Condensate

Recovery

As hot steam cools down inside a mill’s pipes, the droplets of vapor turn into
condensate water. If recycled, this condensate water can provide mills with an
inexpensive source of clean water and heat energy that would otherwise be
lost.

While nearly all mills collect and recycle condensate water to some extent,
very few do it correctly. Most mills only recover and reuse around thirty
percent of their condensate, while allowing the rest to go to waste.

In this module, we will review various Clean By Design best practices that will
help your mill to recover and reuse condensate much more efficiently and
completely.

1
 Technical
Illustration of
Condensate
Formation

As hot steam cools down inside a mill’s pipes, the droplets of vapor turn
into condensate water. If recycled, this condensate water can provide
mills with an inexpensive source of clean water and heat energy that
would otherwise be lost.

2
 Most Mills Recover Only 30% of Condensate

While nearly all mills collect and recycle condensate water to some extent,
very few do it correctly. Most mills only recover and reuse around thirty
percent of their condensate, while allowing the rest to go to waste.

3
Objectives

By the end of this module, you should be able to…

Identify potential Identify processes Summarize the

sources and estimate where recovered general principles for
available quantities of condensate water can mapping the pipe
recoverable be applied structure of a
condensate water condensate recovery
system

In this module, we will review various Clean By Design best practices that
will help your mill to recover and reuse condensate much more efficiently
and completely.

By the end of this module, you should be able to…

Identify potential sources and estimate available quantities of recoverable
condensate water
Identify processes where recovered condensate water can be applied
Summarize the general principles for mapping the pipe structure of a
condensate recovery system

4
Objectives

By the end of this module, you should be able to…

List and describe Explain how Calculate the cost

various power sources discharging savings for your mill
for a condensate condensate water from recovering and
recovery system and prevents serious reusing condensate
the advantages and problems such as water
disadvantages of each water hammer and
pipe erosion

List and describe various power sources for a condensate recovery system
and the advantages and disadvantages of each
Explain how discharging condensate water prevents serious problems such as
water hammer and pipe erosion
Calculate the cost savings for your mill from recovering and reusing
condensate water

5
Recovery
Why Mills
Should Recover
Condensate

6
 Technical
Illustration/Simple
Animation of
Condensate Formation

When hot steam comes into contact with a cooler object - such as product,
pipes or equipment - heat energy from the steam is transferred to the object,
causing its temperature to increase,

Meanwhile as the steam loses energy, a portion of the water vapor in the
steam will turn back into liquid water. Water that forms when steam loses heat
energy is called “condensate”.

7
 Recovering Condensate
3000
Total energy
in steam
Specific enthalpy (kJ/kg)

2500

2000

1500

1000
Total energy
in condensate
500

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Pressure bar g

In a perfectly efficient mill, the ratio of steam to condensate would be even: in

other words, if the mill produced one kilogram of steam per hour of operation,
then - eventually - one kilogram of condensate water per hour would need to
be discharged from the pipes and equipment. However, in reality, the ratio of
condensate to steam is typically between thirty to sixty percent.

Condensate water is usually very clean, making it excellent for reuse in

production. It also contains a significant amount of heat energy - typically
anywhere from twenty to thirty percent of the heat originally contained in the
steam. When we allow this condensate to go to waste, it adds up to a
significant loss of water and energy.

8
 Ideally, image of
recovered water
being fed into
boiler

Fortunately, both the water and heat contained in condensate can be

recovered and reused in a variety of ways throughout the manufacturing
process. For instance, recovered condensate can be fed back into the boiler’s
deaerator.

9
 Another image
of recovered
water being fed
into boiler

This is much more efficient than replenishing the boiler with fresh
water: Because the temperature of the condensate is already quite high, it
takes less energy to bring it up to steam temperature. And because
condensate is free of pollutants and minerals, it can be returned directly to the
boiler without requiring treatment.

