Colin Hartop ESTS points
out Bürkert Type 2000
steam valve
The valve body selection was also
important to provide a compact
solution; the bodies of Bürkert’s
latest generation of angle seat valves
are considerably smaller than other
older designs and helped to ensure a
compact, but reliable final product.
A number of the angle seat valves
were also supplied with a male thread
which is a specification developed
for Control Steam as a first for this
application. This reduced inventory
purchase costs for the machine builder
by reducing the number of joints and
connectors required to construct the
piping circuit. Essentially a benefit just
to the OEM, it does however add to
the overall cost competitiveness of the
machine.
In order to guarantee savings in the
total cost of ownership, the valves that
control the fluid and steam in and out
of the heater have been adapted to
cope with the high temperatures. There
are two actuated ball valves being used
– one to control water flow into the
header tank and another to drain the
flash steam generator of any residual
fluid; this has an extension piece to
keep the heat transfer to a minimum to
protect the actuator which inherently
has a lower temperature protection
rating than an angle seat valve.
The lack of a conventionally heated
pressure vessel boiler in the machine
is a crucial aspect in the reduced
maintenance cost calculations, as they
are subject to comprehensive legal
service and inspection procedures. The
physical cost of these checks amounts
to over £1,000 on a bi-annual basis,
plus the cost of two days of operational
downtime. Experience also shows
that immersed elements either in
chamber or when fitted to conventional
electrically heated steam boilers are
prone to failure with typical costs
associated with replacement at well
over £1,000.
Bürkert Type 2000
angle seat steam
exhaust valve
The flash steam generator in the
LAB300 is used to create steam ondemand. This is far more efficient
than a more conventional pressure
vessel boiler arrangement that heats
a volume of water to produce steam
and then maintains it throughout the
day, constantly using energy to battle
insulation losses.
The ESTS exclusive design employs
ceramic heating elements cast into a
solid aluminium heater matrix. The unit
attains operational temperature in a
matter of seconds and converts water
into steam on an on-demand basis,
rather than maintaining a pressure
vessel reservoir. An average usage
cycle consumes just 10kWh which
ESTS estimates will provide a 50%
reduction in energy costs.
Issue 14 PECM
5