Cyclic demand steam supply system

A steam accumulator for use with a steam boiler which comprises:

• a pressure vessel for holding heated accumulator water and accumulator steam derived from the flashing of said heated accumulator water;
• means for supplying boiler steam to a sparge manifold;
• a sparging manifold for receiving boiler steam and distributing it to a plurality of sparge pipes;
• a plurality of sparge pipes, having heat transfer surfaces for transferring heat energy from boiler steam to accumulator water, operatively connected to the sparge manifold for receiving boiler steam therefrom, said sparge pipes each having a plurality of sparging nozzles for discharging boiler steam and entrained condensate of boiler steam from said sparge pipe to the interior of the pressure vessel;
• and
• discharge means for removing accumulator steam from the pressure vessel.

A steam accumulator for use with a steam boiler which comprises:

• a pressure vessel for holding heated accumulator water and accumulator steam derived from the flashing of said heated accumulator water;
• a downwardly extending accumulator water well extending downwardly from the bottom of said pressure vessel;
• means for supplying boiler steam to an inlet distribution manifold positioned within the pressure vessel;
• an inlet distribution manifold positioned within said pressure vessel;
• a boiler steam condensate receiving manifold positioned within said accumulator;
• a plurality of heat exchanger tubes operatively connected to said inlet and condensate manifolds for receiving boiler steam from said inlet manifold and transporting both it and boiler steam condensate into the condensate manifold;
• a stand pipe operatively connected to the bottom of the condensate manifold and extending downwardly into the accumulator water well, said stand pipe being open at the bottom for passage of boiler steam condensate out from said stand pipe into the accumulator well;
• and
• discharge means for removing accumulator steam from the pressure vessel.

A steam accumulator for use with a steam boiler which comprises:

• a pressure vessel for holding heated accumulator water and the accumulator steam derived from the flashing of said heated accumulator water;
• a means for supplying boiler steam to an inlet manifold;
• an inlet manifold disposed within said pressure vessel for receiving boiler steam;
• a boiler steam condensate manifold positioned within said pressure vessel;
• a plurality of heat exchanger tubes operatively connecting said inlet manifold and said boiler steam condensate manifold and for transferring the heat of boiler steam to the heated accumulator water within the pressure vessel;
• a boiler steam condensate pressure vessel for receiving boiler steam condensate from the condensate manifold;
• means for transferring boiler steam condensate from the pressure vessel to the accumulator pressure vessel;
• and
• discharge means for removing accumulator steam from the pressure vessel.

A steam accumulator for use with a steam boiler which comprises:

• a pressure vessel for holding heated accumulator water and the accumulator steam derived from the flashing of said heated accumulator water;
• a means for supplying boiler steam to an inlet manifold;
• an inlet manifold disposed within said pressure vessel for receiving boiler steam;
• a boiler steam condensate manifold positioned within said pressure vessel;
• a plurality of heat exchanger tubes operatively connecting said inlet manifold and said boiler steam condensate manifold and for transferring the heat of boiler steam to the heated accumulator water within the pressure vessel;
• a sparge manifold disposed within said pressure vessel, said sparge manifold further having a plurality of sparging nozzles for sparging boiler steam and entrained boiler steam condensate into the pressure vessel;
• a sparge steam line operatively connecting the spent steam manifold to the sparging manifold;
• a sparge steam throttle valve disposed within said sparge steam line for regulating pressure of the boiler steam at a point above the pressure of the accumulator water and accumulator steam held within the pressure vessel;
• and
• discharge means for removing accumulator steam from the pressure vessel.