Problems with the drain valve at the condensate outlet of the superheated steam heat exchanger
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I would like to ask the experts here: Today I saw a diagram showing that superheated steam, after heat exchange, becomes unsaturated water (at 1.2 MPa and 180 degrees). A drain valve of model ST-02 is installed at the outlet to facilitate drainage, with the water being discharged directly into another water pipeline under normal temperature and pressure conditions! Is this design reasonable? Is it reasonable to use a desuperheater first to discharge the condensed superheated steam, even though the flow rate is only 100 kg/h? Additionally, what is the back pressure of this strainer, and what pressure difference can it withstand (note: it is not discharged directly to the atmosphere)? If the back pressure is high, the condensate water that enters the pipes at normal temperature and pressure will inevitably vaporize, which chain reactions could this trigger?
Under normal conditions, a steam trap should not be able to discharge steam; what is usually seen is superheated water being discharged and then vaporizing, rather than steam being discharged directly. It is also normal to have a collector pipe connected after the trap, as this facilitates collection. For the back pressure of ST-02, you can check the instructions for the trap or the manufacturer’s website