Pipeline Heater

Direct steam injection in to a liquid

Pipeline Heaters

Steam Jet Heaters operate on the jet principle to mix steam uniformly with a cold liquid. Operation is very efficient as the steam is fully condensed in to the liquid being heated which allows the liquid to reach within 5 degrees Celsius of the liquids saturation temperature. The jet action within the heater produces agitation and turbulence to keep steam bubbles to a minimum for maximum heat transfer and to reduce noise & steam hammer at high operating temperatures.

Steam Jet Heaters are available in two distinct groups, firstly we have Pipeline Heaters which as the name suggests are installed in pipe lines for instantly raising a fluids temperature. Secondly we have Tank Heaters & which are installed at the bottom of tanks to provide gradual heating and tank agitation. Information on Pipeline Heaters can be seen below, for information on our Tank Heaters please see here.

(Image - Type 320 /340 / 341 Steam Jet Heaters)

Type 340 and Type 341 Pipeline Heaters

These heaters are simple yet efficient devices for low cost in line heating of process liquids by direct steam injection. They are designed to allow for direct installation in to liquid and steam lines, and operate by mixing cold liquid with steam to raises the temperature of the liquid instantly to a predetermined level. When these heaters are in operation they can be designed to operate either with or without a pressure drop through the unit, although for higher operating temperatures we generally to have a small pressure drop to allow increased velocity through the combining tube, this allows the steam to be sheared in to smaller bubbles to provide better heating.

The straight through design of the units permits handling of slurries and liquids with suspended solids and semi-solids as well as clear liquids. Heaters can be used in continuous or intermittent duty with no operational impact, however when the heater is started some vibration may be present until all liquid is expelled from the combining tube and steam chest.

Type 340 and Type 341 heaters have no moving parts to wear, adjust, or repair therefore maintenance is only required periodically to inspect the internal steam nozzles for wear and scale build up. Heaters can be manufactured from practically any machinable material such as Carbon Steel, Bronze, Stainless Steel, Duplex Stainless Steel, Titanium and Hastelloy to provide excellent corrosion and erosion resistances ensuring a long service life.

Type 320 Continuous Heaters

Continuous Heaters are designed for direct connection to water and steam lines, they are used to mix steam with cold water to provide instant hot water. Some typical plant applications are to supply hot water for washing floors, or with a slight modification they can be particularly useful as warm water emergency washing units where safety showers are required.

Continuous Heaters are equipped with a non-seating screw spindle and hand wheel which can be adjusted to regulate water flow. The tapered end of the spindle has been designed to provide correct proportions of steam and water to provide a variable outlet temperature. This type of heater can also be equipped with a lever assembly which turns the water on before the steam, this acts as both an on-off control and also a safety device. Temperature control can also be made automatic by using a thermostatically controlled valve in the steam line.

In operation the cold liquid is passed through a nozzle to produce a high velocity stream, steam is then introduced in to the liquid through a series of slanting nozzles in the combining tube where complete mixing of liquid and steam occurs. The liquid absorbs all of the heat of the steam and the hot liquid is then discharged into the process line. Regulation of water flow and temperature is obtained by adjusting the spindle via the hand wheel, this also regulates the discharge pressure which can vary from a slight decrease to an actual increase depending on the specific operating conditions.

These heaters can be made from a variety of materials if they are in use with corrosive or erosive fluids however our standard units are generally manufactured from bronze or stainless steel in sizes up to 3 Inch with screwed connections or up to 6 Inch with flanged connections.