Condensate REcovery Unit Testing

John Penwarden_3

Hello all, it's been a long long time since I visited this place, yet I knew where to come to with this question.

I am in the business of Commissioning and Validation of various HVAC equipment for the Pharma industry. A new one to me is to do a functional test of a CRU. The equipment in question is the Spirax/Sarco VES series. Specifically, a VES-8-2-1/2 (3/4 hp), max flow 4849 lb.hr and a VES-20-2-1/2 (1 hp), max flow 9500 lb.hr.

The test should be quite simple and yet practical. My initial thought is to fill the tank with water, power up the pump, let it run until the float switch is satisfied, then fill the tank again with a know volume of water and calculate the time required to pump out that volume.

Main question I have is how to convert the lb/hr to gpm. I do not believe it is as simple as saying 1 lb of water is 8.33 lb, therefore the flow rate is 9.69 gpm and 19.9 gpm respectively. I found a conversion on the net for 1000 sq.ft. EDR to GPM and I am curious if that is what I should be using.... The condensate is assumed to be 210 deg f.

Any help is greatly appreciated...

Mike T., Swampeast MO

At 210F, water weights 59.88 pounds per cubic foot.

Once cubic foot is 1,728 cubic inches.

One US gallon is 231 cubic inches.

So...

7.48 gallons per cubic foot (1,628 / 231)

8.01 pounds per gallon of water at 210F (59.88 / 7.48)

To convert your pounds per hour (at 210F) to GPM take:

Pounds per hour / 60. This gives pounds per minute.

Then pounds per minute / 8.01