Energy Tips – Steam

Steam Tip Sheet #15 • January 2006 Industrial Technologies Program

Suggested Actions Benchmark the Fuel Cost of Steam Generation

• Determine your annual fuel
costs based on utility bills. Benchmarking the fuel cost of steam generation, in dollars per 1,000 pounds
• Install a steam flowmeter in ($/1,000 lb) of steam, is an effective way to assess the efficiency of your steam
your facility and calculate your system. This cost is dependent upon fuel type, unit fuel cost, boiler efficiency,
steam generation cost. Compare feedwater temperature, and steam pressure. This calculation provides a good first
this with the benchmark value. approximation for the cost of generating steam and serves as a tracking device to
• Using a systems approach, do a allow for boiler performance monitoring. Table 1 shows the heat input required to
thermoeconomic analysis to produce 1 lb of saturated steam at different operating pressures and varying
determine the effective cost of feedwater temperatures. Table 2 lists the typical energy content and boiler
steam. (See page 2: Effective combustion efficiency for several common fuels.
Cost of Steam.)
Table 1. Energy Required to Produce One Pound of Saturated Steam, Btu*
Operating Feedwater Temperature, °F
Pressure, 50 100 150 200 250
psig
150 1,178 1,128 1,078 1,028 977
450 1,187 1,137 1,087 1,037 986
600 1,184 1,134 1,084 1,034 984
* Calculated from steam tables based on the difference between the enthalpies of saturated steam and
feedwater.

Table 2. Energy Content and Combustion Efficiency of Fuels

Fuel Type, sales unit Energy Content, Combustion
Btu/sales unit Efficiency, %
Natural Gas, MMBtu 1,000,000 85.7
Natural Gas, thousand cubic feet 1,030,000 85.7
Distillate/No. 2 Oil, gallon 138,700 88.7
Resources Residual/No. 6 Oil, gallon 149,700 89.6
U.S. Department of Energy— Coal, ton 27,000,000 90.3
DOE’s software, the Steam Note: Combustion efficiency is based on boilers equipped with feedwater economizers or air preheaters and
System Assessment Tool and 3% oxygen in flue gas.
Steam System Scoping Tool, can
help you evaluate and identify Data from the tables above can be used to determine the cost of usable heat from a
steam system improvements. In boiler or other combustion unit. The calculations can also include the operating costs
addition, refer to Improving of accessories such as feedwater pumps, fans, fuel heaters, steam for fuel atomizers
Steam System Performance: A and soot blowing, treatment chemicals, and environmental and maintenance costs.
Sourcebook for Industry for
more information on steam
system efficiency opportunities. Example
A boiler fired with natural gas costing $8.00/MMBtu produces 450-pounds-per-
square-inch-gauge (psig) saturated steam and is supplied with 230°F feedwater.
Visit the BestPractices Web site Using values from the tables, calculate the fuel cost of producing steam.
at www.eere.energy.gov/industry/
bestpractices to access these and Steam Cost = ($8.00/MMBtu/106 Btu/MMBtu) x 1,000 lb x 1,006 (Btu/lb)/0.857
many other industrial efficiency = $9.39/1,000 lb
resources and information on
training.
Effective Cost of Steam BestPractices is part of the Industrial
Technologies Program Industries of the
The effective cost of steam depends on the path it follows from the boiler to the point Future strategy, which helps the country’s
of use. Take a systems approach and consider the entire boiler island, including effect most energy-intensive industries improve
their competitiveness. BestPractices brings
of blowdown, parasitic steam consumption, and deaeration. Further complications together emerging technologies and best
arise because of the effects of process steam loads at different pressures, multiple energy-management practices to help
boilers, and waste heat recovery systems. To determine the effective cost of steam, companies begin improving energy efficiency,
environmental performance, and productivity
use a combined heat and power simulation model that includes all the significant right now.
effects.
BestPractices emphasizes plant systems,
where significant efficiency improvements
Multi-Fuel Capability and savings can be achieved. Industry gains
easy access to near-term and long-term
For multi-fuel capability boilers, take advantage of the volatility in fuel prices by solutions for improving the performance of
periodically analyzing the steam generation cost, and use the fuel that provides the motor, steam, compressed air, and process
heating systems. In addition, the Industrial
lowest steam generation cost. Assessment Centers provide comprehensive
industrial energy evaluations to small- and
medium-size manufacturers.
Higher Versus Lower Heating Values
Fuel is sold based on its gross or higher heating value (HHV). If, at the end of the
combustion process, water remains in the form of vapor, the HHV must be reduced FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
by the latent heat of vaporization of water. This reduced value is known as the lower PLEASE CONTACT:
heating value (LHV).
EERE Information Center
1-877-EERE-INF
(1-877-337-3463)
www.eere.energy.gov

Industrial Technologies Program

Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
Washington, DC 20585-0121
www.eere.energy.gov/industry

A S TRONG E NERGY P ORTFOLIO

FOR A S TRONG A MERICA

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable

energy will mean a stronger economy, a
cleaner environment, and greater energy
independence for America. Working
with a wide array of state, community,
industry, and university partners, the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in
a diverse portfolio of energy technologies.

DOE/GO-102006-2260
January 2006
Steam Tip Sheet #15
Revised from DOE/GO-102000-1115 • December 2000