Abstract: An apparatus for condensing steam emissions from industrial process sites such as pretreatment plants for painting of car bodies. This includes the formation of water spray curtains extending across the entrance and exit sections of a pretreatment plant to absorb and condense the steam emissions. The collected spray water is circulated through a heat recovery system such that the heat energy of the absorbed steam is transferred out of the water and into heat utilizing processes such as in the heating of the solutions utilized in the spray treatment plant itself.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for condensing steam emissions from industrial process sites such as in pretreatment plants for painting of car bodies. This includes the formation of a water spray curtain extending across the entrance and exit sections of a pretreatment plant to absorb and condense the steam emissions. The collected spray water is circulated through a heat recovery system such that the heat energy of the absorbed steam is transferred out of the water and heat utilizing processes such as in the heating of the solutions utilized the spray treatment plant itself. The pretreatment plants also include an overhead slot through which conveyor carriers pass, and a condenser surface arrangement is employed to eliminate the escape of steam through this slot, including cooled surfaces converging above and adjacent to the slot. The surfaces are cooled by internal circulation of a cooling liquid. The water generated by the steam condensing on the surfaces is diverted by an overhead panel.