Flash Steam Important Article
Flash Steam Important Article
Flash Steam Important Article
Module 14.6
SC-GCM-113 CM Issue 3
Flash Steam
Flash Steam
The formation of flash has already been discussed in Module 2.2, ‘What is steam’, and a major
flash steam application has been covered in Module 3.13, ‘Heat recovery from boiler blowdown’.
This Module will provide a brief reminder of these earlier Modules; discuss how flash steam is
formed, and focus on how flash steam can be used effectively to improve steam plant efficiency.
Ball valve
Air vent
Condensate at 0 bar g
hf = 419 kJ / kg
Steam at 7 bar g
The heat needed to produce 1 kg of saturated steam from water at the same temperature, at
0 bar gauge, is 2257 kJ. An amount of 302 kJ can therefore evaporate:
302 kJ
0.134 kg of steam per kg of condensate
2257 kJ
From each kilogram of condensate in this example, the proportion of flash steam generated
therefore equals 13.4% of the initial mass of condensate.
If the equipment using steam at 7 bar g were condensing 250 kg/h, then the amount of flash
steam released by the condensate at 0 bar g would be:
0.134 x 250 kg/h of condensate = 33.5 kg/h of flash steam
Alternatively, the chart in Figure 14.6.2 can be read directly for the moderate and low pressures
encountered in many plants.
The example shown in Figure 14.6.1 is depicted in Figure 14.6.2 and shows that 0.134 kg of
flash steam is produced per kg of condensate passing through the trap.
Pressure on traps bar g
kg Flash per kg condensate
Fig. 14.6.2 Flash steam graph
Sub-cooled condensate
If the steam trap is of a thermostatic type, the discharged condensate is sub-cooled below
saturation temperature. The heat in the cooler condensate will be slightly less, and the amount
of flash steam produced would be less.
If the trap in Example 14.6.1 discharged condensate at 15°C below the steam saturation
temperature, then the available heat in the condensate would be less.
Example 14.6.2 Consider condensate discharging at 7 bar g and with 15°C of subcooling
Temperature of saturated condensate at 7 bar g = 170°C
Amount of sub cooling = 15°C
Temperature of sub-cooled condensate at 7 bar g = 155°C
From steam tables:
Amount of heat in condensate at 155°C = 654 kJ/kg
At 0 bar g, saturated condensate can only hold = 419 kJ/kg
Surplus heat in saturated condensate at 0 bar g = 235 kJ/kg
Heat in steam at 0 bar g = 2257 kJ/kg
235 kJ/ kg
Proportion of flash steam =
2257 kJ/ kg
Proportion of flash steam from the condensate = 0.104 (10.4%)
Therefore, in this example, condensate discharging at a temperature lower than the saturation
temperature has reduced the proportion of flash steam from 13.4% to 10.4%.
Pressurised condensate
Example 14.6.3 Consider the condensate in Example 14.6.1 discharging to a flash vessel
pressurised at 1 bar g
If the return line were connected to a vessel at a pressure of 1 bar g, then it could be seen
from steam tables that the maximum heat in the condensate at the trap discharge would be
505 kJ/kg and the enthalpy of evaporation at 1 bar g would be 2201 kJ / kg.
The proportion of the condensate flashing off at 1 bar g can then be calculated as follows:
Heat in condensate at 7 bar g = 721 kJ / kg
At 1 bar g saturated condensate can only hold = 505 kJ / kg
Surplus heat in saturated condensate at 1 bar g = 216 kJ / kg
Heat in steam at 1 bar g = 2201 kJ / kg
216 kJ/ kg
Proportion of flash steam =
2 201 kJ/ kg
Proportion of flash steam from the condensate = 0.098 (9.8%)
In this example, if the equipment using steam at 7 bar g were condensing 250 kg / h of
steam, then the amount of flash steam released by the condensate at 1 bar g would be
0.098 x 250 kg / h = 24.5 kg/h of flash steam.
Therefore, the amount of flash steam produced can depend on the type of steam trap used, the
steam pressure before the trap, and the condensate pressure after the trap.
