Success stories
Controlled steam application in plasterboard production
Project Description
Steam production cell designed to maintain controlled humidity inside a furnace operating under vacuum conditions (20 Pa). This furnace is part of the production process in the manufacture of plaster plates.
Original situation:
Challenges posed by the client:
The customer, a multinational industrial company, asked us for a proposal to ensure the supply of steam in a controlled manner to a plasterboard production furnace. The main challenges were as follows:
- Moisture management: The company needs to control the humidity inside its ovens used in the manufacturing process to ensure the quality of the final product. The implementation of a steam cell capable of generating dry steam with controlled pressures is required to ensure the correct humidity level inside the production furnace. The steam cell must have a steam generation capacity of at least 60 kW.
- Pressure controllers: The installation must have very precise pressure control to ensure that the steam is maintained within optimum ranges, avoiding possible damage to the product and ensuring safe operation.
- Flow controller: In addition, a flow controller is needed to regulate the steam flow inside the oven, ensuring an even and efficient distribution to optimize the drying process of the plaster plates.
- Reliability and accuracy of steam supply: The implementation of this solution must guarantee an accurate supply of steam inside the oven, which ensures optimal control of the humidity and drying process of the plaster plates, contributing to a consistent and high quality production.
Proposed solution:
Customized steam solution developed by Giconmes.
Proposed solution:
- Steam production cell: A steam production cell has been developed, consisting of a NGV6060 with a full stainless steel configuration, specifically designed to maintain humidity control inside a furnace operating under vacuum conditions (20 Pa).
- Precise control: The system incorporates two pressure controllers and one flow controller to ensure total stability in the steam supply to the furnace chamber, allowing precise control of the process parameters.
- Intuitive interface: Through a touch screen controlled by a Siemens S7 PLC, the set-points of the process (pressure and flow rate) are established in a visual and intuitive way, as well as the visualization of the actual values of both parameters.
- Connectivity and remote management: The system can be connected to a local network for remote visualization and management, which facilitates monitoring and control of the process from any location.
- Parameter logging: The function of generating a CSV file with the temporary log of the application parameters has been incorporated, which allows a detailed follow-up of the process and its configuration can be adapted by the user according to his needs.
- Energy efficiency: The system includes a condensate recovery tank and a circuit for its conduction, ensuring at all times the supply of dry steam to the kiln, without the presence of liquid phase, which contributes to greater energy efficiency and optimization of the drying process.
Technology used:
- NGV6060
- Water treatment system
- Vortex digital flow control
- Pressure reduction system (pneumatic)
- Pressure and flow control system programming
- Management of the remote connection and data collection system
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FAQs
We understand that many questions may arise. Here are some of the most common ones.
There are no emissions beyond those produced during the electricity production process. Consequently, emissions can be neutral depending on the electricity mix. Electric steam boilers are the present and the future.
Absolutely. In fact, it is recommended to achieve maximum efficiency. There is no problem with remote control as long as it complies with current regulations.
A steam generator is a pressure vessel that, together with the piping network, is subject to regulatory control and complementary technical instructions, according to the regulations published in Royal Decree 809/2021, of September 21. Maintenance is divided into a part that can be easily fulfilled by the owner:
- Know and apply the manufacturer’s instructions regarding use, safety measures, and maintenance.
- Not to put the installation into service or prevent the operation of pressure equipment if the requirements of the Regulation are not met.
- Having at least the following documentation for the pressure equipment while they are installed: Declaration of conformity, manufacturer’s instructions (if applicable), and, if necessary, installation certificate, along with other supporting documentation (such as installation project, record of the last periodic inspection, certifications of equipment repairs or modifications, and any other documentation required by the relevant technical instruction complementary to this regulation). For detailed contents, refer to Annex IV of the regulation. Making this documentation available to the competent authority of the autonomous community and the companies responsible for maintenance, repair, or periodic inspections.
- Use the pressure equipment within its intended operating limits as specified by the manufacturer and take it out of service if it no longer meets the necessary safety requirements.
- Perform maintenance on the installations, pressure equipment, safety accessories, and control devices in accordance with the operating conditions and manufacturer’s instructions, and examine them at least once a year.
- Arranging for the necessary periodic inspections as required by Article 6 of the regulation.
- Having and maintaining an up-to-date record of pressure equipment categories I to IV, as defined in RD 709/2015, of July 24, or equipment similar to these categories according to Article 3.2 of the regulation, as well as their installations.
It is known that by applying heat to water, it transforms into steam at the boiling point and atmospheric pressure. From there, depending on the required saturation degree of steam for its proper application, we need to increase the pressure to obtain a higher temperature. To change the temperature and saturation degree of steam, we always need to modify the pressure.
It is a unit of pressure equivalent to 1 kg/cm2, 0.98 atmospheres, or 14.50 PSI.
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USES OF STEAM IN INDUSTRY AND OTHER BUSINESSES
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