Condensate station ART-EP-CRS. Each industrial facility that has surface-type heat exchangers that use steam must be equipped with one or more condensate collection and return systems. In this case, it is necessary to provide for the maximum use of the heat of the condensate.
Rejection of the condensate collection and return system, according to the regulations in force in Ukraine, must be economically justified and, at the same time, ensure the maximum possible use of condensate heat.
At large facilities with a significant number of steam receivers, it is possible to install several condensate stations, and each of them must consist of at least two condensate collection tanks.
There are a number of reference measures that allow achieving significant energy savings when using condensate heat at an industrial facility:
- installation of efficient condensate drains in all installations using steam, ensuring their proper operation;
- collection of condensate from permanent drainage of steam pipelines, steam satellites and collectors;
- replacement of mixing-type heaters with surface ones;
- maximum use of flash steam;
- purification of polluted condensate;
- transition to closed condensate collection and return systems;
The capacity of the condensate tank must be such as to ensure that the tank can receive condensate at its maximum flow rate for 30 minutes, and in the case of automated condensate pumping, for at least 15 minutes.
One condensate collection tank is allowed to be installed in the case when the condensate flow into the tank at the maximum flow rate does not exceed 5 t/h, and in this case the capacity of the condensate tank must ensure 10-minute condensate intake.
In the event that the return condensate can be “dirty” at the production site and it is necessary to constantly monitor its quality, it is recommended to install at least 3 condensate tanks. At the same time, the capacity of each of them must ensure at least 30 minutes the flow of condensate at its maximum flow rate. At the same time, they are used in equipment "for filling" or in one where a relatively low overpressure is maintained.
Artesia, in the basic version of its condensate stations, provides for the installation of more reliable elliptical bottoms, leaving the decision for the Customer to manufacture a condensate tank with a spherical bottom.
Artesia condensate stations are equipped with two electric pumps, while the characteristics of the pumps are chosen in such a way that they also allow their parallel operation.
Artesia condensate tanks are equipped with the necessary fittings for the required connections for piping and for connecting process equipment.
It should be noted that hydraulic tests of condensate tanks and stations in Artesia are carried out at a pressure of 1.25 times the working with a mandatory correction for the nominal temperature regime of this equipment, which guarantees a higher quality and, accordingly, the service life of Artesia equipment than those manufacturers who focus solely on the requirements of existing European and Ukrainian standards.
Such strict corporate technical regulations of Artesia are significantly ahead of even the current European practice in ensuring the safety of thermal power equipment and allow you not to worry about the safety of personnel servicing any Artesia equipment for a long period of time while observing the minimum requirements for maintaining Artesia equipment.
The quality of the returned condensate is an extremely important characteristic that affects the choice of the metal grade from which both the condensate tank itself and the piping within the condensate station will be made. Recommended, but not mandatory for Artesia condensate stations, are the following characteristics of the returned condensate (Table 1). The established differences in the indicated characteristics of the condensate must be indicated before ordering the condensate station in Artesia.
| Characteristic | unit of measurement | Meaning |
| General hardness
The content of hardness salts of alkaline earth metals, mainly Ca and Mg, responsible for the formation of scale |
mcg-eq./l | 50 |
| Iron content
The iron content is regulated primarily in the return systems of thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants. |
µg/l | 100 |
| Copper content
The copper content is regulated primarily in the return systems of thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants, where tubes made of brass and copper alloys are used as the heat exchange surface of condensers. Under such conditions, an increased content of copper in the condensate leads to the evacuation of copper ions with steam from the steam generator and "sticking" on the blades of the steam turbine of the first stages. |
µg/l | 20 |
| Silicic acid content
see points 2 and 3 |
µg/l | 120 |
| pH
|
8,5-9,5 | |
| Permanganate oxidizability
Responsible for the quality of the condensate as a whole, affects the oxidizability of iron and the total concentration of oxygen ions in the condensate, which can lead to corrosion of the thermal circuit elements. |
mgO/l2 | 5 |
| Oil content
Significantly affects the thermal and physical and other characteristics of condensate, in case of contact with condensate is subject to responsible control |
µg/l | 0,5 |
Technical characteristics of Artesia ART-EP-CRS condensate stations are presented in Table 2.
| Parameter | unit of measurement | Meaning |
| Operating pressure | bar | 0-16 |
| Working temperature | oC | 100-205 |
| Condensate tank capacity | l | 500…3000 |
| Magnetic level indicator | — | ART-BMC (Artesia) |
| Electric pumps | — | GRUNDFOS |
| Material: | ||
| condensate tank | Stainless steel | |
| pipelines within the station | Stainless steel | |
| frame | Carbon steel + powder coating |