Flash Tanks

As we've learned, when high pressure condensate is let down to a lower pressure, flash steam is formed. Flash steam has the same energy and heat qualities as live steam at the same pressure. Flash tanks are used to recover the energy that would be lost if flash steam were wasted through a vent. The heat recovered from a flash tank is typically used in water or space heaters, or for preheating oil, water or other liquids in low pressure processes. It is also used for initial heating in cascaded systems such as paper dryers or air heater batteries.

Sometimes primary steam make-up or exhaust steam make-up must be used so that the flash recovery system can provide reliable pressure for the chosen application.