STEAM TRAPS

Facility Energy
Management
Solutions (FEMS)
SERVICE SBU
Cooling and Heating
Division
DEFINITION OF STEAM TRAPS

 A self contained control valve, that opens in the presence of

Condensate & closes in the presence of steam

 Steam Traps are equipments that keep steam within their body,
while discharging air, gas and condensate.

 Steam Traps are used on drainage points of the steam lines and
after equipments that uses steam.

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 STEAM TRAP FUNCTIONS

• Vents air from the system for steam to enter

• Holds steam in the system until latent heat is transferred

• Drains condensate from the system after the latent heat is

transferred

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 TYPE OF STEAM
TRAPS

STEAM TRAPS

MECHANIC THERMODYNAMIC THERMOSTATIC

STEAM TRAPS STEAM TRAPS STEAM TRAPS
Float Type  Capsule Type
Inverted Bucket
 Bimetallic

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 FLOAT TRAPS

• They operate according to the difference

between the density of steam and condensate.

TFT-TV-H1 TFT-TV-H TFT-TV-N TFT-TV-FS-SG

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 FLOAT TRAPS

CHARACTERISTICS APPLICATIONS
 Modulates  Heat Exchangers
 Fast air venting  Air Heater Coils
 Self-draining  Tank Coils
 High Condensate Capacity  Dryers
 Drying Cylinders
 Wide Range of Seat
Pressures
 Can Be Damaged by Water
Hammer

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 FLOAT TRAPS

1. Body
2. Cover
3. Float Seat
4. Main Valve
5. Float Lever
6. Float
7. Nut

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 TFT-TV-N

(DN 15 –25/BSP ½”-1”)

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 TFT-TV-H

(DN 40, DN 50/BSP 11/2”,2”)

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 TFT-TV-H1

(DN 25/BSP 1”)

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 TFT-TV-FS-SG

(DN 40,50 / BSP 11/2”, 2”)

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 THERMODYNAMIC
STEAM TRAPS

• They operate according to difference between

the dynamic of steam and condensate.

TTD-YS-32 TTD-YS-42

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 Thermodynamic Trap
CHARACTERISTICS APPLICATIONS
• Self Air Venting • Steam line drain
• Self-draining • Superheated steam tracing
• Discharges at saturation • LP ( less than 1 kg/cm2)
temperature steam heating
• Intermittent discharge
• Low condensate handling
capacity
• Application on superheated
steam
• Low cost
• Low maintenance

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 THERMODYNAMIC STEAM
TRAPS

1. Body
2. Cover
3. Cover Gasket
4. Disc
5. Seat

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 TTD-YS-32

(DN 15-25 / BSP ½”-1”)

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 TTD-YS-42

(BSP ½” –1”)

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 THERMOSTATIC
STEAM TRAPS

• They operate according to the difference between the

temperature of steam and condensate.

TTS-YS TTS-FS-SS TTS-FS-3PC TTS-BR-IL

TTS-BR-AN
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 THERMOSTATIC
TRAPS

CHARACTERISTICS APPLICATIONS
• Fast air venting
 Line Tracing
• Self-draining
• Sub-cools
condensate
• May require a cooling
leg

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 Sectional View of
Thermostatic Trap

1. Body
2. Cover
3. Strainer
4. Thermostatic
Capsule
5. Seat
6. Cover Bolts
7. Non return Valve

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 TTS-YS, TTS-FS-3PC

DN 15-25/ BSP ½”-1” DN 15-50 / BSP ½”-2”

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 TTS-BR-IL,TTS-BR-AN

BSP ½” BSP ½”
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 TTS-FS-SS

BSP 3/8” –1”

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 Thermostatic Capsule Steam
Trap Installation Types

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 BI-METALLIC STEAM
TRAPS
Sub cooling type trap with a bi-metal element which allows the
valve mechanism to open /close.
ADVANTAGE
No live steam loss with normal operation.
DISADVANTAGE
Erratic operation based upon variance in load/pressure.

