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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers,

Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

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Troubleshooting and optimization of
steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Resource Guide Profiles, Paper360 September 2007

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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,
TROUBLESHOOTING AND OPTIMIZATION OF STEAM JET EJECTOR
WATER CHILLERS
By Guy Levy,Croll-Reynolds Company, Inc.
As established facilities seek to improve and become more efficient, they
should examine and possibly upgrade their steam jet chillers to achieve
optimum effectiveness.
For large continuous flows of chilled water for a process plant, nothing is
simpler or more reliable than steam jet ejector chillers or refrigeration plants.
They have no moving parts, require little maintenance and can handle huge
water flowsup to 6500 gpm (1500 cubic meters per hour) in one
manufacturers experiencebringing them down to 35 F (-2 C), or below if,
for example, the water is saline. As established facilities seek to improve and
become more efficient, they should examine and possibly upgrade their
steam jet chillers to achieve optimum effectiveness.
In steam jet vacuum refrigeration, water or an aqueous solution or
suspension literally cools itself in the proper vacuum. No other refrigerant is
required and this advantage, along with total absence of moving parts, noise
and vibration, justifies the selection of vacuum refrigeration for many
applications where mechanical refrigeration is currently being used. Steam
jet vacuum refrigeration is common in paper mills, chemical and
petrochemical process plants, and for industrial and commercial air
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

conditioning where steam is available (in a large hospital, for example). In the
paper industry, it is used to chill massive quantities of water for bleaching The Technology Platforms of Agenda 2020, Solutions!,
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Flash cooling from high or intermediate processing temperatures to or near [04FEBSO34.pdf]
ambient temperatures is becoming more and more important in the chemical
More...
and miscellaneous process industries. Vacuum cooling can be continuous
and instantaneous compared to the many hours otherwise required for
cooling in storage or for the very expensive heat exchange equipment
required for other continuous cooling processes.

While vacuum cooling effects big savings in heat transfer equipment on

viscous solutions, it may affect even greater savings on solutions which are
highly corrosive, such as phosphoric acid in fertilizer plants. The material to
be cooled can flow continuously through a rubber-lined flash chamber with
no heat transfer surface required.

In many cooling processes certain solids are precipitated from solution. If

conventional heat exchangers are used, the surface becomes quickly
covered and ineffective. In vacuum cooling, solids can build up to a thickness
of an inch or more and be cleaned at rare intervals. Actually, they usually do
not settle on the surface of the container. The cooling is done on the surface
of the liquid in contact with the vacuum and the solids are more likely to
remain in suspension.

Often the vapor liberated in flash cooling can be used to heat incoming
process water or other liquids. Such an arrangement is often referred to as a
"flash type heat exchanger". In some cases the arrangement can be more
than justified by heat recovery alone, providing vacuum cooling at zero cost.
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

Principles of operation
The steam jet chiller works on the simple principle of evaporative cooling. As
a small amount of water is evaporated, the remaining body of water is cooled
according to simple thermodynamic principles. To cool water quickly to cold
temperatures the evaporation must be performed under vacuum. The
evaporation is generally completed in a number of stages for reasons of
efficiency.

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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

Typical large-scale steam jet refrigeration plant

A typical steam jet refrigeration plant employs several "booster" ejectors. The
boosters compress flash steam and any dissolved noncondensables and
discharge them to a main condenser, using positive pressure motive steam
to evaporate a quantity of water under vacuum. The first stage booster cools

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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

the water flow in this way up to an intermittent temperature and then the
second stage booster takes over cooling until the final temperature is
reached. Both boosters discharge into a condenser, where the motive steam
plus evaporated water vapor is condensed. The boosters typically operate at
vacuum levels between 6 torr (8 mbar) and 15 torr (20 mbar). In order for the
boosters to pull such vacuums, their discharge (into the condenser above)
must also be at a vacuum. A two-stage steam jet vacuum set (often called an
air-pump) is commonly used to hold the vacuum at the discharge.

Troubleshooting
A steam jet ejector refrigeration system is remarkably simple and needs little
maintenance. When it does malfunction, the solution to the problem is
usually found in the booster ejectors.

Over time, many service conditions can change; for example, more demand
on the cooling-water supply or increases in average temperature, especially
in summer; an older boiler, which has lost efficiency, been derated, or even
replaced; different process demands on the steam supply; more air leakage
into the system. All these factors will gradually bring down the ejector
systems performance.

When there is a problem or noticeable change in performance, engineers

today may need assistance. Fortunately, troubleshooting can be quite simple
if approached systematically.

Checklist 1: Steam supply

Steam lines from the utility side should be well-insulated to prevent

condensation.
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

A separator used to help ensure dry steam should be trapped and

insulated.
If steam quality is questionable, a calorimeter should be used.
Steam pressure should be at design, which is usually the maximum
available.
Steam quality is the most important factorand also the most
misunderstood. Wet steam alters performance. It wears out the system
faster, changing critical dimensions on nozzles, venturis, etc. No ejector-
based system should ever be operated with steam quality below 97%; that is,
with more than 3% water in the steam.

It is not enough to be sure steam leaves the boiler superheated. Long or

uninsulated lines may result in loss of heat and formation of condensation.
Sometimes wet or low-pressure steam develops over the years as plant
operating changes require rerouting of steam piping. The most direct solution
is the separator. No vacuum system should be without one. Insulation of
lines and separators, in addition to saving energy, ensures design
performance.

