Process Conditioning

Pump Protection: One of the most common flow disturbances found upstream from pumps in industrial process plants are 90º elbows. The inertia of the media, as it propagates through an elbow and into a pump or compressor, induces swirl and distortion by forcing the flow to one side. The induced velocity profile asymmetry created may not only be extreme, but persistent. The impeller experiences high flows on one side and cavitation on the other. This can result in severe suction recirculation, excessive bearing wear, erosion, noise, and increased maintenance cost.

Vortab Elbow 90º elbow flow conditioners eliminate anomalies normally associated with elbows. The conditioned flow stream enters the pump in a uniform and equally distributed pattern resulting in increased bearing life while decreasing noise and cavitation. In addition, the Vortab Elbow has the ability to isolate and condition out any flow irregularities that may be introduced upstream from the elbow.

Combustion Optimiser: In power generating facilities, plant engineers are continuously looking for ways to reduce costs while increasing efficiency.

Optimizing the combustion in coal-fired power plants can be achieved by utilizing VORTAB Companies flow conditioning technology. The coal is first pulverized to a “talcum-powder” consistency. This promotes a cleaner and more complete burning of the coal. In the plant, the coal fuel may need to flow through elbows, tees, and other piping components. This could result in separation areas where the pulverized coal could accumulate and clump together, resulting in uneven and incomplete burning of the fuel.

VORTAB and Vortab Elbow flow conditioners can be used upstream from the burning chamber to cross mix the entire flow stream, forcing the higher velocity regions to cross mix with the slower velocity regions. The result is a swirl-free, repeatable and flat velocity profile. The “flat” velocity profile equally distributes the homogenized fuel mixture into the burning chamber. The result is a more even and complete combustion of the fuel.

To combat the effects of abrasive medias flowing over the profile correcting internals, abrasive resistant steels or ceramic coatings are available.

Temperature Stratification: In the process industry, temperature stratification may occur in low flow velocity regimes where mixtures of components may vary in density. Other contributions can lead to temperature stratification. Control of temperature can have a direct effect on the efficiency of process plants.

Vortab flow conditioners eliminate anomalies associated with stratification by completely conditioning and homogenizing the entire flow stream.

The turbulence generated by the patented vortice generating profile conditioning tabs eliminate stratification and results in an evenly distributed, repeatable, and symmetric velocity profile. Ideal flow scenarios for process instrumentation.

Composition Homogenizer: Maintaining a uniform structure or composition throughout a process can be achieved by using VORTAB and Vortab Elbow flow conditioners.

Inconsistent compositions, as they propagate downstream, can adversely affect densitometers, sampling instrumentation, and flow metering technologies such as Ultrasonic and Magnetic flowmeters.

The turbulence generated by the profile conditioning tabs force the slower and higher velocity flow streams to cross mix throughout the flow conditioning process.

The ability to condition out variations in composition can provide a better sample of the media’s constituents.

Critical Process Equipment: In Industrial installations, process plants are designed to minimize floor space. Abbreviated floor space can result in inadequate short runs of straight pipe required upstream from pumps, flowmeters, and other critical components used in the process industries. Inadequate lengths of upstream piping, valves, compressors, spiral welded pipe, expansions, reductions, and elbows alter the media’s tangential, radial, and axial velocity vectors. These alterations generate swirl, jetting, and velocity profile distortions.

Poor piping practices increase flowmeter error, often outside of the specified performance limits of the flowmeter manufacturer. Flow disturbances can induce cavitation and noise in pumps, control valves and other critical process components resulting in excessive wear and damage. Flow disturbances can be reduced or eliminated by the installation of VORTAB and Vortab Elbow 90º Elbow Flow Conditioners.

VORTAB and Vortab Elbow flow conditioners have a low-pressure drop and can be used in separated flows and thus are able to operate with very minimal upstream piping. In addition, uneven particulate distributions or temperature stratification are made more uniform through this process. The tapered design of the swirl and profile tabs eliminate fouling and clogging.Accumulation on the backsides of the profile conditioning tabs is avoided due to the constant vacuum effect created by a pressure differential between the upstream and downstream sides of the tabs.

The Vortab Elbow‘s ability to isolate flow disturbances, reduce swirl, and develop a repeatable flow profile with minimal pressure loss make it ideal for increasing the life of pumps, control valves, flow meters and other critical process equipment.

Recovery Repeatable Flow Profiles: VORTAB and Vortab Elbow flow conditioners isolate flow irregularities and create a swirl-free, repeatable, and symmetric velocity profile regardless of upstream flow disturbances.

Swirl reduction and velocity profile correction occur naturally in long lengths of straight pipe due to diffusion and turbulent mixing. VORTAB Companies “Tab-Type” vortex generating internals accelerate and amplify these natural pipe effects.

In addition, the shape of the velocity profile does not change with varying flow rates.