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This troubleshooting section was created to further facilitate our customers needs and to resolve current problem issues. The following six troubleshooting items are the top, most frequently asked, items concerning the Industrial Hydroheater^®.

For immediate help, please call us or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

1. Problems with hammering, noise and vibration issues.

2. Problems concerning poor temperature control.

3. Problems with reaching the desired discharge temperature.

4. Cannot reach the desired flow rate through Hydroheater.

5. What is the recommended pressure difference between the steam pressure and process fluid inlet pressure?

6. What should a customer tell their pump supplier regarding the Hydroheater?
   
   

 

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Hammering, Noise and Vibration Issues

Is the Hydroheater discharge pressure greater than the steam inlet pressure?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the steam pressure?
2. What is the discharge pressure?

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater discharge pressure is greater than 0.5 steam pressure.

Solution

Close Hydroheater Combining Tube until discharge pressure is less than 0.5 steam pressure.

 

Is the process fluid inlet pressure fluctuating?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the process fluid inlet pressure?

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater's liquid inlet pressure is fluctuating, it could indicate a blocked supply line or damaged supply pump.

Solution

1. Inspect any check valves on process fluid line as well as the process fluid supply pump.
2. Thoroughly flush supply line with water.

 

Where is the Hydroheater's discharge temperature probe located?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the physical distance of the temperature probe in relation to the discharge of the Hydroheater?

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater's discharge temperature probe is located too far down stream (more than 40 Pipe diameters from the Hydroheater discharge).

Solution

Move the temperature probe to within 20-40 pipe diameters of the discharge of the hydroheater. Doing so will increase the response time of the Hydroheater, allowing it to quickly adjust the discharge temperature.

 

Is there a change in pipe size within 10 pipe diameters of the Hydroheater 's discharge?

Check Operating conditions:

1. Examine the Hydroheater's discharge piping, noting physical pipe changes in the line.

An unacceptable operating condition exists if there are any pipe diameter changes, bends, or elbows within 10 pipe diameters of the Hydroheater's discharge.

Solution

Eliminate any pipe diameter changes, bends, or elbows that are within 10 pipe diameters of the discharge, moving them further down stream of the Hydroheater's discharge.

 

Is the temperature controller tuned properly?

Check Operating conditions:

1. Examine the Hydroheater's temperature controller, noting it's current tuned parameters.

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater's temperature controller is out of adjustment. Such a misalignment in the controllers parameters can result in a slow response to changes in Hydroheater discharge temperature.

Solution

1. Check, to be sure that the hydroheater's temperature probe is within 20-40 pipe diameters of the discharge of the Heater.
2. Either auto-tune the temperature controller or manually adjust the controller's tuning parameters.

 

Is the unit hammering only when the process inlet fluid is not flowing?

Check Operating conditions:

1. Examine the Hydroheater's steam inlet piping for some type of steam isolation valve.

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater's inlet steam supply continues to flow while the inlet fluid flow has stopped. Such a condition could cause the unit to hammer.

Solution

Isolate the steam supply side of the Hydroheater with an isolation steam valve when the process fluid flow is stopped. The Hydroheater is not a shut-off valve.

 

At what percent open is the Hydroheater Stem Plug operating?

Check Operating conditions:

1. Examine the Hydroheater's stem plug indicator, located on the unit's actuator, noting its position while in normal operation.

If the valve position is 10% or less of it's total travel, the control system may have trouble maintaining accurate temperature because of calibration / hysterisis issues.

Solution

Recalibrate control components in loop. (I/P, positioner, controller, Actuator) In addition, The Hydroheaters internal nozzle and stem plug trim may need to be resized to allow the heater to operate at a more open stem plug position.

 

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Poor Temperature Control

 

What is the Hydroheater's inlet steam pressure? Is it fluctuating?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the steam pressure? Is pressure constant?

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the steam supply to the Hydroheater if fluctuating. Such a condition can cause Poor temperature control.