High pressure steam can also be a problem, since running an ejector at

pressure substantially above design decreases capacity because of choking
in the venturi. It is safe up to about 25%; above that, steam to the ejector
should be throttled back and desuperheated.

Checklist 2: Water flow, temperature

Water pressure should be within limits.

Correct water flow is important.
Water temperature should be at or below design level.
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

Most chiller ejector systems rely on condensers between stages to reduce

the load to be compressed. Since the condensers operate under vacuum,
water pressure at the inlet is not critical, but some pressure differential is
needed for controlling water flow in barometric condensers and overcoming
pressure drop through surface condensers. Water pressure should remain
fairly constant, since wide fluctuation will cause changes in water flow and
condenser operating pressures.

Water flow must be adequate for proper cooling. Conversely, intercoolers

cant be fed too much cooling water or flooding will affect operation of the
ejectors next stage. Usually a 15-30 F temperature rise is acceptable.

Since water temperature is critical, care should be taken to ensure proper

flow. A temperature rise may require an increase in water or motive-steam
pressure. If the rise is substantial, modifications to the system may be
necessary and the manufacturer should be notified.

Checklist 3: External causes of trouble

Low or, occasionally, excessively high steam pressure.

Wet steam.
Change in cooling-water temperature.
Insufficient cooling-water flow.
Excessive air leakage.
Checklist 4: Internal trouble signs

Eroded or corroded parts, especially ejector nozzles and diffusers and

intercondenser water nozzles.
Clogged nozzles, diffusers, and strainers.
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

Clogged or fouled condenser tubes.

Clogged barometric legs.
Leaks between the steam chest and nozzle.
Cracked or worn parts.
Checklist 5: Spares to keep on hand

One steam nozzle for every ejector-stage size.

A diffuser for the final two stages is recommended.
If continuity of service is critical to the process, always keep a spare steam
nozzle in stock for each stage of the system. Spare diffusers are also
worthwhile to stock, especially for smaller systems. While it is theoretically
possible for the plant engineer to recondition these parts, the practice is not
recommended because critical dimensions may be altered. Since nozzles
are inexpensive, they easily may be discarded and replaced.

Optimizing a steam jet chiller

After many years of operation, a plant should examine the actual requirement
of chilled water as well as the required final temperature. The possibility
exists that demand has changed since the plant was originally designed, with
more or less use of chilled water. In both cases it may be possible to retrofit
an existing chiller with boosters sized for the new evaporation requirement.
The boosters would fit the existing equipment for ease of installation.

If chilled water flow rate is less than the original design, the water outlet
temperature will be colder than needed. This may not seem like a concern,
but colder water means wasted steam.

Higher chilled water flow rate and/or colder final temperature may be
obtained by retrofitting the plant with higher capacity boosters. There is a
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

limit, however, and a smart choice may be installing a new chiller to operate
in series or parallel with the existing unit.

A prime example of this took place at a large Midwest paper mill, where chilled water production was
doubled to support an expanded chlorine dioxide plant turning out 35 tons per day. An existing vacuum
chiller was joined by a new, freestanding steam jet chiller to cool 600 gpm of water from 85 to 45 F, or
1,000 tons of refrigeration. At peak times the two units operate in parallel, at off-peak times the older unit is
held on standby.

Steam pressure control

As mentioned, when vacuum is poor, steam pressure required at the
boosters is higher than design. The converse is also true: when vacuum is
deeper than design, the steam pressure required at the boosters is
decreased. When the plant is operating properly the vacuum is frequently
better than design. The air leakage to the plant is normally over-designed for
safety and also cooling water temperatures can be seasonally colder. Steam
pressure to the boosters may be throttled with control valves as a function of
the absolute pressure at their discharge. This system may not be easy to
establish, but the potential rewards are great.

Some cost data

The cost of steam is not easily measured; accepted values range from $6-
$10 per 1000 lbs. An average size chiller uses 20,000 #/hr 30,000 #/hr
steam, and can be examined based on $6 per 1000 lbs cost x 8000 hrs/yr.

A vacuum leak or poor operating equipment may result in an extra

steam requirement of 20%. The additional annual cost to the plant could
be as much as $300,000 per year.
Steam pressure control may result in savings of 20% - 40% of steam, or
$200,000 - $300,000 per year.
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Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers, Solutions!, Online Exclusives,

A combination of retrofitting boosters for actual chilled water

requirement plus equipment repairs and steam pressure control can
save up to 60% of steam.
Conclusion
Steam jet chillers are simple and reliable, but like any equipment, they should
be included in the plants preventive maintenance program. No industrial
company or commercial building wants to incur the possibility of air
conditioning or cooling failure, and in some industriespaper, for example
loss of chilled water might lead to complete plant shutdown.

Shutdown aside, weve seen how maintenance, troubleshooting, and

optimization of an existing cooling plant can provide important savings. The
bottom line is maximum efficiency of the steam jet chillers, and a more
productive plant.

About the author:

Guy Levy, Croll Reynolds production manager, joined the company in 1999.
Before that, he worked for a major evaporator company in South Africa. His
engineering degree is from the University of Witwatersrand in the Transvaal,
South Africa.

Author:
Levy, G.

Troubleshooting and optimization of steam jet ejector water chillers,

Solutions!, Online Exclusives, June 2004

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