Attività

Desuperheater Application Best Practices

An ever-increasing need for steam at specific temperatures and pressures exists in many modern plants. Fortunately, significant improvements have been

made to increase operational thermal efficiency and heat rates by the precise, coordinated control of the temperature, pressure and quality of this steam.

But, much of the steam produced in power and process plants today is not at the required conditions for each application, so conditioning is required, often

by a desuperheater system.

The sizing, selection, application, installation and maintenance of the proper desuperheating and steam-conditioning equipment, including control valves,

is therefore critical to optimum performance. This article will discuss superheaters and associated control valves in detail, but first I will look at common

applications and issues in affected industries.

Power Industry

Competing in the modern power market requires a heavy emphasis on the ability to utilize multiple operating strategies. Increased cyclical operation,

daily start-stop and faster ramp rates are required to ensure full-load operation, particularly at daily peak hours, and to maximize profit and plant

availability. Changes resulting from environmental regulations and economics also are combining to alter the face of power production.

At the same time, these changes are affecting the operation of existing power plants and the design of future plants. Advanced plant designs include

requirements for increased operating temperatures and pressures along with stringent noise limitations in urban areas. Steam is used throughout power plants

in many ways, from driving to turbines to feedwater heaters.

Hydrocarbon and Petrochemical Industries

Hydrocarbon and petrochemical industries rely on the efficient conversion of low cost feedstock to high profit products. Hydrocrackers, furnaces,

distillation columns, reactors and other process units must be designed to meet a range of conditions to accommodate various modes of plant operation.

Temperature is a critical factor that must be taken into consideration during the design of each process unit, and it must be controlled precisely to

optimize each operation.