Bulletin 6D Supp.

Desuperheater Sizing Data

Advantages
• Efficient, evaporated cooling Fig. 6952
Ejector Atomizing
water adds to steam load
Desuperheater
• Various types, configurations and sizes
• No moving parts
• No special supports
• No thermal liner required (except for Fig. 6985
emergency dump application) Annular Venturi
Desuperheater

S & K has provided desuperheaters for over 70 years.

Desuperheating, sometimes called “attemperation” or
“steam conditioning”, is the reduction of gas
temperature. Its most common application is the Fig. 6952
reduction of temperature in a steam line through the Attemperator
direct contact and evaporation of water. Desuperheater

Principal of Operation
Most incorporate the venturi design which uses the
velocity of the steam to atomize the cooling water. In
Fig. 6940
addition, ejector atomizing, attemperator, surface Venturi
absorption and mechanical atomizing designs are Desuperheater
available. In most types, water pressure required is the
same as the steam line pressure.
Applications
• Pulp and Paper
• Chemical Fig. 6910
• Petrochemical Surface Absorption
• Utility Desuperheater
• Food
• Pharmaceutical

Desuperheaters are found in many other industries as

well. Essentially, they can be used in any plant location
where steam is present.

Fig. 6980
Index
Annular Venturi Orifice
Description Page Desuperheater

Determination of Required Water Flow 2

Estimating Sizing Chart For Types 6910, 6940, 6950,
2
6952, 6953, 6070, 6980 and 6985
Pressure Drop Chart for Types 6910, 6940, 6950,
3
6980 and 6985
Temperature Element Placement 4
Calculation of Turndown Capacity 4

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 Desuperheater Sizing Data Bulletin 6D Supp.

Determination of Required Water Flow Btu to be removed X steam qty. pph water
=
Btu to be gained by water required
A simple heat balance is used to determine required water flow.
Calculation is as shown in the following example. Given 50,000
pph steam at 300 psig and 600° F, reduce pressure* to 50 psig To convert pph to gpm, divide pph water by 500 x Sp. Gr.,
and temperature to 340° F (42 superheat). To solve, check 5400 ÷ [500(.965)] = 11.2 gpm water required.
steam tables to find enthalpy of both conditions. The enthalpy
for 50,000 pph, 300 psig, 600° F is 1313.6 Btu per pound. The * To reduce pressure, a reducing valve should be used not
enthalpy for 50 psig, 340° F is 1202.0 Btu per pound. To find less than 5 pipe diameters upstream of the desuperheater.
the heat that must be removed from the steam, subtract the
** For Type 6910, 10 psi maximum above steam pressure.
enthalpy of steam at 50 psig and 340° F from the enthalpy of
steam at 300 psig and 600° F, as 1313.6 - 1202.0 = 111.6 Btu NOTE: Consult capacity table in Bulletin 6D-E for proper
to be removed per pound. Given available water at 50 psig atomizing head size for Type 6970 Desuperheater.
(water pressure must equal steam pressure)** and 200° F,
determine the enthalpy of the water from available tables as Refer to curve on this page for required pipe size versus steam
168.0. To find the heat to be gained by the water, subtract the load for Types 6910, 6940, 6950, 6952, 6953, 6970, 6980, and
enthalpy of the water from the enthalpy of the desired steam 6985.
condition, such as 1202.0 - 168.0 = 1034.0 Btu. Use the
For sizing of Types 6905 and 6940M, consult factory.
following to determine pph water required to reduce steam to
desired temperature.

Estimating Sizing Chart (Types 6910, 6940, 6950, 6952, 6953, 6970 & 6980)
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400

300
.)
Steam Pressure, psig

.D
(I

200
3”

4”

5”

6”

”
8”

”
20
”
10

14

”
18

24
12

16

100
90
80
70
60
50

40

30

20

10
0 40 80 120 160 200 2.5 4 6 8 1.5 2.5 4 6 8 1.5 2.5 4 6 8 1.5 2.5 4
20 60 100 140 180 3 5 7 9 2 3 5 7 9 2 3 5 7 9 2 3 5
2000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000

Fig. 1 Steam Flow, pph

These curves will help to select the proper main line for right until it intersects line representing steam flow pph
desuperheated steam. They include correction for superheated (50,000 pph). This point falls between 8” and 10” (pipe ID). A
steam. Using same example as noted under water calculation, 10” * unit is required if Types 6910, 6940, 6950, 6952, 6953,
note the following: 6985 is desired. A 10” pipe ring is required if Type 6970 is
chosen.
To use the curves, find the steam pressure line (50 psig) and
follow slanting superheat correction line until it intersects line *When the intersecting point falls between two ID’s, always use the
representing 42° F superheat. Follow horizontal line across to larger.

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 Desuperheater Sizing Data Bulletin 6D Supp.

