Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.

Block 15 Desuperheating

Module 15.2
Basic Desuperheater Types

The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.1

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Basic Desuperheater Types

Desuperheaters
The simplest type of desuperheater is an unlagged section of pipe, where heat can be radiated to
the environment. However, apart from the obvious risk of injury to personnel from such a hot
item of plant, and the expensive energy wastage, this approach does not adjust to compensate
for changes in the environmental conditions, steam temperature or steam flowrate.

Fig. 15.2.1 Typical multi-nozzle spray desuperheater

15.2.2

The Steam and Condensate Loop

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Several designs of desuperheater are available and it is recommended that the following properties
be considered when sizing and selecting a suitable station for a given application:
o

Turndown ratio - turndown is used to describe the range of flowrates over which the
desuperheater will operate, as shown in Equation 4.2.1.
0D[LPXP IORZ
0LQLPXP IORZ

7XUQGRZQ

Equation 4.2.1

This is an important parameter, as any variation in inlet pressure, temperature or flowrate will
cause a variation in the requirement of cooling liquid.
In general, the two turndown values may be specified for a particular desuperheater:
Steam turndown ratio - This reflects the range of steam flowrates that the device can effectively
desuperheat.
Cooling water turndown ratio - This reflects the range of cooling flowrates that can be used.
Although this directly affects the steam turndown ratio, the relationship depends on the
temperatures of the superheated steam, the cooling water and the resulting desuperheated
steam.
Equation 15.1.1 is the mass / heat balance equation for this application:

FZ

K  K 
K  K 
L

Equation 15.1.1

FZ

Where:
mcw
ms
hi
hd
hcw

=
=
=
=
=

Mass flowrate of cooling water (kg / h)

Mass flowrate of superheated steam (kg / h)
Enthalpy at superheat condition (kJ / kg)
Enthalpy at desuperheated condition (kJ / kg)
Enthalpy of cooling water at inlet connection (kJ / kg)

It should be noted that the steam and water flowrates are directly proportional to each other;
the constant of proportionality k depends on the enthalpies of the superheated steam, the
cooling water and the required desuperheated steam. Mathematically: FZ NPJ
K  K 
:KHUH N =
K  K 
L

FZ

If the required turndown cannot be achieved using a single desuperheater, two desuperheaters
can be installed in parallel, with operation switching from one to another; or both can be in
operation depending on steam demand.
It should be noted that the desuperheater itself is only one part of a desuperheating station,
which will include the necessary control system for correct operation.
o

Operating pressures and temperatures.

Steam and water flowrate.

Amount of superheat before, and amount of desuperheated steam required after, the process.

The water pressure available (a booster pump may be required).

The required accuracy of the final temperature.

In the case of in-line desuperheaters, the distance travelled by the steam before complete
desuperheating has occurred is also an important consideration. This is referred to as the
absorption length.

The following Sections include descriptions of the common types of desuperheater available,
their limitations and typical applications.
The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.3

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Indirect contact desuperheaters

Tube bundle type desuperheaters

This type of desuperheater (Figure 15.2.2) consists of a heat exchanger, typically a shell and tube,
with superheated steam on one side, and the cooling medium on the other.
The shell of the first heat exchanger (containing the cooling water) is fixed at both ends on the
inlet side, whereas on the outlet side, it is fixed at the bottom and open at the top. The floating
head allows the pressure in the two sections of the shell to equalise.
The cooling medium is water at saturation temperature and pressure. As superheated steam
enters the first and then the second set of tubes, it gives up heat to the water, some of which will
be evaporated by this addition of energy. Any evaporated cooling water passes through the floating
head and will accumulate in the outlet side of the shell. It then passes through the open end of
the shell where it is mixed with the desuperheated steam.
Pressure and temperature sensors

Safety valve

Superheated
steam

Saturated
steam

Floating head
Normal
water level
Float trap as overflow

Cooling water
at saturation
pressure and
temperature

Water
level
control
system

Drain

Cooling water supply

(with pump if pressure is insufficient)

Float trap
Fig. 15.2.2 A tube and bundle type desuperheater

Advantages:

1. Turndown is only limited by the controls that are fitted.

2. This design is capable of producing desuperheated steam to within 5C of the saturation
temperature.
3. High maximum operating temperatures and pressures, typically around 60 bar and 450C.
4. Fast response.

Disadvantages:

1. Bulky - because there are now a number of in-line devices available, they have been largely
superseded.
2. Cost.
3. An important concern with this type of desuperheater is the efficiency of the heat exchange
process. The build up of air or scale films on the heat exchange surface can act as an extremely
effective barrier to heat transfer.

