Condensate load

[ben3929]

An equipment needs 300 lb/hr steam load to operate. It requires a pump to recover the condensate return. Does the condensate load rate for the pump would be the same as the the steam load or would it be less?

 

[MisterDonut]

If the condensate pump is pumping out of a tank that is vented to atmosphere, then some of the steam will be lost to flashing. The amount of flash loss depends on the pressure upstream of the trap. 300 lb/hr is a conservative number.
The rated flow rate for the pump might be two times the steam load, however. This is the case when the pump is controlled on/off by level switches in the tank, so the pump is running at most 50% of the time.

 

[ben3929]

MisterDonut
The pump will have a receiver tank with vent pipe. So, would it be conservative if i assume 300 lb/hr condensate load.

 

[MisterDonut]

Yes, 300 lb/hr is conservative.
The likely pump selection would be at least 1.2 gallons per minute.

 

[bctarala]

See spirax sarco or armstrong for steam loading and condensate pump design load

http://www.spiraxsarco.com/resources/steam-engineering-tutorials.asp