They use Desuperheaters in the process of reducing the temperature of superheated steam to improve the process of heat transfer in steam applications.  They have a variety of applications and used in a variety of industries.

What are Desuperheaters?

Desuperheating is the process by which superheated steam is restored to its saturated state, to the superheated temperature is reduced.

Many processes throughout the Process Industry use saturated steam in their steam applications.  For efficient heat transfer to occur and for high control over the process of cooling superheated steam, they use desuperheaters.  Desuperheaters reduce the temperature and pressure of superheated steam to near saturation levels, thus improving heat transfer.

How Desuperheaters Work

Desuperheaters work by mixing finely atomized cooling water droplets into superheated steam flow.  These water droplets must remain suspended in downstream pipework for as long as possible. Otherwise water droplets fall-out occur, resulting in loss of efficiency in the desuperheating process and possible corrosion.

Komax Desuperheaters eliminates water droplet fallout and ensure a reliable, efficient energy transfer.

Komax Desuperheaters

The Komax Desuperheater utilizes a unique approach to desuperheating compared to traditional desuperheaters, using both a low-pressure spray nozzle directed upstream of the steam flow and using a patented Equalizer Mixing Module incorporated into all of our desuperheater designs.  This mixing module’s designation for gas/liquid mixing and can shear the droplets to very fine sizes, which makes for quick and efficient absorption of water into the superheated steam line.

Komax desuperheaters use a multiple stage mixing system.

• First Stage – This specifically occurs at the water injection point. The water is sprayed upstream of the flow using low-pressure full cone spray nozzles to adequately distribute the water across the cross-section.  It shears small droplets to even smaller sizes using the velocity from the steam blowing the sprayed water downstream toward the Equalizer.
• Second Stage – Occurring at the Equalizer. The equalizer consists of six mixing chambers with a helical mixing element in each chamber, which leads to 12 divisions and instances of increased turbulence between the steam and water, further shearing the water droplets into effective absorption into the steam line.
• Third Stage – Finally, this occurs at the Equalizer outlet, where the 12 streams recombine to blend together and complete the mixing and water absorption to carry downstream to the next part of your process.

Industries That Specifically Require Desuperheaters

• Chemical
• Food & Beverage
• Oil/Gas
• Petrochemical
• Power Generation
• Pulp & Paper

Applications for Desuperheaters

They use Desuperheaters in many applications throughout the process industry, but typical applications include power generation applications, where they are used to reduce the temperature of steam discharges from turbine bypass systems to that required for other parts of the plant.  It uses them in process applications as part of a system.  Used specifically for reducing the temperature and pressure of steam from boilers to economic levels of operation.