How can Level of Condensate be calculated in A Condenser?

[gotothesky]

Hello

I would like to confirm some matter for Condensing exchanger!
Vaper is changed to condensate in heat exchanger.
I want to know level of condensate in heat exchanger.

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

 

[LittleInch]

Student post?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[georgeverghese]

First, baffle cut must be vertical for condensing service when HX is oriented horizontally.
You can gather clues to the level in the condensor by looking at the P&I D and/ or the piping arrangement for this condensor. Can you post it here?
Also tell us if this is purely a condensor or if there is an addditional subcooling duty assigned to this condensor - you can see this by looking at the process datasheet for this HX - post this also here.

 

[crshears]

Sight glasses are great.

CR

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]

 

[LittleInch]

Level transmitters work quite well...



Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[gotothesky]

Thank you for all your replies!

The Level of Condensate is controlled with Level Transmitter & valve, Isn't it?
My question is if there are no control valve and level transmitter, How the Level of condensate can be calculated.


And, I have another question.
When installing any condenser, Level transmitter and control valve are manatory ones, Aren't they?
Please inform this one!
I am a heat exchanger engineer.




Baffle is horizontal cut one in my fig. But, I know well the vertical cut of baffle is better for condensing process.

Thank you in advance!

 

[LittleInch]

Yes level control requires TX and control valve.

If you don't have that then you can't control the level, but if the outlet is free flow then ask the liquid will just drain out. That last section on the right looks like it will get very little vapour.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[gotothesky]

Dear LittleInch

Thank you for your kind answer!!
I am so happy with your reply!

Without Level transmitter and control valve, Can we consider 'Vapor Trap' only for a condenser?
(Vapor Trap is a type of float!)
Our client wants vapor to condensate only without subcooling!

And, how is the vapor accumulated in the Vapor Trap treated?
I am very sorry and I need to know detail process and application of instruments and valves.
My experience is just based on design of Pressure vessel and Heat exchanger(TEMA std.).
I don't know extactly detail process!

Thank you in advance!!!

 

[crshears]

And, how is the vapor accumulated in the Vapor Trap treated?

If the vapor trap is in free communication with the HX shell volume, there should be no issue; vapor can be expected to always be present within the trap. And if there is any sub-cooling at all of condensate, as it falls through the vapor in the trap it will absorb heat from the vapor and cause further condensation as well as reducing the over-all amount of sub-cooling.

Venting off any non-condensible gases is a different story . . .

CR

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]

 

[gotothesky]

Dear Crshears

Thank you for your reply!

In Vapor trap, the accumulated vapor is not matter!
I got it!!

Thank you!
Thank all you!

Regards,

 

[chicopee]

Mathematically: mass of vapor in minus mass of condensate out equals the accumulated mass of the vapor and of the condensate in the exchanger. Since the mass of the vapor within the exchanger will be much less than the mass of the condensate, discount the mass of the vapor and you can determine the volume of the condensate if you know its density at the temperature of the condensate. The level of the condensate within the exchanger can be approximated by knowing the geometry of the exchanger.

 

[MintJulep]

Vapor Trap is a type of float!

A float is a type of level sensor!

If the float causes a valve to open and close, then there is a valve!

So a vapor trap is a level control!

If you need to know the condensate level for some other reason, then you need a level sensor and a way to read it.

 

[georgeverghese]

There are overheads condensors that operate without either a TIC - TCV or LIC-LCV. In such cases, a goose neck is used downstream of the condensor to maintain the required level in the HX. In this case, the condensor accumulator is operated on a small dPIC sensing pressures on the condensor and the accumulator. You should see this gooseneck arrangement on the P&ID. That should give you clues to the condensate level in the HX. It is possible to operate the condensor for some subcooling also if required with the gooseneck.
In theory, you could use a liquid drainer / trap, provided it is the right type. But these traps are notorious for malfunctioning in operation - dirt gets stuck in the orifice and the trap leaks continuously - only used in non critical process or utilities or if loss of saturated vapor doesnt matter much.

 

[pierreick]

Hi,
I encourage you to get a copy of Process heat transfer by Kern .
Pierre