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Optimising Steam and Condensate Systems Energy Usage
John Herbert
Director
Kelcroft designs, supervises and manages a wide range of
E&M engineering systems for the built environment including a
particular specialty Steam and Condensate systems primarily used in
the hospital, healthcare, manufacturing process, catering and
industrial sectors.
Kelcroft provides you with solutions for the built environment, that
others can't provide, we design, energy smart Steam and Condensate
systems, including piping, heat exchangers and boiler plant.
Our wide range of experience includes consultancy and
advisory services for steam and condensate systems, covering hospitals,
cook-chill, steam boilers, steam-to-water heat exchangers, steam
control, steam traps, conditions surveys, autoclaves, sterilizers, and
catering equipment, laundry and industrial process steam applications.
We help organisations conducting:
This expertise allows us to offer valued added steam and
condensate energy conservation advice and solutions that lower fuel and
operating costs.
Steam Condensate Water Recovery
After using the latent energy in your steam system the by
product high grade hot water, is known as condensate.
Condensate is a valuable resource, it is vital for an energy
efficient plant to return the majority of the condensate
back to the boiler plant hot well for re-use. Increasing the
quantity of condensate returned to the boiler plant has several
advantages:
- reduces raw water demand, saves water
- avoids heating cold water, lowering fuel consumption
- reduces chemical treatment
Condensate is considered to be high grade energy, often
70-80 degC at atomospheric pressure, this waste heat energy
can be used for waste heat recovery, for example pre-heating
hot water, or even air-conditioning.
Return How Much Condensate?
How much condensate should be to returned to the steam
boiler plant, is a good question.
In a perfect world all, 100% of the condensate should be
recovered and returned to the boiler plant for reuse,
lowering energy costs by 25% (dependant on the boiler
plant) and the related water and chemical treatment costs.
Inevitably there are some obstacles, including leakage and
losses from the steam system, losses from the condensate
system, or perhaps a portion of the condensate is
contaminated and cannot be reused.
A good rule of thumb for steam systems target returning
80-85% of the condensate to the boiler.
Steam Generators
The energy efficiency steam generation is a critical
aspect to optimise steam and condensate energy use.
Whatever fuel is used, oil, gas, or electricity
its important that the boiler or generator creates
steam at the correct conditions, pressure and dryness,
using the minimum quantity of fuel. And the capacity
matches the type and character of steam load required
by the processes.
The energy efficiency of all the steam generators
should be monitored and recorded frequently. If the
steam is purchased, it important to understand the
condition of the steam delivered and for processes
sensitive to steam dryness, e.g. autoclaves, to
know the steam dryness as delivered.
What Next? Call Kelcroft today +(852) 2335 9830!
