Flanged Ductile Iron Drain Separator

Size 15mm to 100mm
Body Ductile Iron
Pressure Range 0 to 20 BAR
Temperature 0 to 220°C

• What is a Drain Seperator?

  A Drain Separator is also commonly described as a Moisture Separator. In a steam/air piping system, condensate (water) can cause problems, such as rust  and water hammer. It also decreases the dryness of steam which reduces its thermal efficiency. Relying on various methods, separators are intended to remove condensate inside the system pipes and separate entrained moisture from the steam/compressed air.

• How does a Drain Seperator work?

  There are a couple of different designs for separators on the market. (Baffle type, Vortex, Centrifugal Types, Cyclone type.) Sometimes impingement baffles are used and others use rotating forces etc to separate the moisture from the gas. Separators forcibly isolate out water/condensate that is entrained in the flow of steam or air. The efficiency of a separator is key to any suitable results. However in a steam system, it is unlikely without professional testing of the steam quality (dryness fraction), that any knowledge of the potential amount of entrained moisture in the steam is known, in fact, unless that testing is continuous the dryness fraction can constantly change with any variations in demand, pressure and ambient conditions etc. So the efficient removal of as much as is possible of any entrained moisture and flowing condensate is imperative for consistent, good results. The ability of any given separator to remove as  high a percentage as is possible of that moisture is a measure of performance, generally you would expect around 98%. So the good news is that fitting a separator in your steam system in suitable locations will in most cases make significant improvements to your steam dryness resulting in greater heat transfer at the point of useage. Separators are generally sized/selected to match correctly sized pipe, as the area of the inside of a separator is much larger than the pipe, this significantly reduces velocities, allowing moisture particles to drop from suspension to be collected and drained.

• How long will my Drain Seperator last?

  This really depends upon the environment and the quality of your steam/air that the separator operates with. The drain separator itself is generally considered maintenance-free and will last for many years. They may need a clean out from time to time depending on your steam quality and those fitted with gaskets for potential internal cleaning access may need the gasket to be replaced from time to time. Obviously it must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

• How do I install a Drain Seperator?

  It is vitally important when selecting and sizing any type of separator, that certain criteria is met. Such as the operating pressure/temperature, the duty required, the application etc. Separators should always be installed in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations and in accordance with good steam fitting practice. In particular, always ensure; correct direction of flow, correct orientation and make sure they are well supported. Leave clear access for general maintenance and repairs. They can have various end connections such as flanged, threaded, socket weld etc so installation will need to take this into account, most common is screwed and flanged. For the steam/ compressed air separator to operate successfully an automatic drain trap is always needed to be connected to the drain point on the separator. Where practical, it is highly recommended that all condensate drained from the separator, be returned to the boiler due to the high level of energy stored within the hot condensate. Steam condensate is also very clean/pure and will require less chemical treatment when returned to the boiler feed system, another cost saving reason to return to the boiler.

• What are typical uses of a Drain Seperator?

  In the perfect world dry saturated steam will be 100% dry. But sadly this is not a perfect world! When steam is generated using a boiler, it can contain moisture from non-vaporized water that is entrained into the steam flow. Even the most efficient boilers may supply steam containing moisture, in a lot of cases 3% to 5% wetness is not uncommon for steam boilers, usually it is in the form of mist or droplets. However as soon as the steam leaves the boiler it will start to condense through thermal radiation losses, causing condensate to form and flow along the pipe with the steam. This is not to mention intermitent boiler water carryover. At any given time, carryover may enter the steam system in good quantity, due to overdemand on the boiler, poor chemical treatment etc. When this happens the water carried over can contain impurities and water treatment chemicals all of which cause problems in the distribution system, control valves and process plant. Wet steam can cause many problems in a steam system, such as reduced heat transfer, erosion and possible corrosion. Entrained moisture flowing through pipework delivering steam to expensive control valves, flowmeters and rotating equipment etc can reduce the life expectancy of the equipment and reduce production volumes, due to plant shutdowns and increased maintenance. Installing separators at key points around the system helps keep the steam dry. Water hammer, another big problem in steam systems can be significantly reduced by installing efficient Drain Separators to collect and remove the moisture before it can build up. Condensate inside steam piping can be picked up and carried by the steam, flowing at high velocities. Under normal conditions water is incompressible and it can accumulate as slugs of condensate, flowing at high velocity, causing pipe vibration and or impact load on valves, pipe and ancillaries when a slug strikes against them. This is called, water hammer and can cause major damage to the plant, equipment and humans. A drain Separator by itself is useless without the addition of a correctly selected drain trap and ancillary kit, to quickly and efficiently remove any collected condensate. So effective elimination of this condensate and entrained moisture in any steam main distribution system is key to efficient heat transfer at the point of usage. While reducing, the potential for water hammer, noise and erosion etc. Installing a separator at the boiler outlet is a typical use for Drain Separators, to assist with cleaning up the main steam supply. There are many applications for separators especially at the point of use, with many varied reasons why and where a separator may be required for any particular application. It is vitally important that those charged with selecting, sizing and installing a Drain Separator are also very familiar with steam and condensate system design and good steam fitting practice and understand what is going on inside the steam system pipework. The results of poor design and installation can be catastrophic. Property has been damaged and humans have been injured and even killed as a result. Along with poor production rates and increased maintenance costs. As a result of the obvious benefits of a Drain Separators ability to improve steam quality, they are widely used in Hospitals especially in the CSSD to give the best possible start to any steam sterilizing process. PRVs, Temp Control valve, Steam meters etc. Applications where efficient heat transfer is required for production processes, and as upstream protection to expensive pressure and temperature control valves etc. If you are unsure please contact us for more detailed sizing and selection support.

• How long will my product take to get to me? 

  This depends upon where you are based and the freight method chosen. If the express freight option is selected it is usually next day delivery to metropolitan areas in Australia for under 5kg. If free freight has been selected it will go by road freight which can be anywhere from 1 to 10 days depending upon your location. It usually averages 3 days.

• What warranty do I get?

  All of our products come standard with a 12 month warranty. The good news is we have very strict quality controls and all steam traps that leave our warehouse are tested (full material and testing certificates are available) and inspected so there are rarely any issues.