Condensate in
Condensate out
Fig. 14.6.3 A typical flash vessel constructed to European standards
Example 14.6.4 Determine the size of a flash vessel to suit the following conditions:
The pressure onto the steam traps is 12 bar g with a total condensate flow of 2500 kg / h. The
flash steam from the vessel is to be supplied to equipment using low pressure steam at 1 bar g.
Method:
1. From the ‘Pressure on steam traps’ axis at 12 bar g, move horizontally to the 1 bar g flash
steam pressure curve at point A.
2. Drop down vertically to the condensate flowrate level of 2500 kg/h, point B, and follow the
curved line to point C.
3. Move right from point C to meet the 1 bar g flash line at point D.
4. Move upwards to the flash vessel size and select the vessel.
For this example, an FV8 flash vessel would be selected.
Flash steam pressure bar g
Pressure on steam traps bar g
Example
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
6
15
18
8
12
Fig. 14.6.4 Flash vessel sizing chart
o Care must be taken when attempting flash steam recovery with condensate from temperature
controlled equipment. At less than full-load, the steam space pressure will be lowered by the
closing action of the steam control valve. If the steam pressure in the equipment approaches
or falls below the specified flash steam pressure, the overall amount of flash steam formed
will be marginal, and one must question whether recovery is worthwhile in this instance.
o It is important that there is a demand for low pressure flash steam that either equals or exceeds
the flash steam being produced. Any deficit of flash steam can be made up by live steam from
a pressure reducing valve. If the supply of flash steam exceeds its demand, surplus pressure
will be created in the flash steam distribution system, which will then have to be vented to
waste through a surplussing valve.
o It is possible to utilise the flash steam from condensate on a space heating installation - but
savings will only be achieved during the heating season. When heating is not required, the
recovery system becomes ineffective. Wherever possible, the best arrangement is to use flash
steam from process condensate to supply process loads - and flash steam from heating
condensate to supply heating loads. Supply and demand are then more likely to remain in-step.
o It is preferable to actually use the flash steam close to the high pressure condensate source.
Relatively large diameter pipes are used for low pressure steam, to reduce pressure loss and
velocity, which can mean costly installation if the flash steam has to be piped any distance.
Control of flash steam pressure
Another consideration is a method of controlling the pressure of the flash steam.
In some cases, flash pressure will find its own level and nothing more needs to be done. When
supply and demand are always in-step, and particularly if the low pressure steam is used on the
same equipment producing the high pressure condensate, it is only neccessary to pipe the flash
steam to the low pressure plant without any other control.
Figure 14.6.5 shows the application of flash steam recovery to a multi-bank air heater battery,
which is supplying high temperature air to a process. Condensate from the high pressure sections
is taken to the flash vessel, from where the low pressure flash steam is used, to preheat the cold
air entering the battery via the frost coil (preheater). The surface area of the preheater section,
and the relatively low temperature of the incoming air, will mean that the low pressure flash
steam is readily condensed.
Flash steam
Air flow
High
pressure
traps
Flash vessel
Low pressure
condensate
Depending on operating temperatures, the flash steam will condense at some low pressure,
perhaps even sub-atmospheric. If site conditions and layout permit, the flash vessel and the
steam trap draining the preheater should be located far enough below the preheater condensate
outlet to give enough hydrostatic head to push the condensate through the trap. If this is not
possible, pumping traps can be used to drain both the preheater coil and the flash vessel.
Steam condensing in the preheater at sub-atmospheric pressure will generally mean that a vacuum
breaker is required on the flash steam supply to the preheater. This will prevent the pressure in
the battery becoming sub-atmospheric, thereby assisting condensate flow to the trap. Drainage
from the preheater trap is induced by gravity flow.
Figure 14.6.6 shows an application where the flash steam system is kept at a specified constant
pressure by steam fed from a reducing valve. This ensures a reliable source of steam to the low
pressure system if there is a lack of flash steam to meet the load.
Low
High pressure
pressure traps
traps
Flash vessel
Flash vessel bypass line
Low
pressure
Trap set condensate
Fig. 14.6.6 Flash steam supply and demand in step
Another example where supply and demand are ‘in step’ is the steam heated hot water storage
calorifier. Some of these incorporate a second coil, fitted close to the bottom of the vessel
adjacent to where the cold feedwater enters.