Applications:

1. Those applications that experience wide variations in load.

15.2.4

The Steam and Condensate Loop

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Direct contact desuperheaters

Water bath type desuperheater

This is the simplest form of direct contact desuperheater. The superheated steam is injected into
a bath of water. This additional heat will cause saturated steam to evaporate from the surface of
the bath. A pressure controller maintains a constant pressure in the vessel, and hence the
temperature and pressure of the saturated steam in the downstream pipe.
Saturated
steam
Pressure controller

Pressure
gauge
Superheated
steam

Pressure
sensor

non-return
valve

Steam
offtake

Safety
valve

Steam
drying
space

Pressure control valve

Float trap
as overflow

Water bath

Level
control
system
Cooling water
supply with
feedwater pump

Drain
Cooling water supply with feedwater
pump, if feedwater is underpressure
Fig. 15.2.3 Water bath type desuperheater (schematic)

Since the superheated steam has more energy per unit mass than the saturated steam, more
steam will be evaporated than actually enters the desuperheater. Consequently, the water level
will fall and therefore provision must be made to maintain this level. This usually requires a pump
of similar design to a boiler feedwater pump, as the water must be pumped against the vessel
pressure.
A good non-return valve is required in the superheated steam supply to avoid any water from the
bath being drawn into the superheated steam system should the pressure in the superheated
main drop.

Advantages:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Simple
Steam is produced at saturation temperature.
Steam with a dryness fraction of 0.98 can be produced.
Turndown is only limited by the controls that are fitted.

Disadvantages:

1. Bulky.
2. Not practical for high temperatures.

Applications:

1. Wide variations in the flowrate.

2. Where no residual superheat can be tolerated.
The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.5

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Water spray desuperheating

This type of desuperheating represents the vast majority of desuperheating applications. In water
spray desuperheaters, superheated steam is passed through a section of pipe fitted with one or
more spray nozzles. These inject a fine spray of cooling water into the superheated steam, which
causes the water to be converted into steam, reducing the quantity of superheat.
The cooling water may be introduced into the superheated steam in a number of ways;
consequently, there are a number of different types of water spray desuperheater.
Despite this, most water spray desuperheaters are affected by the following factors:
o

Particle size - The smaller the water particle size, the greater the ratio of surface area to mass,
and the higher the rates of heat transfer. Since the water is being directly injected into the
moving superheated steam, the smaller the particle size, the shorter the distance required for
heat exchange to take place.

The water is broken into small particles using either a mechanical device (such as a variable or
fixed orifice nozzle) or steam atomising nozzles.
o

Turbulence - As the flow within the pipeline becomes more turbulent, the individual entrained

water particles reside longer in the desuperheater, allowing for greater heat transfer. In addition,
turbulence encourages the mixing of the cooling water and the superheated steam. Increased
turbulence results in a shorter distance being required for complete desuperheating to occur.

Turbulence can be created in two ways:

Pressure drop across the nozzle - Subjecting the cooling water to a higher pressure drop will
increase its velocity and induce greater turbulence.
Velocity - By increasing the overall velocity of the water and steam mixture, the amount of
turbulence is inherently increased. The increase in velocity is usually achieved by creating a
restriction in the steam path, which further generates turbulence by vortex shedding.
In addition to these high velocities, if poor piping design practices are used, the speed of the
superheated steam could in theory approach Mach 1. At such speeds a number of problems
would occur (including the generation of shock waves). However, this would be far in excess
of the velocities used in good piping design. Typical velocities of steam entering a desuperheater
should be around 40 to 60 m /s.
o

Cooling water flowrate - The rate at which cooling water can be added to the superheated
steam is affected by a number of factors, which are related by Equation 4.2.11:
TY = & $

JK

Equation 4.2.11

Where:
qv = Cooling water volumetric flowrate (m /s)
C = Coefficient of discharge for the nozzle
A = Area of the nozzle (m)
g = Gravitational constant (9.81 m /s)
h = Pressure drop over the orifice (m head)
Bearing in mind that Cd and g are constants, reviewing Equation 4.2.11 shows that only two
factors can be manipulated to alter the cooling water flowrate, qv:
Changing the pressure drop over the orifice (nozzle), h - Expressing flowrate as a function of
pressure drop over the nozzle:
9

This means that if, for example, flow is increased by a factor of 5, the available pressure must
increase by a factor of 52 = 25. The effect of this relationship is to severely hamper the turndown
ratio.
15.2.6

The Steam and Condensate Loop

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

In addition to affecting the cooling water flowrate, there are two other important considerations
when determining the required cooling water pressure:
1. The cooling water pressure must be greater than the superheated steam pressure at the
point of injection.
2. The greater the pressure drop across the nozzle, the better the atomisation of the cooling
water.
Changing the area of the orifice, A - Expressing flowrate as a function of the area of the orifice:
9 $

