Efficient use of Steam

Sir Oliver Lyle

The Efficient Use of Steam
Steam Possesses Many Outstanding Qualities:

Very high heat content

Gives up heat at constant temperature
Produced from water (cheap and plentiful)
Clean, odorless, tasteless
Its heat can be used over and over again
Can generate power, then be used for heating
Can be readily distributed and easily controlled

1947

Latent heat vs pressure

Dryness fraction

Steam distribution system

The working pressure

The distribution pressure of steam is influenced by a number of factors,
but is limited by:
The maximum safe working pressure of the boiler.
The minimum pressure required at the plant.

As steam passes through the distribution pipework, it will inevitably lose

pressure due to:
Frictional resistance within the pipework
Condensation within the pipework as heat is transferred to the environment.
Therefore allowance should be made for this pressure loss when deciding upon
the initial distribution pressure.

A kilogram of steam at a higher pressure occupies less volume than at a

lower pressure. It follows that, if steam is generated in the boiler at a high
pressure and also distributed at a high pressure, the size of the distribution
mains will be smaller than that for a low-pressure system for the same heat
load.

Dry saturated steam - pressure

/specific volume relationship

Generating and distributing steam at

higher pressure : Advantages
The thermal storage capacity of the boiler is
increased, helping it to cope more efficiently with
fluctuating loads, minimising the risk of producing
wet and dirty steam.
Smaller bore steam mains are required, resulting
in lower capital cost, for materials such as pipes,
flanges, supports, insulation and labour.
Smaller bore steam mains cost less to insulate.

Steam Piping : Features

Steam pipes should be laid by the shortest possible
distance.
Provision for proper draining of condensate.
For example, a 100mm well lagged pipe of 30meter length carrying steam at 7 Kg/cm2 pressure
can condense nearly 10 Kg. of water in the pipe in
one hour unless it is removed from the pipe
through traps.
The pipes should run with a fall (slope)of not less
than 12.5 mm in 3 meter in the direction of flow.

Piping layout

Reverse gradient

Steam piping requirements

Large pockets in the pipes to enable water to
collect
Drain pockets should be provided at every 30 to
50 meters and at any low point in the pipe
network.
Expansion loops are required to take care of the
expansion of pipes when they get heated up.
Automatic air vents should be fixed at the dead
end of steam mains, which will allow removal of
air, which will tend to accumulate.

Drain points

Expansion fittings

Branch lines

Water hammer

Water hammer and its

effect

Waterhammer is the noise caused by slugs of

condensate colliding at high velocity into pipework
fittings, plant, and equipment. This has a number of
implications:
Because the condensate velocity is higher than
normal, the dissipation of kinetic energy is higher
than would normally be expected.
Water is dense and incompressible, so the
cushioning effect experienced when gases
encounter obstructions is absent.
The energy in the water is dissipated against the
obstructions in the piping system such as valves and
fittings.

Potential source of water hammer

Preventing water hammer

the possibility of waterhammer is minimised by:
Installing steam lines with a gradual fall in the
direction of flow, and with drain points installed at
regular intervals and at low points.
Installing check valves after all steam traps which
would otherwise allow condensate to run back into
the steam line or plant during shutdown.
Opening isolation valves slowly to allow any
condensate which may be lying in the system to
flow gently through the drain traps, before it is
picked up by high velocity steam. This is especially
important at start-up.

Steam Pipe Sizing and Design

1. Pipe Sizing
Proper sizing of steam pipelines help in minimizing pressure
drop.
The velocities for various types of steam are:
Superheated
50-70 m/sec
Saturated
30-40 m/sec
Wet or Exhaust 20-30 m/sec

The steam piping should be sized, based on permissible

velocity and the available pressure drop in the line.
A higher pipe size will reduce the pressure drop and thus the
energy cost. However, higher pipe size will increase the initial
installation cost.

Empirical Formula

P1 = 7 bar , P2 = 6.6 bar , Flow, m, = 286 kg/hr , L = 165 m

Find out Diameter ?
Answer : 42 mm

What is the Function of Steam

Traps?
Steam traps are automatic valves used in every steam system to remove
condensate, air, and other non-condensable gases while preventing or
minimizing the passing of steam.
If condensate is allowed to collect, it reduces the flow capacity of steam lines
and the thermal capacity of heat transfer equipment.
In addition, excess condensate can lead to "water hammer," with potentially
destructive and dangerous results.
Air that remains after system startup reduces steam pressure and temperature
and may also reduce the thermal capacity of heat transfer equipment.
Non-condensable gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, cause corrosion.
Finally, steam that passes through the trap provides no heating service. This
effectively reduces the heating capacity of the steam system or increases the
amount of steam that must be generated to meet the heating demand.