Condensate and flash steam from the trap on the primary coil is passed directly to the secondary
coil. Here, any flash steam produced by the drop in pressure across the trap is condensed, while
giving up its heat to the feedwater. A typical arrangement is shown in Figure 14.6.7.
Steam
Return water in
Low temperature condensate
Another example of this idea is shown in Figure 14.6.8. Here, a normal steam-to-water calorifier
drains condensate through a float trap to a smaller shell-and-tube heat exchanger (called a flash
condenser), in which the flash steam is condensed to sub-cooled condensate. The unit is fitted
such that the secondary flow pipework is in series with both calorifier and condenser. This
enables the secondary return water to be preheated by the condenser, thereby reducing the
demand for live steam in the first instance.
If the condensate in the flash condenser is likely to be sub-atmospheric, a mechanical pump
is required to lift the condensate to any higher return line. The motive steam exhausting from
the pump is itself condensed in the flash condenser. The pumping of the condensate is then
achieved at virtually no cost.
Consideration must be given to the pump filling head in that it needs to be greater than the
pressure drop across the flash condenser tubes under full-load conditions. A minimum head of
600 mm will usually achieve this.
Secondary flow
Steam
Heating calorifier
Temperature control
Steam trap Secondary
flow path
Steam
Condensate Flash steam
Medium
pressure
steam
Condensate
Condensate
Condensate Flash
vessel
Condensate
Fig. 14.6.9 Flash steam supply and demand not in-step
Cold Level
water Make-up tank controller
Condensate
Boiler feedtank
Steam
supply to
injector
Flash vessel
Steam
Blowdown
Float trap valve Boiler
Heat
exchanger
Feedpump
Drain
Fig. 14.6.10 Typical heat recovery from boiler blowdown
Spray condensing
Finally, consideration should be given to those cases where flash steam is unavoidably generated
at low pressure, but where no suitable load is available which can make use of it.
Rather than simply discharge the flash steam to waste, the arrangement in Figure 14.6.11 can
often be adopted.
This arrangement can be useful where the condensate receiver vent cannot be piped to outside,
and where the presence of flash steam would be detrimental if left to discharge in a plant room.
A lightweight stainless steel chamber is fitted to the receiver tank vent. Cold water is sprayed into
the chamber in sufficient quantities to just condense the flash steam. The flow of cooling water
is controlled by a simple self-acting temperature control, adjusted so that minimal amounts of
flash steam appear from the vent. The process will use roughly 6 kilograms of cooling water per
kilogram of flash steam condensed.
If the cooling water is of boiler feed quality, then the warmed water is added to the condensate
in the receiver and re-used. This will continue to make water savings throughout the year.
If the cooling water is not suitable for recovery, the spray pipework can be installed as shown
by the dotted arrangement. The cooling water and condensed flash will then fall to waste.
Vented to atmosphere
Water in
Self-acting
temperature Alternative
control arrangement
Condensate
Condensate receiver
Condensed water
to waste
Overflow with ‘U’ seal
Pumped condensate
Centrifugal pump
Fig 14.6.11 Flash steam condensing and water saving by spray
Questions
2. What percentage of flash steam is made from condensate at 10 bar g passing into a
flash vessel at 0.5 bar g?
a| 12% ¨
b| 13% ¨
c| 14% ¨
d| 5% ¨
3. What is the effect on the production of flash steam from sub-saturated condensate?
a| The flash steam produced is less than that with saturated condensate ¨
b| The flash steam produced is more than that with saturated condensate ¨
c| There is no effect at all ¨
d| Live steam is always at a higher pressure than flash steam ¨
4. With reference to Example 14.6.1, what would be the proportion of flash steam
produced if the flash pressure were 2.5 bar g?
a| 3% ¨
b| 6% ¨
c| 8% ¨
d| 10% ¨
5. In a steam system, the trap pressure is 15 bar g, the flash pressure is 0.5 bar g,
and the condensate flowrate is 1300 kg / h. Which flash vessel is required?
a| FV6 ¨
b| FV8 ¨
c| FV12 ¨
d| FV16 ¨
Answers
1: c 2: c, 3: a, 4: b, 5: b, 6: d