STEAM

HANDLING
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SELECTING PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE LEVELS NOMENCLATURE

Moisture content in condensing-steam denses steam, or exhausts some of it to E Turbine efficiency msteam Mass flowrate
turbines — The selection of pressure an intermediate pressure level). From bhp Turbine brake of the steam
and temperature levels normally starts an energy standpoint, the higher the
with the premise that somewhere in pressure and temperature, the higher
horsepower mwater Mass flowrate
the system there will be a condensing the overall cycle efficiency. HG Enthalpy of the of the water
turbine. Consequently, the pressure saturated vapor SR Actual steam
Process requirements — When steam
and temperature of the steam must be component rate, lb/h
levels are being established, consider-
selected so that its moisture content
ation must be given to process require-
in the last row of turbine blades will
ments other than for turbine drivers.
HL Enthalpy of the TSR Theoretical
be less than 10–13%. In high-speed liquid component steam rate,
For example, steam for process heat-
turbines (greater than 9,000 rpm), lb/(hr)(bhp)
ing will have to be at a high enough HM Enthalpy of the
a moisture content of 10% or less is
pressure to prevent process fluids from wet stream X Steam quality
desirable.
leaking into the steam. Steam for pipe
System metallurgy — At 600 psig and tracing must be at a certain minimum
less, carbon-steel piping is acceptable pressure so that low-pressure conden-
in steam distribution systems. Above sate can be recovered. CONDENSATE COLLECTION
600 psig, alloy piping is required. In a Water treatment costs — The higher
900- to 1,500-psig steam system, the the steam pressure, the costlier the • All steam condensate that can be returned to the boiler
piping must be either a molybdenum boiler feedwater treatment. Above should be recovered, unless there is a genuine risk that
or chromium-molybdenum alloy 600 psig, the feedwater almost always it may contaminate the boiler feedwater
must be demineralized; below 600
Turbine water rates — Steam require-
psig, softening may be adequate. It
• Backpressures on steam traps should be minimized by
ments for a turbine are expressed as sizing return lines adequately
may have to be of high quality if the
water rate (either lb of steam/bhp, or
lb of steam/kWh). Actual water rate
steam is used in the process, such as in • Condensate flashing should be avoided because it
reactions over a catalyst bed (common adds pressure drop in the return line
is a function of two factors: theoretical
in hydrogen production).
water rate and turbine efficiency. • Condensate lines should be located lower than steam
The first is directly related to the Type of distribution system — For a traps to provide gravity drainage
energy difference between the inlet small local system, it is not impracti-
and outlet of a turbine, based on the cal from a cost standpoint for steam
isentropic expansion of the steam. It is, pressures to be in the 600–1,500 psig TYPICAL PRESSURE SETPOINTS
therefore, a function of the turbine inlet range. For a large system, maintain-
and outlet pressures and temperatures. ing pressures within the 150–600
The second is a function of the size of psig range is desirable because of the
IN A THREE-HEADER STEAM SYSTEM
the turbine and the steam pressure cost of meeting the alloy requirements
at the inlet and of turbine operations for higher-pressure steam distribution Steam-system setpoints, psig
(such as whether the turbine con- systems. 50-psig 150-psig 600-psig
system system system
STEAM QUALITY (MOISTURE CONTENT; X) Turbine-casing pressure
safety valve
100 185 None

Header pressure safety valve 80 175 715

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Pressure-reducing station 53 155 615

Line-loss allowance 5 8 30
%XPANDED STEAM
TEMPERATURE &


7ET STEAM
 PRESSUREPSIA Distant subheader operating point 48 147 585


 
  ROLES OF VARIOUS CONTROL ELEMENTS
 

IN REGULATING HEADER PRESSURES
         
3TEAMQUALITY
Headers
This graph is based on the typical steam-quality calculation [HM = High Medium Low
(HL)(1–X) + (X)(HG), where X = msteam/(msteam + mwater)]but helps pressure pressure pressure
avoid interpolation of enthalpy values from steam tables. Steam Control element + – + – + –
quality is found where temperature intersects the pressure line 600/150-psig pressure- B➀ ? ?➀ B➀
reducing station
STEAM CONSUMPTION BY A TURBINE 150/50-psig pressure B② ?② ?➀ B
reducing station
SR = (TSR)(bhp)/E 600-psig atmospheric B②
vent valve
Typical theoretical steam rates (TSR)
50-psig atmospheric B②
Exhaust Steam inlet conditions, psig/°F vent valve
pressure 1,500/925 900/825 600/750 150/500 50/400 600-psig safety relief valve B③
600 psig 29.99 68.2 50-psig safety relief valve B③
150 psig 13.97 18.18 23.83 Note: response rate is typical- Legend:
50 psig 10.7 12.90 15.36 39.9 ly limited to 20% of capacity + = pressure is rising
1 atm 8.09 9.25 10.40 17.51 29.10 per minute. Therefore, other – = pressure is falling
elements should be relied on ➀②③ = steps in sequence
4.0 in. Hg abs. 6.368 7.03 7.65 10.78 14.00 B = control element opens
to control header pressures
1.5 in. Hg abs. 5.845 6.368 6.888 9.30 11.52 during transient conditions ? = control element closes