3.2.3 Steam
Steam is the most widely-used heat source in most chemical plants. Steam has a number of advantages
as a hot utility:
• The heat of condensation of steam is high, giving a high heat output per pound of utility at
constant temperature (compared to other utilities such as hot oil and flue gas that release
sensible heat over a broad temperature range).
• The temperature at which heat is released can be precisely controlled by controlling the pressure
of the steam. This enables tight temperature control, which is important in many processes.
• Condensing steam has very high heat transfer coefficients, leading to cheaper heat exchangers.
• Steam is nontoxic, nonflammable, visible if it leaks externally, and inert to many (but not all)
process fluids.
Most sites have a pipe network supplying steam at three or more pressure levels for different process
uses. A typical steam system is illustrated in Figure 3.2. Boiler feed water at high pressure is
preheated and fed to boilers where high pressure steam is raised and superheated above the dew
point to allow for heat losses in the piping. Boiler feed water preheat can be accomplished using
process waste heat or convective section heating in the boiler plant. High pressure (HP) steam is typically at about 40 bar, corresponding to a condensing temperature of 250 ºC, but every site is
different. Some of the HP steam is used for process heating at high temperatures. The remainder of
the HP steam is expanded either through let-down valves or steam turbines known as back-pressure
turbines to form medium pressure (MP) steam. The pressure of the MP steam mains varies widely
from site to site, but is typically about 20 bar, corresponding to a condensing temperature of
212 ºC. Medium pressure steam is used for intermediate temperature heating or expanded to form
low pressure (LP) steam, typically at about 3 bar, condensing at 134 ºC. Some of the LP steam
may be used for process heating if there are low-temperature heat requirements. Low pressure
(or MP or HP) steam can also be expanded in condensing turbines to generate shaft work for process
drives or electricity production. A small amount of LP steam is used to strip dissolved noncondensable
gases such as air from the condensate and make-up water. Low pressure steam is also
often used as “live steam” in the process, for example, as stripping vapor or for cleaning, purging,
or sterilizing equipment
3.2.3 Steam
Steam is the most widely-used heat source in most chemical plants. Steam has a number of advantages
as a hot utility:
• The heat of condensation of steam is high, giving a high heat output per pound of utility at
constant temperature (compared to other utilities such as hot oil and flue gas that release
sensible heat over a broad temperature range).
• The temperature at which heat is released can be precisely controlled by controlling the pressure
of the steam. This enables tight temperature control, which is important in many processes.
• Condensing steam has very high heat transfer coefficients, leading to cheaper heat exchangers.
• Steam is nontoxic, nonflammable, visible if it leaks externally, and inert to many (but not all)
process fluids.
Most sites have a pipe network supplying steam at three or more pressure levels for different process
uses. A typical steam system is illustrated in Figure 3.2. Boiler feed water at high pressure is
preheated and fed to boilers where high pressure steam is raised and superheated above the dew
point to allow for heat losses in the piping. Boiler feed water preheat can be accomplished using
process waste heat or convective section heating in the boiler plant. High pressure (HP) steam is typically at about 40 bar, corresponding to a condensing temperature of 250 ºC, but every site is
different. Some of the HP steam is used for process heating at high temperatures. The remainder of
the HP steam is expanded either through let-down valves or steam turbines known as back-pressure
turbines to form medium pressure (MP) steam. The pressure of the MP steam mains varies widely
from site to site, but is typically about 20 bar, corresponding to a condensing temperature of
212 ºC. Medium pressure steam is used for intermediate temperature heating or expanded to form
low pressure (LP) steam, typically at about 3 bar, condensing at 134 ºC. Some of the LP steam
may be used for process heating if there are low-temperature heat requirements. Low pressure
(or MP or HP) steam can also be expanded in condensing turbines to generate shaft work for process
drives or electricity production. A small amount of LP steam is used to strip dissolved noncondensable
gases such as air from the condensate and make-up water. Low pressure steam is also
often used as “live steam” in the process, for example, as stripping vapor or for cleaning, purging,
or sterilizing equipment
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