What You Should Know About Flash Tanks

by J. E. TROCOLLI Sarco Co., Inc. Allentown, PA (Actual Specifying Engineer/71)

High-pressure steam systems require flash tanks here is a guide to determining sizes
Condensate temperatures in high-pressure steam systems generally are only slightly less than the saturated temperature of the steam. When hot condensates are discharged into lower-pressure areas, condensate temperature immediately drops to the saturated temperature of the low-pressure area. As the result of the drop in temperature, heat released evaporates a portion of the condensate, generating flash steam. To return condensate to the boiler or to discharge it to the sewer, it is necessary to separate flash steam from the condensate. This is accomplished by discharging condensate through steam traps into a vented tank, referred to as a flash tank. Flash steam produced in the flash tank may be vented to the atmosphere or piped to a low-pressure main. Condensate remaining may then be returned to the boiler or discharged to drain. Tanks must be large enough to ensure dryness of the released steam and to avoid carryover by the steam of water in droplet form. When using horizontal flash tanks, the required area is found by multiplying the diameter of the tank by its length. This measures the tanks capacity to handle condensate. Table 1 illustrates the required area for each 1,000 lb. of condensate/hour with varying steam and flash pressures.

Solution: Again, using table 1, enter at 100 PSIG initial pressure. Move horizontally to the 5-PSIG column and find 1.92. Then: 18 x 1.92 = 34.6 sq. ft. A flash tank 4 ft. by 9 ft. will be satisfactory for the application.

Sizing vent lines

If flash steam is to be discharged to the atmosphere, a properly sized vent line must be provided. To determine the proper size, first find the area of the flash tank, using the method described above. Problem: Determine the size of the vent line using table 2. If, as in the first problem, tank size is 2 ft. by 4.5 ft. (9 sq. ft.), refer again to table 2, where 9 sq. ft. falls on 7.4-to-12 line. For this range, a 2-in. vent line would be satisfactory. Problem: Determine the size of the vent line if the flash tank size is 4 ft. by 9 ft. or 36 sq. ft. In table 2, 36 is in the 27-to-36 line, and, in this case, a 31/2 in. vent would be needed. Figure 1 shows a typical flash-tank piping diagram in which the flash is discharged to the atmosphere. If it is desired to utilize the flash steam by discharging it into a low-pressure main, refer to figure 2. In this instance, it will be necessary to properly size the line connecting the flash tank to the low-pressure main. Using table 3, determine the percent of flash. Multiply this percentage by the condensate load in lb./hr. to determine the number of pounds of steam that are flashed. Determine what steam velocity will be acceptable in the line. If a low noise level is desired, a relatively low velocity must be selected 4,000 to 6,000 FPM. Where noise is not a factor, a velocity of 12,000 FPM or higher may be used. After velocity has been determined, the required pipe size can be found in table 4. Problem: 10,000 lb./hr. of condensate is discharged into a flash tank from a 125-PSI steam system. Flash steam is to be piped into a 10-PSIG low-pressure heating main. Determine the size pipe required for connecting the flash tank to the steam main. Enter table 3 at 125-PSI initial pressure. Move horizontally to the 10-PSIG column and find 12.2 percent flash. Then the amount of flash steam/hr. is found this way: 10,000 x 12.2 percent = 1,220 lb./hr.
SECTION ENG - PAGE 0100

How big a tank?

Problem: An absorption machine condenses 12,000 lb. of steam/hr. Assuming the flash tank is vented to the atmosphere, determine the size of the flash tank required with a steam pressure of 12 PSIG. Solution: Enter table 1 at 12 PSIG steam pressure, moving horizontally to 0 PSIG. Find .75, which is the number of square feet required for each 1,000 lb. of condensate. Since 12,000 lb. of steam are generated, it may be determined that by multiplying 12 x .75, 9 sq. ft. of surface will be required, or that the diameter of the tank in feet times its length in feet must equal 9. Thus, a tank 2 ft. by 4.5 ft. may be used. Problem: A dryer operating at 100 PSIG condenses 18,000 lb. of steam/hr. The flash tank is to discharge its flash into a 5-PSIG heating main. Determine the size of the flash tank required.

