MITECH

DESUPERHEATERS
& ATTEMPORATORS
CONVENTIONAL - SPILLBACK - STEAM ATOMISING

INTRODUCTION
Mitech Desuperheaters have been designed with the aim of reducing plant maintenance by manufacturing a unit that
is easy to install, lightweight, and has no moving parts. All units are designed and manufactured in the Kya Sand
factory in accordance with ISO 9001 and PED quality approval systems.
Both desuperheating and attemporating are processes where water is added to superheated steam to control the
temperature at a set value.

DEFINITIONS
Desuperheaters:

Used to reduce the temperature of superheated steam to a pre-determined set point

within 10C of the saturation point of the steam.
Common Usage

Attemporators:

Heat transfer in process plants

Used to reduce the temperature of the superheated steam to a pre-determined set

point - where the steam is still superheated.
Common Usage

Desuperheater Turndown:

Protection of downstream devices, such as turbines,

being subjected to excessive temperatures

The ratio of the maximum to minimum amount of water required to be added to the
system in order to achieve the required set point temperature over the entire range
of operating conditions.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
To reduce the temperature of steam in a pipe, water must be injected into the steam flow. To achieve good control,
the water must be atomised to form a fine spray that can be easily absorbed by the steam.
The result is an increased flow of steam at a lower temperature. Thus, by varying the amount of water added, the
temperature of the steam can be controlled.
For this closed heat system, the total heat energy remains constant, and so the enthalpy of the steam flow
downstream must equal the sum of the enthalpy of the upstream steam and the spraywater being added.
Thus:Qw = Qs * (h1-h3)
(h3-h2)
Where:Qw
Qs
h1
h2
h3

=
=
=
=
=

Quantity of water required in mass flow units

Flow of superheated steam in mass flow units
Specific enthalpy of superheated steam
Specific enthalpy of water
Specific enthalpy of the outflowing steam

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
Pressure reducing and desuperheating stations
Turbine inter-stage temperature cooling

Turbine exhaust desuperheating stations

Desuperheaters are used in many industries, including petrochemical, pulp and paper, power generation, sugar, food and
beverage. Essentially, the units can be used in any plant application where superheated steam is present and where
cooling of steam is required.

MATERIALS OF CONSTUCTION
Body
Flanges

: 316 Stainless Steel or WCB (Carbon Steel)

: 316 Stainless Steel or WCB (Carbon Steel)

Nozzles

: 316 Stainless Steel

CONVENTIONAL DESUPERHEATERS
Where an application has small variations in steam flow, the ideal unit to use is a fixed nozzle desuperheater. This
system works by feeding spraywater (normally feedwater) to a nozzle through a control valve.

The control valve will receive a signal from the

temperature controller indicating the demand for
spraywater required to achieve set point temperature.
This water is injected through the nozzle into the main
steam line, thus reducing the temperature of the steam.
The use of high pressure water ensures that there is
suitable atomisation of the water which will be absorbed
by the steam.

The limitation of these units is, that as the

requirement for water is reduced, the spraywater control
valve closes, reducing the pressure at the nozzle.
Since the nozzle is only effective at atomising the water
with a high water pressure, the result is poor
temperature control and excessive water in the lines
that can cause cracking.

Features of the Conventional Desuperheater units:-

FEATURES

BENEFITS

Simple and easy to install

Lightweight

No moving parts in the steam flow

Reduced maintenance

Robust design

Long lasting

Turndown of up to 3:1

Best for low turndown applications

Can be mounted in any position

One piece body mounted into T-piece

SPILLBACK DESUPERHEATERS
Spillback Desuperheaters ensure that the full spraywater pressure is available at the nozzles at all times. This
is done by feeding the water directly to the nozzle and installing a Spraywater Control Valve on the outlet of
the unit to control the return of the water not required by the process away from the nozzles. As the valve
closes, more water is directed into the steam. This is the reverse logic of conventional systems.

FEATURES

Simple and easy to install

Low pressure drop across the unit

Can be mounted in any position

Excellent atomisation of the spraywater

Turndown of 10:1

No moving parts in the steam flow

Accurate temperature control to within 1C

of set point

Best used where high turndown in small units

is required

Water not required can be returned to a low

pressure sump etc. for re-use in the plant

For larger turndown requirements, the quantity

of nozzles can be increased

Note:
*

For multiple nozzle units increase above flow rates by

number of nozzles

For desired water additions of less than 1000 kg/hr consult

manufacturer for details of reduced nozzle

STEAM AT OMISING DESUPERHEATERS

The Steam Atomising Desuperheaters (also known as Steam Assist), are used where the turndown requirements are
higher, and where only low pressure water and high pressure steam are available to assist with atomising the water.
With these units, a small amount of HP steam is bled off from the main steam line. This steam is fed through venturi
nozzles in the desuperheater unit. The spraywater is injected into the low pressure region created by the high velocity
steam.
Each unit consists of two valves, an On/Off valve for steam control and a Spraywater Control valve to control the amount
of water required to obtain optimum set point temperature.

