HOW STEAM TRAPS WITHOUT ANY MOVING PARTS HOLD BACK STEAM AND DRAIN CONDENSATE

In any industrial steam system, the boiler generates the steam required to power the plant. This steam contains the required heat energy which is used for the purpose of heating. Once the steam is used for its intended purpose, it loses heat energy and is converted into condensate. Draining this condensate out of the system becomes extremely important because failing to do so can greatly reduce the efficiency of the whole system as it slows down the process of heat transfer. In addition, the condensate buildup can damage the pipes and fittings of the plant due to corrosion or water hammer. What happens is that with the build-up of condensate, a solid slug of incompressible water can be formed that can travel at high velocities. When such a high-speed slug of water comes to an abrupt stop due to a sudden bend in the pipe or fitting, it can cause serious mechanical damage to the system. This is where a steam trap comes into play. It acts as an automatic drain valve for the removal of condensate without letting live steam escape from the system.

A good steam trap should be capable of performing its operation even under varying loads or pressures. It is also important that the steam trap has adequate capacity to vent out air and other non-condensable gases while keeping the live steam within the system. Therefore, the steam trap can be essentially regarded as a fundamental component to the successful operation of a steam system. In fact, the efficiency and productivity of a steam system are greatly dependent upon the efficiency of its constituting steam traps.

Types of Steam Traps

With the passage of time, different kinds of steam traps were developed to cater to different application purposes. As already known, the basic principle behind the working of a steam trap is its ability to distinguish between condensate and live steam. However, each of the different types of steam traps employ different mechanisms to distinguish condensate from live steam. Based on their operating principles, steam traps can be divided into various categories, each with its own pros and cons, but in this article, we are only going to talk specifically about the mechanical steam traps and the venturi-type steam traps.

In mechanical steam traps, there is a float that rises and falls according to the level of the condensate. These traps have mechanical linkage responsible for opening and closing the valve. Most mechanical steam traps have a service life of around 3 to 5 years and they operate on the basis of the condensate levels present in the steam trap’s body. The drawback of mechanical steam traps is that they are often very difficult to maintain and need frequent replacement due to their short service life. It has been estimated that around 10 percent of mechanical steam traps fail each year, which means that having these traps in a steam system can incur huge annual replacement costs for the plant owner.

Mechanical steam traps are more prone to failure due to the presence of mechanical parts in them which causes them to either fail open or closed. When they fail in the open position, the live steam starts leaking from the system which affects the efficiency of the whole steam system and results in energy losses. When they fail in the closed position, it can lead to the condensate backing up and causing water hammer — a condition that if remains undetected can lead to catastrophic failure in the form of explosion in the pipelines. Moreover, due to the large orifice sizes of these traps, the steam losses can be significant upon failure.

Based on the above discussion, it is quite evident that the moving parts in mechanical steam traps are the culprits behind their frequent failure. Therefore, the ideal solution to this problem would be to get rid of the moving parts altogether. This is where venturi-type steam traps come in as they do not contain any moving parts and therefore remove the possibility of such failure. This doesn’t mean that venturi steam traps are completely free from failure, but their frequency of failing is very little, almost negligible.

But the question one may ask is, “how these steam traps without any moving parts in them can hold back steam and drain condensate?”. This is no doubt a very logical question to ask and that’s exactly what we are here to explain.

Venturi-type steam traps operate by constantly removing condensate from the steam system. The principle behind the working of a venturi-type steam trap is the difference in density between steam and water. When there is a low pressure, the condensate’s density is about 1000 times higher than that of steam. In the presence of both the steam and condensate, the trap only allows the much denser condensate to discharge while preventing the passage of steam through its orifice. In other words, no live steam is allowed to leak which in turn prevents any erosion of the orifice due to the live steam. The lack of any moving parts in a venturi steam trap greatly reduces the chances of failure or the need for periodic maintenance, thus making the whole process much more efficient and cost-effective. The venturi steam traps designed at SMART Valves Inc. are even capable of handling varying loads of steam, and then self-regulate the capacity through the nozzle. This means that you can use them for all types of pressure applications.

So, free yourself from the constant hassle of maintaining and replacing conventional mechanical steam traps. Purchase venturi steam traps from SMART Valves Inc. and see the difference in your plant’s performance right from day one. What sets us apart from other manufacturers is our commitment to quality and the best ongoing customer support that we provide to our customers. We also back our claims by offering a 20-year performance warranty so you can always be sure of the reliability of our products. If you are still hesitant to switch to venturi-type steam traps, feel free to avail our 90-day risk-free trial offer. Then what are you waiting for? Take action now and let our steam traps make the difference to your plant’s bottom line.