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Where:
Sf = Feedwater TDS in ppm (feedwater is the combined total of make-up water, condensate
return and chemical treatment)
Every effort should be made to minimise the amount of water that is blown down to drain.
Feedwater should be kept as pure as possible by returning all uncontaminated condensate to the
boiler house, and by pre-treating the make-up as much as this can be economically justified.
Blowdown should also be minimised by automatic TDS control. Given current and projected
boiler fuel costs, even quite small boilers can economically be fitted with automatic TDS
controls. Payback periods under 1 year are common.
HEAT RECOVERY FROM CONTINUOUS BOILER BLOWDOWN
Continuous blowdown lends itself ideally to the recovery of a large proportion of its heat and
water content.
Although many large boiler systems employ blowdown heat recovery, most small and medium
sized steam users have not seriously considered heat recovery equipment for what appears to be
a small operating cost. However, with rising fuel costs, the payback for heat recovery from
blowdown is often very short indeed.
The most cost-effective method is a two-stage heat recovery system.
In the first stage, blowdown water is expanded in a flash vessel from boiler pressure to feed tank
or deaerator pressure. Flash steam is thus utilised for pre-heating of boiler feedwater.
As flash steam condenses, its water content is also saved.
In the second stage, the residual blowdown, after flash steam extraction, is piped to a heat
exchanger, where it gives up a substantional portion of its sensible heat to cold make-up water.
A brief case study of a typical medium-sized boiler illustrates the economic benefits of such a
heat recovery system:
In addition, 600 t/year of treated make-up water is saved, as the recovered flash steam
is condensed in the feed tank. Assuming a treated water cost of $3/t =
$1800 ANNUAL SAVING.
The TOTAL ANNUAL SAVING = $15800, and the payback period for the heat recovery
package including installation would be less than 1 year.