Spirax Marshall, Pune.

Thermocompressors
Thermocompressors or steam jet compressors are used in a wide range of processes to save energy. They compress low pressure steam to usable pressure levels and thereby reclaim the heat energy in the low pressure steam, which otherwise would have been wasted. The low pressure steam is entrained by the Thermocompressor and compressed to a reusable, where it can be effectively utilised for its heat or thermal value; Hence the name Thermocompressor. Spirax Thermocompressors are backed by reliable design which has been validated on a comprehensive, well - instrumented test rig, a feature which very few manufacturers can offer. It is this design validation that really makes a difference between a thermocompressor that has been designed and one that has been designed well. Our Thermocompressors are custom built to suit your specific needs and can therefore effectively contribute to your energy conservation plans. In a Thermocompressor high pressure steam (referred to as motive steam) expands in a converging - diverging nozzle, where its pressure energy is converted to kinetic energy. The steam jet emerging from the nozzle possesses supersonic velocity. The low pressure steam (referred to as suction steam) is then sucked by this high speed jet by a combination of complex phenomena and the mixing of both these streams takes place mainly in the suction chamber and partly in the inlet portion of the downstream diffuser. The diffuser re-converts the kinetic energy of the mixture into pressure energy, thereby effectively compressing the low pressure steam. The discharge of the Thermocompressor is at a pressure somewhere between the motive pressure and the suction pressure. The process is depicted on the adjacent Mollier diagram.

Pressure and Velocity profile in Thermocompressor Pm - Motive steam pressure. Ps - Suction steam pressure. Pd - Discharge steam pressure. Vm - Motive steam velocity at inlet. Vne - Nozzle exit velocity. Vd - Discharge velocity.

Economics of Thermocompressors
Thermocompressors can result in energy savings even upto 40 - 50%, depending upon the expansion and compression ratios for which the Thermocompressor has been designed. However much depends on how well a Thermocompressor has been designed and can make a world of difference to your process economics. This is precisely where the Spirax expertise in steam engineering will help you realise maximum benefits from your capital investment. Thermocompressors can be economically used upto compression ratios of 6.

1-2 - Expansion in nozzle 2 - 4 - 3 - Mixing in suction chamber 4-5 - Compression in Diffuser ( Process 1-2-3-4-5 indicate actual path traced by steam)

SPX - 1

Spirax Marshall, Pune.

Applications of Thermocompressors :
Thermocompressors can be used as pressure boosters or in the form of steam recirculators. They can be used effectively in both vacuum and positive suction pressure range. Typical applications are : * Drum dryers of paper and board industry * Vulcanisers of rubber industry * Wort vessels / Reboilers in Breweries and Distilleries * Condensate receivers, Dryers, strippers, stills and deodorisers in chemical and petrochemical plants * Multi - effect Evaporators in dairies, food processing and suga r plants. * Solvent and vegetable oil extraction plants * Chemical process industries for steam pressure boosting * Drying / heating applications in Pharmaceutical Industry * Textile and Rayon plants

comprehensive testing, which guarantee operational and performance reliability. You can write back to us for more details and our engineer will be happy to visit you to understand your application, and make suitable recommendations. To enable us to do this, it would be useful if you provide the following data : * Suction steam flow rate and pressure * Motive Steam pressure and flow rate that can be spared Thermocompressor operation * Discharge pressure required * Description of the system where Thermocompressor is intended to be used * Controls provided in the existing system for pressure / temperature / flow * Material of construction desired

Advantages of Thermocompressors
Thermocompressors offer following advantages : * Simple in construction * No moving parts therefore very little maintenance required * Easy Installation * Insensitive to fouling * Low in initial capital cost * Long operational life

Materials of construction :
Spirax Thermocompressors are available in carbon steel (made from bar stock or boiler quality plate). We can also supply Thermocompressors in stainless steel (AISI 304 / AISI 316). The nozzle material is always AISI 316.

End connections :
This refers to the nozzle inlet, suction inlet and discharge connection. For sizes less than 50 NB, we can offer a choice of end connection, i.e. BSPT / NPT screwed. Socket welded or flanged (ANSI, DIN or BS 10) connections. For sizes greater than 50 NB, we offer flanged connections in ANSI B16.5, DIN or BS 10. Flange rating will depend on pressures involve.

A little more about us .....

Spirax - Marshall has decades of experience in steam engineering and has been offering total solutions to customers, to help them save energy in their process. An integral part of this are the Spirax Thermocompressors - which have been developed based on our experience in designing steam systems and are backed by sound design principles and
SPX - 2