bare bones analysis - spirax sarco · bare bones analysis ... flash steam and the condensate. two...

Bare bones analysisSurveys pinpoint ways to boost sciencecentre’s steam quality – page 2

Know-how for the effective control of steam and fluid systems

Scottish distillery cheered by£50,000 energy saving – page 2

Corus cuts energy costs by£150,000 – page 3

Keep up the pressure on yourboiler – page 7

Also in this issue:

Issue 3 • 2006

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Flash steam recovery saves distillery £50,000A major Scottish distillery is combiningenergy savings of more than £50,000 a year with being a better neighbour,thanks to a flash steam recovery systemdesigned and supplied by Spirax Sarco.The project has eliminated an unsightlyplume that used to escape from thedistillery’s condensate recovery system.Spirax Sarco estimates that the entiresystem will deliver a payback of around 18 months.

The new system uses heat fromflash steam to pre-heat the site’s boiler feedwater.

Conventional condensate recoverysystems collect condensate from thesteam system and feed it back into theboiler feedtank. But as the condensateleaves the steam system and enters thelower pressure environment of therecovery system, up to half of theuseful energy it contains can end upbeing vented as flash steam.

The system installed by Spirax Sarcouses a separator vessel to divide theflash steam and the condensate. Twoplate heat exchangers then capture the

heat in the flash steam and thecondensate. The energy recovered isused to pre-heat the boiler feedwater.This process raises the temperature ofthe boiler feedwater by between 20 and 30°C, and reduces theamount of heating the boiler has toachieve by a corresponding amount.

The distillery produces around 10.6 million litres of alcohol per yearand the savings from the newinstallation have cut the energyconsumption per unit of alcoholproduction by around 3.5%. Initialprojections pegged the resulting cashsavings at around £50,000 per year,but this has since increased in linewith recent rises in the price of gas.

Energy savings are helping a distillery copewith rising gas prices.

find out more: visit www.spiraxsarco.com/ukand click Connexions2

New life for science centre steam system Spirax Sarco has solved a costly steamquality problem that persistently doggedthe Centre for Life in Newcastle. TheCentre’s water treatment regime has

been overhauled by Spirax Sarcoto eliminate rapid corrosionof the steam system.Frequent emergency repairsto pipework, valves,

humidifiers and other steamplant components have also beeneradicated, and the centre’s existingboiler feedtank, which was severelycorroded, has been replaced.

The Centre uses steam forhumidification, washing and sterilisation.Spirax Sarco found all the problemsstemmed from the previous watertreatment procedure. By analysing thewater quality as it passed throughthe steam system, Spirax Sarco wasable to recommend an improved mixof treatment chemicals and processes

which reduced corrosion. A full auditof the steam distribution system was

also undertaken to identify and rectifyblocked components.

“Before calling Spirax Sarco in tolook at the problems, we had triedvarious solutions, but nothing had

worked,” explains Mr Albert Baxter,Facilities Supervisor, Centre for Life. “We suffered regular breakdowns,blocked valves, hot water supplyinterruptions and even water comingthrough the humidification system.”

Since Spirax Sarco’s involvement, allunplanned maintenance work on thesteam system has been eliminated,saving the centre time and money.

“We now have better quality steam,are consistently getting the righttemperature hot water, and we are using less water treatment chemicals,saving further costs. We have alsomoved from manual to automatic boiler blowdown, which is saving ustime and money.” says Mr Baxter. Spirax Sarconow has an ongoingwater treatment contractwith the Centre for Lifeand regularly visits thesite to monitor andadjust the system.


The Centre for Life conducts genetics research,nurtures new bioscience companies andpromotes science to the public through events and exhibitions.

www.spiraxsarco.com/uk


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Corus has generatedsome £29 million in energy savings overfive years.

everything, including all the pipe andelectrical work. Spirax Sarco handled itall and there was no problem.”

Mr Charlton initially estimated thatthe added waste heat recovery wouldsave around £130,000 per year, but thesystem is recovering £150,000 to yield apayback of less than 12 months.

The project is part of an ongoingprogramme at Llanwern, in which


Pharmaceuticals specialist relies on Spirax Sarco clean steam expertise

Corus cuts costs with energy-saving package

“Spirax Sarco has thesteam expertise and thekit to just walk in anddo the tests,” says MrEoghan Gallagher,Project Manager atElan. “We did use ourmicrobiologydepartment to carry outthe tests, but projectconstraints due to thelarge demand formicrobiology testing

made us re-think this. By bringing inSpirax Sarco, we have the tests carriedout by steam experts and we don’t haveto keep the test equipment in-house,saving us money on maintaining andcalibrating it.”

