How
Does a Steam Generator Work?
How is steam for a sauna
generated and what is required for the efficient, and safe, production
of steam?
Are
you looking for the
information on the following?
It
should be pretty obvious that without steam there would be no steam
bath.
Smart, huh?
Pop Quiz: In a sauna, where does the steam come
from?
How is it generated and what is required for efficient production of
steam?
This article will take a look at steam generators and everything that
is needed to make steam.
Steam generators for residential use are usually electrical units that
can be installed almost anywhere. Suprisingly, they do not
have to be close to the steam bath - they can actually be situated up
to 40 feet away? Their basic requirements are an electrical
connection and a water supply. Some steam generators will
also require a drain.
Steam
Generator Components
The steam generator unit consists of a tank
for holding water, a connection
for incoming water, and an outlet
for the steam. There is an electrical element at the bottom
of the water tank for heating the water, and the size and the
electrical rating of this element is an important factor in determining
how much steam the unit can produce.
The water tank will need to be airtight in order to allow steam
pressure to build up.
Caution,
steam pressure can be a formidable force - after all, it can be used to
power locomotives! In order to withstand the pressure of the
steam buildup, the water tank needs to be very strong. As a
result of this fact, they are usually made of welded steel.
As a particular safety precaution, the water tank also needs to have a
pressure release valve in case the steam pressure becomes too
high. The safety valve is an absolute necessity.
Exploding tanks can cause a great deal of damage and even death.
It does not matter if the incoming water supply is either hot
water or cold water. Feeding hot water into the steam
generator allows the steam to build up more quickly, but most
generators can use a cold water feed and still provide steam in a
reasonable time.
To control the amount of the water in the tank, some sort of water
level probe is connected to a valve which turns the water on or off
automatically. The valve is powered by electricity and uses a
solenoid to control water flow.
Before the water passes through the solenoid valve, it first passes
through a master shutoff valve. This is a simple mechanical
valve and can be used to cut off the water supply to the steam
generator when it needs to be serviced.
As the steam builds up pressure, it passes into the outtake pipe which
is connected to the steam bath. The steam then passes through
the steam heads which are controlled by either an on/off switch or a
timer. The on/off switch causes the steam head to protrude
from the wall of the steam bath, allowing steam to come out.
Optional timers can also be used to limit the amount of time that steam
is generated and to turn off the steam generator automatically.
Despite the apparent simplicity of a steam generator, it is still
important that it be installed professionally. If
steam pressure builds up unexpectedly and cannot be released through a
properly connected release valve, a very dangerous situation can
result. Usually, though, a licensed plumber can do the work
for you properly and guarantee a safe steam bath.
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