Steam Flash Loss Calculator

Energy

Steam Flash Loss Calculator

Calculate flash steam percentage and flow when hot condensate is reduced from a higher pressure to a lower pressure.

Assumes condensate is saturated liquid at this upstream pressure.
Optional. Enter operating hours to calculate annual flash steam quantity.
Optional cost or value per tonne of steam.
Flash Steam
—
Estimated fraction of incoming saturated condensate that flashes to steam after the pressure reduction.
Flash steam percentage —
Flash steam flow —
Remaining condensate —
Annual flash steam —
Annual flash steam value —
Upstream liquid enthalpy —
Flash-pressure liquid enthalpy —
Latent heat at flash pressure —
Upstream pressure —
Flash pressure —
Method: When saturated condensate at a higher pressure is reduced to a lower pressure, part of the liquid flashes into steam. Flash fraction is estimated from: Flash Fraction = (hf1 − hf2) ÷ hfg2 where: hf1 = saturated-liquid enthalpy at the upstream pressure hf2 = saturated-liquid enthalpy at the flash pressure hfg2 = latent heat of vaporization at the flash pressure Flash steam flow is: Flash Steam = Condensate Flow × Flash Fraction Remaining liquid condensate is: Remaining Condensate = Condensate Flow − Flash Steam Saturated-water properties are obtained from an embedded steam-property table and linearly interpolated between pressure points. Pressure is converted internally to bar absolute. For gauge pressure, standard atmospheric pressure of approximately 1.01325 bar is added. This calculator assumes the incoming condensate is saturated liquid at the upstream pressure and that throttling occurs approximately at constant enthalpy. Subcooled condensate will produce less flash steam than calculated here. Detailed process design should use verified steam-table or thermodynamic-property data at the actual operating conditions.