All the plants at the site where I work have atmospheric condensate collection drums. The flash steam from the drum is condensed by either a CW exchanger, or a fin fan. Neither type of system seems to work particularly well as evidenced by steady flash steam plumes. One of these CW based flash condensers is planned for replacement with an alternative (as yet to be determined).

Does anyone have any recommendations or resources for best practice? For example I wonder if a direct contact system might be better- i.e. circulate water through a cooler and spray back into the atmospheric vent, properly designed of course. This would avoid the high tube wall temps that cause CW scaling.

Flashed condensate enters the drum, steam goes up towards a packed bed and water drops down. Water goes to pump and is cooled in exchangers and is returned through spray nozzles above the packed bed.

Net water leaves on level control, net steam on vessel pressure control.

Does the nitrogen purge pass through the exchanger, or is it introduced downstream?  If it is passing through the exchanger then it will emerge saturated with water, and if the atmospheric temperature is slightly below the exit temperature there will be instant condensation and a very visible plume, even if it does not contain much water. Especially on a cold highveld winter morning.  

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