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Many plant operators are concerned about steam trap failure. Steam trap failure reduces the efficiency of the steam system while also posing a safety risk. Steam trap failure can occur for a variety of causes. It would be beneficial to look over a couple of them and figure out how to prevent them.

It is mainly dry steam that leaves the boiler building. Radiation losses and condensate formation occur as steam flows through the pipework. The steam loses heat to the heated products and condensate forms. Steam trap survey plays a critical role in removing condensate as soon as it forms.

The failure in the steam trap survey causes the condensate to be improperly removed. Annual steam trap failure rates can reach 35 percent in some steam systems. As a result, it’s critical to understand why the steam trap survey fails. The top 3 reasons that induce or hasten the failure of steam traps are as follows.

Position

Steam traps should be installed in the steam system at the lowest natural and incidental low points (low points caused by the closure of a valve). The steam pipes and accompanying steam traps, like other utilities, are placed in areas that are most favorable to serving the building or process, not necessarily in a maintenance-friendly location.

Steam traps can be discovered in mechanical rooms, drop panel ceilings, maintenance holes, pipe chases, under false flours, and other difficult places to reach. Out of sight, out of mind is a phrase that applies to many things.

Failed steam traps rarely provide enough symptoms for building occupants to call for service. The steam boiler will continue to operate and release heat. The method will continue to work. In most cases, the failed steam traps aren’t loud enough to be heard. Finding, evaluating, and replacing faulty steam traps necessitates a conscious effort.

Steam traps are not appropriately installed & Lack of Maintenance 

If steam traps are not placed appropriately, their active life is drastically shortened. For example, a filter should be installed upstream of every steam trap. While some steam traps come with built-in filters, others require the installation of a separate strainer before the steam trap may be used. In the absence of a filter, rust or other debris may be entrained inside the trap, causing damage to the trap’s internals. In addition, to avoid fast cycling, sometimes known as ‘chattering,’ thermodynamic steam traps should be equipped with insulating caps when utilized in severely cold conditions. 

Every steam trap requires proper maintenance & steam trap survey in a short duration of time. Unfortunately, steam trap maintenance is either done incorrectly or not at all at many plants, according to our observations. Therefore, every steam system should have a unique maintenance schedule that must be adhered to. Maintenance aids in the early detection of issues and avoiding further aggravation. In addition, other problems (visual indicators such as corrosion) that could contribute to steam trap failure can be discovered through maintenance and inspection. (steam trap survey)

Resourcing

There is a scarcity of experienced trade employees capable of repairing or replacing a steam trap and a lack of enthusiasm for skilled trade employment. Half of the trained tradespeople are on their way out.

Geographic rather than skill-type responsibility complicates the limited prospective staff at large sites. For example, a facility or department may have a single maintenance group that handles all needs. The focus of a specialist building, such as a laboratory or manufacturing facility, is usually on specialized equipment rather than steam traps. At most facilities, the utilities group’s line of duty ends at the building’s first heat exchanger or the building wall.

Some facilities are looking for the most straightforward approach to save costs in these days of tight budgets. But, unfortunately, skilled tradespeople are often the first to be laid off due to labor shortages. (steam trap survey)

A steam trap survey program is essential for today’s energy prices and production reliability. Teams can spot problematic steam valves, traps, strainer failures, and blowdown valve failures more efficiently with a maintenance plan in place. (steam trap survey)

Here are some broad warning signs to look out for during steam trap survey failure,

• An unusually hot boiler chamber
• Receiving steam from the condensate
• The water seal on the condensate pump is leaking. 
• In a climate-controlled environment, overheating or underheating
• Keeping the boiler operating pressure up is difficult; keeping the vacuum in the return lines up is even more difficult.
• In steam and condensate lines, there is a water hammer. Condensate return lines with steam build-up
• The electricity bill is significantly higher than usual. 
• The temperature of the inlet and outlet lines is identical.

One method of capturing lost energy is by Steam Trap Survey. Every steam trap in your plant is visited by Stopleakloss Sevey’s technicians, who collect different data points on each one. These figures are meticulously recorded in proprietary software that calculates annual energy losses. In addition, every steam trap and safety valve can be equipped with the Steam Trap Monitoring System.

This system, which is connected to a plant’s computer network, will continuously check the condition of each trap and safety valve. It will immediately warn system operators when a problem occurs, cutting the time between failure and repair from years to minutes. In addition, Stopleakloss collaborates with local utilities to ensure that you receive all available rebates. (steam trap survey)

Of course, replacement traps and repair parts are readily available in the area. Contact the Stopleakloss team for more information on steam trap and safety valve surveys or to discover if Steam Trap Monitoring is suited for your system.