STEAM JET AIR EJECTOR
Summary
• Principle/Usage
• ST air evacuation system
• How to pull vacuum?
• How to take ejector into service?
• Ejector change over/emergency operation
• Isolation of ejectors for maintenance
• Performance/Troubleshooting
Steam ejector is a pump-like device, with no
moving parts or pistons, that utilizes high-
pressure steam to compress vapour or gases.
This creates a vacuum in any vessel or
chamber connected to the suction inlet of the
ejector
The Venturi effect, a particular case of Bernoulli's
principle, applies to the operation of this device
The high-pressure steam is converted into a
high-velocity jet at the throat of the convergent-
divergent nozzle which creates a low pressure at
that point.
The low pressure draws the suction fluid (a
vapour or gas in this case) into the convergent-
divergent nozzle where it mixes with the high-
pressure steam.
THEORY OF EJECTORS
• The theory behind the steam jet ejectors
involves converting high pressure motive
steam into a high velocity jet in a
converging and diverging nozzle.
THEORY OF EJECTORS
• The three basic parts of an ejector are the nozzle,
mixing chamber and diffuser. High-pressure motive
fluid passes through the nozzle, expands in the mixing
chamber (where pressure is converted to fluid
velocity), and passes through the venturi throat of the
diffuser. The curves show the changes in velocity
(above) and pressure (below) of the motive fluid and
Process fluid.
In essence, the pressure energy of the
inlet steam is converted to kinetic energy
in the form of velocity head at the throat
of the convergent-divergent nozzle.
As the mixed fluid then expands in the
divergent diffuser, the kinetic energy is
converted back to pressure energy at the
diffuser outlet
Usage
Steam Jet Ejectors are used in the chemical,
petrochemical, pulp and paper, food, power, steel
and allied industries in connection with such
operations as filtration, distillation, absorption,
mixing, vacuum packaging, freeze drying, flash
cooling, deaerating, dehydrating and degassing to
name just a few.
They will handle both condensable and non-
condensable gases and vapors as well as mixtures
of the two. Small amounts of solids or liquids will not
adversely affect performance.
Multi-Stage Steam Jet Ejector
Staging of ejectors becomes necessary for
economical operation as the absolute suction
pressure decreases
for suction pressure below 100 mbar absolute,
more than one ejector will be used, usually
with condensors between the ejector stages.
Condensing of motive steam greatly improves
ejector set efficiency. Both barometric and
shell-and-tube surface condensers are used for
this purpose.
The efficiency of a Steam-turbine is
mainly determined by the pressure of the
steam at its outlet.
The Turbine Surface Condenser is
therefore maintained under vacuum.
To enable this, the Steam Jet Ejector
Vacuum System must be capable of
removing all non condensable and
associated water vapour from the
condenser
STG SJAE
•Vacuum system consists of a Hogger ejector, two
sets of main ejectors (each having primary and
secondary ejectors), inter condenser, after condenser
and vacuum breaker.
Ejector system is used to keep turbine exhaust and
ACC under vacuum to condense the turbine exhaust
steam (wet).
The hogging ejectors are used during the start up
only to pre-evacuate the total condenser volume.
It evacuates 1600 m3 of air from atmospheric
pressure by using 5635 Kg/hr steam @ 12Ata in our
system
Steam condition for prim –Y and sec -Z ejector is
same as hogger ejector; steam flow through
primary and secondary ejector is 287 Kg/hr & 120
Kg/hr respectively.
Both ejectors design pressure and temperature is
same as Hogger ejector.
Normally the cooling water to the ejector
system is from condensate.
This cooling condensate is first passed
through the inter condenser, and in series to
after condensor and then to D/A
Thank You
Air
Hogger header
steam+
air
Prim. air
Condensate flow
inlet valve to
inter condenser
Hogger
steam
valve
Prim
steam line
Prim
steam
line
strainer
Inter
condenser
Prim. air
Prim ejector
Sec
steam
Sec
steam
Ejector main steam
header
intercoooler
Secondary
ejector
Sec steam
After
condenser
rotameter
Trap
bypass
valve
Afterconden
ser drain
Aftercon trap
denser
Intercondenser
U loop
Hotwell
Aftercooler
U loop
How to Operate
Before starting vaccum pulling, ensure that hotwell level is
healthly and CEP is running and minmum water flow passed
through the inter and after condenser.
• Aux PRDS steam pressure 14 kg/sq.cm, Temp 250 Deg C to
be maintained
• Ejectors upstream steam lines enough warm up to be
carried.
• Hogger silencer arrangement drain valve always to be kept
open to drain out the condensate collection
• Ensure both inter condenser and after condenser
condensate trap line is lineup to hot well.
• Open the steam valve of the hogger ejector and then
immediately its suction valve(Air valve).