Spirax Sarco engineers test the cleansteam system for dryness fraction,

non-condensable gases and superheat.These parameters help determine thepurity of the steam, which in turnensures Elan is in compliance withregulatory requirements.

“We’ve been really pleased with theservice so far,” says Gallagher. “Weneed to keep testing the steam on aquarterly basis and we willkeep using Spirax Sarco todo so, probably for anumber of years.”

The Spirax Sarcotesting regime for Elan complies with HTM 2010.


A Spirax Sarco packaged plate heatexchange system is delivering energysavings worth £150,000 a year atCorus’s Llanwern strip steel processingplant, South Wales. The skid-mountedsystem was designed, supplied andcommissioned by Spirax Sarco and useswaste heat from the steel works’ slabfurnaces to preheat boiler feedwater.

The site’s five reheating furnaces eachtake 20-tonne slabs of steel and heatthem to 1,250°C ready for rolling intocoils. The furnaces also drive five wasteheat boilers. Three of the boilers producehigh pressure steam at 12 bar g. Theremaining two boilers generate steam at1.7 bar g, a pressure too low for most ofthe processes around the site, and Corus was struggling to make full use of the steam.

Spirax Sarco’s Engineered Systemenables Corus to use this low-pressuresteam to preheat the feed to the site’smain boiler. Corus opted for anengineered system to minimise on-sitedisruption. “We could have scheduled aconventional build but we wanted tominimise our workload,” explainsProcess Energy Specialist, Mr RichardCharlton, Corus. “We wanted to have amain contractor who would oversee

Spirax Sarco minimised the workload on Corus by overseeing thewhole project, including all the pipe and electrical work.

Spirax Sarco has the expertise to test clean steam to HTM 2010.

Neuroscience-based biotechnologycompany, Elan Corporation PLC, hassimplified its clean steam quality testingprocedures by bringing in Spirax Sarco atits site in County Westmeath, Ireland.Regular testing helps the company toachieve optimum process control andcomply with industry standards.



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Plate heat exchangers -Today’s steam plate heat exchangers are compact, reliable, highlyefficient, easy to maintain and have a long life. Compared withtraditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers, these benefits combineto deliver much lower life cycle costs.

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Advanced plate heat exchangertechnology lies at the heart ofthe Spirax Sarco EasiHeatTM. Thiscompact heating package forlow temperature hot water(LTHW) and/or instantaneousdomestic hot water (DHW)applications is excellent forlarge or commercial premises.Its precisely matchedcombination of controls, heatexchanger and condensateremoval equipment ensures the

delivery of the right amount of hotwater, at the correct temperature,exactly when required.

Rated up to 1,200 kW, EasiHeat isideal for building services, includinghospitals, schools and colleges, hotelsand commercial buildings.

The skid-mounted packageoccupies only 1.2 m3 space, allowing itto be installed in small plant rooms.The unit owes its compact size largelyto the plate heat exchanger at theheart of the system.

The complete package for heating and hot water

EasiHeat™ is just one of a range of engineeredsystems available from Spirax Sarco.

Plate heat exchangers are only 10% of the size of shell-and-tube heat exchangers. Theircompactness and light weight make them easier and less costly to install. They take up lessplantroom space and are easy to integrate with existing installations.

It is straightforward to add or remove plates to change the capacity of a plate heat exchanger ifheat demand changes in the future.

Modern controls can make the most of a plate heat exchanger’s inherent fast response and closetemperature control capabilities, great for applications with fast-changing loads, such asinstantaneous hot water.

Space saving

Adaptable

Easy to control

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the best things come in small packages

Engineered systems are factory-builtmodules designed and fabricated for a specific application and using Spirax Sarco fluid control equipment.All the components you need are builtin, such as heat exchanger, steamconditioning equipment, controls and condensate recovery, meaning costs are fixed.

Spirax Sarco Engineered Systemsinclude EasiHeatTM and Compact CleanSteam Generators, but bespokesystems can also be supplied to suitalmost any application.

n Easier design and specificationJust one purchase order to a single supplier eliminates lengthyengineering and specification work; and the system is guaranteed,giving peace of mind.

n Less installation and commissioningEach system is delivered as acomplete skid-mounted packageready for connection to the site’s services, reducing costly building work, pipework andelectrical work.

n Efficient operationHigh performance achieves shortpayback. Factory-builtsystems have thehighest efficiency andare more reliable thansite-built plant, which,with Spirax Sarco’ssupport, reducesmaintenance costs.

Engineered systems deliver hassle-free performance

For domestic and low temperature hot water applications, plate heat exchangers use steam atlow pressure, often 1 bar g at full load and much lower under part load conditions, minimisingflash steam. This eliminates the investment in flash steam recovery systems necessary to recoverthe flash steam produced by shell-and-tube exchangers.


