subject: Moisture Separators And Their Scope Of Usage [print this page] In the context of industrial operations, the presence of moisture in steam can adversely affect the performance capacity and efficiency of various machines. This factor ultimately leads to added cost of operations. A good way to mitigate this problem would be by installing moisture separators. These devices are also referred to as steam separators.
However, not just any moisture separators will do. It is vital to install a separator that can ensure that your process steam is at least 99% dry. The drier the steam, the longer the pipeline and machines will last.
Scope and principle of usage
Typically, a steam separator is used in processes that require especially dry steam. So, you would notice that they are used with devices such as industrial autoclaves. Steam separators are also used with large industrial boilers, and nuclear reactors. Moisture separators that use centrifugal force to toss away the condensates from the steam are known to be most effective.
Their operations are also fairly simple to understand. As the steam enters the separator through an inlet, it hits a baffle and moves in a spiral manner. This centrifugal force makes the water droplets fly out of the steam. This can be compared to the spin dry feature in washing machines that we are so familiar with. The rapid rotation of the barrel in a washing machine literally causes the water to fly out of the clothes. The stem then goes through special devices that prevent the re-entrainment of particles that have just been separated. The dry steam is then vented out through an outlet.
It is important to install moisture content measurement devices to ensure that the dryness of the steam is as desired. The efficiency of the moisture separator can be measured using such measurement devices.
How steam can be detrimental
There are several reasons why steam can be harmful to your process, product, and machinery. For one, the presence of moisture in an internal combustion engine can cause water droplets to accumulate in the engines cylinder. This leads to something known as a hydraulic lock that leads to engine failure.
Similarly, steam turbine blades suffer damage if the high velocity steam being directed on them contains water. Since these water droplets have nearly the same high velocity and force as that of steam, they continually hit the internal elements of the turbine, thus causing gradual erosion. There are a myriad of other examples that point towards the importance of using high-quality moisture separators.
These separators can be bought in standard or custom designed. They can be installed in multiple configurations, such as horizontal, vertical, or in-line. It is very vital to ensure that the steam separator conforms to ASME, and other relevant industry codes.
