Steam Condensate Recovery System

The steam condensate recovery system is a crucial component of a ship’s steam system that significantly improves overall energy efficiency.

Condensate, or condensed steam, can be reused in many different ways, for example:

• As heated feed water, by returning hot condensate back to the boiler’s deaerator
• As pre-heat source, for any applicable heating system
• As steam, by reusing flash steam generated in a flash tank
• As hot water, for cleaning equipment or other cleaning applications

The primary purpose of a steam condensate recovery system is described on the first bullet point above, that is to collect, treat, and return the condensate back to the boiler, reducing fuel consumption and water treatment costs.

Broadly speaking, the following advantages can be obtained:

• Heat recovery: Condensate retains a significant amount of thermal energy. By returning it to the boiler, less energy is required to heat the water back to steam temperature.
• Reduced fuel consumption: The recovered heat energy means less fuel is needed to produce steam, leading to substantial fuel savings.
• Reduced air emissions: Besides impacting fuel consumption, reducing boiler fuel needs through condensate recovery leads to less air pollution by lowering CO₂, NO_x and SO_x emissions.
• Water conservation: Reusing condensate reduces the need for fresh water makeup, which is particularly important for ships with limited water production capacity.
• Reduced chemical treatment: Condensate is already treated and contains fewer impurities than raw water, reducing the need for chemical treatment in the boiler.
• Extended equipment life: By using preheated and pre-treated water, there’s less thermal stress on the boiler and reduced scale formation, leading to longer equipment lifespan.
• Improved cycle efficiency: The overall steam cycle efficiency is increased, as less energy is wasted in the form of hot condensate being dumped overboard.