The noise of the heat exchanger!
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Our factory has a U-tube heat exchanger whose purpose is to use medium-pressure steam to heat hot water; the steam flows through the shell side while the hot water flows through the tube side. The steam temperature is 220 degrees at 13 kilograms of pressure, and the hot water is heated from 70 degrees to 80 degrees at 7 kilograms of pressure. The steam inlet is controlled by a control valve set to automatic mode, and a drain valve is installed at the outlet. Currently, the heat exchanger experiences significant vibration and noise, which is dangerous as it may cause the flanges to be damaged. We initially thought the issue lay with the control valve, but the problem persisted even after replacing it. Do anyone have any suggestions? I hope we can exchange more ideas!
1. It might be that the steam was not preheated properly. 2. It could be that the heat exchanger was not preheated adequately when it was put into use, resulting in liquid droplets being mixed in with the steam and causing stress on the heat exchanger. 3. The temperature of the heat exchanger wasn’t controlled properly, which led to vaporization of the hot water; it is recommended to increase the pressure of the hot water. 4. It might be that the flow rate of the hot water was too high, causing vibrations.
1. Is it caused by unstable steam pressure or temperature on your end? 2. Is the water flow rate in the tube side stable? If so, could considering installing a control valve at the outlet of the tube side be an option to facilitate regulation? 3. Has the opening degree of the steam trap at the outlet of the shell side been set too low, resulting in water hammer?
Would it work to install a drain valve at the lowest point of the steam inlet pipe of the heat exchanger? !
It seems that everyone thinks the drainage capacity of the strainer we’re using is too low, right? I’ve considered this possibility as well; I opened all the back-drain valves on the strainer, but there was no significant improvement. What’s going on?
I have encountered similar situations; one possible cause is a problem with the steam trap. When the steam trap malfunctions, steam condensate cannot be discharged in time, which leads to blockages inside the heat exchanger, causing vibrations and noises. It is recommended to inspect the steam trap first.