations blowing steam
surized steam-condensate system. The projinto the condensate line. These items alone
ect was implemented at a cost of $305,400, can cause unwanted and uncontrollable
yielding a 1.3-year payback. pressure in the condensate recovery system.
This article provides information on pres- A pressurized condensate-recovery sys-
c
TEMPERATURE
OCTM.NO © DCTMNO © TRANSACTOR
MM UP WATER SHAM TO DEAERATOR IMN HIE R PROCESS
T00EAE AATOA FOR HEATING FEEOWATER 100*1 PRISSURt
STEAM €S •n:
l
PUMPEO
CONDENSATE
r.
--------------- 1:
DETAIN: Q
STEAM ROW TO HEADER
h
•RAT IICMANWB
PNOC I M EMV
OUT
±iE !
1
!— iL
O
A OETMNO O
STEAM FLOW
i
BTITS
I
▼ V
Li
OETMNO $
DEAERATOR
OPERATING PRESSURE
FEEDWATER
OETM N 0 0
COMBUSTION AM
FUEL TO
]
PlATt ANO
B ••• »■ v.
.'.■i
FEEDWATER TO BOIER
OETM NO 0
OETM NO 0 FUEL BUI WRIT
enrsTO OETMNO 0 TO BOIER
DEAERATOR RASH STEAM ROW RATE
FIGURE 2. The diagram shows tem differs in that the condensate-return- densate system is the remarkable energy
the layout of an atmospheric line pressure is systematically controlled andsavings that plants can often achieve with
condensate system. Detail No.
9 shows where vented steam managed to a predetermined set point that a low implementation cost. Any condensate
Is lost matches the peak performance level of the that is not contaminated in a process appli
steam system process and integrates into cation needs to be returned to the boiler to
the dynamics of the steam balance. complete the steam system’s thermal cycle
Four classifications of condensate sys and increase efficiency. Steam condensate
tems are used in plants today: contains a high quantity of sensible energy. If
1. Gravity or atmospheric condensatethe sys
sensible energy is not properly returned
tem (condensate line pressure is main to the boiler operation, a large percentage, if
tained at or close to 0 psig) not all, of this energy is lost.
2. Low pressure (1 to 15 psig) Condensate that is returned to the boiler
3. Medium pressure (16 to 99 psig) operation will require the condensate tem
4. High pressure (100 psig or higher) perature to be raised to the saturated tem
Pressurized condensate system technol perature of the steam boiler’s operating
ogy is not new in the steam world. These pressure. To accomplish this task, energy is
systems can be documented back to 1941. introduced at the deaerator and the boiler.
Though the technology may be considered The deaerator will add energy to heat the
old, it has been overlooked over the years condensate to a temperature where non
due to relatively inexpensive fuel prices. As condensable gases will be removed from
fuel prices have risen and, with them, the the fluid. The boiler will add the energy for a
need for optimization to reduce overall operaphase change to occur at the boiler operat
tional costs, industrial plants are paying more
ing pressure.
attention to pressurized condensate systems,The higher the temperature or pressure
because they have proven to be a significant (direct relationship in steam) of the con
way to decrease expenses. In fact, these densate being returned to the boiler plant,
systems are considered to be among the the less energy that is required to raise the
top three items for optimizing a steam sys temperature of the condensate back to the
tem, and have a very attractive payback for saturated temperature of the boiler operat
the investment. Figure 2 shows a steam sys ing pressure.
tem with atmospheric venting, while Figure 3 Theoretically, the most efficient system
shows the same steam system with a pres would be a condensate return system con
surized flash-recovery line to the deaerator.trolled at a pressure as close to the boiler
operating pressure as possible. In a perfect
Increase efficiency and reduce costs system, the steam system would operate
The best reason to use a pressurized con- at 150 psi, and the pressurized condensate
34 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM FEBRUARY 2019
ATMOS
I. mmi 10
ATMOSJ*HI Mf
aOWUCTER
oo TEMPERATURE TRANSMITTER
OCTAL NO ®
MAKE UP WATER
OCTAL NO®
STEAM TO DEAERATOR
i
PRESSURE
TEMPERATURE
TRANSMITTER
nf=f KhC I
£1 1
I
r,n
OCTAL NO O
STEAM ROW 1
I!
