164. Can Condensate Control In A Reboiler Cause Water Hammer Problems?
This topic was recently discussed in our online forum. The short answer to this specific question is..."not very often". It is very common to control reboilers on distillation columns via this method. This is not to say that this control method is the best for any heat exchanger using steam for heating. For example, if there is an appreciable degree of subcooling of the condensate, the incoming steam can experience "collapse" (or thermal water hammer) when it is exposed to the cool condensate.
