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Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

(OP)
We are comissioning 4 small boilers and need to test all 4 concurrently under high fire conditions. The engineer sized a 4" vent off of the header.

For 150# Steam, what size of a plume should we expect, and approximately how loud will this be. We do not have a Muffler.

RE: Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

What size is your main steam pipe from each boiler?

(4" seems "a bit" two small for all four to get flow from even one.)

Hint: What are your relief valve sizes? - from each boiler.

RE: Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

(OP)
6".
18000@/hr

RE: Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

(OP)
two 50 HP boilers (1.5" relief) two 200HP w/2" reliefs.

RE: Estimating Steam Plume Size and Noise

Understand.  Size problem will be checking the 4" flow (add the open ended pipe end) aginst your needed flow capacity for the test.

----
I was (recently) very uncomfortable 50 ft below and 150 ft (horizontal) from a 1.5" line blowing down a MS line - wearing ear muffs - and could only talk to the guy beside me by shouting.     We made no decible check when the blowdown started - just moved away.    

Further back - around the corner and towards the parking lot - it was manageable to to talk to each other.  (The corner of the building probably made most of the difference.)

Size of plume was minor - not really noticeable nor memorable, maybe because of the particular weather conditions that day.   As a "renewale energy capacity check" I'd think you could even advertise the test to avoid public comment and deflect criticism.  Also, as a "test" the public tends to accept air raid sirens and tornado warnings with no protest.   As regular operating procedures - then they get upset.

--
Thoughts:  Blow it (the plume) up - not sideways or down.  Condensing steam is more noticed, but noise is reduced - and the noise is directed upwards, not reflected or blown sideways.

If you are in the boonies - probably not as much problem than if you had nearby (non-industrial) neighbors.

Length of time:  Shorter scope (1/2 hour or less) will attract less attention, be more accepted than a several hour blowdown test.  But - if as I suspect you need a capacity check lasting a long time, night time will be much more noticed than daytime - even if no residents are closer than 3/4 mile.  So start your test as soon as possible after people are up and awake - not daybreak.

Double pipe (relief outlet inside a temporary larger pipe) will reduce noise as well - but not be a permanent official (and expensive) muffler
 

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