Foam metal is used inside steam drums as an integrated steam-water separation, flow equalization, flow stabilization and defoaming demisting module, replacing traditional stainless steel wire mesh, baffles and corrugated plates. All cases are categorized into mature overseas original equipment manufacturer (OEM) projects and domestic industrialized mass-production projects with stable commercial operation.

Mature OEM Steam Drum & Vessel Cases from Overseas

Case 1: Steam-Water Separation Retrofit for Waste Heat Boiler Drums of Natural Gas Power Plants (North American Gas Power Station)

Case 2: Multiple-Effect Evaporation & Concentration Steam Drum for Fine Chemical Park (USA)

① Operating conditions: Evaporation drum for salt-containing organic wastewater. A large volume of foam generated by boiler water causes excessive salt content in condensed water due to foam entrainment.

② Solution: Nickel-based alloy foam metal defoaming baffles installed in the upper steam zone of the drum.

③ Operational data: Foam entrainment reduced by 95%, eliminating continuous high-temperature defoamer dosing and cutting annual chemical costs by USD 180,000.

④ Compatibility principle: Interconnected metal foam ligaments cut and capture floating foam in the drum, fundamentally restraining liquid film carryover.

Case 3: Relief Buffer Steam Drum for Secondary Loops of Nuclear Power Plants (USA)

① Application scenario: Relief water buffer drums for nuclear reactors, subject to severe vibration from high-pressure steam-water impact. Traditional perforated plates deliver poor noise reduction and pressure stabilization.

② Component: Foam metal flow equalization buffer module fitted at the drum inlet section.

③ Value delivered: Steam-water impact vibration reduced by 70%, stabilizing internal pressure fluctuation and protecting level transmitters, safety valves and other instruments. It is a standard mature matching component for nuclear power facilities.

Domestic Industrialized Commercial Cases

Case 1: High-Pressure Byproduct Steam Drum for Coal Gasification Plant in Inner Mongolia (Large-Scale Coal Chemical Facility)

① Equipment: Waste heat recovery drum operating at 9.8 MPa and 330 °C.

② Installation position: Composite foam metal steam-water separation core at the primary separation outlet of the drum.

③ Project status: Commissioned in 2024 with continuous operation exceeding 8,000 hours.

④ Pain points resolved: Gasification ash water contains abundant impurities that easily clog conventional wire mesh. The interconnected large pores of foam metal resist fouling clogging, maintaining stable steam-water separation efficiency above 93%.

Case 2: Central Heating Steam Drums for Gas-Fired Boilers in Chemical Fiber Textile Park (Jiangsu & Zhejiang, Civil Heating)

Case 3: LNG Cold Energy Recovery Buffer Steam Drum (Coastal Energy Enterprise)

① Operating conditions: Low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase flow drum with volatile gas-liquid flow rates and tiny mist droplets.

② Solution: Graded-pore foam metal separation modules replacing fiber felts.

③ Test data: Capture efficiency for 5 μm ultra-fine water mist reaches 92%, outperforming conventional wire mesh (65% separation efficiency), with no fiber shedding to contaminate downstream equipment.

Case 4: Mini Built-In Steam Drums for Small Gas Steam Generators (Mass-Produced Commercial Equipment)

Standardized foam metal flow equalization & defoaming plates are fitted inside compact pressure-bearing drums of inspection-exempt once-through steam equipment for hotels and food sterilization. Three domestic equipment manufacturers have adopted mass assembly since 2023, with an installed base of over 10,000 units.Key advantage: Compact and lightweight, solving common drawbacks of small drums including limited internal space, insufficient mist removal and high water content in outlet steam.

Standard Structural Design Schemes for Foam Metal Steam Drums (General Engineering Design)

① Upper flow stabilization layer: 10–20 PPI nickel-based foam metal, breaks high-speed eddies of steam-water mixtures entering the drum and balances flow velocity across the full cross-section.

② Middle defoaming layer: 30–40 PPI high-density foam metal. Capillary structures tear floating foam and adsorb liquid films inside the drum.

③ Lower water collection layer: Large-pore foam metal, collects separated liquid water and drains it back to the water side of the drum.

④ Material selection guidelines:

● Atmospheric / low-pressure hot water boilers: Nickel-based foam metal

● Medium & high-pressure chemical and power station drums: Nickel-based foam metal

● Boiler water with high sulfur and salt corrosion: NiCrAl alloy foam metal

Core Commercial Benefits vs. Traditional Wire Mesh (Key Acceptance Metrics for Clients)

① Steam dryness increased by 0.8%–2%, protecting superheaters, steam turbines and heat exchange equipment;

② Broader load adaptability for drums, eliminating foam entrainment under 50% low-load operation;

③ Superior resistance to oil and salt scale clogging, extending maintenance cycles by 2–4 times;

④ Overall pressure drop reduced by 30%, cutting energy consumption of induced draft fans and blowers;

⑤ All-metal skeleton with no organic foam substrates, no volatile gas emissions under high temperature to contaminate steam quality.