When industries generate steam, it actually produces steam at different heat levels. In some cases, the steam produced could be hotter than the plant requirement. This means that energy is being tossed down the drain since the steam does not have to be that hot. In these types of cases, a desuperheater helps industries lower the temperature to a suitable level for use.
While coming to the industrial operations, it is important to know how desuperheater regulates the temperature based on the plant requirements. In many cases, people need predictable condensation to ensure effective results in plant operations.
The Working Mechanism
While various desuperheating solutions work differently, it is nice to know the working mechanism of one of the most popular products available on the market. The Komax Desuperheater uses a unique technique to drive effective steam condensation. The mixing module of the equipment applies low-pressure water on steam to cool it.
The perfectly designed spray nozzle gives an upstream flow which is what you want. Interestingly, the flow of steam forces the water to reverse the direction and come downstream by passing through the mixing module. The mixing module of the equipment has six mixing element chambers to develop many impingement mixing zones after exit. It ensures that both streams are getting a three-stage contact for condensation.
Pertaining to this process, the plant receives the right amount of steam based on their requirements. Though the process seems to be lengthy, it produces instant results for the needs of various industries.
Industrial Applications of Desuperheating
Many industries need saturated steam for their industrial requirements. Plant operations bring the possibility of steam temperatures beyond boiling point, and every plant uses desuperheater to reduce it to ideal.
While coming to the desuperheating equipment, it is the cost-efficient way of reducing the temperature of the steam. Also, the equipment produces instant cooling and ensures efficient operations for plants. While older desuperheating technologies had long downstream pipes to cool the steam, the modern equipment cools it immediately after coming out of the mixing module.
Compared to older equipment, new products need less space and produce more efficient temperature regulations. Interestingly, they also avoid any kind of thermal cycling fatigue in the piping systems of the plant. Modern systems also ensure better safety, reduced downtime, and less wear.
Different types of desuperheaters are used in various industries. Some of the prominent industries that use the desuperheating equipment include LNG plants, power plants, sugar and paper industries, chemical and pharmaceutical plants, steel furnaces, and more.