11/03/2025, 16:01 Condensate Receiving Tank Design Calculation | Condensate Mound

Condensate Receiving Tank Design Calculation |

Condensate Mound
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Condensate Receiving & Condensate Flash Recovery Tank design

Abstract : A condensate receiving tank or condensate mound is one of the simple equipment in sugar industry
and other process industries. If we provide a common condensate flash recovery tank then no need to
provide individual mounds for each evaporation or heating body like juice heaters, evaporator bodies, pans ..
etc.
Here explain about calculation of the sizing requirement for the condensate receiving tank (Condensate
mound). Also explain the design concepts of a single flash recovery condensate receiving tank and its
flash line sizing.
Concepts to find the sizing of the condensate receiving tank:
a) First we confirm the purpose of the the condensate mound. I.e It is either a condensate receiving tank
or condensate flash vapour recovery tank.
b) Find the condensate quantity to handle the condensate mound.
c) Parameters of the condensate water and its flash vapour like temperature, density, velocities, latent
heat, specific volume … etc.
d) Calculate the flash vapour velocity at the time of generation from condensate. Its velocity is calculated
by the “The Souders – Brown equation”
Velocity of flash vapour in flash tank(m/sec) = Umax = C x [ (ρ L – ρV)/ ρV]0.5

Condensate Water Density = ρ L in kg/M3

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Flash vapour Density = ρ V in kg/M3

Here C = The value of the constant.

C is a measure of the droplet size that will be carried over and depends on the degree of separation of
liquid and vapor required.
According to Cane sugar engineering by Peter Rein, coefficient C recommended 0.01 m/s.
Now calculate flash vapour quantity and its velocity in the condensate mound. From this, we can easily
calculate the dia required for the condensate receiving tank.
For common condensate flash recovery system purposes please go through the following link
Flash Vapour Calculation | Flash Vapour Recovery Vessel Design Calculation.
For simple condensate receiving tank purpose, flash vapour to be taken only for 2 to 3oC of the inlet water
temperature.
a) Generally the height of the condensate receiving tank required for 1.5 to 2.0 meters with the
calculated dia.
b) Provide partition plate in the middle of this condensate mound. Insert the condensate inlet line in
partitioned portion(opposite to the condensate outlet line).
c) Bottom of the condensate line provide minimum 200mm gap from the bottom plate of condensate
mound. The partition plate height to be provide minimum 500mm less than the total height of the
condensate mound.

Now take one example to calculate the sizing of the condensate receiving tank and condensate flash
vapour recovery tank.
Reading Map - Quick Links
Condensate Receiving Tank ( Mound )Calculation
Individual Flash Recovery Condensate Mound Calculation

Condensate Receiving Tank ( Mound )Calculation

S.NO DESCRIPTION Symbol / Formula VALUES UOM

1 Condensate Quantity Qc 50 M3/hr

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11/03/2025, 16:01 Condensate Receiving Tank Design Calculation | Condensate Mound

0.013889 M3/sec

2 Condensate inlet temperature Ti 125 o

C

3 Condensate outlet temperature (To be take 2 to 3oC To 123 o

C
diff.)

4 Condensate water outlet velocity from mound Vc 0.5 m/sec

5 Flash vapour velocity in vent line or equalizing line Vf 50 m/sec

U= Flash Vapour maximum velocity in condensate mound

U = C ((ρL – ρV)/ρV)0.5

Condensate water density ρL 939.00 kg/M3

Flash Vapour Density ρV 1.30 kg/M3

Coefficient C 0.01 m/sec

Specific volume of flash vapour µ 0.77 M3/kg

Latent Heat of flash vapour λ 522.50 Kcal/Kg

U 0.27 m/sec

Flash vapour Quantity Qv = Qc x (To – Ti) / λ 0.19 T/hr

191.39 Kg/hr

Qv x 1000 x µ 147.38 M3/hr

0.04 M3/sec

Condensate Mound Dia

Flash vapour Quantity Qv 0.04 M3/sec

Flash vapour velocity in mound U 0.27 m/sec

Cross-sectional area of mound Am = Qv/U 0.15 m2

Condensate mound Dia Dm = sqrt ( Am 0.44 mtr

/0.785)

450 mm

Condensate mound vent or equalizing line Dia

Flash vapour Quantity Qv 0.04 M3/sec

Flash vapour velocity in vent line Vf 50 m/sec

A Av = Qv / Vf 0.00082

Flash vapour Line Dia Dv = sqrt ( Av /0.785) 0.032 mtr

i .e 50 mm

Condensate mound outlet water line Dia

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Condensate Quantity Qc 0.0139 M3/sec

Vc 0.50 m/sec

Cross-sectional Ac = Qc / Vc 0.0278 m2

Condensate water oulet line dia Dc = sqrt ( Ac /0.785) 0.1881 mtr

200 mm
Cross check the dia by this formula
D > 1.116 x (Qc)0.4

Condensate mound outlet water line Dia 201.71 mm

Individual Flash Recovery Condensate Mound Calculation

S.NO DESCRIPTION Symbol / Formula VALUES UOM

1 Condensate Quantity Qc 50 M3/hr

0.013889 M3/sec

2 Condensate inlet temperature Ti 125 o

C

3 Condensate outlet temperature.(After Flash) To 105 o

C

4 Condensate water outlet velocity from mound Vc 0.5 m/sec

5 Flash vapour velocity in flash outlet line Vf 50 m/sec

U= Flash Vapour maximum velocity in condensate mound (At the time of generation)

U = C ((ρL – ρV)/ρV)0.5

Condensate water density ρL 939.00 kg/M3

Flash Vapour Density ρV 1.30 kg/M3

Coefficient C 0.01 m/sec

Specific volume of flash vapour µ 1.42 M3/kg

Latent Heat of flash vapour λ 535.75 Kcal/Kg

U 0.27 m/sec

Flash vapour Quantity Qv = Qc x (To – Ti) / λ 1.87 T/hr

1866.54 Kg/hr

Qv x 1000 x µ 2648.33 M3/hr

0.74 M3/sec

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11/03/2025, 16:01 Condensate Receiving Tank Design Calculation | Condensate Mound

Condensate Mound Dia

Flash vapour Quantity Qv 0.74 M3/sec

Flash vapour velocity in mound U 0.27 m/sec

Cross sectional area of mound Am = Qv/U 2.74 m2

Condensate mound Dia Dm = sqrt ( Am /0.785) 1.87 mtr

1870 mm

Condensate mound flash outlet line Dia

Flash vapour Quantity Qv 0.74 M3/sec

Flash vapour velocity in vent line Vf 50 m/sec

Cross sectional area Av = Qv / Vf 0.01471

Flash vapour Line Dia Dv = sqrt ( Av /0.785) 0.137 mtr

i.e 150 mm

Condensate mound outlet water line Dia

Condensate Quantity Qc 0.0139 M3/sec

Vc 0.50 m/sec

Cross sectional area Ac = Qc / Vc 0.0278 m2

Condensate water outlet line dia Dc = sqrt ( Ac /0.785) 0.1881 mtr

200 mm
Cross check the dia by this formula
D > 1.116 x (Qc)0.4

Condensate mound outlet water line Dia 201.71 mm

Online calculation for Condensate receiving tank and flash vapour recovery condensate

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