What steam trap does ?

Trap Installation
Figure 2.

Types of steam traps

Group
Mechanical trap

Thermodynamic
trap
Thermostatic
trap

Principle
Sub-group
Difference
in
density Bucket type
between
steam
and Open bucket
condensate.
Inverted bucket,
with
lever,
without lever
Float type
Float with lever
Free float
Difference in
Disc type
thermodynamic properties
Orifice type
between steam and
condensate
Difference in temperature Bimetallic type metal
between
steam
and expansion type.
condensate

Inverted bucket traps

The operation of a mechanical steam trap is driven by the difference in density
between condensate and steam.
The denser condensate rests on the bottom of any vessel containing the two fluids.
As additional condensate is generated, its level in the vessel will rise. This action is
transmitted to a valve via either a "free float" or a float and connecting levers in a
mechanical steam trap.
One common type of mechanical steam trap is the inverted bucket trap. Steam
entering the submerged bucket causes it to rise upward and seal the valve against
the valve seat.
As the steam condenses inside the bucket or if condensate is predominately
entering the bucket, the weight of the bucket will cause it to sink and pull the valve
away from the valve seat.
Any air or other non-condensable gases entering the bucket will cause it to float
and the valve to close. Thus, the top of the bucket has a small hole to allow noncondensable gases to escape. The hole must be relatively small to avoid excessive
steam loss.

Inverted Bucket

Float and thermostatic

Thermostatic traps
As the name implies, the operation of a thermostatic
steam trap is driven by the difference in temperature
between steam and sub-cooled condensate.
Valve actuation is achieved via expansion and
contraction of a bimetallic element or a liquid-filled
bellows.
The nonlinear relationship between steam pressure
and temperature requires careful design of the
bimetallic element for proper response at different
operating pressures.

Thermostatic bellows trap

Thermodynanic trap

Thermodynamic trap valves are driven by differences in the pressure applied by steam and
condensate, with the presence of steam or condensate within the trap being affected by the
design of the trap and its impact on local flow velocity and pressure.
Disc, piston, and lever designs are three types of thermodynamic traps with similar operating
principles.
When subcooled condensate enters the trap, the increase in pressure lifts the disc off its valve
seat and allows the condensate to flow into the chamber and out of the trap.
The narrow inlet port results in a localized increase in velocity and decrease in pressure as the
condensate flows through the trap, following the 1st law of thermodynamics and the Bernoulli
equation.
As the condensate entering the trap increases in temperature it will eventually flash to steam
because of the localized pressure drop just described. This increases the velocity and decreases
the pressure even further, causing the disc to snap closed against the seating surface.
The moderate pressure of the flash steam on top of the disc acts on the entire disc surface,
creating a greater force than the higher pressure steam and condensate at the inlet, which acts on
a much smaller portion of the opposite side of the disc.
Eventually, the disc chamber will cool, the flash steam will condense, and inlet condensate will
again have adequate pressure to lift the disc and repeat the cycle.

On start-up, incoming pressure raises disc A from its seat rings C.

Air and cool condensate are instantly discharged through outlet B.

Hot condensate releases flash steam as it flows

through the trap.
The high velocity of the flash steam creates a lowpressure area under the disc and draws it towards
the seat.
Pressure builds up in chamber D due to the impact
of higher velocity flash steam against the cap.

The flash steam pressure in chamber D forces the disc down against the
pressure of the incoming fluid until it seats on inner ring C and closes the
inlet. The disc also seats on the outer ring C, trapping pressure in
chamber D.
In due course, condensation decreases the pressure in Chamber D. The
disc is raised by incoming pressure. The cycle repeats.
Disc traps click audibly when operating. This should be taken into
consideration when using disc traps, as the noise could be objectionable.

Thermodynamic trap

Strainer

Group trapping

Individual trapping

Basic methods for testing a steam trap

Ultrasonic test Kit

Sight glass evaluation

Infrared temperature gun