Steam Separation

the separation of water from saturated steam produced in steam generators. Steam separation prevents mineral impurities present in the water from being deposited on the inner surfaces of the pipes of the steam superheaters and on the blades of steam turbines; such impurities adversely affect the conditions for cooling the pipes and reduce the efficiency of steam turbines. In the process of separation, the steam entering the boiler of the steam generator is directed against baffles, cyclones, and other devices.

There are two types of steam separation: bulk and mechanical. Bulk steam separation results in the damping of the dynamic head of the streams of the steam-and-water mixture, the separation of large amounts of water, and the equilibration of the steam loads. Mechanical steam separation entails the capture of moisture residues from the steam exiting the boiler of the steam generator. At high pressures, condensate or feed water is used to remove dissolved substances from the steam. If the tap water contains high concentrations of salts, multistage evaporation is used; this technique was proposed by the Soviet scientist E. I. Romm in 1937. [23–802–]