Flash Steam Generation (bar)

When condensate leaves the steam traps - flash steam

is generated. This table indicates the amount of
flash steam generated at different pressures - in bar
The amount of flash steam generated depend on the steam pressure - the pressure in the
condensate before it leaves the condensate trap - and the condensate pressure after the
trap - the pressure in the condensate return pipe lines.

The table below indicates the ratio of flash steam generated at different pressures before
and after the condensate trap:
Percent Flash Steam of Condensate (%)
Steam Condensate Gauge Pressure (bar)
Gauge
Pressure
01) 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.6 3
(bar)
0 0.0

1 3.8 1.7 0.0

2 6.3 4.2 2.6 1.2 0.0

3 8.3 6.2 4.5 3.2 2.0 0.8 0.0

4 9.8 7.7 6.1 4.8 3.6 2.4 1.7

5 11.2 9.1 7.5 6.2 5.0 3.8 3.1

6 12.3 10.3 8.7 7.4 6.3 5.0 4.3

7 13.4 11.4 9.8 8.5 7.4 6.2 5.4

8 14.4 12.3 10.8 9.5 8.4 7.2 6.5

9 15.2 13.2 11.7 10.4 9.3 8.1 7.4

10 16.1 14.1 12.5 11.3 10.1 9.0 8.3

11 16.8 14.8 13.3 12.0 10.9 9.8 9.1

12 17.5 15.6 14.1 12.8 11.7 10.5 9.8

13 18.2 16.3 14.8 13.5 12.4 11.2 10.6

 14 18.9 16.9 15.4 14.2 13.1 11.9 11.2

15 19.5 17.6 16.1 14.8 13.7 12.6 11.9

1)
It is common to vent the condensate system to the atmosphere - where the gauge
pressure is 0 bar.
 1 bar = 105 Pa (N/m2) = 10.197 kp/m2 = 10.20 m H2O = 0.9869 atm = 14.50 psi
(lbf/in2)

Example - Generated Flash Steam

A condensate system is vented to the surroundings and the pressure in the condensate
system after the condensate traps is 0 bar gauge. The absolute steam pressure before the
condensate trap is 10 bar gauge.

According the table above 16.1% of the condensate will evaporate as flash steam after
the trap.

Note! Without any flash recovery system the energy in the flash steam will be lost to the
surroundings.
If you prefer Imperial units - go here !