Steam Bulletin
No. 78
Flash Steam Explained
Why it forms, how much you’re generating, and what you can do about it
Those clouds rising from your steam trap outlet, are they a sign of a live steam leak? Not necessarily.
When hot condensate is released into a lower-pressure environment, its total enthalpy remains the same. However, the saturation temperature drops. As a result, a portion of the condensate flashes into steam to release the excess energy. While the mass of flash steam can be small, its volume may exceed that of condensate by more than 1,500 times, making it easy to mistake for a live steam leak.
Knowing how to calculate the volume of flash steam is critical for:
- Designing flash steam recovery systems for energy savings
- Properly sizing condensate return piping
- Differentiating flash steam from live steam loss
Learn how to determine the percentage of flash steam generated from condensate in your system and access our handy engineering calculator for a quick and easy calculation.
Optimize Energy Efficiency with TLV's Steam Condensing Heat Exchanger
Stop losing valuable energy to flash steam. TLV’s SR Series captures that waste and converts it into hot water you can reuse for boiler feedwater, cleaning, and other utility needs. The result? Lower energy costs, and a safer, cleaner plant environment. Ideal for facilities where pressure cannot be applied, the SR-3/SR-8 delivers a compact, reliable solution to recover heat and improve efficiency without major infrastructure changes.
Product availability and delivery times vary by region.
Contact your local TLV representative for details.
Steam Bulletin is TLV's free monthly email magazine on steam systems, energy efficiency, product selection, and more. We hope you have enjoyed this issue.
If you need assistance with your steam system, TLV can help. Contact our steam specialist staff to apply for a plant survey and/or consultation session.
Finally, make sure to follow TLV on LinkedIn or Facebook for more regular news and updates, and our YouTube channel for video content.
Best regards,
TLV