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Chemical In Steam

WillieF
WillieF Member Posts: 1
I have a customer that heats chemicals with steam with a heat exchanger. He wants something to determine if there is any cross contamination between the chemical and the steam before it causes any damage to the boiler. I'm stumped Any suggestions?

Comments

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583
    What chemicals are they?

    That term is a bit vague.
    For example, water is a chemical compound.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,159
    ChrisJ said:

    What chemicals are they?

    That term is a bit vague.
    For example, water is a chemical compound.

    Verily. However, if your client wants to be sure that no chemicals -- of any sort -- from the chemical side get into the steam side, there is one solution: make sure that the pressure on the steam side is always greater than that on the other side. Doesn't have to be much.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,452
    There is no way to tell unless it starts leaking.

    But here is what you need. A double wall tube heat exchanger. Goggle Alstrom Energy Group. They make heat exchangers with a double wall tube with fluid between the tubes with a sight glass for checking if the inner fluid is contaminated.

    Back when we did heavy oil burners we heated the fuel oil with steam. It was standard practice to dump the condensate down the drain to avoid returning fuel oil to the boiler if the hx failed.

    Some installations used the Alstrom HX for that reason