The purpose of a desuperheater is simple: it lowers the temperature of superheated steam. As simple as the purpose sounds, the role of a desuperheater in an industrial setting is equally vital.
Steam is used to create mechanical power, which is best achieved when the steam is heated. But when steam is used for heating or heat transfer, it should be saturated. Steam is saturated by lowering its temperature. This is the work of the desuperheater.
The fundamentals
The process of temperature reduction is called attemperation and is done by injecting a specific amount of water into a steam flow stream.
This seemingly simple mechanism has a wide array of uses in several industries. It can be safely assumed that any industry that needs a heat exchanger will also need a desuperheater.
Besides manufacturing static mixers and heat exchangers, Komax Systems Inc also makes desuperheaters. They are efficient, fast, and deliver the best results in the shortest time without wasting energy or money.
Another winner by Komax
Like every other equipment that Komax manufactures, their desuperheaters are also used in a wide variety of industries around the world. Even though the purpose of a desuperheater is simple enough, it doesn’t diminish the necessity of this industrial equipment.
Some of the industrial applications of the desuperheater are:
Power generation: Desuperheaters are regularly used in power generation, for stabilizing superheat for boilers that produce variable temperature steam. A turbine bypass system also require desuperheaters to reduce the temperature normally handled by the turbine.
Thinner pipes and smaller flangers: When steam is superheated, it requires wider pipes and flanges, leading to higher costs. Desuperheaters cool down the steam, and then it requires thinner pipes and smaller flanges. This brings down the production and maintenance costs.
Control processes: Desuperheaters help control a number of processes that can be affected if steam temperature is not constant. Fluctuating steam temperature affects product quality, cause safety issues and also lead to expensive repairs. Desuperheaters help prevent such situations.
Protect lubricants: When steam is superheated, it can quickly degrade various lubricants. Desuperheaters prevent that by keeping steam temperature consistent.
Komax desuperheaters are as popular as their static mixers, and it isn’t without reason. For over 45 years, Komax has been supplying several industries around the world with static mixers, steam heaters, and other such equipment.
For a custom design, contact Komax and get a customized desuoerheater designed just for your application.