Process Heating: Steam Traps

Severely malfunctioning steam traps blowing steam in all directions and a steady stream of condensate straight out of the upper trap. Introduction Steam traps are automatic valves that discharge condensate from a steam line without discharging steam. Steam traps are an essential part of a steam system; without them the steam pipes and heat exchangers would quickly fill with condensate that would prevent the flow of steam and transfer of heat. Steam traps should be placed along distribution piping and after all heat exchangers. The temperature of the liquid condensate discharged from steam traps is determined by the pressure in the condensate collection vessel and return piping. Many condensate return systems operate at atmospheric pressure; hence, the temperature of the condensate is about ! " immediately after being discharged from the steam trap. This high#temperature distilled water contains a significant amount of heat and should be returned to the boiler. "or example, the gas energy savings from returning !,$$$ lb%hr of condensate at $$ " to an &$' efficient boiler, rather than using makeup water at ($ " would be about) !,$$$ lb%hr x ! *tu%lb#" x + $$ " , ($ "- % &$' . !&/,($$ *tu%hr Types of Steam Traps 0n general, there are four types of steam traps) 0nverted bucket.

Process Heating: Steam Traps

"loat 1 thermostatic Thermostatic Thermodynamic

Source) 2rainger 3atalog, $$$# $$! 0nverted *ucket Traps 0n inverted bucket traps, steam is contained within an inverted bucket floating in condensate. 4s the level of condensate rises, it is discharged. 0nverted bucket traps require water within the bucket, called the prime, to operate. This trap is most appropriate for steady loads such as on distribution systems. Condensate is discharged intermittently.

Source) 56esign of "luid Systems7, Spirax Sarco, $$$. "loat and Thermostatic Traps 0n float and thermostatic traps, condensate is discharged when the rising level of condensate lifts a float attached to a level. 4 thermostatically operated vent discharges air from the top of the trap. "loat and thermostatic traps have superior air removal characteristics; however, the internal valves and seats must be matched to steam pressure or the trap can fail in closed position. Condensate is discharged continuously.

Process Heating: Steam Traps

Source) 56esign of "luid Systems7, Spirax Sarco, $$$. Thermostatic traps Thermostatic traps operate on the difference in temperature between steam and condensate. 4s condensate cools, the volume of an enclosed bellows decreases and the discharge valve opens. Thermostatic traps always cause some condensate to remain in the system. Condensate is discharged continuously.

Source) 56esign of "luid Systems7, Spirax Sarco, $$$. Thermodynamic Traps Thermodynamic traps have a disk situated on a central orifice. 4s condensate pressure builds, it lifts the disk, passes through the orifice at the center of the disk and exits through smaller orifices surrounding the disk. "lash steam builds up pressure on top of the disk and closes the orifice. Condensate is discharged intermittently. 4s the trap ages, the cycling rate of the disk snapping open and closed increases.

Process Heating: Steam Traps

Source) 56esign of "luid Systems7, Spirax Sarco, $$$. Testing Steam Traps Steam traps are designed to operate about !$ years, but can fail sooner due to contamination, improper application and other reasons. Steam traps can fail 5open7 or 5closed7. 0f a steam trap fails 5open7, it allows steam to pass through the trap; hence the energy value of the steam is completely wasted. 0f a trap fails 5closed7, condensate will back up into the piping +which reduces steam flow, inhibits valve function and causes pipe erosion- and%or flood the heat exchanger +which reduces or eliminates effective heat transfer-. *ecause of these problems, it is recommended that all traps be tested at least once per year. The most common method of testing steam traps is with an ultrasonic sensor. 8ltrasonic sensors amplify high frequency noise from steam and condensate flow into the audible spectrum. Thus, an analyst can determine whether steam and condensate is being discharged through the trap by listening to the condensate side of a steam trap. 0f the discharge is continuous, it could indicate that the trap has failed open. 0f no discharge can be sensed, it may indicate that the trap has failed closed. Measuring the temperatures on either side of the steam trap can also provide useful information about whether the trap is working or not. 0n general, there are four types of steam traps) thermodynamic, thermostatic, float 1 thermostatic and inverted bucket. "loat 1 thermostatic and inverted bucket traps can be identified by their distinctive shapes. Thermodynamic and thermostatic traps have similar shapes but can sometimes be identified by the nameplate) 5T67 for thermodynamic, 5TS7 for thermostatic, 5"T7 for float 1 thermostatic and 50*7 for inverted bucket. Inverted bucket and thermodynamic traps have a cyclic discharge when functioning properly. A steady discharge on the condensate side of the trap indicates that the trap has failed open. Thermostatic and float + thermostatic traps have a continuous discharge and it is difficult to assess whether these types of traps are functioning properly merely by listening to the discharge. The

Process Heating: Steam Traps

best field method available to test thermostatic and float + thermostatic traps is to measure the temperature on both sides of the trap. Temperature readings on both sides of the trap are also instructive. 9roperly functioning traps are generally warm on both sides, but hotter on the steam side than the condensate side. 4 trap that is equally hot on both sides may have failed open. 4 trap which is cold on both sides may have failed closed and be flooded with water. Estimating Savings From Repairing Steam Traps The rate of steam loss through a leaking trap depends on the si:e of the condensate orifice in the trap. ;rifice si:e is a function of the si:e of the trap and the differential pressure between the steam and condenstate lines that the trap was designed for. ;rifice si:es for Sprirax Sarco inverted#bucket and float1thermostatic traps are listed below. ;rifice si:es for thermostatic and thermodynamic traps are generally not specified; however the effective orifice si:e is similar to the orifice si:e for inverted bucket and float1thermostatic traps.
3ast 0ron "loat and Thermostatic Steam Traps +"T, "T0 and "T*Spriax Sarco 9roduct Manual, $$!, pg <&= d9+psi- % >9T +in.(, ./(, ! !. ( !.( !( $. !&$ $.<! $ $.($$$ $.= ($ <$ $. !&$ $. &$ $.<?$$ $.($$$ /( $.!==$ $.<! $ $.<! $ $.@ !$ ! ( $.! ($ $. @=$ $. @=$ $.< $ $$ $.!$$$ 3ast 0ron 0nverted *ucket Steam Traps +* SeriesSpriax Sarco 9roduct Manual, $$!, pg @<= d9+psi- % >9T +in.(, ./( $./( ! !( $. ($$ $.</($ $.($$$ <$ $.!&/( $.<! ( $.</($ /( $.!(=< $. ($$ $. &!< ! ( $.! ($ $. $<! $. ($$ !&$ $.$?<& $.!(=< $. !&& ($ $.$/$$ $.!@$= $.!&/(

!. ( $.= ($ $.($$$ $.</($ $.<@<& $. &!< $. ($$

!.$= ( $./($$ $.(= ( $.($$$ $.@</( $.</($

The rate of steam loss through an orifice is given by) Steam flow +lb%hr- . @. @ lb%+hr#psia#in - x 9 psia x A6 inchB x 3 where 9 is the pressure of the steam, 6 is the diameter of the orifice and 3 is the fraction of the orifice that is open +6esign of "luid Systems) Cook#ups, Spirax# Sarco, $$$, pg. (/-. Steam Trap Implementation Costs

Process Heating: Steam Traps

Malfunctioning steam traps can frequently be repaired for less than the cost of a replacement trap. Cowever, the costs of new steam traps from the 2rainger 3atalog are shown below.

Source) 2rainger 3atalog, $$<# $$@, pg <!( . Example Savings Calculation 3onsider the following example to quantify savings from replacing a failed $.(# inch inverted bucket trap rated at !&$ psi if actual steam pressure is ! $ psig.

Process Heating: Steam Traps

"rom the table above, the orifice si:e for this trap is !%< #inch. 4ssuming that the orifice is ($' open, the steam loss through the leaking trap is about) @. @ lb%+hr#psia#in - x !<( psia x A<%< inchB x ($' . !@.( lb%hr The latent heat of steam at ! $ psig is about &/ *tu%lb and the saturation temperature is about <($ ". 4ssuming that !$$' of the condensate is returned at $$ ", and that the boiler is &$' efficient, the natural gas savings from fixing the steam trap would be about) !@.( lb%hr x A&/ *tu%lb 1 ! *tu%lb#" x +<($ , $$- "B x =,$$$ hr%yr % &$' . !!! M*tu%yr !!! M*tu%yr x D(.?< % M*tu . D=(& %yr 4ccording to 2rainger 3atalog $$!# $$ , inverted#bucket steam traps for E# inch pipe connections with a max operating pressure of ! ( psig cost about D? each +pg. <,@<&-. 0n addition, we estimate that installation of the new traps would cost about D<$ per trap. 0f so, the cost of replacing the trap would be about D! . The simple payback would be about) D! % D=(& %yr x ! months%yr . months

Condensate Return Systems 5;pen7 condensate return systems use gravity to transport condensate and flash steam from individual traps into vented receivers. The rising level of condensate lifts the float and energi:es an electric pump that returns condensate to the feed tank near the boiler. 0n open condensate return systems, some of the condensate 5flashes7 into steam as it is discharged from steam pressure inside the steam trap to atmospheric pressure in the open condensate return line. 0n open condenstate return systems, the heating value of the flash steam, which is typically about (' of the heating value of the pressuri:ed condensate, is lost when it is vented to the atmosphere.

Source) 56esign of "luid Systems7, Spirax Sarco, $$$.

Process Heating: Steam Traps

>ewer closed condensate return systems use steam pressure in 5pressure# powered pumps7 to return condensate to the boiler. 3losed condensate systems do not lose heat due to flashing and eliminate maintenance problems associated with the pumps and seals in open return systems.

Source) 56esign of "luid Systems7, Spirax Sarco, $$$.

Process Heating: Steam Traps

AR : Repair or Replace Failed Steam Traps

4F3) . !!<. >atural 2as 4nnual Savings 9roGect 3ost Fesource 3; +lb- 6ollars 3apital ;ther Total !,@$? !(?, $$ D!!,&? D!&$ D=$ D @$ mm*tu Simple 9ayback ! month

Analysis The plant uses steam to deliver heat to its process. 9roperly functioning steam traps assure that all latent heat in steam is delivered to the process by preventing high#pressure steam from passing into the low#pressure condensate return lines. Steam traps are located on the downstream side of the process heat exchangers. Hhen a steam trap fails open, steam passes through the heat exchanger without condensing, and most latent heat becomes wasted. He inspected each steam trap inside the plant to find potentially failed traps. ;ur inspection consisted of measuring the outer pipe temperatures immediately upstream and downstream of the steam traps. 0f the temperatures on both sides of the trap were nearly the same, the trap was most likely failed. ;f the twenty traps we inspected, the two that appeared to be failed were the one downstream of tank I< and the one downstream of the heat exchanger near tank I?. The former showed an outer pipe temperature of =$ " both upstream and downstream, and the latter showed an outer pipe temperature of &( " both upstream and downstream. Recommendation He recommend repairing or replacing the steam trap downstream of tank I< and the trap downstream of the heat exchanger near tank I?. *ecause temperature readings upstream and downstream of the steam trap were almost identical, the traps have most likely failed wide open. Estimated Savings The boilers produce !$$#psig steam. The rate of steam lost through a failed trap depends on the type of trap, its steam pressure rating, and the inlet and outlet pipe diameter. The plantJs traps are K7 pipe diameter inverted bucket traps. 4lthough we could not find a pressure rating on the traps, we assume they are rated at ! ( psig, which is slightly higher than plant steam pressure. 4ccording to Spirax#Sarco 9roduct 3atalog $$!, the orifice si:e for an inverted bucket steam trap with the above inlet%outlet and pressure specifications is $.! ( inches. The rate of steam loss through an orifice is given by) Steam flow +lb%hr- . @. @ lb%+hour#psia#in - x 9 psia x A6 inchB where 9 is the pressure of the steam and 6 is the diameter of the orifice +6esign of "luid Systems) Cook#ups, Spirax#Sarco, $$$, pg. (/-. Thus, the steam loss through each leaking trap is about)

Process Heating: Steam Traps

@. @ lb%+hour#psia#in - x +!@./ 1 !$$- psia x A$.! ( inchB . @< lb%hour The latent heat of !$$ psig saturated steam is !,!?$ *tu%lb, and its temperature is <<& ". He assume boiler makeup water is delivered at the average outdoor temperature of ($ ". "rom the Steam System 4nalysis section of the report, the boilers are about /?' efficient, on average. The hourly natural gas savings from repairing or replacing the two failed traps would be about) @< lb%hr#trap x *tu%hour traps x A!,!?$ *tu%lb 1L+<<& , ($- " x ! *tu%lb#"MB % /?' . !=$,&?=

The annual natural gas savings would be about) !=$,&?= *tu%hour x &,/=$ hours%year x +mm*tu %!$ = *tu- . !,@$? mm*tu%year !,@$? mm*tu%year x D&.@@ %mm*tu . D!!,&? %year The 3; emission savings would be about) !!< lbs 3; %mm*tu x !,@$? mm*tu%year N !(?, $$ lbs 3; %year Estimated Implementation Cost 4ccording to 2rainger 3atalog $$(# $$=, an inverted bucket steam trap rated at ! ( psig with K7 connections costs about D?$. The cost of two traps would be about) D?$ %trap x traps . D!&$

He estimate that it would take one hour to replace each failed steam trap. 4t a labor rate of D<$ per hour, the proGect labor cost would be about) D<$ %hour x ! hour%trap x traps . D=$

The total proGect cost would be about) D!&$ 1 D=$ . D @$ Estimated Simple Pay!ac" +D @$ % D!!,&? %year- x ! months%year . ! month

Process Heating: Steam Traps

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AR #$#: Replace Failed Steam Traps

4F3) . !!<. >atural 2as 4nnual Savings 9roGect 3ost Simple Fesource 3; +lb- 6ollars 3apital ;ther Total 9ayback !,$?= ! <,&$$ D?,($ D@,($$ D?$$ D(,@$$ / months mm*tu

Analysis The plantJs two boilers produce steam to space heat the plant during winter. Steam traps prevent live steam from passing into the condensate return lines. Steam traps are generally located on the downstream side of the heat exchangers that deliver useful heat to the building. 9roperly functioning steam traps assure that steamJs latent heat is delivered to the heat exchanger before returning to the boiler. Oatent heat not delivered to the heat exchanger before passing through a steam trap usually becomes wasted. Maintenance recently inspected a portion of the plantJs steam traps and found that !& of the $ examined traps had failed. Maintenance replaced the failed traps. Maintaining steam traps is a laudable practice that saves natural gas energy. The photographs below show two types of steam traps in the plant.

0nverted *ucket Steam Trap Trap

"loat P Thermostatic Steam

Process Heating: Steam Traps

11

Recommendation He commend maintenanceJs steam trap maintenance program and recommend that the inspection continue until all of the plantJs failed traps are replaced. Estimated Savings 6uring our visit, the boiler produced &#psig steam. 4ccording to maintenance, the boiler is turned down to about psig after first shift and on weekends. The rate of steam loss through a leaking trap depends on the si:e of the condensate orifice in the trap. The si:e of the orifice depends on the type of the trap, its steam pressure rating, and the inlet and outlet pipe diameter. 4ccording to maintenance, the inlet%outlet pipe diameter to all steam traps are either E7 or K7, and all are rated at <$ psig. The plant had inverted bucket traps as well as float P thermostatic traps. 4ccording to Spirax#Sarco 9roduct 3atalog $$!, the orifice si:e for an inverted bucket steam trap and a float 1 thermostatic steam trap with the above inlet%outlet and pressure specifications are $.!&/( inches and $. !&$ inches, respectively. To be conservative, we assume all of the plantJs traps have a $.!&/(#inch orifice. The rate of steam loss through an orifice is given by) Steam flow +lb%hr- . @. @ lb%+hour#psia#in - x 9 psia x A6 inchB x 3 where 9 is the pressure of the steam, 6 is the diameter of the orifice and 3 is the fraction of the orifice that is open +6esign of "luid Systems) Cook#ups, Spirax# Sarco, $$$, pg. (/-. 4ssuming that the orifice failed ($' open, the steam loss through each leaking trap at & psig and psig steam pressure are about) & psig) @. @ lb%+hour#psia#in - x +!@./ 1 &- psia x A$.!&/( inchB x ($' . ?./ lb%hour#trap psig) @. @ lb%+hour#psia#in - x +!@./ 1 - psia x A$.!&/( inchB x ($' . /.! lb%hour#trap The latent heat of steam at & psig is ?(= *tu%lb and the saturation temperature is <( ". The latent heat of steam at psig is ?=@ *tu%lb and the saturation temperature is ". Management estimates that !$$' of the condensate in the steam system is returned. He assume the condensate is returned to the boiler at $$ ". He measured the boiler to be &$' efficient. He mentioned earlier that latent heat in steam that has passed through a steam trap usually becomes wasted. Cowever, in the case of space heating, some latent heat is dissipated through the condensate lines, thus becoming useful. He estimate that only ($' of this heat gets wasted. 8sing these values, the hourly natural gas savings from fixing each steam trap at & psig and psig steam pressure would be about) & psig) ?./ lb%hr#trp x ($' A?(= *tu%lb 1L!$$' x + <( , $$- " x ! *tu%lb#"MB % &$' . =,$$& *tu%hr#trp

Process Heating: Steam Traps

12

psig) /.! lb%hr#trp x ($' A?=@ *tu%lb 1L!$$' x + *tu%hr#trp

, $$- " x ! *tu%lb#"MB % &$' . @,</(

4ccording to maintenance, the $ traps examined constitute about (' of the plantJs traps. 0f so, about &$ traps exist in the plant, and =$ remain unexamined. Qighteen out of the $ examined traps were failed, indicating a ?$' failure rate. 3onservatively estimating that /(' of the remaining traps are malfunctioning, the number of failed traps is about) =$ traps x /(' . @( traps Since first shift is about eight hours long for five days per week, the percentage of time during the winter that the boiler produces & psig steam about) +& hours%day x ( days%week- % !=& hours%week . @' Thus, the boiler produces psig steam for the remaining /=' of the time. 4ccording to maintenance, the boiler operates between September and 4pril, which is about / months per year. Thus, the annual natural gas savings from replacing the failed traps would be about) A+=,$$& *tu%hour#trap x @'- 1 +@,</( *tu%hour#trap x /='-B x @( traps x @ hours%day x x <$.@ dys%mo +avg- x / mo%yr x +mm*tu %!$= *tu- . !,$?= mm*tu%year !,$?= mm*tu%year x D&.=/ %mm*tu . D?,($ %year The 3; emission savings would be about) !!< lbs 3; %mm*tu x !,$?= mm*tu%year N ! <,&$$ lbs 3; %year Estimated Implementation Cost 4ccording to maintenance, replacement steam traps cost about D!$$ each and take about ! hour to install. The materials cost of @( replacement traps would be about) @( traps x D!$$ %trap . D@,($$ 4ccording to management, operators make about D!= per hour. 4ssuming maintenance staff make D $ per hour, the proGect labor cost would be about) @( traps x ! hour%trap x D $ %hour . D?$$ The total proGect cost would be about)

Process Heating: Steam Traps

13

D@,($$ 1 D?$$ . D(,@$$ Estimated Simple Pay!ac" +D(,@$$ % D?,($ %year- x ! months%year . / months

Process Heating: Steam Traps

14

%&'()* + AR : Fix ,ea"y Steam Traps

4F3) R >atural 2as 4nnual Savings Fesource 3; +lb6ollars !/@ !?,/$$ D!, ? mm*tu 9roGect 3ost 3apital ;ther Total D <= D=$ D ?= Simple 9ayback < months

Analysis 6uring our visit, we observed two severely malfunctioning steam traps blowing steam in all directions and a blowing steady stream of condensate straight out of the upper trap +see "igure below-. The traps discharged steam in this manner for about !$ seconds every minute.

Recommendation He recommend fixing these traps as soon as possible. Estimated Savings 4t a minimum, it is apparent that the traps are discharging live steam in addition to condensate for about !$ seconds each minute. 0n addition, it is likely that the traps are also discharging live steam directly into the condensate line even when no steam is visibly leaking from the exterior of the traps. He will use these two cases to bracket the possible savings from replacing these traps. The rate of steam loss through a leaking trap depends on the si:e of the condensate orifice in the trap. The si:e of the orifice depends on the si:e of the trap, which is rated according to the si:e of the >9T pipe connections, and the
Process Heating: Steam Traps 15

steam pressure. 0n this case, the 5float P thermostatic7 traps had K7 >9T pipe connections and steam pressure averaged about !( psig. "loat P thermostatic steam traps for these specifications have an orifice diameter of $. !& inches +Spirax#Sarco 9roduct 3atalog, $$!, pg. <&=-. The rate of steam loss through an orifice is given by) Steam flow +lb%hr- . @. @ lb%+hr#psia#in - x 9 psia x A6 inchB x 3 where 9 is the pressure of the steam, 6 is the diameter of the orifice and 3 is the fraction of the orifice that is open +6esign of "luid Systems) Cook#ups, Spirax# Sarco, $$$, pg. (/-. 4ssuming that the orifice failed ($' open, the steam loss through each leaking trap is about) @. @ lb%+hr#psia#in - x <$ psia x A$. !& inchB x ($' . !/ lb%hr The latent heat of steam at !( psig is about ?@( *tu%lb and the saturation temperature is about ($ ". *ased on our boiler analysis, we estimated that about /(' of the condensate is returned to the boiler at !($ ". The remaining (' of steam is lost to leaks and evaporated and replaced with city water at an annual temperature of about (! ". *ased on our boiler analysis, the boiler is about &$' efficient. 8sing these values, the natural gas savings from fixing each steam trap would be about) !/ lb%hr x A?@( *tu%lb 1 +/(' x + ($ , !($- " 1 (' x + ($ , (!- "- x ! *tu%lb#"B % &$' . ,/$$ *tu%hr 4ccording to management, the boilers are turned on at noon on Sundays and run continuously until !!)$$ pm on "ridays, for a total of about !<! hours per week. 0f the traps leak steam continuously, the savings from fixing the traps would be about) traps x ,/$$ *tu%hr#trap x !<! hours%week x ($ weeks%year . ?/ mm*tu%yr ?/ mm*tu%yr x D/.$&%mm*tu . D ,!$< %year 0f the traps leak steam continuously for !$ seconds every minute, the savings from fixing the traps would be about) ?/ mm*tu%yr x !$%=$ . ($ mm*tu%yr ($ mm*tu%yr x D/.$&%mm*tu . D<(@ %year 4ssuming that the true cost is the mean of these extremes, the savings would be about) + ?/ mm*tu%yr 1 ($ mm*tu%yr- % . !/@ mm*tu%yr +D ,!$< %yr 1 <(@ %yr- % . D!, ?

Process Heating: Steam Traps

16

The 3; emission savings would be about) !!< lbs 3; %mm*tu x !/@ mm*tu%year N !?,/$$ lbs 3; %year Estimated Implementation Cost 4ccording to 2rainger 3atalog $$!# $$ , float P thermostatic traps for <%@#inch pipe connections with a max operating pressure of !( psig cost about D!!& each +pg. <,</<-. 0n addition, we estimate that installation of the new traps would cost about D<$ per trap. 0f so, the material cost of replacing the traps would be about) traps x D!!& %trap . D <= The labor cost would be about) traps x D<$ %trap . D=$ The total cost would be about) D <= 1 D=$ . D ?= Estimated Simple Pay!ac" The simple payback would be about) D ?= % D!, ? %yr x ! months%yr . < months

Process Heating: Steam Traps

17