How It Works

When steam condenses in a piping system or Heat Exchange the temperature of the Hot Condensate is the same temperature as the steam. The temperature of 100 PSI steam is 338 ºF therefore the condensate being formed and discharging thru the steam trap into the condensate return line will also be 338 ºF. When this condensate enters a flash tank at a lower pressure a certain percent of it will flass off into steam.

Table 1 gives the percent of condensate that turns into flash steam depending on intial condesnate temperature and flash tank pressure

How to Size / Order

Use Table 1 to determine amount of Flash Steam that will be generated by the hot pressurized condensate. The percentage of Flash Steam formed is found where Condensate Pressure and Flash Tank Pressure intersect.

Multiply your Condensate Load by the decimal equivalent of the Flash Steam Percent to determine the amount of Flash Steam in lbs/hr. Then, use Figure 1 to determine Flash Tank Size required:

Example: Condensate Pressure: 100 PSIG
Flash Tank Pressure: 20 PSIG
Condensate Load: 8,000 lbs/hr

% Flash Steam: 8.7% from chart
Decimal Equivalent % Flash Steam = .087
.087 x 8000 = 696 lbs/hr of flash steam
Therefore Choose: 12” FLASH TANK