• On achieving vaccum -0.90 kg/sq.cm open the steam valve
of the Z stage ejector and thereafter open after condenser
bypass vent line. Ensure trap is lined up to hotwell
• Rotameter can be lined only during air flow checkup
• Therafter open the steam to Y ejector and thereafter its
suction valve (Air valve).
•Condensate of the inter and after condenser
is sent back to hotwell via U loop
•This U loop of adequate height or
barometric leg is required to overcome the
atmospheric pressure
•This U loop in inter and after condenser is
filled with condensate which reaches the
hotwell
•This helps in avoiding air and non
condensate gases ingress in hot well from
inter and afer condender
•The loop height is determined by the
formula
(P2-P1)*13.6+500
Where P2 is ejector outlet pressure and P1 is
turbine condenser pressure.
This ration of P2/P1 is called as compression
ratio of SJAE
How to Operate
• Once main ejectors lined up and vaccum
stabilized means Hogger ejector can be taken
out from service
• For taking out hogger, first close the suction
valve( air valve) thereafter close the steam
valve.
• While closing steam valve of the hogger - care
to be taken to maintain aux PRDS pressure
S/D procedure
Close the online primary (Y – Ejector) ejector air valve and
then steam side valve of the ejector.
Close the online secondary (Z – Ejector) ejector air valve and
then steam side valve of the same ejector.
Close the intercooler drain valve.Close aftercooler vent valve.
Open the vacuum breaker valve. Now vacuum of the system
will be killed and slowly it reaches to atmospheric pressure.
At minimum vacuum take out the seal steam system.
If the shutdown is for long period, close the ejector steam
supply header isolation valve.
Stop the running CEP after cooling the Inter & after
condensers and if there is no other requirement for
condensate.
.
Change over procedure
Due to maintenance /routine change over:
First the standby main ejector to be taken into service as
per procedure
After observation of vacuum for some time the ejector
may be taken out of service as per procedure
Note: After closing the air valves of Y and Z ejectors
respective steam valves only to be closed monitoring a
steady vacuum
After condenser vent valve to be kept closed. If any drop
in vacuum is there the inter and after condeser isolation
valves to hotwell may be kept closed
Emergency procedure
Incase of any sudden vacuum drop, immediately hogger
may be taken into system and after normal vacuum
reached slowly takeout the hogger. Further check for
cause of vacuum drop.
Incase of tripping of STG for the following conditions
then vacuum breaker will open automatically and
vacuum will be killed immediately.
1. ST tripped on lube oil supply pressure low or fire in
the lube oil system.
1. ST axial shift is high and turbine tripped.
Causes of decreasing vacuum
• Low steam pressure: Operate the ejector at
specified or higher than specified inlet motive
steam pressure. Avoid excess superheat
• High backpressure: It may result in loss of
vacuum. Check for the restriction in exhaust
steam lines such as accumulation of
condensate
Causes of decreasing vacuum
• Excessive air leakage: Inspect leaky valves
,gaskets,openings.Make sure that drain lines are
sealed in condensate loop in inter and after
condensers
• Malfunctioning of condensate trap
• Clogged steam nozzles: Care for dirt in steam
may be taken for new installations. Additives to
boiler water is also responsible
• After cooler atmosperic vent valve should be
open fully
Checkup
• The operating steam jet ejectors should be checked
at regular intervals for proper functioning.
• As a general rule the air suction line from the
condenser to air ejector system should always be
warm, i.e close to the actual condensing temp of
main condenser.
Check up:
Whenever the air suction line gets cold I.e . close to
ambient air temp, this is an indication that the
operating ejector is working at the limit of its capacity.
This is an indication that the ejector has still sufficient
capacity to extract not only the non condensate but in
addition also a certain amount of entrained water
vapor
This may be caused either by malfunction of the
ejector or be excessive air in leakage into vacuum
system
Performance
• Motive steam plays probably the most
important role in the operation of a steam jet
ejector
• When the steam condition changes there will
be a change in the operation and efficiency of
the ejector
• Excess moisture in steam is one of the most
common problems found in ejectors.
• A steam quality of less than 2% moisture is
tolerable with most moderate vacuum systems.
Performance
• Check out for varying water pressure which
may impair efficient heat exchange
• A sign of wet steam is a fluttering needle on a
steam pressure gauge during operation.
• The performance of ejectors designed for
saturated steam will be adversely affected if
operated with super-heated steam.
• In a critical-flow ejector a decrease in steam
pressure of just a few psi will result in a
broken or unstable vacuum.
Technical data
• Manufacturer -- Mazda limited
• Hogging ejector system – 1 no
• Hogger capacity -- 1600 Cu.M within 30 to 40
minutes
• Holding ejector system
(double stage ) - 2 no ( one working and one
standby)
• Condenser
(Inter condenser and after condenser) - surface type
• Motive steam pressure / temp - 12 Ksc / 250 DEG C
• Hogger ejector steam consumption - 5.635 TPH
• Holding ejector steam consumption - 0.287 TPH
THANK YOU