' n
SEESS- BTU'S
OCTAL NO ® ] HEATING
OCACRATOR
OPERATING COMBUSTION AR
M
▼ T
Li
PRESSURE
TCEOWATER
OCTMLNO 9
I mi ini ii
1L
PLATE ANO
FRAME
-W-
OCTMLNO 0
DCTMLNO 0) FUEL BTUIMUT
BTlfSTO OCTAL NO Q TOBOLER
DEAERATOR FLASH STEAM FLOW RATE
PUMPCO OONOENSATE
M CONCMNSAIE HOC
i n m e > .< m m
OCTAL NO O
CCNCCNSATE LOSS
X LBS PER HOUR
system would operate at 149 psi. However, steam-trap station differential and eleva- figure 3. a pressurized
the limitation is the type of steam and con tions. With these variables in the system condensate return is shown in
this diagram. The flash steam
densate system. The plant must consider a typical target for the pressure differential at detail No. 9 is delivered to
elements such as line sizes, distances, between the steam supply and condensate the deaerator
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• Detail 14: Steam flow to deaerator for
TEMPERATURE
TRANSMITTER '
■1 heating feedwater
Standard condensate-return
PROCESS
TEMPERATURE
system
= 320 F
MEAT EXCHANGER
I A standard condensate system, where
condensate is recovered into an atmo
©© spheric condensate tank system, will
have inherent energy losses. These en
ergy losses include the following:
© • Condensate is allowed to cool to
i
212°F
• A large amount of flash steam is gen
FIGURE 4. This diagram shows the high-return is between 30 and 45%. All pres erated
temperature process outlet temperaturesurized condensate systems must be • Flash steam is allowed to escape to
at 320'F
thoroughly evaluated before selecting the atmosphere
the condensate return-line pressure. • Flash steam losses increase the quan
To determine the cost savings of a tity of makeup water required
standard condensate system versus a All condensate and makeup water,
pressurized condensate system, it is which will become boiler feedwater,
important to review all operational pa will require energy input to bring the
rameters. Figures 2 and 3 both show energy level up to the saturated tem
the following elements of the steam perature of the boiler operating pres
and condensate system: sure. Reducing the differential energy
• Detail 1: Boiler operating steam levels (condensate and makeup water)
pressure to the boiler saturated energy level will
• Detail 2: Fuel input into the boiler, Btus
increase the steam system’s thermal
• Detail 3: Steam flow output from the cycle efficiency.
boiler, Btus
• Detail 4: Steam flow, Btus Steam process conditions
• Detail 5: Condensate system operat- Table 1 shows values for an example
ing pressure steam application in a process plant.
• Detail 6: Percentage of condensate A steam requirement for the process
loss application is rated at 24,000 Ib/h
• Detail 7: Condensate loss, Ib/h (provides 24,000 Ib/h of condensate).
• Detail 8: Condensate flow to tank, Ib/hCondensate is drained from the steam
• Detail 9: Flash steam flowrate, Ib/h process through a standard steam-trap
• Detail 10: Pumped condensate to station. The steam trap station dis
deaerator charges condensate into a vented con
• Detail 11: Condensate Btus to densate receiver system. When con
deaerator densate is drained from the process at a
TABLE 1. DETAILS OF A TYPICAL STEAM APPLICATION IN A PROCESS PLANT TABLE 2. SUMMARY OF ENERGY LOSSES
Application Steam process IN A TYPICAL
VENTED CONDENSATE-RETURN SYSTEM
Steam pressure supplied to the process
150 psi {before a control valve) equivalent
Summary of operational costs
Steam temperature 366°F
Boiler fuel cost (yearly) 51.167.301
Steam pressure at the process 150 psi pressure
Flash steam losses 5162,043
Steam flowrate 24,000 Ib/h (minimum)
Steam for deaerator operation 564,657
Operation 8,760 h/yr
Total energy loss cost 5226,700
Condensate line pressure 0 psig (vented to the atmosphere and mechanically
pumped back to the boiler plant) The atmospheric system has a total energy loss of 5226,700/
yr as a result of flash steam loss, deaerator steam require
Cost of steam (per thousand pounds)S5.24 ments to heat the low-temperature and makeup water, in
addition to the cost of additional chemicals.
