The document discusses the steam jet cooling system, an unconventional cooling technique that uses steam and water as refrigerants, emphasizing its environmental benefits over conventional systems. It details the system's operation, components such as evaporators and steam jet ejectors, and various designs including compact, column, and bridge formats. Advantages and disadvantages are outlined, highlighting its suitability for certain industries and its limitations in temperature and efficiency.

1. CONTEMPORARY COOLING TECHNOLOGIES
STEAM JET COOLING SYSTEM
Submitted by
BUSHRA ZAIDI
SHABINA YASMIN
M.ARCH - Ist SEMESTER (Building Services)
Guided by
AR. MOHD FIROZ ANWAR
FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE & EKISTICS
JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA
NEW DELHI-110025

2. INTRODUCTION
Steam jet cooling system is a cooling technique which
involves usage of steam and water for cooling purposes.
In steam jet refrigeration systems, water can be used as
the refrigerant. Like air, it is perfectly safe. These systems
were applied successfully to refrigeration.
• Temperatures attained using water as a refrigerant are
in the range which may satisfy air conditioning,
cooling, or chilling requirements.
• Mostly low-grade energy and relatively small amounts
of shaft work.
• This system are the utilization of mostly low-grade
energy and relatively small amounts of shaft work.
• Not used when temperatures below 5°C are required.
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3. WHY UNCONVENTIONAL?
Steam jet cooling system is preferable over conventional cooling system
because:-
• Employs a steam injector or booster instead of mechanical compressor to
compress the refrigerant to the required condenser pressure level.
• Water is used as the refrigerant; environment is free of CFC’s and other
refrigerants which produce harmful gases leading to depletion of ozone
layer.
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4. PRINCIPLE
“The boiling point of a liquid changes with change in external pressure.”
In normal conditions, pressure exerted on the surface of a liquid is the
atmospheric pressure. If this atmospheric pressure is reduced on the surface of a
liquid, by some means, then the liquid will start boiling at lower temperature,
because of reduced pressure.
This basic principal of boiling of liquid at lower temperature by reducing the
pressure on its surface is used in steam jet refrigeration system.
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5. COMPONENTS
• EVAPORATOR
The evaporator or flash chamber is a large vessel and is heavily insulated to
avoid the rise in temperature of water due to highly ambient temperature.
• STEAM JET EJECTOR (replacing compressor)
Used to compress the water vapours coming out of the flash chamber
• CONDENSER
Chills the LP, HT air coming from the thermo-compressor using chilled water as
the refrigerating medium.
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6. STEAM JET EJECTORS
• High pressure steam from the boiler(generally called primary fluid or motive
steam/vapour) is admitted to the steam chest and expanded in convergent
–divergent nozzle to a very low pressure and the attains supersonic velocities
in the range of 1000m/s to 1350m/s.
• The flash chamber is connected to the region of low pressure of the ejector.
The water vapour from the flash chamber is entrained in the high velocity jet
of steam and both are mixed in the mixing section at the constant pressure .
• The velocity of mixture will be super sonic after the completion of the mixing
process.
• This supersonic steam get a normal shock in constant area throat of diffuser,
resulting in rise of pressure and subsonic flow.
• The diverting portion of the diffuser velocity head is recovered as pressure
head and finally high pressure steam is condensed in condenser.
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7. STEAM JET EJECTORS
Cross section of steam jet ejector
Velocity/ Pressure vs. distance
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8. STEAM JET EJECTORS
Basically, there are three different types of steam jet cooling plants:-
1. Compact Design for small capacities
2. Column Design for medium capacity and large capacities where there is
little floor area
3. Bridge Design for high capacities
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9. COMPACT DESIGN
These consist of horizontally designed equipment: one flash vessel (1) and one
condenser stage (2) being installed in a common horizontal vessel. The jet pump
(3) is arranged in parallel to this vessel. A small liquid ring vacuum pump (4) is
installed as a de-aeration unit. the condensation heat is removed via the cooling
water – e.g. by a cooling tower(6). The plant is controlled by an operation control
system.
