Title: Steam Tracing Specification Page 1 of 14

Steam Tracing Specification

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CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. SCOPE

3. DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

4. SUPPORTING OF STEAM TRACING SYSTEMS

5. TESTING

6. INSULATION
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

This content provides you Specification for Steam Tracing

2.0 SCOPE

This specification establishes the design, installation and testing requirements for steam
tracing systems of pipes containing fluids, which has to be maintained at particular
temperature. It also keeps the temperature high enough for free flow of fluid and proper
pumpability. The pipelines requiring steam tracing will be indicated in P & ID's & Line-list.

3.0 DESIGN & INSTALLATION

3.1.Source of steam supply

Steam supply for tracing can be obtained from process steam lines or independent steam
supply header. In any case the source shall be such that tracers always get steam even if
other units are out of operation. As far as practicable, steam supply header shall be laid
such that lines requiring steam tracing are at minimum distance from the header.

3.2. Design Criteria

Steam tracing system shall be designed based on following guidelines.
a) Requirement for condensate return (i.e. open system, closed system &
pressure of closed system) shall be established based on process
consideration.
b) Size of supply manifold and sub header shall be 2" NB unless mentioned
otherwise.
c) Size of tracer shall be W' NB.
d) Size of return manifold and sub header shall be 2" NB.
e) Size of supply lead lines and return lead lines shall be %".
f) Minimum 2 nos. tracer connections shall be kept spare for future use on CRISS
manifolds.
g) Exceptions o r deviations required from the process consideration shall take
precedence over requirement covered herein.

)
3.3. Material

The material to be used for Steam Tracing shall confirm to Piping Material
Specifications Class
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3.4. Steam supply sub headers

a) The layout of steam supply sub header and supply manifold shall be
arranged to minimize length of supply lead lines.
b) Glandless Piston valve shall be used as block valve at the manifold in the
sub headers.

3,5, Steam supply manifold

Supply manifolds shall be located conveniently to minimize the length of the supply
leads serviced b y it. The length of supply lead shall not exceed 1 5 mtrs.
Manifold shall be provided when three or more tracers are required

3.6. Supply &Return Leads

Tracers shall be routed to suit field conditions with due consideration to operation
and maintenance requirements.

3.7. Tracers

The size and number of tracers shall be as follows.

Traced line size No. of 1/2" NB tracers

4" NB & smaller 1

6" NB to 16" NB 2

3.8. Useful l e n g t h o f tracers

Following shall be used for maintaining length of Y:z " tracer in open and closed
systems (excluding supply and return lead lines).

Stam
Pressure (PSIG) 20 50 100 150

Tracing Length
(Meters) 30 45 60 75
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3.9. Installation.

a) The tracers shall be held in position by three turns of 16 SWG soft annealed
galvanized i r o n wire spaced ever y one meter. Galvanized i r o n wire
used shall confirm to IS - 280.

b) Wherever there is requirement o f single tracer in the plant / area, individual

supply lead line shall be used. At the end of tracer run, the tracers shall be
drained by separate steam traps.

c) The position of the tracers around the traced pipe shall be as per Fig 1 & 2.

d) Branch tracers to paired equipment and instruments shall be provided with

isolation valves and each branch shall have its own trap.

e) Tracer shall not be provided with low point drains.

f) The tracers shall start at the highest point in a system in general. As far as
possible tracers shall be routed with a continuous s l o p e towards trap. Total
2
pocket depth shall not exceed 1000mm for 1.0 kg/cm of differential
pressure available. The tracer pocket depth shall be the distance the tracer
rises in the direction of flow from a low point to high point.

g) The tracers shall be laid so as not to interfere with the normal working,
operation and maintenance of plant machinery.

h) The installation i n offsites shall be done to take care that the valves and
steam traps on supply and return manifolds are easily approachable. In any
case not more than 12 off takes shall be served by one supply or
condensate manifold.
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i) The steam supply lead lines shall be routed together, as far as possible. In
case of several tracers routed together, the spacing between individual
tracers may be reduced to allow box type insulation. However the spacing
shall be adequate in all cases to permit good welding and individual
clamping by U clamps, or other approved type of fastener.

j) The tracers shall be anchored at the middle point of the tracer run and ample
free space shall be provided for the expansion of tracers at the free ends as
shown in Fig.1.

3.10. Steam traps

a) Each tracer or each branch of a tracer that is split (i.e. a tracer on suction
line of a parallel pump installation) shall be separately trapped at the outlet
end.
b) Steam tracing traps need not be provided with by-pass except on duties
where process could be affected. The same may be confirmed with process
before undertaking d e s i g n .
c) Steam tracing installation shall be installed so as to facilitate rapid and easy
removal and replacement of traps, should trap become inoperable.
d) The trap discharge line shall have a block valve only if tied into a system
receiving more than one trap discharge.
e) For an open condensate s y s t e m lo c a t e traps so that condensate w i l l
drain the traps close to the ground to OWS or ditches, to avoid hazard
to personnel.
f) Thermodynamic steam traps shall be provided in steam tracers and drip legs
Of supply manifold.
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3,11, Condensate return system

a) For Steam traps inside battery limit separate underground return header shall
be used.
b) Steam Traps shall be discharged to ditches or other suitable location where no
oily water sewers (OWS) and drains exists. In case no ditch is near by, steam
traps can be discharged to grade in a 6" or 8" scrap pipe 600mm long filled with
loose gravel.
c) Routing & steam trap hook-up shall be as per Fig.1, 2,3,4,5.
d) In cases where i s o l a t e d steam supply and condensate r e t u r n are
required the steam supply and condensate r e t u r n manifolds m a y be
deleted. In such cases the steam sub header shall be same as steam supply
lead line and will supply the traced l i n e in the u s u a l m a n n e r . The
condensate shall be recovered or disposed off from the individual tracers
after the run of tracers through steam traps as the case may be.
e) Condensate H e a d e r shall be located at elevation low enough to permit gravity
Flow of condensate f r o m all connected l i n e s ,
wherever p o s s i b l e .

4.0 SUPPORTING O F STEAM TRACING SYSTEMS

All the components o f steam tracing s ys t e m shall be adequately supported. One
of the methods of supporting the supply and return manifolds has been indicated in,
Fig.
4. The supply lead lines and condensate r e t u r n lines should be routed together,
as far as possible, with same BOP, so that they can be supported from
common structural steel. To avoid undue deflection and vibration, the spacing of
supports in horizontal or vertical runs should not exceed 2 meters. The small lines may
be secured to structural members with U clamps.
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5.0 TESTING
All tracers shall preferably be tested along with the steam piping to which they are
connected. In cases where tracers are not tested with the feed steam piping, separate
hydrostatic test shall be performed with test pressure in accordance with ASME B
31.3.

6.0 INSULATION
Insulation thickness material and method of application shall be as specified in
Insulation Standard I Specification. Tracer along with main pipe shall be insulated
together. Steam tracers from steam supply stations upto the entrance to main pipe
shall be insulated as steam pipe of the size encountered. The condensate return line
from the exit of the main pipe upto the condensate manifold shall be insulated for
personal protection.
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Abbreviations:

BOP Bottom Of Pipe

GAD General Arrangement Drawing
NB Nominal Bore
P & ID's- Piping And Instrumentation Diagrams
SL Steam Low Pressure
SM Steam Medium
SH pressure Steam High
SS Pressure Steam Supply
CR Steam Condensate Return