Question: When steam is directed directly into water to heat it, severe vibrations occur. Why? How can this be eliminated?
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Question: When steam is directed directly into water to heat it, severe vibrations occur. Why? How can this be eliminated?
Study water hammer; the solution will likely depend on your specific circumstances
In pressure pipelines, sudden and significant, repeated, rapid changes in pressure occur due to abrupt changes in the flow velocity of the liquid; this phenomenon is known as water hammer. The basic cause of water hammer is that, in steam pipes, if the pipes are not properly warmed and water drainage is incomplete, part of the steam delivered condenses into water, resulting in a sudden decrease in volume and the creation of a local vacuum. The surrounding medium then rushes towards this area at high speed, causing loud noises and vibrations. Methods to eliminate or reduce the hazards of water hammer: Before feeding steam into the pipeline, it is necessary to thoroughly warm the pipeline and drain any water from it, then open the valves slowly to feed the steam in.
Vibrations can be reduced by making small holes in the steam pipeline. You can try inserting a steam belt into a bucket filled with water; the effect of using the belt directly compared to using a pipe with holes is different.
In the situation mentioned by the moderator, it’s not that easy to eliminate water hammer, right? One can only reduce the intensity of the vibrations!
The person on the 4th floor said there’s a way to get out; it’s similar to stripping, which can increase mass transfer and help reduce some of the bubbling. It’s worth giving it a try
By increasing the contact area between steam and water, the steam condenses rapidly, resulting in reduced vibration
When steam enters the water directly, water hammer is almost certain to occur. It seems that eliminating water hammer isn’t easy. In the case of water hammer in pipelines, it’s necessary to reduce the flow rate so that the temperature of the pipes, including those carrying steam, rises, thereby preventing water hammer. This means removing all the water from the pipes. If air is intentionally introduced into the water, the water will splash out, which can be dangerous; whereas if the system remains sealed, water hammer will occur.
In this situation, water hammer will occur regardless of anything. To reduce vibrations, I used two methods in my previous experiments: one was to make uniform small holes in the pipe inserted into the water； The second method is to increase the diameter of the pipe leading into the water; it’s best to make it funnel-shaped, as this yields significant results.
Dear, I have a question. For the first approach, which involves making small holes evenly along the underwater pipeline, how is the uniform spacing between these holes calculated? How is the diameter of the holes determined? Are there any specific formulas or guidelines that can be used as a reference? For the second approach, how is the extent of the diameter expansion and the depth into the liquid determined? I’m looking for some reference materials. Thank you. Wishing you and your family all the best···
1. When steam mixes with water, it is a case of surface-to-surface heat transfer; the water at the contact surface vaporizes and expands instantly, resulting in a local explosion that always generates noise. 2 When steam is mixed with water, it is desirable to have as large a heat exchange surface as possible (the larger the heat exchange surface, the lower the explosive force per unit area and the less noise generated). 3. When steam is mixed with water, it is desirable to have as low a static pressure as possible (the faster the flow rate, the higher the dynamic pressure; the lower the static pressure, the better the buffering effect and the less noise).
Is your process where water is directly flushed into the water? If you don’t pour it directly into the water, adding a buffer tank in front works quite well!