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Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Branch and Looped Steam Pipeline Networks

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Abstract

The increasing energy consumption of the industrial sector necessitates the adoption of sustainable energy practices, and steam pipeline networks provide an opportunity to improve energy efficiency while reducing environmental impact. This study evaluates the performance of branch and looped steam pipeline networks and investigates the impact of adding pipelines to branch networks, forming looped networks. A practical branch medium-pressure steam pipeline network in an operating oil refinery plant is examined, considering 16 steam users (U1–U16) and 3 boilers (S1–S3). The modified Hardy Cross model accurately simulates temperature and pressure distribution, and condensate rate and flow rate within the network. This research considers both normal and boiler maintenance conditions, enhancing the system’s robustness. Considering the limitations of modifying the existing onsite system, this research proposes various feasible design scenarios that do not rely on typical optimization algorithms. Four loop designs are proposed to mitigate temperature and pressure drops during boiler 1 (S1) maintenance, with the extended U8+50 m loop design proving the most effective in controlling the pressure and temperature distribution without condensation. Similarly, for the boiler 3 (S3) maintenance case, three loop designs are proposed, with the U12+U16 loop design identified as optimal for maintaining pressure and temperature without condensation. The findings demonstrate that loop designs reduce pressure drop, minimizing energy loss and promoting optimal and sustainable steam transport practices.

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Data Availability

Most relevant data have been shown on the flowsheets of those steam networks. Further information is available upon request.

Abbreviations

Ap :

the surface area of the pipe (m2)

As :

the surface area of pipe segments (m2)

D:

pipe diameter (m)

\(\overline{\textrm{f}}\) :

average pipe friction factor (-)

H:

specific enthalpy of steam (J/kg)

Hc :

specific enthalpy of condensate (J/kg)

Hin :

specific enthalpy of steam flowing into a pipe (J/kg)

Hout :

specific enthalpy of steam flowing out from a pipe (J/kg)

L:

pipe length (m)

m:

the mass flow rate of steam (kg/s or t/h)

mc :

the mass flow rate of condensate (kg/s or t/h)

min :

the mass flow rate of steam flowing into a pipe (kg/s or t/h)

mout :

the mass flow rate of steam flowing out a pipe (kg/s or t/h)

\(\overline{T}\) :

the average temperature of steam in a pipe (K)

Te :

ambient temperature (K)

Up :

overall heat transfer coefficient of pipe (W/m2K)

Us :

overall heat transfer coefficient of pipe segments (W/m2K)

∆mc :

condensate mass flow rate correction (kg/s or t/h)

∆m:

mass flow rate correction (kg/s or t/h)

∆T:

temperature correction (K)

∆P:

pressure correction (bar)

\(\overline{\rho}\) :

average steam density (kg/m3)

ξ:

pressure drop coefficient of pipe segments (-)

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan (previously Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan), for supporting this research under grant numbers MOST 110-2221-E-002-022 and MOST 111-2221-E-002-001.This work is also financially supported by the “Advanced Research Center for Green Materials Science and Technology” from The Featured Area Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan (112L9006).

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chong Wei Ong, Shao-Chiu Chen, Hsiang-Hsuan Cheng, Meng-Lin Tsai & Cheng-Liang Chen

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  1. Chong Wei Ong
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Ong, C.W., Chen, SC., Cheng, HH. et al. Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Branch and Looped Steam Pipeline Networks. Process Integr Optim Sustain 8, 423–438 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41660-023-00354-7

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