Water Bath Vaporizers

08-Series:     WB-168 to WB-508
05-Series: WB-455 to WB-10005

Download Datasheet (PDF file)



Water Bath Vaporizer (WB-2505)
with integrated Maintenance House


Water Bath Vaporizer (WB-258)
with Step-In Control Room

  • 08-Series: 168 gph to 505 gph
    (322 kg/h to 975 kg/h)
  • 05-Series: 455 gph to 10000++ gph
    (873 kg/h to 20000++ kg/h)
  • For Propane, Butane, and other LPG
  • Forced Draft Power Burners
  • Low-Fire/High-Fire Modulation
  • Small Footprint, High Efficiency
  • Conforms to ASME, NFPA, PED
  • FM / IRI / CSA / CE approved
  • Heavy-Gauge Steel Construction
  • All-Welded Design
  • PLC Controls with First-Out Monitor
  • Graphic TrendLine recording 96 hours in local memory, over 2 years on standard SD-card (included)
  • “Smart” Liquid Carryover Protection
  • Step-in Control Room WB-168 to WB-1505
  • Extended Control Room WB-1805 and above (Maintenance House)
  • Remote Monitoring and Control via built-in VNC server
    (open-license VNC client software included)
  • Option: Integration with LPG/Air Mixers for Standby Systems and
    Peak Shaving Systems
  • Option: High-Pressure up to 400 psi
  • Option: Multi-Language Operator Interface
  • Option: Control Room with Heater and/or Air Conditioner

General Description

AES manufactures two lines of Water Bath Vaporizers, the 08-Series for capacities from 168 gph to 508 gph (322 kg/h to 975 kg/h), and the 05-Series for capacities from 455 gph to 10005 gph (873 kg/h to 20 metric tons per hour).

All AES water bath vaporizers are of “horizontal” design. Top and sides are insulated to hold the temperature of the water bath. The vaporizing tube bundle and all LPG piping conform to the standards of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the latest edition of NFPA Pamphlet #58. The design is approved by Factory Mutual (FM) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and is accepted for Industrial Risk Insurers (IRI) installations. The vaporizers are also available with European CE Approval (third-party inspection by TÜV Rheinland and TÜV Süd).

A mixture of water and antifreeze is the heat transfer medium. A pump constantly circulates the solution to reduce heat stratification. The vaporizers are skid mounted, factory tested, primed, painted and ready for installation. They are ready for connection to properly sized electrical supply, liquid propane inlet and vapor outlet.

The vaporizers come with 2 sets of Operating Manuals and Test Reports, are designed for outdoor installation, and require only nominal preventive maintenance.

The model number (WB-xxxx) designates the vaporization capacity in gallons per hour Propane vaporization at 0°F (-18°C) inlet temperature.

All WB vaporizers are manufactured with a protective enclosure for the burner and the control components. Models WB-1805 and above are equipped with an extended control room (maintenance house), which is available as  an  option for the smaller models  WB-455 to WB-1505.

Model numbers ending in “8” utilize a European-style compact power burner; model numbers ending in “5” utilize Maxon TOT burners (or similar types). Both series are equipped with Agency-approved Safety Relays and electronic flame safe guard. This combination elevates the safety of the vaporizers to “Performance Level 4” (formerly known as SIL 3).

Both series of vaporizers are equipped with “Smart” Liquid Carryover Protection function by a Rosemount pressure transmitter and a Rosemount temperature transmitter in the vapor outlet.


08-SERIES:  MODEL WB-168 THRU WB-508

These models are manufactured with a European-style, high-efficiency compact power burner. All vaporizer functions are constantly monitored by a Programmable Logic Controller with Ethernet interface (PLC; Siemens S7-1200 or Allen-Bradley MicroLogix-1100), which communicates with a graphic display operator interface (color LCD display with touch screen). The operator interface is used to monitor and display the system status; any failure message will be displayed in plain English; first-outage-monitor (Alarm History) and graphic trend recording are standard. The PLC is installed together with the Honeywell Satronic flame control module in the control panel, which is mounted in the vaporizer control room. The full-size step-in control room is equipped with country-specific receptacles and light fixture.

