STEAM TRAPS 1

By
M.M.Sorour
What is a steam trap?

Steam traps are automatic valves that

release condensed steam (condensate)
from a steam space while preventing the
loss of live steam.

They also remove air and non-condensable

from the steam space.
 Why recover condensate?

Efficient utilization of energy.

Economy of use of steam.

 Why
Why recover
recover condensate?
condensate?

Heat
Heat content
content Treated
Treated water
water

chemicals
chemicals
Less
Lessfuel
fuel oxygen
oxygenremoved
removed
combustion
combustion scale/corrosion
scale/corrosioninhibitords
inhibitords
and
andemissions
emissions
 Steam Circuit
with a multiple set of steam traps
 Componentse a steam trap?

A trap consists of:

A vessel in which the condensate accumulates,

An orifice through which the condensate is
discharged,

A valve to close the orifice port,

Mechanisms to operate the valve,

Inlet and outlet openings for the entrance and
discharge of the condensate from the trap vessel
Steam Traps
 Steam Traps

Unfortunately, when it comes to steam traps,

people often ignore them. This is costing steam
users much more than they realize.

The hard reality of a plant maintaining its boiler
and forgetting about the rest of the steam system
can be a horribly wasteful proposition.

Losses can include not only wasted energy but
replacement of damaged equipment and misuse of
man-hours. It is not uncommon to discover system
losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
 Steam Traps

Fortunately, much of these potential losses can be
averted by a cautious steam management system
that includes a program for steam trap surveys.

Corrective actions can add substantially to a

company’s bottom line as "found money." In some
business circles, it has been estimated that $10.00
in-house savings is the equivalent $1,000 in sales.

In other words, if a steam system generated

$10,000 in savings, it would be the same as
achieving $1 million in sales for that company.
 Steam Traps

In order to create savings by producing steam
system efficiencies, it is important to
understand the basics of a steam system.

Steam loss can occur in both the supply and

return side.

Such elements as pipe layout, slope angles,

sizing and trap type all contribute to the
effective use of steam.
 Steam Traps

The principal design consideration is to

balance the condensing rate and the
import rate of the control device on the
input side with the exiting condensate.
 Types of Steam Traps

There are many types of steam traps

because there are many different types
applications.

Each type of trap has a range of

applications for which it is best suited.
Types of Steam Traps

MECHANICAL

THERMOSTATIC

THERMODYNAMIC
 Dependent operating property

Mechanical
MechanicalTraps
Traps Thermostatic
ThermostaticTraps
Traps Thermodynamic
ThermodynamicTraps
Traps

Density temperature Kinetic Energy

 Thermostatic Traps

Thermostatic traps use temperature difference

to distinguish between condensate and live
steam.

This difference is used to open or close a valve.

Under normal operating conditions, the
condensate must cool below the steam
temperature before the valve will open.
 Thermostatic Traps
General Characteristics

They can never discharge condensate

immediately as they are formed.

They are very small and light.

They remove the air efficiently.

They can work at any pressure.

They can work in conditions of movement
and vibrations.

They are unsuitable for handling very large
quantities of condensate.
 Balanced Pressure Bimetallic Expansion
Expansion Trap Traps

Thermostatic Traps

Metallic Expansion Traps Liquid Expansion Traps

Balanced
Pressure
Expansion
Traps
• The trap will open whenever it is in contact
with anything that is cooler than condensate
at the pressure at which the plant is working.

• It will therefore pass air whenever the air has

cooled to below steam temperature.

• Balanced pressure traps are very light, small

and cheap.

• They are not suitable for handling large quantities.

Balanced Pressure
Expansion Traps

• The expansion element

consists of one or more
capsules or bellows.
• This element expands and
contracts in response to
temperature changes.
An alcohol mixture with a boiling point lower than that of water is
contained inside the element and provides the necessary force to
change the position of the valve. At start up, the bellows trap is
open. This operating condition allows air to escape and provides
maximum condensate removal when the load is the highest.
Bellows traps can fail either open or closed.
Typical response of a balanced pressure
steam trap Y-Y
 Advantages of the balanced pressure
steam trap:

Small, light and has a large capacity for its

size.

The valve is fully open on start-up, allowing air
and other non-condensable gases to be
discharged freely and giving maximum
condensate removal when the load is greatest.

This type of trap is unlikely to freeze when
working in an exposed position (unless there
is a rise in the condensate pipe after the trap,
which would allow water to run back and flood
the trap when the steam is off).
Advantages of the balanced pressure
steam trap:

The modern balanced pressure trap

automatically adjusts itself to variations of
steam pressure up to its maximum
operating pressure. It will also tolerate up
to 70°C of superheat.

