Condensate Return Required?
Condensate Return Required?
(OP)
Hi All,
I am working on a farm-scale ethanol plant project. One of the systems requires ethanol to be vaporized. The design calls for a 24kW boiler to feed saturated steam to a heat exchanger (vaporizer) at 50psig. The heat exchanger load is approximately 25,000BTU. There are no other loads. My question is, if the heat exchanger is situated some 10 feet above the boiler vessel, are the condensate return, cold water make-up, and feedwater pump necessary? Can the condensate simply drain back to the boiler through the steam outlet? There will be an air bleed at the top of the heat exchanger, and a vacuum break on the boiler.
I am working on a farm-scale ethanol plant project. One of the systems requires ethanol to be vaporized. The design calls for a 24kW boiler to feed saturated steam to a heat exchanger (vaporizer) at 50psig. The heat exchanger load is approximately 25,000BTU. There are no other loads. My question is, if the heat exchanger is situated some 10 feet above the boiler vessel, are the condensate return, cold water make-up, and feedwater pump necessary? Can the condensate simply drain back to the boiler through the steam outlet? There will be an air bleed at the top of the heat exchanger, and a vacuum break on the boiler.





RE: Condensate Return Required?
You should not need a cold water makeup unless your supply pressure is below 50 psig. But you shouldn't need any make up once you get it lined out.
RE: Condensate Return Required?
RE: Condensate Return Required?
RE: Condensate Return Required?
RE: Condensate Return Required?
To do without the cold water make-up pump you would need a supply of water above 50 psig.
Also, raising the reboiler may have an affect the level of ethanol in the vessel feeding it.
RE: Condensate Return Required?