Solution

If steam pressure is indeed fluctuating, install a steam flow regulator to stabilize steam inlet pressure.

 

What is the process fluid flow rate?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the process fluid flow rate? Is the flow rate fluctuating at the Hydroheater discharge?

An unacceptable operating condition exists if there is a pressure rise across the Hrdroheater. If this is condition is present, it can lead to poor temperature control.

Solution

1. Close the Hydroheater's Combining Tube until there is a pressure drop across the heater.
2. Determine other causes for fluctuations in flow and fix them (i.e., pump problems, obstructions in pipe…)

 

Where is the Hydroheater's discharge temperature probe located?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the physical distance of the temperature probe in relation to the discharge of the Hydroheater?

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater's discharge temperature probe is located too far down stream (more than 40 Pipe diameters from the Hydroheater discharge).

Solution

Move the temperature probe to within 20-40 pipe diameters of the discharge of the hydroheater. Doing so will increase the response time of the Hydroheater, allowing it to quickly adjust the discharge temperature.

 

Is the temperature controller tuned properly?

Check Operating conditions:

1. Examine the Hydroheater's temperature controller, noting it's current tuned parameters.

An unacceptable operating condition exists if the Hydroheater's temperature controller is out of adjustment. Such a misalignment in the controllers parameters can result in a slow response to changes in Hydroheater discharge temperature.

Solution

1. Check, to be sure that the hydroheater's temperature probe is within 20-40 pipe diameters of the discharge of the Heater.
2. Either auto-tune the temperature controller or manually adjust the controller's tuning parameters.

 

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Cannot Reach Desired Discharge Temperature

What is the process steam pressure?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the steam pressure?

An unacceptable operating condition will exist if the steam pressure is not equal to or at least close to the steam pressure specified during the ordering process? Such a condition will prevent the Hydroheater from reaching desired discharge temperature.

Solution

If the above condition is you current situation, the steam nozzle may need to be resized by Hydro-Thermal Corporation to accommodate new steam pressure.

 

What is the process flow rate?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What is the process flow rate?

An unacceptable operating condition will exist if the the process fluid flow rate is not equal to or at least close to the process fluid flow rate specified during the ordering process? Such a condition will prevent the Hydroheater from reaching desired discharge temperature.

Solution

If the above condition is your current situation, the steam nozzle and combining tube may need to be resized by Hydro-Thermal Corporation to accommodate new steam pressure.

 

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Cannot reach the desired flow rate through Hydroheater

What position is the combining tube in?

Check Operating conditions:

1. What position is the Hydroheater's combining tube in?

An unacceptable operating condition, relating to the Hydroheaters flow rate, can exist due to the incorrect positioning of the Hydroheater's combining tube. This condition is created if the combining tube is positioned to close to the fully closed position.

Solution

Open the Hydroheater's combining tube until the desired flow rate is achieved.

 

Other possibilities that will affect the Hydroheater's flow rate

Check Operating conditions:

1. Inspect piping components surrounding the Hydroheater on process inlet and discharge lines.

An unacceptable operating condition can exist due to the failure of components directly related to the Hydroheater heating process. These failures can and will affect the Hydroheater's flow rate.

Solution

Inspect the following:

Is the pump operating properly?
Are all valves on the supply line open?
Are all valves on the discharge line open?
Are there any obstructions in the supply line?

 

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What is the recommended pressure difference between the steam pressure and process fluid inlet pressure?

The process fluid inlet pressure has little to do with the operation of the Hydroheater when compared with the steam pressure. The process fluid takes a pressure drop across the combining tube before it sees the steam pressure. The resulting pressure after that drop is the backpressure, which is the important pressure to compare the steam pressure to.

 

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What should a customer tell their pump supplier regarding the Hydroheater?

Tell the customer that they should size their pump for the pressure drop specified in the heater sizing sheet (Generally 5-15 psi). However, the customer has control of the combining tube position and can adjust the pressure drop through the heater if a larger drop is desirable for process performance.