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 TBM

(DN 15- 50 / BSP ½”-2”)

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 TBM

1. Body
2. Cover
3. Cover Gasket
4. Bi-metallic Plate
5. Strainer
6. Seat
7. Valve
8. Adjustment Screw
9. Cover Bolts

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 STEAM TRAP
SELECTION

– Type of the Equipment(From Selection Table)

– Steam pressure before the steam trap (bar)
– Steam pressure after the steam trap (bar)
– Amount of condensate (kg/h)
• In Heat exchanger and main steam lines 3 times of the
condensate amount,
• In other applications 2 times of the condensate amount

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 APPLICATION- HEATERS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
• The trap used here should be
able to handle a very heavy
load or a very light load
equally well and to remove a
lot of air. The ideal steam
trap is float type TFT-TV-
N/H . Fig 13 shows the steam
trap fitted close to the outlet.

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 APPLICATION – HEATERS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
• If a temperature controlled heat
exchanger is drained by
gravity,recommendation for the steam
trap is same as fig 13. Condensate
after the trap is often required to be
lifted. It is prohibited to arrange a riser
directly from the trap outlet. When the
unit is up to temperature the control
valve will have reduced the pressure in
the steam space too low to be sufficient
to lift condensate.
• The steam space therefore is filled with
the water and water hammer will occur
when the control valve opens. Fig 14
shows the better arrangement for such
case

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 APPLICATIONS- HEATERS
RADIATORS

• Fig 15 shows the radiator

steam trap fitted to a radiator.
The steam trap is of float
type usually TFT-TV-N

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 APPLICATIONS- HEATERS
CONVECTORS
• Since convectors have a
smaller steam space than
radiators, a heat layout is
required so that condensate
is discharged as quickly as
possible. TFT-TV-N steam
trap is best choice in this
case

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 APPLICATIONS-HEATERS
UNIT HEATERS
• These generate greatest
quantity of condensate for
the smallest steam space. If
condensate or air is once
accumulated, the unit heater
will blow cool air because of
uneven temperature. TFT-
TV-N steam trap is best
suitable to be fitted close to
the trap outlet

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 HEATER BATTERIES

• These are just unit

heaters, used for drying
and air conditioning. If
they are arranged in
series in air flow,
successive do
progressively less
work. Unit trapping is
the “must” TFT-TV-N/H
float steam trap is the
better choice which has
facilities initial air
venting.

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 RADIANT PANELS

• The higher the surface

temperature, the
greater the output.
Prompt condensate
removal is essential.
Each panel should be
drained by using
Thermax TFT-TV-N/H
float steam trap

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 Ceiling Pipe Coils

• Long lengths of ceiling

heaters always cause water
hammer trouble, resulting in
slow warming up and in
difficulty in temperature
control. Thermax
Thermostatic trap series
(TTS) is the first choice in
such cases.

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 PEDESTAL BOILING PANS

• Pedestal boiling pans

should be drained by
TFT-TV-N float trap.

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 TILTING BOILING PANS

• Fig 22 shows how to

drain a tilting boiling
pan. TFT-TV-N steam
trap will drain the
condensate and will
shorten the cooking
time.

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 INSTRUMENT STERILISERS

• The layout depends on the

type of sterilizers. If the unit
can be up to temperature as
required rapid heating is
important. TFT-TV-N is
suitable in this application.

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 BREWING COPPERS

• The heater and base coil are

required to give the greatest
possible heat transference. The
trap mush discharge condensate
continuously and must handle
the heaviest starting load and
lightest working load equally
well. TFT-TV-N/H float steam
trap fitted close to the outlet is
most suitable. Good air venting
is essential (Fig 25)

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 EVAPORATORS- BATCH
STILLS
• The condensate load is
higher at start up than when
boiling. So the trap must
operate both on light and
heavy loads and must have
good air venting
performance. Fig 27
explains the job. Float type
steam trap TFT-TV-N/H is
the ideal selection.

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 PIPE DRYERS

• The pipes must have an

adequate flows easy to the
drain point. TFT-TV-N is the
better choice

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 PIPE DRYERS
(DRYING COILS- LONG)

• Fig 29 presents the

right way of steam
trapping for job. A
steam trap may be
necessary at the inlet
header if the pipes are
above the level of the
bottom. Again float
steam trap TFT-TV-N
is better choice

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 MULTI-BANK PIPE DRYERS

• Common examples of multi

bank pipe dryers are the
tentering and carbonizing
machines which are used in
the textile industry. Float
traps TFT-TV-N/H are best
suitable. Individual trapping
is vital for maximum
efficiency of the dryers.

