Regarding condensate water recovery

It’s fine to make it yourself; it can be used for stable water injection, air-cooling spraying, and water supply replenishment.

Condensate recovery technology is currently quite mature and widely used. Our facility uses a closed-loop recovery system, with condensate primarily used for boilers and waste steam used for deaerators.

Our company also wants to undertake this project; it’s really good! I just don’t know which manufacturer will do a better job

The condensate water of this unit mainly consists of the condensate water from the steam turbine of the air compressor, as well as the condensate water from the steam in the reboiler of the stripping tower; it is routed back to the boiler deaerator to be used as boiler feedwater.

There are a few in Beijing, one in Wuhan, and one in Nanjing. Any of these companies can do it; there are two in Beijing with better performance. Just look it up online and you’ll know. It’s mainly due to different technologies

Our company needs to do this too. OP, are we part of the same organization?

Hello, Floor 7: Could you tell me the manufacturer’s name?

The condensate water from this device is collected and sent back to the boiler deaerator to be used as boiler feedwater.

Our company installed a condensate recovery unit in 2005, but it didn’t work well. The main problem was that the flash steam couldn’t be cooled properly, resulting in large amounts of steam being released into the atmosphere. Attempts to resolve this issue by contacting the manufacturer were unsuccessful, and eventually another heat exchanger had to be added to basically solve the problem. It is feasible to reuse condensate water as boiler feedwater, but it is essential to control the impurities in it (such as iron ions) so that they do not exceed specified levels.

How many points do you need to recover, and what is the situation at each of those points? Is the water to be sent back to the deaerator or to some other location? The selection of steam traps and the recycling scheme are key elements of the entire plan. The condensate recovery scheme is closely related to the conditions on site, and it must be tailored to those conditions. If you can design the equipment and pipelines properly and have a installation team, you can do it by yourself; of course, you can also get in touch with me. shugen@139.com

