Condensate back to boiler

[I3iG]

Hello everyone,
I'm not sure this is the right place to post this story. I hope someone could reallocate if it is the case.

I have a concern regarding the way we are doing things in one of our plant in Europe. We have a process that required to used steam to heat the material (polypropylene) and water to cool down once the transformation is finished.

The condensate are going into a cooling tower and it becomes the "cold water". The pipe that brings back the condensate and the cold water out from the process (which is hot at this point) is the same. Of course we have an exces of water that is rejected........

Nothing is going back to the boiler. As we are producing +/-50.000 tonnes of steam / year.

I think it is a really stupid doing this like that and I'am wondering to collect the condensate back to the boiler.

However, the condensate was in contact with polypropylene, and in addition to this it could contains as well some metallic ions.

I would like to have your feedback/comments about this idea. How should I proceed?

Thank you in advance. And sorry for my English (i'm French)

 

[insult2injury]

Get the water quality requirements from the boiler manufacturer. If the condensate can meet or be processed to meet these requirements (i.e. match current feedwater conditions), then it should be ok to recycle.

I2I

 

[rmw]

Do you have any information on the quality of the condensate? What type of contamination does contact with the polypropylene cause?

rmw

 

[I3iG]

We don't have yet analysed the condensates but I guess there are some organic compounds (additives + low molecular weight) from polypropylene. Probably as well Aluminium and iron cations.

 

[MJCronin]

Take samples of the "contact water" and have them analyzed (fairly cheap) in a lab that specializes in water testing.

Send the results to your local boiler rep

If the contact water is not suitable for re-use as condensate, it may be useful and economic to pre-heat the massive amounts of make-up water used by the boiler. It all depends on the contaminants in the contact water.

It would be both useful and courteous for you to tell us any results of testing and about your final decision.

Many foreigners simply post questions, get answers, then never again fill the participants in with the final decision.

-MJC

 

[I3iG]

Thank you for your answer and support!
Of course I'll keep you updated about what we will do and what we will decide. But don't worry if it takes a little time...