ME27 Lecture 06:

Industrial Steam Processes

I. Introduction

Brief History
● The industrial use of steam power started with Thomas Savery in 1698.
● He constructed and patented in London the first engine, which he called the
"Miner's Friend" since he intended it to pump water from mines.
● The Savery engine had no moving parts other than hand-operated valves.
● The first practical mechanical steam engine was introduced by Thomas
Newcomen in 1712.
● James Watts' Steam Engine
● Corliss Steam Engine
Steam
- Used in a wide range of industries.
- The gas formed when water passes from the liquid to the gaseous
state.
Process Steam System
● Is an efficient, energy saving system used by the manufacturing industry
● Cost-effective energy source
● Topmost energy-intense processes, especially in the field of manufacturing.

II. Advantages of Steam

● Steam as a source of energy:

❖ Easy Transport
❖ Safe to Use
❖ Easy to Control
❖ Low Level of Toxicity
❖ High Capacity to Produce Heat
 ❖ Higher Capacity
❖ Reduced Costs in Production
❖ Serves Multi Purposes

III. Applications of Steam

1. Steam for Heating

2. HVAC
3. Steam for Automization
4. Steam for Drying
5. Steam for Power Generation
6. Steam for Sterilization and Disinfection

IV. Industrial Steam Processes

Attributes of the Steam

● Saturated Steam
- Steam at its boiling point
- Pressure would be at 212°F (100°C)
● Superheated Steam
- Steam is steam that is hotter than its boiling point for a given pressure
- Would be hotter than 212°F (100°C), but still at atmospheric pressure
● Dry Steam
- Entirely in the vapor state and has no liquid in it
● Wet Steam
- Opposite of dry steam
- It has both liquid and vapor present
- Unsaturated steam can also be described as wet steam
● Plant Steam (Also Called Utility Steam)
- Is “typical” for industrial steam generation systems
- Can be at a variety of pressures, but is typically saturated
 - Usually has boiler chemicals or additives to prevent corrosion
- Sometimes referred to by the pressure it’s distributed at: either low,
medium, or high pressure steam
● Clean Steam
- Is pure enough that, when condensed, it meets the requirements for Water
for Injection
Steam Process
- Is the process where fluid is heated and vaporized to produce steam as a type
of energy converting it to mechanical energy.
● Rankine Cycle - an ideal cycle if water passes through the four components
without irreversibilities and pressure drops.
Consists of the following four processes:
1-2: Isentropic expansion in a turbine
2-3: Constant pressure heat rejection in a condenser
3-4: Isentropic compression in a pump
4-1: Constant pressure heat addition in a boiler
● Turbine to Generator
● Boiler
Types of Boiler
❖ Fire Tube Boiler
❖ Water Tube Boiler
● Condenser

V. Plant That Uses Steam

1. Conventional Steam Power Plants

❖ Thermal Power Plant (Coal Fired Thermal Power Plant)
❖ Natural Gas Power Plant (Gas Turbine Power Plant)
❖ Nuclear Power Plant
2. Non-Conventional Steam Power Plants
❖ Solar Thermal Power Plant
❖ Geothermal Power Plant
- Dry Steam, Flash Steam, Binary Steam
❖ Biogas/Biomass Power Plant
References

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U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

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d5hTF2E8SfWOu3Jz45QDtMrXQ74dUtDcYKXsNLO6JdF1jg#