T
ie operational design of modulating (heat exchanger) will consume the flash
steam systems requires the conden- o steam by heating air. water or some other
- sate to be recovered by a gravity (0 ii process fluids. The vent condenser is de
psig) condensate system, so pressurized signed for the application to ensure proper
condensate recovery is not an option. In operation. A standard shell-and-tube heat
these cases, a typical system will incorpo exchanger functions in this application. The
rate a condensate receiver that allows the <> process fluid consumes the flash steam and
flash steam to vent to the atmosphere. The allows the condensate to drain back into the
©
venting of the flash steam ensures the con condensate tank. Therefore, the flash steam
densate receiver is never pressurized. The is consumed and the condensate is recov
use of vent condensers for flash-steam re ered. In the case of a modulating-steam
covery in modulated steam systems is de process condition, the process steam sys
scribed below. t
FLASH STEAM
tem should use the lowest steam pressure,
therefore producing the least amount of flash
Flash-steam recovery in modulating CONDENSATE steam possible.
steam conditions The shell-and-tube heat exchanger de
With today's energy pricing and the need signed for a condenser applications is the
to reduce emissions, a plant’s steam/con PUMPED CONDENSATE typical heat-transfer design used in flash
densate systems cannot afford to vent flash steam condensers. Other heat exchanger
steam to the atmosphere. To prevent the units that can be used are spiral, plate-and-
flash steam loss to the atmosphere, plants frame, and fin-coil units (heating units for air
can install devices, such as flash-steam vent or process gases). Materials and installation
condensers in the flash-steam vent line. VFD CONDENSATE CONTROL considerations will vary depending on the
Depending on the installation costs, application. All vented condensers are en
plants can usually recover the cost of a gineered for the application.
flash-steam vent condenser within ten op mxtuiiMtaui Fluid for the condenser To condense the
erational months.
There are two main cost-saving benefits
! If. flash steam, the condenser requires a fluid
temperature of less than 160°F (general
| ruunruii
for a flash-steam vent condenser: it allows consideration). The fluid can be a liquid or
a plant to recover the flash-steam energy, vapor, depending on the application. If there
which can be used to heat a fluid for a pro is an insufficient quantity of cooling fluid for
cess: and it reduces emissions by recovering the flash steam in a liquid cooling system,
the flash-steam energy. The boilers will not then the plant should consider using a Hash-
have to produce as much steam, thereby steam bypass or some other method to pre
<H> COMXNSAU CONTROL
lowering emissions from the boiler operation. vent the cooling liquid from absorbing too
When condensate and flash steam (two-phase much energy and changing from a liquid to a vapor
flow) is discharged from a modulating steam/con I and causing water hammer.
densate process, it means the process applica Heating air is another application for a vent con
tion has a steam-control valve that modulates the denser. The bottom diagram in Figure 5 shows
steam to the process. The control valve tan oper the air passed over a tube fin configuration with
ate from 0% (full closed) to 100% (full open) and the flash steam inside the tube. The lower tem
anywhere in between (Figure 5, top diagram) The perature air condenses the flash steam, and the
steam pressure after the steam-control valve and condensate is allowed to drain back into the con
before the process heat exchanger can vary (P2 | FlttfiMMft densate tank.
reading) depending on process conditions. The Pressure on the condensate tank When
pressure at P2 can range from the full line pres Co*d*n»l* choosing a vent condenser, the plant must select a
sure being delivered to the steam control valve design that does not create significant pressure for
(P1) all the way down to zero pressure. the condensate receiver tank. The flash steam vent
In this case, the flash steam cannot be recov- line from the condensate tank to the condensing unit
ered in a pressurized flash tank, or a high-pres velocities should not exceed 900 ft/min.
