Steam Trap Assembly:

A steam trap assembly is an essential element of a steam distribution piping system. As steam flows through a pipe, Steam Trap Assemblies cool off due to heat losses and converts into hot water; this hot water is called condensate.

The function of a steam trap is to release condensate as soon as it is formed and to prevent the discharge of steam so that only steam remains in the system.

In addition to condensate removal, a steam trap also performs air venting function, thereby increasing the thermal efficiency and reliability of the Steam Distribution System.

Thermodyne provide pre-fabricated steam trap assemblies for process piping and help you install the precise size of steam traps according to the process and steam requirement.

Steam Trap Assembly : Principle Working

Steam traps work on various principles depending on its type:

Density operated Steam Traps

When the separation of water or condensate from steam is carried out using the gravity separation principle are termed as the density operated steam traps. In this type, condensate which has a high density gets settled at the bottom and steam being lighter is at the top. This is the most efficient method of separation as this is a mechanical separation method.

Kinetic Energy operated steam traps

These type of valves work on the Bernoulli’s principle. These valves use variation in pressure and velocity of steam for the separation process. Due to high pressure and velocity variation water hammering may also occur which can damage the valve.

Importance of sizing steam traps

It is very important to select the right size of steam traps because if we install the undersize valve than the required, the amount of separation of condensate from steam may decrease which will further affect the steam purity and on the other hand if an oversize steam trap valve is installed in a steam line, steam losses or heat losses may increase significantly thereby affecting the Boiler Efficiency.

Contact our experienced engineers for the right-sizing of the steam traps in a steam pipeline of your process.