H ome I ntroduc tion M arkets & A pplic ations E jec tor P roduc ts E jec tor A ir Removal S ys tems T urbine

G land S eal V ac uum S ys tems P roc es s E jec tor V ac uum S ys tems L iquid Ring V ac uum P ump S ys tems Waterbox P riming S ys tems H ybrid V ac uum S ys tems C ondens ate P ump Sys tems M is c ellaneous P roduc ts V ac uum E ngineering S ervic es S pare P arts D ownloads (P D F F iles ) P hoto G allery U .S .S . C ons titution M odel S ite M ap C ontac t U s L egal I nfo 4 Saddle Road C edar Knolls , N J 0 7 9 2 7 U nited S tates 9 7 3 .4 5 5 .0 4 4 0 P hone 9 7 3 .4 5 5 .7 2 1 4 Fax
2012 Unique Systems, Inc.

Process Vacuum Systems

Waterbox Priming Systems

Waterbox Priming Systems

Liquid ring va cuum pum ps have be e n e m plo ye d fo r rem o ving air fro m m a in co ndenser wa te rbo x e s fo r the pa st 40 yea rs. In the W a terbo x Prim ing a pplica tion, vacuum pum ps e vacua te a ir and a ny o the r no n-co nde nsa ble ga se s fro m the coo ling wa ter piping a nd wa te rbo x e s o f the m a in co ndenser tha t se rvices a ste a m turbine . Lo we ring the pre ssure in the wa terbo x ena ble s the co o ling wate r to be forced up into the wa te rbo x by the a tm osphe ric pre ssure in a m a nne r sim ilar to the wa y a ba ro m e te r functions. This gre a tly re duce s the a m ount o f ene rgy ne ede d to pum p the co oling wa te r up into the wa terbo x and a llo ws co o ling wate r circula tio n pum ps o f lo we r ho rse powe r ra ting a nd discha rge he a d pre ssure s to be used. Sa vings a re a chie ve d in bo th initia l ca pita l a nd o pera ting costs.

Waterbox P riming S ys tems (Bulletin # P V S -8 0 0 2 5 0 1 1 -WP S )

3PTM-90-FR W aterbox Priming System D uring Final A s s embly & P ainting

In a dditio n to initia l prim ing, a liquid ring va cuum pum p prim ing syste m a lso re m o ves disso lve d gase s tha t co m e o ut of so lutio n in the coo ling wa ter, pre ve nting tra ppe d a ir a nd othe r non-conde nsa ble s fro m a ccum ula ting in the coo ling wa ter circuit. Syste m capa city is de te rm ine d by the re quire m e nts o f the custom e r. Vertica l lift he ight re quire d fo r prim ing de term ines the suction pre ssure . The vo lum e o f wate rbo x e s and a ssocia te d piping, to gethe r with de sire d tim e to e va cua te , de te rm ine s capa city. A typica l va cuum pum p syste m for wa te rbo x prim ing se rvice co nsists o f two ide ntica l 100% ca pacity pum ps m o unte d o n a co m m on sk id. It is com m o n pra ctice to use bo th pum ps sim ulta ne o usly to e va cua te (o r hog) the co ndenser wa te rbo x a nd piping to the point whe re o ne pum p shuts down, while the o ther continue s until the ultim a te suctio n pre ssure ne ede d for prim ing is a chieve d. A single pum p cycle s o n/o ff a s ne ede d to re m o ve a ny disso lve d gase s tha t co m e o ut of so lutio n during

