Energy Economics

A Pressure Reducing Station is more than just a reducing valve fed off a steam main. A properly designed and installed pressure reducing station takes into consideration velocity, good piping practices, and safety
Many industrial plants produce high-pressure steam for process work. In many of these plants, there is excess steam capacity available that can be utilized for other purposes, such as space heating, water heating, etc. Process steam is often generated at a higher pressure than can be used for the other purposes. Whatever the needs for lower pressure steam, a pressure reducing station will be required.

If 1 t/h of steam is supplied to equipment for a heating process, then the same amount of condensate (1 t/h) needs to be discharged from the equipment. Condensate recovery is a process to reuse the water and sensible heat contained in the discharged condensate. Recovering condensate instead of throwing it away can lead to significant savings of energy, chemical treatment and make-up water.

Condensate can be reused in many different ways, for example:

• As heated feedwater, by sending hot condensate back to the boiler’s deaerator
• As pre-heat, for any applicable heating system
• As steam, by reusing flash steam
• As hot water, for cleaning equipment or other cleaning application

The Benefits of Condensate Recovery
Reusing hot condensate can lead to considerable savings in terms of energy and water resources, as well as improve working conditions and reduce your plant''s carbon footprint. Reduced Fuel Costs Condensate contains a significant amount of sensible heat that can account for about 10% to 30% of the initial heat energy contained in the steam. Feeding the boiler with high-temperature condensate can maximize boiler output because less heat energy is required to turn water into steam. When efficiently recovered and reused, it can even be possible to reduce boiler fuel needs by up to 10 to 20%. Lower Water-related Expenses
As long as any impurities picked up during condensate transport are removed, condensate can be reused as boiler feedwater, reducing water supply and treatment costs, as well as costs associated with cold water used to lower condensate temperatures before sewering, where applicable. Positive Impact on Safety and the Environment Reducing boiler fuel needs through condensate recovery leads to less air pollution by lowering CO2, NOx and SOx emissions. Additionally, condensate recovery lines can also limit vapor clouds to reduce noise generated from atmospheric condensate discharge and help prevent build-up of water on the ground, considerably improving a plant’s work environment. Depending on the amount of condensate being recovered and reused, other benefits may include a reduced need for boiler blowdown through better feedwater quality, and less corrosion in the system as water quality becomes more consistent throughout the grid.