The vaporizers are equipped with a “smart” liquid carryover protection. Vapor pressure and temperature are constantly monitored by a dedicated Rosemount pressure transmitter and a temperature transmitter. Their signals are processed in the PLC and are compared against the vapor pressure/ temperature saturation curve of the LPG that is being vaporized. The properties of the LPG (Propane/Butane percentage), and the “safety margin” (how close the pressure/temperature are allowed to come to the saturation curve) can be entered through the operator interface. If the safety margin is “breached”, the liquid inlet solenoid valve is closed after an adjustable alarm delay period has elapsed.

A Dräger GasLeak Monitor with long-life infrared sensor (expected life 10+ years) monitors combustible gas levels in the control room. The vaporizer will be shut down if the concentration reaches 40% LEL.

Three Agency-approved Safety Relays elevate the safety rating of the 08-series vaporizers to “Performance Level 4” (SIL 3).

05-SERIES:  MODEL WB-455 THRU WB-5505

These models are manufactured with high-efficiency Maxon TOT (or similar) power burners. An electronic thermostat (Rosemount temperature transmitter) provides low-fire/high-fire burner modulation. All vaporizer functions are constantly monitored by a Programmable Logic Controller with Ethernet interface (PLC; Siemens S7-1200 or Allen-Bradley MicroLogix-1100), which communicates with a graphic display operator interface (color LCD display with touch screen). The operator interface is used to monitor and display the system status; any failure message will be displayed in plain English; first-outage-monitor (Alarm History) and graphic trend recording are standard. The PLC is installed together with the Honeywell flame control module in the control panel, which is mounted in the control room. The full-size step-in vaporizer control room can be extended to form a maintenance house, providing additional weather protection for operating and maintenance personnel (extended control rooms are standard on models WB-1805 and above). All control rooms are equipped with country-specific receptacles and light fixture.

The vaporizers are equipped with a “smart” liquid carryover protection. Vapor pressure and temperature are constantly monitored by a dedicated Rosemount pressure transmitter and a temperature transmitter. Their signals are processed in the PLC and are compared against the vapor pressure/ temperature saturation curve of the LPG that is being vaporized. The properties of the LPG (Propane/Butane percentage), and the “safety margin” (how close the pressure/temperature are allowed to come to the saturation curve) can be entered through the operator interface. If the safety margin is “breached”, the liquid inlet solenoid valve is closed after an adjustable alarm delay period has elapsed.

A Dräger GasLeak Monitor with long-life infrared sensor (expected life 10+ years) monitors combustible gas levels in the control room. The vaporizer will be shut down if the concentration reaches 40% LEL.

Three Agency-approved Safety Relays elevate the safety rating of the 05-series vaporizers to “Performance Level 4” (SIL 3).

05-SERIES:  MODEL WB-7005 thru WB-1xxx5

These models are usually configured for specific customer applications, for example for use by utility companies in PeakShaving systems. Since PeakShaving systems often operate at elevated pressures, the heat exchangers of these vaporizers are enlarged to increase the dwell time of the LPG in the vaporizer, thereby increasing the amount of superheat that is transferred to the LP vapor.

Other modifications can include high-capacity water circulating pumps (to further reduce heat stratification in the water bath); NatGas fired burners (instead of LP fired burners); non-standard PLC configurations (i.e. for integration of the vaporizer controls into an existing SCADA system); etc.

08-SERIES  and   05-SERIES:  HEAT TRANSFER SOLUTION

Water Bath Vaporizers use – as the name implies – water as the heat transfer medium. However, since the heat exchanger components and the bath box of the WB series are manufactured from carbon steel, it is recommended that the heat transfer solution be a mixture of water and an industrial coolant/heat transfer fluid with inhibitors to provide rust/corrosion protection