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Glite Dictionary
🌪️ Wind damage 💧 Pressure release
blowdown

blowdown

7.7
Controlled release of fluid from a boiler or pipe that lowers pressure and removes unwanted material
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : vaciado controlado
  • Solar facilities at which a recirculating system is used also have treatment and disposal issues associated with water discharge, known as blowdown, which is water with a high concentration of dissolved and suspended materials created by the numerous evaporation cycles in the closed system (EPRI 2002).

Examples

  • It verifies safe conditions before allowing the operator to open the vent, drain, top/bottom head, blowdown, overhead to fractionator, or inlet feed valves.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Stretford sulfur cake generally requires washing prior to disposal, and the blowdown solution is minimized by the addition of a crystallizing system.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Consequently, Stretford units must be designed to handle sulfur cake and blowdown solution that contains vanadium.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The engineer explained that the blowdown process is essential for reducing pressure in the pipeline during maintenance.

  • To ensure safety, operators must regularly monitor the blowdown from the boiler to remove impurities effectively.

  • During the routine check, the technician observed that the blowdown system was functioning correctly, releasing excess water as intended.

Synonyms

drawdown
vsblowdown
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A drop in the water level of a well or reservoir after pumping

is a deliberate release from boilers or pipes to lower pressure and purge impurities

Antonyms

to pressurize
  • Specialized
30 5.2

To increase or keep air pressure inside a closed space using a machine

How Much

purge
  • Literature
6 7.1
blowdown
  • Specialized
7.7
drain
44 1.4

Surface Forms

blowdown singular
blowdowns plural

Morphology

blowdown = blow (opaque) = down + blow

Although the word is formally built from 'blow' + 'down', the technical engineering sense of releasing fluid from pressurized equipment is specialized and not directly predictable from the component meanings. [Postprocessing: moved 'down' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Blowdown is made of blow ('to push out with air or pressure') and down ('to lower' or 'remove'). A helpful way to remember the technical meaning is to think of blowing out a candle: a blowdown in a boiler is a controlled release that pushes out water or gas to lower pressure and remove impurities.