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Steam Sparger In Atmospheric Water Tank

steam sparger _ water tank

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#1 owe

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Posted 16 May 2025 - 03:22 PM

Good day!

I saw many things concerning steam sparger on the forum, but I miss one thing to be sure of my design! If you can help me it will be really appreciated!

I need to inject in a water tank around 660 lbs/h (300 kg/h) of steam (around 6 barg and 200°C). The pressure in the tank at sparger level is 2,9 psi (0,2 bar) because it is just an atmospheric tank.

typically I have done a sparger with small holes and my calculation give a result of 30m/s IN the sparger and the pressure drop through the sparger is only 0,02 bar. This is low to keep a velocity through the holes around 35-40m/s. The pressure drop is very low. And finally I can not find a criteria on the speed of steam in the holes.

Can you just tell me what is the criteria for the holes velocity please? I think the 25-30m/s inside the pipe is high but good. I just want to see with you the velocity and pressure drop to be sure.

Once again, many thanks for your support as usual!!

 

 



#2 latexman

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Posted 16 May 2025 - 03:33 PM

Make the sum of the area of all the holes ~ 1/2 the cross-sectional area of the pipe. That usually leads to good distribution.

#3 breizh

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Posted 16 May 2025 - 06:53 PM

Hi,

Consider this link to support your work:

https://www.cheresou...g-calculations/

 

More sophisticated equipment is available on the market; you may want to ring or email these guys to get a customized solution.

You will find a datasheet at the end of the document to support your query.

 

another reference:

https://www.pro-soni...ct-your-boiler/

 

last resource (TBP rule of thumb -8)

https://www.eng-tips...-design.233068/

 

High velocity means risk of erosion .

 

Good luck

 

Breizh

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#4 katmar

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Posted 17 May 2025 - 03:10 AM

The main problem with this type of steam injector is noisy cavitation, and this is made worse by having large bubbles of steam with low interface area with the water. So it is better to use small diameter (3mm or less) holes in the sparger to generate small bubbles and good mixing. From this perspective it would be better to have a high velocity through the holes, but of course within reason.

You can get off-the-shelf steam injectors from companies like Spirax Sarco. These units work on Bernoulli's principle sucking the water into the steam and mixing it well.

If you do make your own sparger remember to have a couple of holes at the bottom of the sparger so that the water can be driven out at start up.



#5 latexman

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Posted 17 May 2025 - 09:39 AM

owe,

Consider this link:

https://simpliengine...n-manifold/3480

#6 owe

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Posted 18 May 2025 - 12:39 PM

Thank you all, as usual.

After reading all the posts (I read often yours Breizh), for around 250  kg/h of steam (around 200°C), for a sparger inside an open water tank (1m deep) I used a 3,5 inch sch 40 (90 mm ID).

I have 14 mbar of pressure drop through the holes. 168 holes diameter 4mm.

The speed inside the RO is 65 m/s.

if you think this is not so bad, I can share my calculation for other people if they want to use it :)

 

(Note: katmar: Yes, 2 holes will be used to drain water at start up. Thanks!)

Thank you for your feedback



#7 breizh

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Posted 19 May 2025 - 03:13 AM

Hi,
Feel free to share your work with the community.
Breizh

#8 latexman

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Posted 19 May 2025 - 05:51 AM

To put a finer point on it, the exit thrust from each hole, although small, should be balanced by having a hole on the opposite side of the diameter. I saw several spargers with 4 rows of holes (top, bottom, and both sides of pipe).

#9 owe

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Posted Today, 06:37 AM

Thanks Latexman. I am doing like this. I am just having a look on the drawing to do like this. For the diameter, Steam orifice diameter (4mm) is not too big?



#10 owe

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Posted Today, 10:47 AM

Hello again and thank you for your time.

For the velocity i used the formula: velocity=cd*(2*DP*100000/density)^0,5. In my particular case (low pressure), I add 0.5 kg/m3 of steam. Considering a CV of 0,65, my velocity is very high. Around 100m/s. That is why I want to know if possible the max speed in the orifice itself (the speed will decrease quickly after but I don't know if there is a criteria). For a pressure drop of 1,7 psi I have more than 140m/s inside the nozzle :)

That is why I am looking at the design criteria for velocity or minimum pressure drop.

Thank you a lot.



#11 breizh

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Posted Today, 06:18 PM

Hi,

Review your calculation, you are in choked flow condition (sonic condition).

Breizh

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#12 breizh

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Posted Today, 07:43 PM

Hi,

Another reference for sparger.

Breizh

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