FEATURES

Simple and easy to install

Good atomisation across a wide range of flows

Compact in design

No moving parts in the steam flow

Accurate temperature control to 1C of required set point

Only low pressure water required

BENEFITS

Lightweight

Improved temperature control

One piece body mounted into T-piece

These units are best used in conjunction with a pressure reducing station,
thus ensuring that high pressure steam is available at all times.

INSTALLATION RECOMMENDATIONS
All Mitech Desuperheaters are designed to fit in a branch of the main steam line and thus installation of each unit is
similar. The units can be mounted into a main steam line of 100mm and larger. The unit should be installed into a
T-piece, which is welded into the steam line. A recommended minimum distance of 5 pipe diameters straight pipe,
upstream of the unit (to prevent excessive turbulent flow), and approximately 10 pipe diameters downstream - with a
minimum of 2 meters - to ensure full absorption of the water being added.
The orientation of the unit must be such, that the nozzles point downstream, in the same direction as the steam flow. The
unit can be installed in a vertical or horizontal pipe, with the best installation being in a vertical installation with the flow
upwards.
The temperature probe should be installed about 20 pipe diameters downstream of the unit - this depends on the type of
desuperheater unit used (see table below). The probe should be installed on the inside of the bend or on the top of the
pipe.
Minimum installation distance required for desuperheater and temperature probes:
Pressure Reducing Valve and Desuperheater
Conventional
Spillback
Steam Atomising

N/A
6 pipe diameters
6 pipe diameters

Desuperheater and Temperature Probe

12 meters
10 meters
8 meters

COMPARISON OF DESUPERHEATER TYPES

Advantages

Conventional*

Venturi

Valve
Combination

Spillback*

Steam
Atomising*

Multi-Nozzle

Variable
Orifice

Compact
Ease of
installation
No moving parts
Long lasting

Simple
Long Lasting
No moving parts

Compact
Lightweight
No moving parts
No pressure drop
across unit
Good turndown
Good control

Suitable for large

sizes
Compact
Good turndown

Compact
Ease of installation
No moving parts
Good turndown

Compact
installation
Shortest
evaporation
length

Needs high
pressure water
(20 bar and
above)
Only used for
extremely low
turndown

Will cause high

pressure drop in
steam line
Heavy, difficult
to install
Poor turndown
Expensive

Needs high
pressure steam for
flow turbulance
Larger valve is
required
Expensive

Needs high
pressure water
(20 bar and above)
Can be a waste
of high pressure
water

Additional valve
required for HP
steam injection

Needs high
pressure water
(20 bar and above)
Moving parts
within the unit
Expensive

Poor temperature
control at low
flow conditions
Thermal cracking
of pipeline

Thermal cracking
of the valve body

Return water

May be noisy

Maintenance of
moving parts

Desuperheating
occurs in body no thermal
liners required

Can only be
installed in
vertical line
Moving parts
in the steam
flow

Disadvantages

Possible
problems

At low flow
requirement, bad
atomisation of
water

Best
applications

Low turndown
applications

Small units where

long life is essential

Small units where

the PRV and
Desuperheater
are required to be
in one unit

Small units with

high turndown
requirements

Large units
with high
turndown
requirements

Large units with

high turndown
requirements
where high
pressure water
is available

Where low
spray water
pressure is
available

Turndown

3: 1

7: 1

10: 1

10: 1

30: 1

100: 1

100: 1

Note: * Manufactured by Mitech

Valve subject
to thermal
shock
Body cracking

All Mitech Desuperheaters are designed and manufactured in accordance

with the requirements of each application and customers specifications.

TYPICAL PRESSURE REDUCING DESUPERHEATER STATION

Pressure Reducing Station showing typical

Steam Atomising Desuperheater Station

ACTUATORS AND CONTROLS (PTY) LTD t/a

Reg. No 85/01466/07

MITECH

Local Expertise - World Class Solutions

Head Office
7 Industrial Road
Kya Sand
Randburg
South Africa

P O Box 580
Northriding
2162
South Africa

Tel: +27 11 462-2160

Telefax: +27 11 462-2616
E-mail: sales@mitech.co.za
Http://www.mitech.co.za

Branches:
Natal:
Secunda:
West Rand:

Tel: +27 31 709-2851

Tel: +27 17 631-1957
Tel: +27 12 250-0270

Fax: +27 31 709-0352

Fax: +27 17 631-2599
Fax: +27 12 250-0274

E-mail: mitechn@mitech.co.za
E-mail: mitechsec@mweb.co.za
E-mail: mitechwr@lantic.net