This direct relationship means that if, for example, flow is to be increased by a factor of 5, the
available area must also increase by a factor of 5. This change may simply be achieved by an
orifice, which has the ability to change in area (see Figure 15.2.4), or alternatively by altering
the number of orifices passing the coolant.
Cooling water flow

Valve head movement

Seat

Nozzle
Valve head
annulus
Fig. 15.2.4 Variable area orifice
o

Thermal sleeves - Careful control of the spray is required to ensure that the water does not
fall out of suspension as this can result in thermal stresses being generated in the pipeline and
cracking may occur. However, in some cases, an inner thermal sleeve can be used to provide
protection from this.
Cooling water

Thermal sleeve

Superheated
steam

Fig. 15.2.5 A thermal sleeve inserted in an in-line spray desuperheater

The thermal sleeve also allows the circulation of superheated steam around the annular area
between the sleeve and the inside diameter of the pipe. This provides a hot surface upon
which the injected water can evaporate, as opposed to the walls of the desuperheater, which
are inevitably cooler.
The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.7

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Water spray type desuperheaters

Single point radial injection spray desuperheaters

The simplest method of injecting cooling water is to introduce a nozzle through the pipe wall.

Cooling water actuator

and control valve

Cooling water inlet

Superheated
steam

Desuperheated
steam

Fig. 15.2.6 Single point radial injection spray desuperheater

The cooling water particles are sprayed across the flow of the superheated steam. The quantity of
cooling water injected is controlled by varying the position of the valve in the centre of the
nozzle.

Advantages:

1. Simple in operation.
2. Cost effective.
3. Minimum steam pressure drop.

Disadvantages:

1. Low turndown ratio, typically a maximum of 3:1 on both steam and cooling water flow.
2. Desuperheated steam temperature can only be reduced to 10C above saturation temperature.
3. Longer absorption length than the steam atomising type.
4. Most prone to cause erosion damage to the internal pipework. This can be overcome by the
use of a thermal sleeve.
5. Limited pipe sizes.

Applications:

1. Constant steam load.

2. Constant steam temperature.
3. Constant coolant temperature.
All of which mean a relatively constant cooling water requirement.
15.2.8

The Steam and Condensate Loop

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Multiple point radial injection spray desuperheaters

This is a progression of the single point radial injection spray desuperheater. Cooling water is
sprayed in from a number of orifices around the perimeter of the pipe.

Superheated
steam

Desuperheated
steam

Radial spray
injector

Cooling water
Fig. 15.2.7 Multiple radial injection point desuperheater

Advantages:

1. The pressure of the cooling liquid is less than that in the single point version; therefore, it is not
necessary to use a thermal sleeve.
2. The absorption length is shorter compared with that of the single point version due to better
mixing of the water and the superheated steam. The absorption length is still significantly
longer than other types of water spray desuperheater.
Other advantages, disadvantages and applications are similar to those of single point radial
injection spray desuperheaters.

Axial injection spray desuperheaters

This is also a simple in-line injection spray desuperheater, but the point of injection is moved to
the axis of the pipeline. The cooling water is injected into the steam flow via one or more atomising
nozzles (see Figure 15.2.8). The unit usually employs a thermal sleeve.
Cooling water

Injector

Desuperheated
steam

Superheated
steam

Fig. 15.2.8 Axial injection spray desuperheater

The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.9

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Axial injection of the cooling water improves the mixing of the water and the superheated steam
by two methods:
1. As the water is injected along the centre of the pipeline, it will be more evenly distributed
throughout the superheated steam.
2. The cooling water delivery pipe that is inserted in the pipeline acts as an obstruction, creating
additional turbulence at the point of water injection due to vortex shedding.

Flow
Vertical bluff body
Fig. 15.2.9 Vortex shedding around the cooling water delivery pipe

A modification of this basic arrangement involves turning the nozzle so that the cooling water is
sprayed upstream, against the steam flow. The high velocity of the superheated steam reverses
the spray water flow pattern and sends it back through a mixing chamber. This achieves more
efficient mixing of the water and steam over a short absorption length.
Filtered water
supply inlet

Superheated
steam flow

Desuperheated
steam out

Mixing
module
Water
spray
nozzle
Fig. 15.2.10 Reverse flow type axial desuperheater

Advantages:

1. Simple in operation.
2. No moving parts.
3. Cost effective across the entire range of sizes.
4. Minimal steam pressure drop.

Disadvantages:

1. Low turndown ratio, typically a maximum of 3:1 on both steam and cooling water flow.
2. Desuperheated steam temperature can only be reduced to 10C above saturation temperature.
3. Longer absorption length than the steam atomising type, but less than the radial type
desuperheaters.
4. Most prone to cause erosion damage to the internal pipework. This can be overcome by the
use of a thermal sleeve.