Trap maintenance is simple. The capsule
and valve seat are easily removed, and
replacements can be fitted in a few minutes
without removing the trap from the line.
 Disadvantages of the balanced
pressure steam trap

The older style balanced pressure

steam traps had bellows which were
susceptible to damage by
waterhammer or corrosive
condensate.

Welded stainless steel capsules

introduced more recently, are better
able to tolerate such conditions.
 Disadvantages of the balanced
pressure steam trap

In common with all other thermostatic

traps, the balanced pressure type does not
open until the condensate temperature has
dropped below steam temperature (the
exact temperature difference being
determined by the fluid used to fill the
element).

This is clearly a disadvantage if the steam
trap is chosen for an application in which
waterlogging of the steam space can not be
tolerated, for example; mains drainage,
heat exchangers, critical tracing.
 Simple Bimetallic Trap

Fig. 11.2.10 Operation of a bimetel steam trap with two leaf element
Simple Bimetallic Trap
Double Ported Trap
Thermostatic Trap with Bimetallic
Plates
 Thermostatic
Trap with
Bimetallic Plates
Typical response of a single element bimetal steam trap
Typical response of a two leaf element Z Z
Comparing the operating temperatures of single leaf and multi-
leaf bimetallic traps
Advantages of
Bimetallic Type

Bimetallic traps are usually small in size and yet

can have a large condensate discharge capacity.

The valve is wide open when the trap is cold, giving
a good air venting capability and maximum
condensate discharge capacity under start up
conditions.

Bimetallic traps can be constructed to withstand
water-hammer, corrosive condensate, high steam
pressures and superheated steam.
 Advantages of
Bimetallic Type

The bimetal elements can work over a wide range of

steam pressures without any need for a change in the
size of the valve orifice

If the valve is on the downstream side of the seat it will

act as a check valve and prevent any reverse flow
through the trap.

Maintenance of this type of trap presents few

problems, as the internals can be replaced without the
trap body being removed from the line.
Disadvantages of the
Bimetallic Type

Bimetallic traps do not usually respond quickly to

changes in load or pressure because the bimetal is
relatively slow to react to variations in temperature.

As condensate is discharged below steam temperature,
water-logging of the steam space will occur unless the
trap is fitted to the end of a fairly long cooling leg.

Bimetallic traps are not generally suitable for fitting to
process plant where immediate condensate removal is
vital if maximum output is to be achieved.

If the trap has to discharge against a back pressure,
the condensate must cool down further than normal
before the valve will open. It may be necessary to
adjust the trap to meet this condition.
 Disadvantages of
the Bimetallic Type

Bimetallic steam trap with cooling leg

 Metallic
Expansion
Trap

In this design condensate enters the tube A and flow

out past the valve C.

The tube A is made of copper which expands
considerably more than the iron body B.

When the tube A expands it closes the opening at C by
moving towards C.

The valve C is pressed towards the tube A by spring E.

The two nuts D allow adjustment to be made so that the
valve shuts tight at any desired temperature.
Liquid Expansion Type
 Liquid
Expansion
Type

Thermal expansion traps contain a

thermostatic element that is filled with oil.

As the oil heats up and expands, it causes a
piston to move and thereby close a valve.

During start up, air and condensate are
expelled from the open valve.

When the oil is sufficiently heated by the
steam, the valve closes to keep the steam
from escaping
 Liquid
Expansion
Type

This trap contains an oil-filled cylinder

encasing a sealed bellows with an enclosed
piston driven rod with a valve on one end.

When the temperature of the condensate,
flowing through the trap housing, begins to
rise the oil in the cylinder begins to expand in
response.

As the oil expands it drives the rod assembly
toward a valve seat located in the inlet of the
trap body.
 Liquid
Expansion
Type

As the condensate surrounding the cylinder

cools down the oil contracts allowing the rod
assembly to retract from the valve seat.

Condensate begins to flow until it heats

sufficiently to close the valve again.

The Liquid Expansion Trap also has an

adjustable nut on one end. This allows the set
temperature to be adjusted within the
operating range of the trap.
Response of a liquid expansion steam trap X - X
Installation of a liquid expansion Trap

Because of its fixed temperature discharge

characteristic, the liquid expansion trap may be
used as a “shutdown drain trap” .

Here its outlet must always point upwards to
enable continuous immersion of the oil filled
element.

As the trap can only discharge between 60-100°C
it will only normally open during start up
Installation of a liquid expansion Trap