Steam injection heaters inject steam into a system to maintain or raise temperature levels. Steam injection heaters use a special system of perforated injection tubes to force steam into a liquid or slurry to provide almost instantaneous transfer of heat to the liquid. Steam injection heaters are often used in applications where it is critical to maintain a particular temperature range, such as in pasteurization and processing pharmaceuticals.

Steam injection heaters can be easily integrated into the process flow of many manufacturing applications. A steam injection heater consists of a series of pipes and a chamber where liquid is heated. The heater steam enters the chamber through an injection tube that is covered with tiny holes, transferring the steam heat efficiently through the entire liquid. Steam injection heating uses small ledges, or helical flights, built into the inside of the heating chamber to facilitate the mixing of the heated steam with the liquid. This provides a fast transfer of energy and ensures that the liquid stays at a constant temperature.

Applications

Steam injection heaters are used in food processing, in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and sterile water, and in the creation of paper products. Steam injection heaters are a fuel-efficient alternative to traditional heat exchangers. A portable steam heater can be installed virtually anywhere on an existing system of pipes, and typically come equipped with floor or wall mounts for securing the heater. On a much larger scale, a heat recovery steam generator is a type of boiler used in power plants to take advantage of the waste heat generated by a gas-powered turbine. The waste heat from the gas turbine is used to heat water in the heat recovery system generator to steam. The steam is then used to power a steam turbine for the production of electricity.