sure condensate-return system. Instead, the Required information. For successful vent-con
condensate flow from the process has to be dis Wd ttndtttiM wfllrv
denser purchase, installation and operation, opera
charged into a condensate line with pressure at tors should know the following parameters:
0 psig (P5) and delivered to a vented con FIGURE 5. A modulated steam-condensate process 1. Condensate flowrate (maximum, minimum
densate receiver tank that is operating at orhas a control valve (top) and a receiver tank vented and normal)
to
close to zero pressure. the atmosphere (upper middle). A flash-steam con 2. Flash steam flowrate (maximum, mini-
denser (lower middle) can be used to heat air (bottom) mum and normal)
Flash-steam vent condenser operation 3. Cooling fluid flowrate (maximum, mini
The upper middle diagram of Figure 5 depicts the typical conden mum and normal)
sate-receiver-tank arrangement, where the flash steam is allowed Before to installing a condensate tank with a vent condenser, first locate
be vented to the atmosphere. The energy loss and emission factors and document the different flash-steam vent lines that are discharg
today permit this loss in the system. ing to the atmosphere. Next, determine the flash steam lost to the
A flash-steam vent condenser is incorporated into the system to atmosphere. Then calculate the projected energy loss and emissions
recover the flash steam by using an external heat exchanger (con- reductions and determine what types of cooling fluids are available J
denser), as shown in the lower middle diagram. The vent condenser
given pressure (150 psi) and passes through nated by the dynamics of the pressurized
a steam trap station to a lower pressure system. Pressurized systems have several
(0 psi at 212°F), then a percentage of the benefits, as follows:
condensate will flash to steam. The vented 1. The pressurized system will increase the
condensate receiver tank allows the flash condensate temperature or sensible en
steam to be vented to the atmosphere and ergy level. The condensate temperature
ultimately leads to a loss of energy, and the in the pressurized system is now at the
flash steam loss will increase the quantity of temperature of the deaerator or higher.
make-up water. The condensate is allowed Therefore, the deaerator does not require
to be reduced to 212°F, which will require an essential steam (energy) to heat the con
influx of energy at the deaerator and boiler densate, saving essential steam.
to achieve phase change at 150 psig. The 2. Another benefit to pressurized condensate
deaerator will use essential steam (steam off is that condensate has not been exposed
the main header) to heat the low-tempera to the atmosphere and has not absorbed
ture condensate and make-up water up to any noncondensable gases. The conden
the operating saturated conditions of the de sate does not have to go through the de
aerator operating pressure. aerator process. In several types of instal
lations, the condensate can be delivered
Implementing pressurized systems directly into the boiler.
Quantifying the losses in terms of money 3.It will reduce makeup water usage. With
is the first step to developing an improve the flash steam being recovered in a pres
ment plan (Table 2). Pressurized conden surized system, no flash steam is lost.
sate systems are an excellent method for Thus, the only need for makeup water is
reducing these losses by 75% or more, to replenish the deaerator's noncondens
depending on the existing operating condi able vent losses. The makeup costs are
tions of the steam and condensate system. negligible in a pressurized system. Reduc
Understanding the dynamics of the current ing makeup water also will reduce boiler
system as well as the dynamics of imple blowdown, thus reducing another energy
menting a pressurized system will lead to loss in the boiler operation.
successful implementation. 4. It will reduce the flash steam quantity that
In a pressurized condensate system, typi is generated, which will reduce the con
cal losses will be greatly reduced or elimi- densate pipe sizing requirements and re-
38 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM FEBRUARY 2019
Before changing an industrial steam system into a
pressurized condensate system, the first step is to
ensure that the steam/condensate system and the steam
processes will be able to operate under the new conditions
G CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
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and materials in the advanced [fn smoothly to minimize hammer noise.
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