Sean Carter
When talking about condensate recovery systems, you may hear people talking about a vented system or a pressurized system. Here, we will look to break down the differences between these two systems and the benefits and disadvantages of each.
A vented condensate recovery system is used when talking about an open-to-atmosphere tank. With this type of system, a condensate pump is used to return condensate to a tank where it is then used for boiler make-up water, pre-heat or another hot water application. When using vented condensate systems, the maximum recovery temperature is some value less than 100°C (212°F).
One of the benefits of a vented recovery system is a lower initial investment. This is because the configuration is much simpler and sizing the transport lines is easier as the piping can be sized similar to water piping. A disadvantage to using this type of system is more energy is lost due to the tank being open-to-atmosphere. A second disadvantage is the formation of vapor clouds, which can negatively affect your work environment.
The other type of condensate system is a pressurized recovery system. Here, the condensate is maintained above atmospheric pressure throughout the entire recovery process, and can be recovered at much higher temperatures than in a vented system.
While a pressurized recovery system is more expensive than a vented recovery system, the lack of vapor clouds will improve your overall work environment. Additionally, more work can be completed, recovered and reused as there is no slash steam being vented to the atmosphere. Finally, pressurized condensate systems provide a higher percentage of energy to be recovered.