Beijing Junfa Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise that integrates R&D, design, and manufacturing. The company has a R&D team led by senior technical experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which specializes in the energy optimization of steam systems, as well as the recovery and utilization of waste heat, waste energy, and water. Over the years, it has developed numerous patented technological products. The product has been successfully applied in large enterprises and institutions such as Qilu Petrochemical, Yanshan Petrochemical, Daqing Petrochemical, Lanzhou Petrochemical, Tsingtao Brewery, Harbin Pharmaceutical Factory No. 6, Brilliance Auto, China Resources Textiles, Huanghai Rubber, Guodian Shuangyashan, and Tiantan Hospital. With hundreds of successful cases in over 20 industries across the country, it has brought significant economic and environmental benefits to users. 　　I. Overview of Condensate Recovery Steam thermal energy consists of sensible heat and latent heat. Thermal equipment typically makes use only of the vaporization latent heat of steam; the steam from which this latent heat has been released is converted back into saturated water at the same temperature. The condensate, which contains sensible heat, then flows out of the thermal equipment and is recovered and reused through traps and condensate pipes. 　　The temperature of condensed water is relatively high (usually above 100°C), and it should be utilized as much as possible. It is also an excellent desalinated water, making it most suitable for boiler make-up water and process water with high requirements. 　　II. Comparison of Recovery Methods A. Open System: At present, domestic enterprises use open-type water tanks and reservoirs for the recovery of condensate water, in order to reduce the emission of flash vapor – this occurs because the high temperature of the condensate water leads to a decrease in pressure within the open system, causing a large amount of sensible heat to be converted into latent heat, thereby resulting in secondary vaporization. Some companies use water mixing to reduce temperature, which lowers the quality and utility value of the water. Other companies install a dedicated condenser to absorb the secondary vapor generated through flashing, and then discharge the heat through cooling towers; to avoid wasting this energy, they still need to invest in additional equipment and consume more energy. 　　Open systems have the following problems: 1. A large amount of steam leaks from the steam traps, and the flash vapor is released into the atmosphere; this waste accounts for approximately 5–20% of the total condensate volume and 20–60% of the total heat energy. 　　2. The emission of flash steam: in winter, hot mist fills the air, while in summer, intense heat waves occur; this not only causes severe thermal pollution to the environment but also poses a risk of burns to people, representing a safety hazard. 　　3. Humid environments accelerate the corrosion of metal equipment and cause electrical equipment to age, resulting in indirect losses. 　　4. The recovery system is a dynamic two-phase flow, which often results in water hammer, causing severe vibrations in the equipment and pipes and posing safety risks. 　　5. The recovered condensate is once again contaminated by impurities such as oxygen and carbon dioxide in the dissolved air, increasing the costs of subsequent treatment. Using high-quality condensate as low-grade water is in itself a waste. 　　B. Closed-loop recovery system 1. The closed-loop condensate recovery system developed by Beijing Junfa Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. has been successfully applied in hundreds of enterprises across the country, bringing economic and environmental benefits to these firms. The principle is as follows: by relying on the principles of dynamic two-phase flow and slight subcooling, it eliminates the causes of cavitation in water pumps, thereby successfully solving the problem of cavitation that occurs when water pumps transport high-temperature condensed water. It is capable of increasing the back pressure of the trap, eliminating emissions of secondary flash steam and drain vapor, thereby enabling full recovery of the thermal energy contained in the steam condensate. Eliminate cavitation in the condensate pressure pump, improve the operation of the drain system, ensure unobstructed drainage, and extend the service life of the return water system. 　　2. Technical features of the closed-loop condensate recovery system: ① By recovering waste steam and condensate in a closed loop, the production costs of enterprises are reduced, thereby enhancing their market competitiveness and net profits. 　　②By recovering the waste steam and condensate water, thermal pollution caused by the discharge of condensate water and flash vapor is completely eliminated; no white steam remains in the air above the factory area, thereby avoiding thermal pollution, improving the environmental appearance of the factory, and achieving clean production. 　　③Fully closed-loop recovery of waste steam and condensate under the user’s normal production conditions. 　　④The condensate water will not be re-contaminated by oxygen in the air, allowing it to be used directly and thus saving water used for deoxygenation. 　　⑤The condensate pump does not experience cavitation when transporting high-temperature condensate, and it is able to deliver the condensate to the designated location. 　　⑥The system is in stable equilibrium, and the condensate recovery unit operates in a fully automated and continuous manner. 　　III. Based on the value of the condensate water itself, it is necessary to implement closed-loop recovery of the condensate water. 　　Steam condensate is saturated, high-temperature softened water, and its thermal energy value accounts for about 20% of the thermal energy value of steam. If it is discharged directly without being recycled, it represents a significant waste of both water resources and thermal energy. 　　Properties of condensed water: The value of condensed water = value of raw water + softening value + deoxygenation value + desalination value + heat value + environmental value. The thermal energy of steam consists of sensible heat and latent heat; steam treatment equipment typically makes use only of the latent heat of steam. After the latent heat is released, the steam turns back into saturated water at the same temperature, which is condensed water containing sensible heat. Saturated condensate accounts for 15.6%-26.7% of the thermal energy of steam at a steam pressure of 0.1-0.9 MPa. The higher the steam pressure used, the greater the thermal value of the condensed water emitted. Theoretically, condensed water is a good desalinated water with quality superior to boiler feedwater. 　　IV. Economic and Environmental Benefits Practice has shown that the use of Junfa’s closed-loop condensate recovery technology can yield significant economic and environmental benefits, as follows: First, it **reduces the flash loss of condensate, thereby enabling more efficient utilization of its heat energy. According to statistics, fully recovering the heat contained in condensate and flash steam can save 12-28% of boiler fuel compared to discarding it entirely ； Compared to cooling recovery, it can save 6%-22% in boiler fuel consumption. Secondly, the recycling rate of water exceeds 90%, which effectively saves water resources. Meanwhile, the isolation of condensed water from air ensures that this boiler feedwater maintains an excellent quality, thereby reducing the costs associated with softening and deoxygenating the boiler feedwater. 　　Third, it fundamentally prevents corrosive gases from re-entering the boiler feedwater, thereby significantly reducing corrosion of thermal equipment and pipelines and extending their service life. 　　Fourth, it significantly reduced the boiler’s blowdown rate (which is generally consistent with the condensate recovery rate), thereby increasing the steam production per unit of time by the boiler and boosting its output. 　　Fifth, it reduces thermal pollution and noise caused by leaks, spills, evaporation, and seepage, thereby improving the working environment for workers. 　　Sixthly, the total emissions of harmful gases such as dust and fly ash, SO2, CO2, and NOx, as well as slag emissions, can be reduced by 15–30%, thereby significantly reducing pollution and damage to the surrounding environment. 　　Thanks to these advantages, Beijing Junfa Company’s technology has been widely adopted in over twenty industries across the country, yielding immeasurable economic and social benefits. According to data from Beijing Junfa, a thermal power plant in a certain development zone has five 35-ton steam boilers, with a total capacity of 175 tons per hour; there are nearly a hundred units that use steam. This thermal center utilizes Beijing Junfa’s closed-loop condensate recovery technology to achieve closed-loop recovery of condensate throughout the facility; as a result, the average recovery temperature of the condensate rises to 90°C, and the condensate recovery rate exceeds 85%. This leads to annual water savings of 55,500 tons, as well as a reduction in coal consumption of around 2,000 tons, generating direct and indirect economic benefits of over 4 million yuan. At the same time, as coal consumption decreases, emissions of flue gas are also reduced, leading to less waste water and slag being generated by the boilers. This results in a reduction of 142.57 tons of slag emissions per year, as well as a decrease in flue gas emissions by 14 million cubic meters. Emissions of dust, fly ash, SO2, and NO2 are reduced by 95.3 tons, 17.11 tons, and 5.69 tons respectively. It achieves the goals of energy conservation, emission reduction, and civilized production. 　　V. Conclusion Beijing Junfa Company specializes in the energy optimization of steam systems, as well as the recovery and utilization of waste heat, residual energy, and water. It possesses a number of patented technologies and products. The use of Beijing Junfa Company’s closed-loop high-temperature condensate recovery technology can bring significant economic and environmental benefits to enterprises. We have reason to believe that, with the further implementation of the **\"energy conservation, emission reduction, and sustainable development\" strategy and the growing awareness of environmental protection among people, this technology will undoubtedly see wider application and development. Its economic value and environmental benefits will become increasingly evident, contributing even more to China’s sustainable development.

　　The recovery of condensate is closely related to the actual conditions at the plant site. Our company has made gradual modifications during the production process, depending on the specific circumstances, to enable a more rational use of condensate. The steam used for heat tracing or reboilers has its condensate directed to the condenser; part of the resulting steam is sent to the deaerator to heat the deoxygenated water, while the remaining steam recovers thermal energy through thorough heat exchange with the water supplied to the boiler. The condensed water combines with the water discharged from the condenser and the condensate from the tank area coils; some of this water is reused in the boiler, while another portion exchanges heat with the water fed into the reverse osmosis system (which involves large volumes of water) as well as with water used for bathing. After thorough heat exchange, this water is reused in the circulating water pool, thereby improving the quality of the circulating water and ensuring efficient heat exchange.