FLASH TANKS
TABLE 1 FLASH TANK IN SQ. FT. = DIAMETER x LENGTH OF HORIZONTAL TANK FOR 1,000 LB. CONDENSATE PER HOUR BEING DISCHARGED

TABLE 2 VENT LINE SIZE FOR HORIZONTAL FLASH TANKS

TABLE 3

PERCENT FLASH

FLASH TANKS
TABLE 4 STEAM VELOCITY CHART

"

FLASH TANKS
VENT PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE VENT IF DESIRED TO LOW PRESSURE MAIN HIGH PRESSURE FROM CONDENSATE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM

VENT TO ATMOSPHERE

HIGH PRESSURE FROM CONDENSATE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM

CONDENSATE FROM HIGH PRESSURE STEAM SYSTEM

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR STRAINER COLD WATER SUPPLY T VENT TO ATMOSPHERE

FLASH TANK

FLASH TANK

WATER LEVEL
STRAINER FLOAT AND THERMOSTATIC TRAP FIN TUBE COOLING LEG REQUIRED TO LOW PRESSURE RETURN LINE OR DRAIN

STRAINER FLOAT AND THERMOSTATIC TRAP FIN TUBE COOLING LEG REQUIRED
COIL

DRAIN

TO SEWER

TO DRAIN

Figure 1 A typical flash tank piping diagram discharging to atmosphere. NOTE: Omit trap if condensate is discharged into vented pump receiver.

Figure 2 A typical flash tank piping diagram with flash discharging to lowpressure steam system.

Figure 3 This diagram depicts a combination flash tank installation with subcooling condensate.

Since low noise level is important, a velocity in the 4,000 to 6,000 FPM range must be selected. Enter table 4 at 1,220 lb./hr., moving horizontally to a flash-steam pressure of 10 PSIG. Then move up to 4,000 to 6,000 FPM velocity. Here, the chart shows that a 3-in. pipe will handle about 6,000 FPM, or a 4-in. line would handle about 3,500 FPM. When vent lines cannot be extended to discharge outside the buildings, it is important that the condensate be cooled below the dewpoint to prevent the exhaust from condensing and wetting walls, machinery, floors and so on.

Estimating temperature
Since the dewpoint depends on several factors, including relative humidity and temperature (which are variable), the temperature to which the condensate must be cooled should be estimated for individual cases. The following is the recommended procedure: Calculate the size of the flash tank in the method described above: Estimate the dewpoint, assuming unfavorable conditions, and, when making the estimate, take ventilation into account it is a factor in determining relative humidity: Once the dewpoint is known, estimate the quantity of cooling water that will be required and finally: Determine the pipe size and size of temperature regulator valve required. A self-contained regulator with a normally closed valve to open when the temperature rises is recommended. All such controls have an ample range over and under the calibration point so that setting may be adjusted after installation. Problem: Calculate the quantity of cooling water required to cool condensate in a flash tank vented to an enclosed space, assuming the following data: Steam pressure is 100 PSIG; Condensate is entering the flash tank at 1,550 lb./hr. at 335F;
FORM FLASH TANKS Revised 4/04
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. BEIDEL PRINTING HOUSE, INC., 717-532-5063

Ambient temperature of the space into which vent discharges is 75F; and Cold water temperature is 50F. Assuming that ventilation at the above temperature will be sufficient to have not more than 70 percent relative humidity, the dewpoint will be 64.5F (determined from psychrometric chart). To allow 1F for safety, condensate should be cooled from 338F to 63.5F. When the installation is completed, further adjustment can be made by resetting the regulator. The heat to be extracted from the condensate is equal to: 1,500 lb./hr. x (33863.5)F = 410,000 BTUH The quantity of cooling water required: 410,000 BTUH = 30,500 lb./hr. (63.5 50)F or 3,670 GPH = 61 GPM A 1.5-in. pipe to supply the water and a 1.25-in. temperature regulator are recommended for this application. Flash tanks separate flash steam from the condensate by venting the flash steam to the atmosphere or piping it to a low-pressure main, while returning the remaining condensate to the boiler or discharging it to the drain. If flash steam is discharged to the atmosphere, a flash tank and a properly sized vent line must be determined; if discharged to low-pressure mains it is necessary to calculate the correctly sized line connecting the flash tank to the low-pressure main. Also, the proper temperature for cooling the condensate must be determined for projects in which vent lines cannot be extended to discharge outside the buildings. Different situations require individual solutions to determine the correctly sized flash tank, connecting pipe and cooling temperature needed, but the calculation examples offered here provide the means to determine the necessary installations and accessories required.
SHIPCO IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SHIPPENSBURG PUMP CO., INC.
PERMISSION TO REPRINT BY SPIRAX SARCO INC.

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