Applications:

1. Constant steam load.

2. Constant steam temperature.
3. Constant coolant temperature.
All of which mean a relatively constant cooling water requirement.
15.2.10

The Steam and Condensate Loop

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Multiple nozzle axial injection desuperheaters

Rather than a single nozzle, the multiple nozzle axial injection desuperheater provides a number
of nozzles across the flow of superheated steam. This gives good dispersion of the water droplets.
There are three main types of multiple nozzle axial injection desuperheater:
1. Fixed area type - All the nozzles are open when the desuperheater is operating, and the
cooling water is regulated by a spray water control valve.
Pneumatic
actuator

Cooling
water inlet

Cooling water
control valve

Multiple nozzles

Superheated steam

Fig.15.2.11 A multiple nozzle desuperheater

2. Variable spray type - The downstream temperature determines the number of exposed nozzles.
Cooling water enters the desuperheater through the water jacket to the sealing area above the
disc (see Figure 15.2.12). When an increase in the downstream steam temperature is detected
by the associated temperature control system, the actuator moves the stem down,
progressively exposing more nozzles. When the demand for the cooling water changes, the
stem and disc arrangement moves up and down as required. This has the effect of changing
the overall orifice area.
Movement of stem
by an actuator

Stem

Cooling
water inlet

Water jacket

Superheated
steam

Disc
Fig.15.2.12 A variable area type multiple nozzle desuperheater
The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.11

Block 15 Desuperheating

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

3. Spring-assisted type - This is essentially a combination of the two previous types. Instead of
the stem and disc arrangement being controlled by an actuator, the spring-assisted type contains
a spring-loaded flow plug, which moves in response to a change in the differential pressure
between the coolant and the superheated steam. The moving plug changes the number of
open nozzles, thereby adjusting the flow into the main pipeline. In addition, the cooling water
is regulated by a spray water control valve.
Being able to control both the pressure and flow of the cooling water enables accurate control
over the amount of water injected into the superheated steam. This type does, however, require
a high cooling water pressure.

Advantages:

1. Turndown ratios of up to 8:1 are possible with the fixed area type, up to 9:1 with the spring
assisted type and 12:1 for the variable area type.
2. Better dispersion of the water droplets means that the absorption length is less than that of
single nozzle devices.
3. Minimal steam pressure drop.

Disadvantages:

1. The desuperheated steam temperature can only be reduced to 8C above saturation

temperature.
2. Longer absorption length than the steam atomising type.
3. Most prone to cause erosion damage to the internal pipework, if a thermal sleeve is not used.
4. Not suitable for small pipe sizes.
5. Requires high pressure cooling water (particularly true of the spring assisted type).
6. Variable area and spring assisted types can be expensive.

Applications:

1. Applications with a requirement for a higher turndown ratio than that offered by single nozzle
devices, but where the expense of more sophisticated devices is not justified.
2. Constant steam load.
3. Constant steam temperature.
4. Constant coolant temperature.
All of which require a relatively constant desuperheating load.

15.2.12

The Steam and Condensate Loop

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

Block 15 Desuperheating

Questions
1. Which type of desuperheater should be used if it is essential that steam at saturation
temperature be produced?

a| Spring assisted type

b| Reverse flow axial type
c| Single nozzle radial injection type
d| Water bath type

2. Which of the following parameters can be altered in order to increase the rate at which
cooling water is injected into superheated steam, using a spray type desuperheater?
i. Pressure drop over the orifice
ii. Area of the orifice
iii. Cooling water temperature

a| i only
b| ii only
c| i and ii
d| i, ii and iii

3. What advantage does a multiple point radial injection spray desuperheater have over a
single point desuperheater?
a| Improved approach to saturation temperature
b| Increased turndown ratio
c| Shorter absorption length
d| It can be used on smaller pipe sizes

4. What is the primary function of a thermal sleeve?

a| To reduce the temperature of the superheated steam
b| To prevent erosion of pipework downstream of the desuperheater
c| To reduce the energy losses from the pipework
d| To reduce the amount of cooling water required

5. What advantage do variable area axial type desuperheaters have over fixed area types?
a| Improved approach to saturation temperature
b| Increased turndown ratio
c| Shorter absorption length
d| It can be used on smaller pipe sizes

6. What are the main applications of spray type desuperheaters?

a| Applications with fairly constant cooling water requirements
b| Applications with high turndown requirements
c| Applications where the steam flowrates will vary widely
d| Applications requiring the elimination of all superheat

Answers

1: d, 2: c, 3: c, 4: b, 5: b, 6: a
The Steam and Condensate Loop

15.2.13

Block 15 Desuperheating

15.2.14

Basic Desuperheater Types Module 15.2

The Steam and Condensate Loop