e va cua te (o r hog) the co ndenser wa te rbo x a nd piping to the point whe re o ne pum p shuts down, while the o ther continue s until the ultim a te suctio n pre ssure ne ede d for prim ing is a chieve d. A single pum p cycle s o n/o ff a s ne ede d to re m o ve a ny disso lve d gase s tha t co m e o ut of so lutio n during o pera tio n. Unique System s va cuum pum p prim ing syste m s typically use o ne -sta ge liquid ring va cuum pum ps. P lea se re fe r to our sectio n o n Liquid R ing Air R e m ova l Syste m s fo r a de ta ile d descriptio n o f pum p de sign a nd o pera ting principle s. Bo th pum ps o pe ra te a uto m a tically to e vacua te the conde nse r wa terbo x to a pre ssure de term ined by the re quire m e nts o f the co nde nse r e leva tio n. At this po int, the system pre ssure switch sends a signa l to shutdo wn the lag pum p, while the lea d pum p co ntinue s o pe rating in ho ldingm o de . Figure 1 shows a typical o ne -sta ge liquid ring vacuum pum p prim ing syste m pro ce ss flo w dia gra m . In ho gging and holding m o de o pera tio n, the pum p pulls air into the inle t to the vacuum ta nk . The vo lum e of the va cuum tank is size d to pro vide additio na l capa city, which acts a s a re se rvoir, to preve nt sho rt-cycling o f the pum ps. The a ir then e nters the pum p a nd is co m presse d by the actio n o f the liquid ring. Any wate r vapo r is co ndensed in the liquid ring a nd an a ir-wate r strea m is discha rged into the se pa rato r ta nk . The air e x its through the vent, while the wa te r dro ps to the bo tto m of the se para to r ta nk to be re -circula te d thro ugh the syste m he a t e x cha nger a nd fina lly ba ck into the va cuum pum p with the se al wa ter. Figure 1: Typica l Duplex Liquid R ing Va cuum Pum p Prim ing Syste m Flow Dia gra m

Optimized Pump Performance

P ro pe r sizing o f va cuum tank a nd liquid ring va cuum pum ps will a llo w fo r a system which is ne ither to o large , nor o f insufficient ca pa city, to handle the lo ads from prim ing and re m o val o f disso lve d gase s. Judicious choice o f lea d -la g pre ssure se t points.

P ro pe r sizing o f va cuum tank a nd liquid ring va cuum pum ps will a llo w fo r a system which is ne ither to o large , nor o f insufficient ca pa city, to handle the lo ads from prim ing and re m o val o f disso lve d gase s. Judicious choice o f lea d -la g pre ssure se t points.

System Design
The liquid ring wa terbo x prim ing system is de signed to be a fully a uto m a tic unit with no rm a l o pe ratio n be ing the start signa l fro m the pla nt DC S. Syste m o pe rating pa ra m ete rs such a s ca pa city a nd de sign suctio n pre ssure a re de pe nde nt upo n the physical de tails o f the co oling wa te r side o f the custom e rs m a in co ndenser. Ve rtica l lift height required fo r prim ing de term ines the suction pre ssure . The vo lum e of wa te rbo x a nd a sso ciate d piping, toge ther with de sire d tim e to e va cua te, is use d to ca lculate ca pa city. The syste m is de signe d with so m e a llowa nce for o pe rato r a djustm e nt a nd fine tuning of pre ssure switch se t po ints ba se d upo n the a ctua l o pe ratio nal pa ram e te rs a t the pla nt. In ge nera l, the conde nse r wa te rbox prim ing system is de signed to provide a utom a tic o pe ra tion with m inim a l ope ra tor a tte ntio n. For W a te rbo x P rim ing Syste m s, ca vita tio n is no t a m ajo r co nce rn. The vacuum pum ps will no rm ally be shut-o ff well befo re they ca n ope ra te in a ra nge o f va cuum and te m pe ra ture co nditio ns tha t wo uld cause cavitatio n. Unique System s ha s de velo ped a line o f sta nda rd, ta nk -m o unte d, duple x wa terbo x prim ing system s tha t co ver the ca pacity re quire m e nts fo r a wide ra nge o f m ain co nde nse rs:

C usto m -de signe d syste m s a re also a vaila ble to m e e t a ny plant spe cific re quire m ents, including a irco o led units fo r installa tio ns where co o ling wate r is no t co nve niently a vaila ble .

Bac k to the top

C us tom-D es igned Waterbox P riming Sys tem with A ir-C ooled E xc hanger Being S et U p for Run T es ting

C us tom- D es igned Waterbox P riming Sys tem with A ir- C ooled E xc hanger Being S et U p for Run T es ting