As the name says it all, steam separators are devices that are used to remove or separate water vapor from steam. These devices are mainly used on steam transport piping and the steam-using inlet on the equipment is used to discharge the condensation and water droplets within the steam. The main use of these separators is to increase the thermal efficiency of any steam-based engine.
Unfavorable Steam Can Cause Attrition of Instruments
There are several reasons why steam can cause harm to a given application, machinery or product. In the industrial sectors, wet steam happens to be a major problem in a steam system. It causes maintenance and process problems that includes corrosion, erosion and lower productivity. The presence of moisture in the internal combustion engine causes water content or droplets to accumulate in the cylinder of the engine. In technical terms it is known as a hydraulic lock. This can reduce the product quality, plant productivity and also cause damage to most of the equipments on the premises of a plant or an industry.
Therefore, steam separators are specifically designed to remove any type of moisture and water droplets from steam flow. They gather small water droplets from gas, steam and compressed air pipelines and efficiently separate them from the pipe flow. In this manner, it reduces the wet steam and maintains the heat transfer efficiency. Moreover, usage of the right device and proper installation will reduce the corrosion and wear and tear in your steam system. It will also reduce the heating surface scaling and pipe work of the overall system.
The efficiency of steam operated systems majorly depends on the quality of the steam that is being passed through. Steam in the steam systems often travels at high velocities. The separators help to remove up to 99% of moisture from the steam.
Types of Separators
There are three major types of separators namely: coalescence, baffle and cyclonic type of separators. The selection of the devices depends on the overall width of the pipeline, heat transfer, process temperatures, exchange ratio and many other factors. Moreover, in many cases two different types of separators are combined to achieve higher efficiencies.
Important Aspects When Looking for Steam Separators
Ensure the unit is ASME stamped. The ASME code-compliance and industry standards assure the efficiency.
Also, ensure that the structural integrity of the steam-liquid separator is of high quality.
The devices must be built of high quality stainless steel that would help prevent corrosion for years to come.
In addition, also make sure the internal and external components of the device such as couplings, nozzles, and flanges are made in carbon steel. It is important to purchase the separators from reliable and authentic manufacturers in order to gain better performance.
