Steam condensate question
If I have a LPS entering a coil, but I can not return by gravity. I have
to pump the condensate pump back to the bfu, how do I calculate gpm.
Do I just find lbs/hr and then calculate using 1lb-water/hr = 8.34 gallons/lb-water x 60min/hr x SG
which gives me 1lb-water/hr = 500 gpm
or do I calculate gpm by:
btu/h = gpm x 500 x Tdiff
with btu/h = 960 x lbs/hr.
You're multiplying instead of dividing.
GPM Cond = (#/hr steam)/(8.35 #/gal)/(60min/hr)
So 1#/hr equals only 0.002 GPM
Since
you have LP steam, flash loss in the condensate pump won't be enough to
affect the GPM selection. If you know your steam load, you can
calculate GPM.
500 lbs of steam per hour will give you 1 USGPM of condensate to pump or dump.
8.33 lbs of water per US gallon, times 60 minutes per hour = 499.8. Round it to 500 lbs/hr.
Check
out the publication "Hook-Ups" by Spirax-Sarco. It's full of info like
this. If you're threatening to buy some of their products (traps,
control valves, condensate pumps, etc.) the local rep will likely give
you a copy or two.
One thing to remember is the warm-up load. I would suggest a 2:1 safety
factor, although I have seen it as high as 2.5:1. It all depends on
how fast you are warming up.
So for each 1 Lb/Hr of rated load,
figure 2 or 2.5 lb/hr required for warm-up. You condensate pump will
have to handle this additional load and must be sized accordingly. So
your max pump load will then be 0.004 or 0.005 GMP for each lb/hr of
running steam load.
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