Pressure Drop Chart line (C) to Desuperheater size (10”). From the point of
intersection of line (C) with the pivot line, draw line (D)
For Types 6910, 6940, 6950, 6980 and 6985 through inlet steam flow (70,000 lb per hour) to the
Desuperheaters pressure drop pivot line. From this point draw
horizontal line (E). The points of intersection with the
This nomograph can be used to estimate pressure pressure drop lines indicate a pressure drop of 8.25
drop through S & K Desuperheaters as shown in the psi for Type 6910; 5.5 psig for Type 6940 and 6950
1/2”
example: and 2.5 for Type 6980. By calculation, the inlet
Example: If a Desuperheater is desired for a pressure to the desuperheater would be 108.25 psig
discharge capacity of 70,000 lb per hour steam at 100 for Type 6910; 105.5 psig for Types 6940 and 6950
psig, 100° F final superheat, the sizing chart, Figure 1, and 102.5 for Type 6980.
shows that 10” size is required. To determine the If lower pressure drops are required, the next size
pressure drop: Identify 100 psig on the discharge 3/4”
desuperheater should be selected and the
pressure scale at the left of the nomograph and follow corresponding pressure drops determined.
line (A) to the 100° F line. Draw a horizontal line (B)
to the discharge pressure scale to determine NOTE: Pressure drop through Types 6952, 6953, and
equivalent saturated pressure. From this point draw 1” 6970 is negligible.

1 1/2”

2”

50
Pressure Drop psi
80 Type No.
100
Final Superheat 6910 6940 6980
6950 6985
Degrees F.
200
200 140 100 60 20 0 300
3”
400 .15 .10
0 500
600 .20
5 800
.30 .20
1,000
10
4” .30
1,600 .15
15 .50
2,000 .40
20 2,500 .60 .20
25 3,000 .50
.80
30 .60 .30
4,000 1.00
Desuperheater Size

35 5,000 .80
5” .40
Inlet Steam Flow Lbs. Per Hour

40 6,000
1.00 .50
50 8,000
Discharge Pressure, psi

60 10,000 2.00 .60

Pivot Line

Pivot Line

1.50
70 12,000 .80
6” 3.00
80 2.00 1.00
B 20,000
A 100 4.00
25,000 3.00
120 30,000 5.00
6.00 4.00
140 40,000 2.00
150 7.00 5.00
C 50,000 8.00
60,000 D E 6.00
8” 10.00 3.00
200 80,000 8.00 4.00
100,000
250 120,000 10.00 5.00
6.00
160,000 20.00
300
200,000
350 8.00
10” 250,000 20.00
30.00 10.00
400 300,000
450 400,000 40.00 30.00
500 500,000 50.00
550 600,000 40.00
600 12” 60.00 20.00
700 1,000,000
Fig. 2 800 30.00
900 14”
1000 40.00

16” 60.00
1500

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 Desuperheater Sizing Data Bulletin 6D Supp.

Guidelines to Minimum Distance To Temperature Table 1.

Element Placement
Amount of Bulb Placement
Desuperheater piping arrangement, straight length Residual From Unit
requirements, upstream and downstream, and temperature Superheat, Discharge Connection,
element placement have become very important parameters in °F ft*
desuperheating stations.
10 30
Temperature element placement is, however, the most critical 25 25
parameter of those listed. Table 1 should be used as a guide to
minimum allowed distance to bulb, regardless of horizontal or 50 20
vertical mounting. 100 15
S & K normally recommends that this distance be straight. 200 10
However, as long as precaution is exercised, bend and curves 400 7
can be made within 10’ to 15’ from unit discharge connection. 500 5
S & K recommends five pipe diameters upstream of straight run
if desuperheater is used in conjunction with pressure reducing *For Types 6940, 6940M, 6952, 6953, 6970 and 6985.
valve.

Calculation of Desuperheater Turndown Capacity

Fig. 3
No desuperheater operates alone; it is always part of a system
made up of many interacting components. Therefore, turndown 130
- more properly, the ratio of maximum to minimum flows - of the Minimum Velocity
desuperheater is no greater than that of the system control For
components. 120
Fig. 6940 & 6950
Desuperheater
To calculate preliminary desuperheater turndown available for 110
Types 6940, 6950, and 6972, use the following calculation:

If mounted horizontally: 100

operating velocity
T.D. =
I nl
90
min. desuperheating velocity
et
45
35
0°

S
°F

up
F

80
erh
Outlet Superheat °F

If mounted vertically:
ea
t5
50

operating velocity 70
25

°F

T.D. =
0

15 fps
°F

60
20
0
Noting that operating velocity = °F
50
15
(max. steam flow) (specific volume) 0 °F
25 (cross-sectional area of pipe) 40

30
To calculate desuperheater turndown of the Type 6970 unit, it
must be noted that turndown is not a function of velocity when
using the recycle feature. 20

steam flow + atomizing steam flow

T.D. = 10
atomizing steam flow
(limited to a maximum of 50 to 1.) 0
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Turndown capacity available for other units (Types 6905, 6910, Inlet Velocity F.P.S.
6952, 6953, and 6985) are available from the factory.

ISO
9001
Certified

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