This type of design requires relatively little floor space and not too much height.
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10. COLUMN DESIGN
These are vertical construction: flash cooling chamber(1) and condenser
chamber (2) are mounted one on top of the other. The flash vessels and the
condenser chambers of each stage are connected to each other through
piping or a jet pump for vapour compression (3). In many cases, a cooling tower
(6) is installed in order to re-cool the cooling water. Generally, a steam jet
vacuum pump is provided as a de-aeration unit. The plant is controlled by an
operation unit.
This type of design requires relatively small floor space but greater height.
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11. BRIDGE DESIGN
These consist of vertically or horizontally arranged flash cooling chambers (1),
horizontally mounted jet pumps(3) and vertically designed condenser
chambers(2). The flash vessels and condenser chambers of each stage are
connected by piping or a jet pump for vapour compression (3). In many cases, a
cooling tower (6) is installed for re-cooling the cooling water. A steam jet vacuum
pump for de-aeration is also included. The plant is controlled by an operation
control system.
This type of design requires relatively little height but more floor space .
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12. CRITERIA FOR DESIGN OF STEAM JET COOLING SYSTEM
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13. WORKING OF A STEAM JET COOLING SYSTEM
1. High pressure steam to the nozzle from the boiler which is expanded.
2. Water vapour from the flash chamber entrained with the high velocity steam
jet and it is further compressed in the thermo compressor.
3. The condensate is usually returned to the boiler. Generally, 1% evaporation of
water in the flash chamber is sufficient to decrease the temperature of
chilled water to 6ºC.
4. Chilled water is circulated by a pump to the point of application.
5. The warm water from the load is returned to the flash chamber. The water is
sprayed through the nozzles to provide maximum surface area for cooling.
6. The water, which is splashed in the chamber and any loss of cold water at
the application, must be replaced by makeup water added to the cold
water circulating system.
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14. Working of a Steam Jet Cooling Cycle
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15. CASE STUDY
Patumthani, (Thailand)
• Here the cooling water temp.
produced by cooling tower is
between 29°C and 33°C.
• The maximum COP of 0.45 is
achieved when the refrigerator is
operated at boiler temp. of 110
°C, evaporator temperature of 17
°C, and cooling capacity of
3000W.
Tushan Cogeneration Company,
a power plant in Anhui province of China.
• The total cooling load of the company
reaches the number of 69780kW.
• In China's current industry standard, the
driving steam of the double-effect Li-Br
absorption refrigerator can be
saturated steam
• Combined cycle system with
midpressure of 0.8MPa has refrigeration
capacity as low as 12ºC .
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16. An Experimental Setup
(Ref: Thesis by Adriaan Jacobus Meyer degree of M.Sc-Engg
in Mechanical Engineering Stellenbosch University)
CASE STUDY
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17. The boiler Condenser
EvaporatorEjector
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18. ADVANTAGES
1. Simple and hassle free construction
2. Vibration free system
3. Low production cost
4. Low maintenance cost
5. Water is used as a refrigerant which is perfectly safe.
6. Low running cost
7. Load variation quickly adjusted
8. It is suitable for places where steam is available such as process industry, steel
plant, petroleum plants, thermal power plants etc.
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19. DISADVANTAGES
1. Not suitable for water temperature below 4ºC.
2. The maintenance of high vacuum in the evaporator is necessary for proper
functioning of the system.
3. Since the ejected vapour and motive steam condensed in the condenser,
the magnitude of heat transfer is about 3 to 4 times that needed in the
vapour compression system per tone per hour. Thus large size of condenser is
needed.
4. Coefficient of Performance is very low.
5. The use of direct evaporation to produce chilled water is usually limited as
tremendous volume of vapour is to be handled.
6. Efficiency of ejector is not good.
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20. APPLICATIONS
1. Food processing plant
2. Gas plants
3. Breweries
4. Rubber and vulcanizing industries
5. Paper and pulp industries
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21. THANK YOU !