Water hammer in oil tanks in winter
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The 50,000-cubic-meter tank is heated with steam in winter; the heating elements only circulate once inside the tank, and there is water hammer in the steam pipes. Why is that? In winter, when there is oil in the tank, it is necessary to heat the tank; the steam pipeline is used to heat the crude oil inside the tank, and from time to time shock-like phenomena similar to water hammer occur within the tank. This post was last edited by dwf198208 on 2009-3-4 09:57
The steam pipeline has only one inlet and one outlet; if the pipeline is long, condensation forming at the far end of the inlet can cause water hammer. It is recommended to use two or more separate heating circuits instead.
The coil completes only one circuit; such a large tank is clearly unreasonable – firstly, the heating speed is slow, and secondly, the heating is uneven. I guess the phenomenon you’re referring to is caused by damage to the coil, leading to steam leakage and resulting in noise. Because it is only when steam hits the liquid directly that a popping sound is produced.
Water hammer indicates that the pipeline has not been properly preheated and that the condensate cannot be drained properly. Be sure to open the condensate discharge valve first when starting up, then slightly open the steam valve. Once condensate begins to flow out, increase the opening of the steam valve slightly. After steam is visible, the trap can be activated and the discharge valve can be closed.
“Did the heating coil just make one round inside the tank? Generally, the heating coils in storage tanks are divided into multiple groups; otherwise, the heating will be uneven. This is especially true for large tanks with a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters, where the heating pipelines are too long, resulting in poor drainage of condensate water and an increased risk of water hammer in the pipelines. Modification is recommended.