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Steam Utility in Chemical Process Industries: Dr. Uthirapathi Vengateson

This document provides an overview of steam utility systems in chemical process industries. It outlines key concepts including typical plant schematics, steam classifications, steam network design, and common equipment. The document discusses steam production via boilers and heaters, distribution through headers and letdown stations, and condensate recovery. It also covers steam applications, basics of steam conditions, and potential issues like steam trap malfunctions that can impact heat transfer. The presentation aims to educate chemical engineering students on steam handling principles and troubleshooting techniques relevant to plant operations.

Uploaded by

Tushar Dagar
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95 views21 pages

Steam Utility in Chemical Process Industries: Dr. Uthirapathi Vengateson

This document provides an overview of steam utility systems in chemical process industries. It outlines key concepts including typical plant schematics, steam classifications, steam network design, and common equipment. The document discusses steam production via boilers and heaters, distribution through headers and letdown stations, and condensate recovery. It also covers steam applications, basics of steam conditions, and potential issues like steam trap malfunctions that can impact heat transfer. The presentation aims to educate chemical engineering students on steam handling principles and troubleshooting techniques relevant to plant operations.

Uploaded by

Tushar Dagar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Steam Utility in Chemical Process

Industries

Presented by
Dr. Uthirapathi Vengateson
06 Nov 2020
Objective
Aimed at Chemical Engineering Students (future process engineers) to provide the underlying
working principle of steam handling equipment, steam production and network design and the
practical aspects of some troubleshooting techniques in plant.

Outlines:

1. Overview of typical process plant


2. Introduction to Block diagram, Process Flow Diagram (PFD), Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)
3. Importance of steam and its different applications in process industry
4. Basis of steam and condensate ( Subcooled, Saturated, Superheated conditions)
5. Different categories of Steam in Process Industry (LP Steam, MP steam, HP steam)
6. Overview of Steam network
7. Introduction to DM water, deaerator, boiler feed water, boiler, fired heater, efficiency (boiler, fired heater), steam headers, letdown station, condensate
recovery.
8. Steam heated heat exchanger, condensate vessel, Steam trap
9. Steam trap malfunctions
Typical process plant schematic overview

IMPURUTIES
Typical Process plant flare header overview

NETWORK OF FLARE HEADER


FOR COMPLEX PROESS
BLOCK DIAGRAM
PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM
PIPING AND INSTRUMENTATION DIAGRAM (P&ID)
Steam Usage – Typical Applications

1. Indirect heating in steam heaters


2. Steam tracing for pipes and storage tanks
3. Removal of lighter components by steam stripping
4. Vacuum creation in equipment by steam jet ejectors
5. Power generation in steam turbine.
6. Combustion process to atomize fuel oil
7. Steam Injection into flare to assist the combustion
8. Vessel purge steam for cleaning the equipment during the
maintenance (steam out)
9. Direct heating of water through live steam injection
10. Mass and heat exchanger by live steam injection in distillation
11. Reduction of partial pressure in Gas phase Reactor
12. Injection into combustion process to lower NOx emissions through
reduction in the flame temperature in fired heater.
BASIC OF STEAM AND CONDENSATE

LP STEAM

MP STEAM

Steam out
Temperature HP STEAM
measurement
PG

WATER IN

HEAT
Typical steam system network

• Condensate Recovery: More than


75 % is good
DEAERATOR
• Soft water (Sand, sediments,
calacium and magnesium salts
already removed).

• Removal of ca, mg ions from


48.8 oC water. Otherwise carbonate scale
formation in boiler tube-poor heat
transfer- upon heating release CO2
4.46 bara – carbonic acid formation- carbon
148.9 oC steel tube corrosion

2 bara, 121.1 oC
• Oxygen in water is a highly
corrosive element. If it is left the
boiler feed water, it will rapidly
oxidise the boiler tubes (corrosion)
93.3 oC
• The bulk of the oxygen, air is
42.4 bara removed from the Deionized water
121.1 oC (soft water) in deaerator.
NATURAL CIRCULATION BOILER
FIRED HEATER WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SECTION
Example of simplified refinery flow model
Steam Heated Exchanger
Steam trap malfunction
Steam Trap failure --- Blown Condensate Seal

• Loss of heat duty due to steam trap stuck open is called Blown
condensate Seal.
• Steam passes through steam trap. Increased steam velocity causes
poor heat transfer.
• Close the downstream isolation valve of steam trap and heat duty
is improved in the exchanger, then Blown condensate seal is
confirmed.

Steam Trap failure --- Condensate backup


• Lack of heat duty due to steam trap stuck closed, is due to
condensate back up. Condensate back up to the exchanger. Tube
bundle starts to submerge in the condensate.
• Area available for heat transfer is reduced and the condensate
subcooled.
• Open the bypass valve of the steam trap to drain the condensate. If
the heat duty is improved, then steam trap malfunction (struck close)
is confirmed.
Drip leg

Steam produced by a typical boiler contains condensate, which must be removed from the
system via a system trap (top). When not properly removed, the condensate will eventually form
a slug of water (bottom) that will be thrust forward by the fastmoving steam called steam
hammering.
THANK YOU

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