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 CYLINDER DRYERS

• If steam is fed separated to

each cylinder of a machine
( eg paper, milk), each
cylinder must also have its
independent draining
arrangements. Float steam
traps TFT-TV-N/H is suitable
selection

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 MULTI-CYLINDER DRYERS

• Fig 32 shows the right way of

draining and air venting a
condensate header of textile
multi cylinder dryer. Float
steam traps TFT-TV-N/H is
again the best selection

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 IRONERS

• Ironers can be effectively

drained by using float steam
traps.
• If the condensate loads is
very low then thermodynamic
traps also becomes suitable

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 SMALL HOT WATER TANKS

• For small tanks

thermodynamic traps
becomes suitable. For heavy
loads float traps becomes
better choice

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 MULTI PLATEN PRESSES

• Where possible the steam

header should be higher than
the condensate header to
assist condensate drainage.
Again Float steam traps TFT-
TV-N becomes the better
choice for this application

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 TRACER LINES

• Tracer lines provided with

adequate fall should be
drained every 50 meters by
Thermax Thermostatic Trap
series (TTS)

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 JACKETED PIPES
• Where two lengths of jacketed
pipes are connected it is
important to join both top and
bottom as in Fig 40, so that
both steam and condensate
can flow freely. Jacketed
pipes should, where possible
fall in the direction of steam
flow and should be drained at
intervals not more than 50
meters using Thermostatic
Traps (TTS) series

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 DISCHARGING OF
MAIN STEAM LINES

– Diameter of a condensate collection pocket:

• Diameters lower and equal to DN 100 ; will be equal to the
diameter of pipe
• Diameters greater than DN100; will be two diameter
smaller than the diameter of the pipe.
– These pockets should be made every 30-50m
on a main steam line.

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 STEAM TRAP
INSTALLATION TYPES

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 STEAM TRAP
INSTALLATION TYPES

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 STEAM TRAP
INSTALLATION TYPES

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 MAINTENANCE
TROUBLE SHOOTING
 IDENTIFICATION OF
TYPE OF LEAKAGE

• NORMALLY STEAM TRAP TESTING IS CARRIED OUT BY

SOUND METHOD USING AN AUTOMOTIVE TYPE
STETHOSCOPE OR AN ULTRA-SOUND DEVICE
• A STEAM TRAP BLOWING LIVE STEAM WILL MAKE A LOW
PITCH WHISTLE
• A STEAM TRAP DRAINING CONDENSATE WILL HAVE A WET
GURGLING SOUND
• WHEN A TEST VALVE IS PROVIDED YOU CAN OPEN IT AND
OBSERVE THE OPERATION

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 NOMOGRAMS- ESTIMATION
OF STEAM LEAKAGES

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 TRAP PROBLEMS

• WORN OUT PINS AND SEATS FOR FLOAT TRAPS

- AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE THE PINS AND SEATS
WEAR OUT
• BENT LINKAGE
- MAY BE CAUSED BY WATER HAMMER
• LEAKING BALL FLOAT - WATERLOGGING

• LOSS OF FILL IN THERMOSTATIC ELEMENTS

• IMPROPER TRAP SIZING

• SYSTEM CONDITIONS CHANGED

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 TRAP PROBLEMS

• AIR VENTING
STEAM CAN NOT GET IN, IF THE AIR IS TRAPPED. TRAPS
SHOULD BE DRAINED UNDER GRAVITY TO VENTED
RECEIVERS
• WATERLOGGING - EXCESSIVE BACK PRESSURE
• WATERLOGGING / PASSING - WRONG INSTALLATION
• INLET OUTLET EXCHANGED
• STRAINER CHOKED
• ‘’Y’’ TYPE STRAINER INSTALLED IN PLACE OF
THERMODYNAMIC STEAM TRAP ( BOTH ARE LOOK ALIKE )

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 WATER HAMMER

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 STRAINER NOT IN PLACE

Accumulation of mud
& solids

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 LOW QUALITY WATER

Scale has formed on airvent

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