Vacuum systems troubleshooting

I have written a separate book pertaining to a wide variety of vacuum system problems Troubleshooting Vacuum Systems (Wiley, 2012). And my chapter on steam surface condensers also deals with pertinent vacuum system malfunctions. 

Summary A small (10°F to 20°F) temperature rise across the converging section of a steam jet is a definite indication of the loss on the sonic boost and of a low ejector compression ratio. The overall temperature rise across the ejector s diffuser section should be 150°F to 200°F. 1 have written an entire book on this complex subject. Troubleshooting Vacuum Systems (Wiley, 2012). 

I have written an entire book on the subject of vacuum system malfunctions Norman P. Lieberman, Troubleshooting Vacuum Systems (Wiley, 2012), ISBN 978-1-118-29034-7, www.wiley.com. 

J. E. Troyan s series of articles on plant startup has a cause/effect table on instrumentation in Part II. This article also has troubleshooting hints for distillation, vacuum systems, heat transfer, and filtration. Here is the table on instrumentation. 

The key tool in troubleshooting flash-zone pressure problems is a vacuum-tower pressure survey. The time to initiate this survey is just after start-up when the trays, demister, and ejector system are clean and in good condition. Pressures are best measured with a portable mercury-filled vacuum manometer. Using a vacuum pressure gauge will reduce the accuracy of observed pressure drops. Relying on permanently installed gauges for pressure drop data will not give reliable results. 

I did not understand thermodynamics at university. It seemed to be an exotic subject with no relevance to my future as a refinery process engineer. It wasn t until I had spent many years working with steam turbines, surface condensers, steam distribution systems, and most especially vacuum ejectors that I realized that without a firm understanding of thermodynamics, I could not operate or troubleshoot such facilities with any degree of confidence. 

---