Turbulent flow reduces scale build up on the secondary side, cutting maintenance costs. Also,heat exchanger plates are easily removed for cleaning when required, so even very hard watershould not be a problem.

Plate heat exchangers extract a greater amount of useful heat from steam than shell-and-tubeunits. This avoids potential energy losses where it is impractical to recover the hot condensateand flash steam that shell-and-tube exchangers produce. Their small size also means that theylose less heat to their surroundings.

The geometry of the corrugations on each plate makes maximum use of the heat transfer area.It optimises the turbulence and pressure drop on the primary and secondary sides for moreefficient heating and offers higher pressure capabilities.

Efficient operation

Minimal energy loss

Reduced equipment costs

Low maintenance costs


Both the valve seals and cavity fillers are manufactured from high-temperature Dyneon TFM, which issuitable for continuous steam service. The body material is 316Lstainless steel.

The M70i and M80i are finishedand packed in a segregated cleanenvironment, with each valve end-capped and sealed in a plastic bagbefore dispatch. The M70i is availablefrom ” to 2” as standard, while theM80i covers 2 ” to 4”.

Spirax Sarco offers a number ofsanitary products to complement the new valves, providing customerswith a one-stop shop for all their high-purity applications.

Spirax Sarco can alsoassist with systemdesign, regulatory issuesand product selectionto help ensure atrouble-free cleansteam installation.

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The Spirax Sarco C series is a range oflow-maintenance, high-pressure controlvalves featuring exceptionally low noiseoperation at high differential pressures.

Aimed at the oil and gas,chemicals, pharmaceuticals, powergeneration and general processingindustries, C series valves incorporate a cage design to achieve precisecontrol at pressures up to ANSI class 600 and temperatures up to 540ºC. The valves are available from DN25 to DN200.

Several cage options are availableto suit a wide range of applications.Quiet operation is achieved by themultiple cage version, which reducespressure across the valve in stages,eliminating high aerodynamic noiselevels caused by large pressure drops.For liquid systems, cages are availableto avoid damage from cavitation.

C series valves offer quick and easymaintenance. Stem scraper rings reducethe build up of particles, which candamage the stem seal, while long seallife cuts the frequency of maintenance.

The actuator springs can be replaced without the need to open the diaphragm chamber, minimisingmaintenance downtime. In addition,internal components in the valve areclamped in place to allow quick and easymaintenance without removing theentire valve from the pipeline.

New severe service rangeFor larger applications, the C series iscomplemented by the latest SpiraxSarco Severe Service series up toDN400. These 2-port and 3-port controlvalves are designed to meet the needsof specific applications and offer precisecontrol performance in a compact size.

Keep the noise down withhigh-pressure control valves

To meet this need, Spirax Sarco haslaunched two sanitary ball valves, the M70i and M80i.

Each valve has a highly polishedinternal surface finish and featurescavity fillers to reduce the chance ofanything accumulating inside. Theinternal dimensions of the valve matchthose of the connecting tubing

precisely, thereby eliminating deadspaces to further reduce the

chance of any build-up.The valves meet ASME

BPE standards and comecomplete with material

test reports andcertificates of

compliance.

Spirax Sarco C series valves offer quick andeasy maintenance.

The M70i and M80i ballvalves are part of SpiraxSarco’s range of productsfor high-purity applications.



Eliminating contamination in high-purity applications is critical forpharmaceuticals, bio-processing andfood and drink companies, wherebacteria build-up or media depositscould degrade product quality.

New ball valves help processes stay pure

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Higher boiler pressure for lower energy use

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i n s t a n t knowledge

issues. Allowances are made for steam pressure loss as the steam passes through the pipework to makesure the minimum pressure is met at the point of use, so it is important that the pressure is not altered to try to reduce fuel consumption.

Trust a steam system specialist like Spirax Sarco to set the pressure for your system.

Are there other ways I can cut fuel consumption?There are many effective ways to save fuel. It is estimated that industrycould save up to 30% of the fuelfeeding its boilers by combiningestablished good practice with improved technologies.

n Ensure all condensate is recovered

n Install automatic boiler blowdown

n Create the right boiler feedtankconditions

n Switch to hot water heating ondemand with a plate heat exchangerengineered system

n Encourage good practice withaccurate energy monitoring and targeting

What’s the next step?For free information on optimising your steam system go to the Spirax Sarco website atwww.spiraxsarco.com/learn

If you would like more help on saving fuel, a Spirax Sarco engineer can conductan energy audit. This determines where energy is being wasted andsuggests ways to winsignificant savings.

What is the best steam distribution pressure?The optimum pressure within a systemvaries from plant to plant and dependson the maximum safe working pressureof the boiler and the minimum pressurerequired at the plant.

