Steam Pipe Slope

[Coolboy55]

What is the recommended minimum slope in cases where the pipe runs uphill and the condensate must run back against the steam flow? Is there a commonly used relationship based on the steam velocity?

Thanks!

 

[pennpiper]

Your question is too general and needs a frame of reference.

What kind of Facility/Plant/Code?

- Hospital/HVAC?

- Refinery/ASME B31.3?

- Chemical Plant/B31.3?

- Manufacturing Plant/?

- Power Plant?ASME B31.1?

- Utility Distribution System?

 

[Coolboy55]

This is a manufacturing facility.

 

[pennpiper]

So, you have Saturated Steam. You should have the lines run down hill so the Condensate and the Steam both flow in the same direction.

Then you should go to this link (

http://www.spiraxsarco.com/resources/steam-engineering-tutorials.asp)

and do some study.

In "Steam Distribution" pay attention to the "Steam Mains and Drainage"

 

[Coolboy55]

Thanks for your response. I had already reviewed the link you mentioned, but it didn't provide the information I was looking for. The recommended slope in a counter flow situation is 1:40, but it also notes that the pipe diameter should increase in the uphill section by some amount.

This naturally leads to the question I posed, which was whether or not there is any information available on the required pipe slope by steam velocity.

Clearly, with a higher steam velocity, more slope is needed to drain condensate against the steam flow, which explains why the pipe diameter may need to increase in uphill sections. I am interested in any information relating slope to steam velocity. Surely research has been done?

 

[balagast]

Why do you want the condensate to drain opposite the direction of the steam flow?

 

[katmar]

On the page where Spirax Sarco recommend using a slope of 1:40 in a counter flow situation, they also state that the steam velocity should be kept below 15 m/s.

http://www.spiraxsarco.com/resource...eam-distribution/steam-mains-and-drainage.asp

If you are normally using steam velocities of 30-35 m/s this means a 40 to 50% increase in diameter. The alternative is to use the zig-zag arrangement shown higher up on the same Spirax Sarco page.

If you want to try using steeper slopes with higher steam velocities you should be concerned about liquid pickup at the steam condensate interface and the generation of very wet steam.

Katmar Software - Engineering & Risk Analysis Software

http://katmarsoftware.com

"An undefined problem has an infinite number of solutions"