Steam drum
 | This article has not been added to any content categories. Please help out by adding categories to it so that it can be listed with similar articles. (January 2007) |
 |
Steam drums are a regular feature of water tube boiler. It is a reservoirs of water/steam at the top end of the water tubes in the water-tube boiler. They store the steam generated in the water tubes and act as a phase sperator for the steam/water mixture. The difference in densities between hot and cold water helps in the accumulation of the "hotter"-water/and saturated-steam into the steam-drum.
construction
They are usually made from high-grade steel (probably stainless)and its working involves temperatures around 390oC and pressures well above 350 psi(2.4MPa). The seperated steam is drawn out from the top section of the drum. Saturated steam is drawn off the top of the drum. the steam will re-enter the furnace in through a superheater. while the saturated water at the bottom of steam drum flows down to the mud-drum/feed water drum by downcomer tubes. its accessories include a safety valve, water level indicator and fuse plug. A steam drum is used in the company of a mud-drum/feed water drum which is located at a lower level. so that it acts as a sump for the sludge or sedements which have a tendency to settle to the bottom