What causes water hammer in steam distribution coils?

If you’ve heard a loud bang or hammering sounds from your steam distributing coils, it could be water hammer. Water hammer is the result of condensate being trapped somewhere in the coil. Given how dangerous water hammer can be in certain situations, I wanted to provide an overview.

There are several reasons water hammer occurs in steam distributing coils.

• Water hammer in steam distribution coils usually occurs during startup. If the steam line is energized too quickly, the condensate created during the startup may build up instead of draining. One option is to close the value and cut off the flow of steam. Another option is to operate the valve slowly, reducing the flow of steam to weaken the impact that occurs within the pipe.

• Water hammer can also occur if steam traps are not working effectively. When steam traps are correctly installed and working properly, condensate buildup can be avoided because the condensate is removed quickly from the steam distributing lines.

• Incorrect slope can cause water hammer. If piping is not sloped correctly, condensate can’t flow into traps, which leads to condensate buildup in unexpected locations. If the steam pipes slopes upward, water hammer can occur. Steam distributing pipes that slope downward will not have water hammer.

• If branch piping is used and not properly planned, water hammer may be the result of condensate accumulating where a branch line ends.

If you need replacement steam distributing coils, Emergent Coils can meet your exact specifications, often at a fraction of the cost of OEM coils. Our coils come with a variety of tube, fin and material options.

We have a sizing video on our website along with blank drawings you can use to record the measurements of your steam distributing coils. Our coil specialists are available at 1-855-Coil-Now or sales@emergentcoils.com to answer your questions or take your order.