10
 Boiler
Efficiency
Increased by

10-20%
Boiler Image

Feeding a boiler with recovered condensate can improve the boiler’s output
capacity by ten to twenty percent, while reducing fuel consumption by three to
ten percent.

11
 Waste-Heat
Boilers
Increased capacity

50-100%

This is especially important for a waste-heat boiler, which produces

recoverable, low pressure steam from the boiler’s flue gas. Facilities that use
condensate water instead of fresh water can increase the capacity of their
waste-heat boilers by fifty to a hundred percent.

12
Reducing Emissions

Carbon Nitrogen Sulfur

Dioxide Oxide Oxide

By reusing condensate water in its boiler, a mill can save money and fuel, as
well as reduce emissions of pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and
sulfur oxide, improving the mill’s overall carbon footprint.

13
Uses for Hot Condensate

Energy Hot Water Water for Steam

Source Source Dyeing (Reused Flash
Steam)

Feeding condensate water back into the boiler is just one way that condensate
can be re-used. Hot condensate can also be used:

As a source of energy for various heating systems

As a source of clean, hot water for washing equipment
As hot, clean, soft water for dyeing
And
As steam, by reusing the “flash steam” that is created when hot water crosses
from a high-pressure area of the system to a low-pressure area.

14
 Image of workers
near pipes

Condensate water recovery can also be a safety issue. When condensate in

steam pipes is subjected to pressure, it can damage the pipes and cause
leakage - or, in extreme cases, even cause violent explosions that endanger
workers. By recovering condensate before it builds up, we can prevent these
hazards.

15
 Case
Studies
REAL-WORLD
EXAMPLES

16
Interview Subject
Position, Name of Plant
Location of Plant

In 2014, a mill in Shaoxing participating in the Clean By Design program was

able to reclaim five percent of its total steam consumption by implementing a
steam condensate water recovery system.

Before the system was implemented, the mill’s condensate water would go
directly to the wastewater drain. Even though they knew that condensate water
was potentially valuable, the managers at the mill did not try to recover it, as
they thought there wasn’t enough condensate to make the effort worthwhile.
After some research, the mill invested one hundred thousand renminbi on a
pilot project to test recovering condensate water. They discovered that they
were able to recover and reuse thirty percent of the mill’s steam energy, and
that the condensate water provided a significant source of industrial water as
well.

17
 Sources &
Applications
SOURCES OF
AND USES FOR
CONDENSATE

18
Sources of Condensate

Identify Determine how Measure amount Measure

areas where much is being already being temperature
condensate produced collected
occurs

Clearly, there are significant benefits to recovering condensate water. But

before we can implement a recovery system, we need to

Identify areas where condensate occurs:

Determine how much condensate is being produced;
Measure how much condensate, if any, is already being collected;

And

Measure the temperature of the condensate, as this might affect how and
where we reuse it.

19
 Sources of
Condensate

Washing Machines

Dyeing Vats

Drying Cylinders

Ageing Machines

Setting Machines

In dyeing and printing mills, condensate will most commonly occur around:

Washing machines
Dyeing vats
Dry cylinders
Ageing machines

and

Setting machines

20
 Determining
Volume

Volume of Condensate
Container with Markings = Volume of Steam

When used directly,

collect in container
with markings

To determine the volume of discharged condensate water, you can use one of
two simple methods:

First: in cases where steam is used as source of indirect heat, the volume of
condensate water will be equal to the volume of indirect steam.

And second: In cases where condensate is reused directly, simply collect the
condensate water in a container with markings to indicate volume.

21
Calculating Savings

Download zip file with

spreadsheet tool…

Instructions Download

Refer to the section in the course workbook on “XX”, which provides a form to
help you identify and quantify sources of condensate water in your mill.

22
Setting Goals for Reuse

80%

30%

Once you know how much condensate water is being generated within your
mill, you can begin to set goals for condensate recovery and reuse.

