Recommended Velocities in Steam Systems

The steam velocity in a steam distribution system should be within certain limits to avoid excessive wear and tear

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The steam velocities or speeds below are commonly recommended as acceptable for steam distribution systems:

Steam System Velocity
(m/s) (ft/s)
Saturated Steam - high pressure 25 - 40 82 - 131
Saturated Steam - medium and low pressure 30-40 99 - 131
Saturated Steam at peak load < 50 < 164
Steam and Water mix < 25 < 82
Superheated Steam 35 - 100 100 - 300
  • Saturated steam - low pressure - is common for heating services and secondary process pipes.
  • Saturated steam - high pressure - is common in powerhouse, boiler and main process lines.
  • Superheated steam is common in power generation and turbine plants.

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Related Topics

  • Pipe Sizing - Sizing steam and condensate pipes - pressure loss, recommended velocity, capacity and more

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  • Sizing Steam Pipes (lb/h) - Steam is a compressible gas where the capacity of the pipe line depends on the size of the pipes and the steam pressure. This table can be used for fast sizing of steam pipes dimensions
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