Unit Operations Lab, CHE 322 Spring 2021

Submitted By:

Abdulwahb Alshati

Submission Date:

January 22, 2021

Introduction

Steam is the most effective and economic way to provide a manufacturing process with large

quantities of heat. By reflecting on the ability of a steam trap population to effectively remove

condensation from the system, the efficiency of a steam system can be significantly improved.

Drainage as shaping condensate is a crucial element in the achievement of high output standards.

Sadly, a steam trap survey is not conducted every year at several locations. A fundamental steam

trap survey measures the state of any trap, either successful or failed to mark it. Failed traps are

either cold failures or hot failures in a more thorough review5.

Cold Failures

The highest priority should be given to cold failures. A cold trap is not properly draining the

system's condensate. This can affect the worst effects and some of the causes of cold failures are:

 Negative differential of pressure.

 Group and double trapping.

 Blockage of pressure.

 Debris and deposits in the system.

A practice called group trapping is the aggregation of condensates from various parts of steam-

heated machinery into one condensate line that is released into a single steam trap. For

community trapping, the explanations cited include room constraints (actual or perceived) and

the need to minimize costs of installation5. Yet party trapping gives the market a false sense. In

certain cases, due to differential pressures and short-circuits it reduces the efficiency of the

heating system. Problems with group trap ping at the trap itself may be difficult to recognize.
The state of the trap may seem fine, because the trap is warm and steam-free4. However, there is

also a major thermal stress on the system drained by the pit. A trap is known as a cold failure in

this condition. Following table contains the pressure in each pipe in a four-coil heater utilizing

the concept of group trapping:

Table 1 Pressures in Pipes Utilizing Group Trapping in Four Coil Heater.

Pipe ID Pressure
1 14.5 psi
2 14.7 psi
3 14.9 psi
4 15.0 psi
Installing a double trap directly after another trap is the practice of double trapping. Often it is

planned as a temporary step in which a so-called key trap is mounted on a downstream

condensate line of a failed trap (or traps), or a double trap as a replacement if the first trap fails5.

Whilst the serial installation of two traps can sound like a good safety operation, it may trigger

traps to be blocked and all machinery to be filled with water to drain the trap. Following image

shows the full pressure differential in between outlet and the inlet which is split in traps which

are double trapped:

Figure 1 Example of a Double Trap System.

An electronic steam trap display provides a configuration of the generator to couple a stream trap

to a likely position of leakage. In response to a process vector from the potential leak position,

the generator produces electricity1. If energy from the electric generator is available appropriate,
the contact circuit generates an output. A monitor, a diaphragm for producing ultrasonic

vibrations in response to mechanical vibration detected by a sensor and a vibration sensor for

translating ultrasonic vibration into an electrical signal is included in the detection section. The

detector also contains an arithmetic component to obtain a vibration sensor enhanced signal and

process it to notify you about the working of the steam trap2. An electronic steam trap monitors

are operationally attached to a steam trap outlet and designed to calculate, when understood to

operate normally, at least one method vector of fluid (fluid or gas) flowing through the trap.

During a known working state for later comparison, the steam trap sensor stores the process

deviation information collected3.

Conclusion

In light of the research and study of the steam traps and its importance in the industry, it can be

concluded that steam traps not only monitor the effectiveness of overall piping systems, but also

indicates and warns in advance about any potential defects which can be present in the form

pressure drops and leakages in the piping systems. Heat commercially is of great economic

importance and by the utilization of steam traps with modern monitoring technologies, it can be

ensured that complex industrial systems where pressure maintenance and monitoring is of great

importance, can be monitored and run more effectively maximizing the desired outcomes to its

full potential.

References

(1) Karschnia, R. J. Steam Trap Monitoring, 2006.

(2) Yumoto, H. Steam Trap Operation Detector, 1988.

(3) Anderson, W. T. Steam Trap Monitoring, 2005.

(4) Yonemura, M. Steam Trap Operation Monitoring Device, 1986.

(5) Risko, J. My Steam Trap Is Good — Why Doesn’T It Work?. American Institute of

Chemical Engineers 2015.