As stated before, most mills recover only thirty percent of their condensate
water. However, by implementing a few simple best practices, most mills can
recover eighty percent or more of their condensate. While you are free to set
your own targets, Clean By Design recommends eighty percent as a
reasonable goal for most mills.

23
Setting Goals for Reuse

Key Statistics

Amount of Current recovery Potential energy,

condensate produced and reuse rate water and economic
in a typical year savings from
implementing different
condensate recovery
measures

To help you with planning, Clean By Design has developed tools for estimating
key statistics such as:

The amount of condensate water that your mill produces in a typical year
The current recovery and reuse rate

And

The potential energy, water and economic savings from implementing different
condensate recovery measures

Let’s look at how to use these tools more closely.

24
 Interactive Example

Here’s a real-world example of how these tools can be practically applied.

[Provide an example (e.g. Mill A) that follows the estimation steps.]

Based on your findings, you can prioritize the implementation of different

condensate recovery measures according to your schedule and budget.

25
 Uses for
Condensate

Boiler Feed Water

Dyeing
Images
Rinsing

Washing

Heat Transfer

Once we know how much condensate will be recovered, the next question is,
“How can we use the reclaimed water and energy within our mill?”

The most efficient use of condensate is to return it directly to the boiler feed
water tank to produce steam. Other common applications include processes
such as dyeing, rinsing and washing.

A slightly less efficient way to reuse condensate is to indirectly transfer heat

from the condensate water to the inlet fresh water used for dyeing, rinsing or
washing.

Some mills have found other, innovative uses for condensate, such as using it
as a source of thermal power for air-conditioning units.

26
 Pipe
System
Pipe Layout and
Steam Traps

27
 Steam Traps

Pipes Power Source

After you have identified the most promising sources and uses of recovered
condensate water, the next step is to develop a plan for collecting and
transporting condensate from its source to the destination.

There are three main components of a condensate recovery system:

Pipes to transport the collected condensate

Steam traps to collect condensate

And

A power source - such as gravity, inlet pressure or a pump - to move the

condensate from its source to the destination

We will discuss steam traps in detail in another module. For now, we will focus
on the other to parts of the system: pipes and power sources.

28
In situations where condensate water will be collected from one process then
reused in a different process, you will need to install pipes to transport the
condensate.

Steam systems in mills are very complicated, and determining the best way to
recover and transport condensate water within your mill will require careful
analysis by a highly-trained engineer. However, there are some general
principles for mapping out a pipe structure for a condensate recovery system
that will apply in nearly all situations.

29
Pipe Layout
Key Factors

The diameter
of the pipe

The length of the pipe

The pipe route

The key factors to consider are:

The diameter of the pipe

The length of the pipe

And

The pipe route

30
 Simple technical illustration /
animation of condensate flow
within pipe

First, let’s discuss pipe diameter.

To determine an appropriate diameter for condensate recovery pipes, we need

to consider the amount of flash steam and condensate that might be present in
the pipes, as well as the pressure and flow velocity.

Too often, mills make the mistake of sizing condensate recovery pipes based
on the average rate of condensate flow. This can cause problems in situations
where flow velocity is variable, and sometimes reaches levels much higher
than the calculated average.

To calculate the most appropriate pipe diameter, we need to estimate the

volume ratios of both condensate and steam at a given pressure, then
determine a maximum allowable flow velocity.

31
 Other Factors

Live Steam

Corrosion
Image of corroded pipe
Mud

Consult a professional
engineer for
recommendations

Mills also need to account for the presence of live steam and the long-term
buildup of corrosion and mud. Both of these can increase flow velocity,
pressure drop, and system backpressure.

During the planning phase, you should have a professional engineer inspect
the condition of your pipes and make recommendations to account for these
factors.

32
Calculating Savings

Download zip file with

spreadsheet tool…

Instructions Download

The engineers at Clean By Design developed a tool to help you determine an

appropriate pipe diameter for your mill, which can be found on the [] tab of
your [workbook]

However, this tool should be used only for estimation. Before developing a
plans, you should consult with an expert to make sure that any other factors
specific to your mill have been accounted for

33
 Simple technical
illustration showing pipe
route, downward slope

Now, let’s take a look at pipe length and route.

When determining the length and route of condensate recovery pipes, the goal
is to minimize pressure resistance and keep the overall pipe length as short as
possible.

That means that a well-designed recovery system will allow condensate to

move mostly downward, to take advantage of gravity, and have as few bends
in the pipe route as possible.

34
 Pipe Layout

To ensure that heat energy is not lost as the condensate flows

through the pipe system

Re-use the Keep condensate Use separate pipes

condensate as close water pipes well- for cool and hot water
to the point of recovery insulated to maintain
as possible a temperature
above 90°C

To ensure that heat energy is not lost as the condensate flows through the
pipe system, you’ll want to take the following actions:

Re-use the condensate as close to the point of recovery as possible;

Keep condensate water pipes well-insulated to maintain a temperature above
ninety degrees celsius;

And

Use separate pipes for cool and hot water.

35
 Power
Sources
Powering the
Recovery
System

36
Once we have mapped our pipe structure, we will need to add a power source
to balance the pressure within the pipes and keep the system operating
smoothly.

37
 Simple animation showing
balance of pressure

The pressure inside condensate pipes must be balanced in order to keep the
condensate water moving towards its intended destination, such as a
condensate collection area or return header.

Malfunctioning steam traps, long pipe routes and changes in elevation can
create pressure problems in a condensate recovery system. Meanwhile, long
vertical and horizontal distances can increase system backpressure. These
factors can slow, block or misdirect the flow of recovered condensate within
the system.

There are two power sources that mills commonly use to overcome
condensate return or backpressure: trap inlet pressure and pump pressure.
Let’s take a look at each..

38
Inlet Pressure

Normally, even if the backpressure is not very high, inlet condensate water has
enough residual positive pressure to send the water to its destination. Relying
on inlet pressure to transport condensate is typically the lowest-cost and most
reliable option, as it requires no special equipment and little effort to
implement. Whenever possible, it should be our first choice for powering the
system.

There are two ways to configure condensate recovery systems to utilize trap
inlet pressure:

Transport piping and steam traps can be set up to let condensation drain
downward to its destination. This installation makes use of residual pressure
and gravity to carry the water to the final vessel or reuse location.

Some steam traps in the system have a much higher residual pressure than
others. These higher-pressure steam traps can create negative pressure on
lower-pressure steam traps, disrupting the discharge of condensate water.

One way to overcome this is by having the high-pressure traps discharge

upward, via an elevated return. It’s a viable solution so long as the differential
pressure remains positive and appropriate site safety standards are followed.

39
 Return to simple animation
showing balance of pressure

Sometimes, the residual pressure of steam traps is simply not enough to

overcome backpressure and successfully transport condensate water through
the pipes. In these situations, a pumping system can be installed to balance
pressure and propel the water to its destination.

40
Pumping Systems

3 Main Sources of System Backpressure

Lift after a Frictional loss Static pressure

steam trap of transport piping associated with
the destination
recovery vessel

To calculate the amount of pressure that a pump must generate, we need to

start by estimating the system backpressure. This can be calculated by finding
the sum of the backpressure forces, or “Total Dynamic Head”.

The three main sources of system backpressure are:

Lift after a steam trap

Frictional loss of transport piping

and

Static pressure associated with the destination recovery vessel

Again, you should consult a professional engineer to assess the amount of

backpressure present in your mill’s steam system and set an appropriate
pressure level for your pump.

41
Electric Pumps

Pumps can be powered by electricity, steam or air. However, electrically-

powered centrifugal or turbine condensate pumps are the most popular options
for condensate recovery systems. They make it easy and inexpensive to
increase delivery pressure and obtain a positive pressure differential.

Typically, condensate water would be collected in a tank and then electrically-

pumped to reuse locations. This lets us recover and transport condensate
across much greater distances and elevation changes than would be possible
using trap inlet pressure alone.

42
Cavitation

You should now be able to…

Installing Installing an Using steam

specialized elevated pressure to
centrifugal collection tank (or increase the pressure
pumps that do not collecting header) within the tank,
experience cavitation provided the
components can
handle the increased
pressure and heat

Condensate is a valuable source of clean water and heat energy that your mill
can use in a variety of ways. By taking measures to improve recovery of
condensate, your mill can enjoy significant energy and resource savings for
years to come.

Having completed this module, you should now be able to…

Identify potential sources and estimate available quantities of recoverable

condensate water
Identify processes where recovered condensate water can be applied
Summarize the general principles for mapping the pipe structure of a
condensate recovery system

43
Mechanical Pumps

An alternative to electric pumps is using a mechanical pump powered by

compressed air or steam.

Mechanical condensate pumps that rely on positive displacement, as opposed

to impeller rotation, eliminate the danger of cavitation, making them
increasingly popular among mills.

Given that they don’t require electricity, these pumps are also well-suited for
remote locations and environments with a high risk for explosions.

In recent years, the variety and capacity of mechanical pumps have improved
considerably, making them an increasingly popular choice for condensate
recovery systems.

44
Common
Issues
Water Hammer,
Erosion and
Water Strike

45
 Condensate
Under Pressure

Water Hammer

Pipe Erosion

Recovering condensate water from pipes isn’t just a matter of conserving

resources: failure to discharge condensate water from pipes can lead to
serious problems and safety hazards.

As water and steam move through pipes, the pressure created can damage
the pipes in a variety of ways. Two common problems related to pressure are
“water hammer” (or vibrations resulting from sudden changes in pressure
within steam pipes) and pipe erosion.

46
Water Hammer

Anyone who has worked in a factory with steam pipes will be familiar with the
repetitive, metallic banging noise known as water hammer.

Water hammer occurs when steam moves rapidly through pipes and causes
the condensate water inside the pipes to vibrate and ripple, like a strong wind
creating waves in the ocean. Occasionally, water hammer will produce a
violent “boom” followed by loud vibrations.

47
Water Hammer
Can Damage…

Junction Gaskets

Valve Flanges

Valves

Sensors

The vibrations from water hammer can severely damage the piping system,
particularly junction gaskets, valve flanges and valves. Steam or hot
condensate blowing out of damaged junctions can lead to serious accidents
and pose a safety hazard to workers. Water hammer can also damage
sensors, causing inaccurate meter readings.

48
Water Hammer

Common solutions for water hammer

Ensuring Avoid or Use different lines Avoid contact

pockets of steam discharge steam for water of varying between high-
remain small temperatures temperature steam,
low-temperature
condensate

While water hammer is mostly associated with steam pipes, it can be an even
bigger problem in condensate water pipes, as there is more water present.

In most cases, water hammer can be reduced or eliminated by applying some

very simple solutions - though for complicated situations, you should seek the
advice of an expert.

Common solutions for water hammer include:

Ensuring that pockets of steam remain small;

Avoiding or discharging the steam (for instance, flash steam) that is causing
the problem;
Using different lines for water sources of varying temperatures;

And

Wherever possible, avoiding contact between horizontal pipe segments of

high-temperature steam and low-temperature condensate.

49
When this happens, a chugging noise will be heard as the high-temperature
steam cools down. While the force generated is not great, the resulting noise
can become a problem, as previously mentioned.

If avoiding contact between the hot steam and lower-temperature condensate

is not possible, then using a small pocket is a good option to reduce the
problem.

49
Pipe Erosion

Under pressure, condensate water moving through a pipe system can act like
an industrial water jet, cutting and wearing away the walls of carbon-steel
pipes. This is a major cause of steam pipe leakage in most mills. And pipes
installed exclusively for condensate water recovery contain much more water
than steam pipes, putting them at greater risk for erosion.

50
Pipe Erosion

To prevent pipe erosion

Eliminate Locate traps Use oversized Select steam traps

direction changes upstream, away discharge pipes with continuous (not
when possible from direction when cost-effective intermittent) flow
changes
• Avoid bucket, disc,
piston, thermostatic
traps

Here are some actions you can take to help prevent pipe erosion:

Eliminate direction changes when possible;

Locate traps upstream and away from direction changes;
Use oversized discharge pipes when it is cost effective;

and

Select steam traps with a continuous, rather than intermittent flow. Specifically,
avoiding bucket, disc, piston, and thermostatic traps if possible. We will learn
more about these various kinds of steam traps later in this series.

51
 Evaluation
Calculating the
Benefits

Part V. Calculating the Benefits of Condensate Recovery and Reuse

52
Calculating Savings

Download zip file with

spreadsheet tool…

Instructions Download

To calculate the benefits from condensate recovery, we can refer to the same
tool that we used to initially prioritize condensate recovery projects. After
implementing your solutions and collecting a sufficient amount of data, run the
calculations again to determine the cost and resource savings.

53
 Evaluating Condensate Recovery Measures

1 2

Have we achieved our goals for Is the temperature of the

recovering condensate water?
Clean By Design recommends a goal of
recovering 80% or more of condensate water
produced
condensate collected higher
than Ti0?
Yes – No further measures are required
beyond routine maintenance according to
schedule

No – Revisit plans and implement new or

different measures for successful condensate
recovery

Once we have implemented condensate recovery measures, there are two

main questions to ask when determining whether or not the measures have
been successful.

First - have we achieved our goals for recovering condensate water? Again,
Clean By Design recommends that mills try to recover eighty percent or more
of their condensate water.

If we have reached our target, then no further steps are needed.

If not, then we need to calculate the difference between the target and our
actual recovery and reuse rate. If the difference is greater than ten percent, it
may be necessary revisit our plans and implement new or different measures
for condensate recovery. If the difference is less than ten percent, then it could
be possible to close the gap through minor adjustments and improvements to
existing measures.

The second major question is whether the temperature of the condensate

collected is higher than Ti0.

54
If it is, then no further measures are required beyond performing routine
system maintenance according to schedule.

However, if the temperature falls below TI0, then we need to revisit our plans
and implement new or different measures to ensure that more heat energy is
successfully reclaimed from condensate water.

54
Conculsion
SUMMARY OF
OBJECTIVES

55
Recap of Objectives

You should now be able to…

Identify potential Identify processes Compare

sources and estimate where recovered centralized vs. onsite
available quantities of condensate water can wastewater heat
recoverable be applied recovery systems
condensate water

Condensate is a valuable source of clean water and heat energy that your mill
can use in a variety of ways. By taking measures to improve recovery of
condensate, your mill can enjoy significant energy and resource savings for
years to come.

Having completed this module, you should now be able to…

Identify potential sources and estimate available quantities of recoverable

condensate water
Identify processes where recovered condensate water can be applied
Summarize the general principles for mapping the pipe structure of a
condensate recovery system

56
Recap of Objectives

You should now be able to…

List and describe Explain how Compare

various power sources discharging centralized vs. onsite
for a condensate condensate water wastewater heat
recovery system and prevents serious recovery systems
the advantages and problems such as
disadvantages of each water hammer and
pipe erosion

List and describe various power sources for a condensate recovery system
and the advantages and disadvantages of each
Explain how discharging condensate water prevents serious problems such as
water hammer and pipe erosion
Calculate the cost savings for your mill from recovering and reusing
condensate water

57
 Module Complete
Module Complete
A d v a nADVANCE
c e t o t h e nTO
e x tTHE
m o dNEXT
ule when
you are ready to continue.
MODULE WHEN READY

58