Running boilers at high pressures,with pressure reducing equipment tolower the system pressure at the pointof use is the most efficient way to runsteam plants. Using higher pressuresincreases the boiler’s thermal storagecapacity, helping it to cope withfluctuating loads and minimising the risk of wet and dirty steam. It also cuts the cost of materials, insulation and labour, as smaller bore steam mains can be used.

Deciding on the optimum initialdistribution pressure is complex,involving several factors including theapplication, equipment and safety

Spirax Sarco’s engineers can offer expert advice on how to optimise energy in your steam system.


A question often posed to Spirax Sarcoexperts is whether it is a good idea torun a steam boiler at lower than itsdesign pressure to save energy. Theanswer is always and emphatically no!Here’s why, plus some other facts aboutsteam system pressure.

Why doesn’t running a boiler at alower pressure save fuel?It’s a myth that more fuel is needed toraise steam to a higher pressure.Actually, the same amount of energy isused whether the boiler raises steam at4 bar g or 10 bar g. It is the connectedload and not the boiler output thatdetermines energy consumption.

It is true that standing losses andflue losses increase with increasedpressure, but with good insulation andcondensate recovery they are marginalwhen compared to the benefits ofdistributing steam at high pressure.


© Copyright 2006 Spirax Sarco is a registered trade mark of Spirax-Sarco Limited

Contacting usTechnical and Commercial SalesEngineered SystemsSteam System ServicesNorthern Ireland CustomersRepublic of Ireland CustomersCustomer Care TeamCustomer Training

To find out how to contact your local Spirax Sarco engineer Tel: 01242 535500

Spirax Sarco, Charlton House, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 8ERTel: 01242 521361 Fax: 01242 573342 Email: [email protected]: www.spiraxsarco.com/uk

Fax

01242 57334201242 53537101242 53515401242 535341045 88989201242 53557101242 535578

Tel

01242 53557701242 535202 01242 53539001242 535365 045 88969201242 53559501242 535211

The content of this publication is for promotional and illustrative purposes only. It is not designed or intended to give any guidance on safe working practices or other healthand safety matters. The responsible person should always ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

Spirax Sarco has an international reputation for top class trainingand many of its courses are approved by professional bodies. It canbe difficult to provide this training in-house so outsourcing to atrusted provider is often the answer. Spirax Sarco aims to helpcustomers, designers, installers, users, operators and maintainers ofsteam systems, achieve the maximum benefit from their plant,efficiently and safely.

Focus on saving energycosts and estimating energyrequirements, to identifyingpotential for savings andjustifying implementation.

The course suits anyonelooking to off-set rising fuelprices or take advantage ofpotential Climate ChangeLevy savings.

The first course takesplace on 1st March 2007.

Spirax Sarco has launched anew course to providedelegates with the skills toidentify energy savingopportunities in steamsystems to achieve rapidpayback and savings foryears to come.

The course offers a step-by-step guide to energysavings, from establishing

Calling all users of clean steam

Full details of all Spirax Sarcotraining courses for 2007 are now available in thelatest Steam System Training brochure.

The brochure outlines the wide range of courses,detailing who the course

is aimed at, the objectives,what moduleswill becovered andwhen eachcourse istaking place.

New training brochure

7th FebruarySEEC (Scottish Energy &Environment Conference)Hilton Hotel, Glasgow - Stand 32

20-22nd MarchMAINTEC 2007NEC Birmingham - Stand F41Tr

ain

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Co

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es

Exh

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sJanuary8-12 Steam Plant

Maintenance24-26 Maintenance of

Steam Systems30 Safety Valves31 Introduction to

Steam andCondensateSystems

February5-7 Design of Steam and

Condensate Services8 Understanding Pressure

and Temperature Control12-16 Steam Plant Maintenance21-23 Maintenance of

Steam Systems26-27 Steam Bolier Plant

March1 Energy Savings in the

Steam System5-9 Steam Plant

Maintenance19 Introduction to Steam

and CondensateSystems

29-30 Steam Boiler Plant

To order a training brochure or to find out more about any of the courses Spirax Sarco offers, pleasecall Kim Mansfield, Training Co-ordinator 01242 535211 or visit www.spiraxsarco.com/uk/training

Spirax Sarco’s clean steamcourse will continue to runthroughout 2007, helpingthose in high purityapplications to design andmake the most of their clean steam system.

The course will focus ondesign and implementation

of clean steam systems,covering the fundamentals of steam, feedwatertreatment, types of ‘clean’steam, design of distributionsystems, and selection andapplication of products.

The first course will takeplace on Friday 18th May 2007.

Training in 2007 with Spirax Sarco

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mailto:[email protected]

bare bones analysis - spirax sarco · bare bones analysis ... flash steam and the condensate. two...

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