What is small water particles and impurities carried out of the boiler into the steam lines called?

The term that describes small water particles and impurities that are carried out of the boiler and into the steam lines is known as carryover. This phenomenon occurs when water in the boiler is converted into steam, but due to certain conditions, not all the water is fully vaporized. The result is that tiny droplets or particles of water and any dissolved impurities are entrained in the steam and transported through the steam lines.

Understanding carryover is important because it can lead to operational issues, such as water hammer, equipment damage, and contamination of the steam systems. In steam applications, maintaining steam purity is vital to ensure efficiency and to prevent damage to downstream equipment, such as turbines and heat exchangers.

The other terms have specific meanings that do not accurately describe the process of water and impurities being carried into the steam lines. Blowdown refers to the process of removing a portion of the water from the boiler to control concentration of impurities and facilitate maintenance. Condensate is the water resulting from steam that has cooled and condensed back into liquid form. Drift typically refers to the carryover of very small amounts of water vapor from cooling towers or other systems, but it does not explicitly encompass the larger scale of water and impurities as carryover does.