×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Steam Flow Rate

Steam Flow Rate

Steam Flow Rate

(OP)
I am looking for a quick and dirty way to determine the steam flow rate using a pressure transducer. Steam Tank pressure = 18psig, Steam Tank Temp = 225°F. Steam Flow is through a 3/32 orifice in a solenoid (approx 2psi drop), into 3/16 ID tube 8" Long.

 

RE: Steam Flow Rate

I could work out the problem for you, but the best thing for you to do is break out your Crane Technical Paper 410 and go through the process.  If you don't have one, you should get one.  

The easier thing to do is to download software off the web.  I would recommend FE-Sizer.  It is a great flow element sizing program that works great for sizing orifices or in your case determining the flow across an orifice.

Good Luck   

RE: Steam Flow Rate

We use exhaust steam from our powerhouse turbines in our sugar processing equipment (evaporators and vacuum pans; these are actually heat exchange equipment which makes use of the exhaust steam's heat to process our sugar and the condensed steam is sent back to our boilers).  A large steam pressure drop exists from the powerhouse exhaust steam line to our sugar processing station steam line due to an undersize steam pipe line.  We sometimes blow-off the steam at the exit point of the point of the turbines to prevent large back pressures on our turbines.  How should I determine the optimum pipe diameter to reduce this pressure drop without affecting the steam supplied to my sugar process, i.e., my rate of sugar production will not be affected negativey?

RE: Steam Flow Rate

Hi Edfeel:

I would suggest that you do pressure drop calculations for a few different pipe dimeters and maybe some other significant operation values and see what comes out as the best option for you.

Gordan

Visit the Engineering Software web site -- http://members.aol.com/engware -- where you can find free on-line calculators, demos and other material/information related to energy conversion systems (power and propulsion) ...

RE: Steam Flow Rate

What is the diameter & schedule of the pipe? How long is the line in feet? Are there a lot of 90* els, or just a few for an expansion loop? What is the normal inlet pressure to the line (turbine exhaust pressure), and what pressure do you need at the end of the run to have your process operate properly?

RE: Steam Flow Rate

For saturated steam at 18 psig, the temperature would be 256 F. It seems that 225 F indicates no steam...only condensate. Please comment about my opinion.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources