Steam Traps

What is a Steam Trap?

Traps (steam traps) are a type of automatic valve that filters condensed water (i.e. condensed steam) and non-condensable gases such as air without allowing steam to escape. In industry, steam is regularly used for heating or as a driving force for mechanical power. In such applications, traps are used to prevent the steam from being wasted.

Steam Trap is a valve designed to detect the difference between steam and condensate and to discharge the condensate from the line. Steam Traps allow only condensate and gases to drain and trap steam to provide heat and power. Too much condensation leads to an increase in pressure, causing hammering inside the pipeline, bursting of gaskets, work stoppages, etc. causes. A properly functioning steam trap removes condensed and non-condensable gases without losing live steam.

What are the Steam Trap Types?

Each steam trap model has its own characteristics, and the differences in the working processes of the traps are directly related to whether they are suitable for a particular application. Steam Traps can be divided into three different types according to their working principles:

Mechanical Steam Traps: Mechanical steam traps (also called “density traps”) include Free Float®, lever-float and inverted bucket steam traps. Mechanical traps work by taking advantage of the density difference between steam (or air) and condensate.

Thermodynamic Steam Traps: There are two types of thermodynamic steam traps: The thermodynamic disc and piston types. Thermodynamic steam traps work by taking advantage of the kinetic energy difference between high velocity steam (a gas) and slower moving condensate (a liquid).

Thermostatic Steam Traps: These include bi-metal, balanced pressure and expansion thermostatic steam traps. Thermostatic traps operate by taking advantage of the temperature difference between the condensate close to the steam temperature and the subcooled condensate (or low temperature air).

How to Choose a Steam Trap?

Given the wide variety of steam traps and their operating characteristics, users may encounter some difficulties when trying to select the right trap to most effectively drain condensate from steam applications.

Steam Trap selection considerations should include pressure and temperature ratings, discharge capacity, trap type, casing material, and many other relevant factors. While it may seem daunting at first, this process can generally be broken down into four easy-to-understand steps:

• Step 1: Determine the drain requirements of the trap application (eg hot or supercooled drain) and select the appropriate steam trap type.
• Step 2: Select the steam trap model according to the working pressure, temperature, direction and other relevant conditions.
• Step 3: Calculate application load requirements and apply the steam trap manufacturer’s recommended safety factor.
• Step 4: Base the final steam trap selection on the lowest Life Cycle Cost (LCC).

The steps we have outlined above will focus on how the steam trap application affects the steam trap selection process.

You can check our trap price list to take advantage of steam trap prices in steam trap selection.

What Does a Steam Trap Done Good For?

What does a steam trap do, what is its function? It is the discharge of condensate, air and other non-condensable gases from a steam system without allowing live steam to escape.

Steam Traps are automatic valves for filtering condensed water (i.e. condensed steam) and non-condensable gases such as air without allowing steam to escape. In industry, steam is regularly used for heating or as a driving force for mechanical power. In such applications, steam traps are used so that the steam is not wasted.

How Does Steam Trap Work?

Steam trap is an automatic valve that removes condensate and air from the steam line. There are several types of steam traps and all steam traps have the function of removing condensate and air. The details of the functions are as follows.

Too much condensate discharge at start-up (start-up and start-up): It is necessary to immediately remove a lot of cold condensate and air under low pressure conditions for the first start-up that starts to supply steam to the steam line.

Condensate discharge in normal operation: It is best to remove the condensate immediately, at the same time as the complete removal of the condensate, that the valve is completely closed and there are no steam leaks.

Early release of airlock: Air locking is the phenomenon where air occupies a space near the valve seat and as a result condensate cannot reach the valve seat and accumulate. When an airlock occurs, air must be removed immediately.

How to Install Steam Trap?

The following points should be checked while installing the steam trap.

Flow direction of the fluid Steam Trap body is marked with condensate flow direction. When installing the steam traps, be sure to verify the direction and not attach the steam traps to the wrong inlet and outlet. It is mandatory to show the flow direction in ISO standards.

Upper and lower body When installing the steam trap horizontally, be sure to verify the top and bottom surface of the steam trap and do not install the steam trap upside down. This faulty installation is sometimes performed by inexperienced engineers. Some steam traps are indicated by the ‘TOP’ mark on the top of the stem.

Angle of inclination The steam trap must be installed and basically perpendicular to the body. Tilting or sideways mounting of thermodynamic steam traps is permissible, but other types of steam traps must be mounted vertically. Therefore, the permissible inclination angle must be confirmed in the instruction manual.

Maintenance area for steam trap installation this is not directly related to steam trap operation and performance. However, it is better to have sufficient maintenance space for future steam trap maintenance.

What is Steam Trap Working Principle?

UKS-70D discharges condensate continuously and is preferred when condensate discharge must be fast. When the system starts to work, the thermostatic air purifier activates and evacuates the air in the system. The following steam closes the air vent, but as soon as the condensate comes to the trap, the float rises and opens the main valve and the condensate is discharged. When the steam reaches the trap again, the float lowers and closes the main valve.

Where is Steam Trap Used?

Traps are used in industrial and commercial facilities. Also in the maritime industry, steam is still widely used as an energy source for heating, processing and power. Steam traps are used wherever there is a steam powered system to evacuate condensate, i.e. the liquid and other non-condensable gases accumulated in the pipelines, to reduce the pressure in the lines and to regulate the steam flow inside.

What is Trap Steam Leak Controller?

The steam trap control body is designed to detect steam leaks in the steam trap in a running system and to test whether there is a leak. Developed for use in saturated steam applications, these devices provide continuous control of steam traps.

The installation process of the trap steam leakage controller is done before the trap. The control body contains a sensor that distinguishes the difference in conductivity between steam and condensate. When the button is pressed, a control device that can be connected to this body turns green when condensate passes, and turns red when steam passes. In this way, it is easy to detect whether there is a leak in the trap or not.

How to Choose a Steam Trap?

After deciding on the amount of condensate discharge needed by the traps, the steam trap model will be selected.

Traps come in many models and different features. Appropriate steam traps are selected by evaluating whether these features are suitable for the conditions of use.

For example, mechanical traps are suitable for process equipment that needs to drain condensate immediately. On the other hand, thermostatic type traps are more suitable for situations where the condensate temperature is lower than the saturation temperature, such as vapor trace and durability. Then disc type steam traps are suitable for space limitation.

Efforts to save energy have focused on steam trap management, starting with the main facilities in the factory. Not only is the steam trap’s performance, durability and energy saving, but also easy steam trap maintenance are items to consider.

The best answer to the question of how trap selection should be made can be given in this way.