A universal steam trap station installation standard for the industrial steam plant operation is as follows:

 1.)    Dimension:  22”

1. This dimension allows interchanging of any steam trap station in the plant or within other plants.  Therefore, there are not 35 or more different installations in the plant.

2.)    Flange to flange connection

1. Flange connection installation into the steam system removes the threaded connection issues in the steam and condensate system.

3.)    All weld connection within the assembly

1. No possible leak points that can be potential steam losses which result in energy losses, increase emissions and is a safety issue.

4.)    Strainer in the assembly with blow down valve

1. All steam trap stations should have a strainer in the assembly to prevent corrosion materials entering the steam trap.

5.)    Check valve

1. If necessary, but the steam and condensate system operation should be reviewed to insure a check valve is needed.

 Engineers, designers and steam users should consider the potential consequences to a steam system where an orifice drain fitting “orifice” is utilized for condensate discharge.

An orifice (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a venturi) drains condensate through a fixed hole (there may be a series of varying inside diameters before and after the fixed hole).

 The orifice diameter is fixed and cannot vary during operation; therefore, it is used for a single flow rate at a specific differential pressure. The condensate flow rate within the steam system varies, sometimes significantly. The load changes can have dramatic effects on process temperature-controlled applications; therefore, an orifice is generally not recommended for this type service. Similar issues may be experienced on expected “steady state” applications, such as draining steam mains or tracing, or when changes in ambient temperature or system backpressure occur.

 Weather conditions such as cold weather, wind, rain, or snow can increase system load requirements when these weather conditions contact un-insulated sections of pipe, valves, flanges or other fittings.

 Sizing an orifice on expected “steady state” applications, such as steam main drip, must be performed carefully, so neither undersizing nor gross oversizing occurs. Undersizing must be avoided to prevent dangerous condensate back up and flooding of equipment or steam mains. So the orifice will normally be at least slightly to moderately oversized for the largest load condition. Undersizing can create dangerous water hammer conditions leading to safety and reliability issues, including serious personal injury and equipment damage. The oversizing is aggravated when the load decreases through the fixed orifice.

 To keep the steam loss to a minimum, the orifice may be sized for the worst case running steam load condition and a small safety factor. Startup of the steam system cannot be accomplished with a running load orifice. A second orifice in a bypass line may be required. Some orifices can be closed manually after the startup phase has been completed. This procedure could help reduce the level of excessive steam loss after the warm-up is reached. This second orifice possibility requires additional expense and is generally not done. In most cases, when using an orifice for drainage, only a supervised startup procedure should be done. Supervised startup requires a manual valve be opened to remove both condensate and air during the warm-up process. When full steam pressure is achieved, the valves are closed.

For the full technical sheet…see FCI

http://www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org/pdf/resource/steam/ST101Orifice.pdf

In light of today’s energy costs and demand for production reliability, it’s more important than ever to incorporate a proactive steam trap station management program in your overall steam system management program. Here are some “must-do” and “must-have” elements associated with this comprehensive approach.A steam trap station failure rate must be below 3% annually. To achieve this type of reliability, root-cause-analysis methodologies must be part of your program. We simply can no longer accept failures of more than 3% with station components: The cost is too high. Today, plant operation mandates that a steam trap station should provide a reliable service life of at least six years.

Why “steam trap station management” instead of “steam trap management?” A trap is just one component in a proper steam trap station arrangement. Reviewing a trap by itself—instead of as part of an entire steam trap station—can hamper effective steam operations.

Read more……

http://www.mt-online.com/component/content/article/299-august2011/1863-building-an-effective-steam-trap-station-management-program.html

Absorption chillers use heat, instead of mechanical energy, to provide cooling. The mechanical vapor compressor is replaced by a thermal compressor that consists of an absorber, a generator, a pump, and a throttling device. The refrigerant vapor from the evaporator is absorbed by a solution mixture in the absorber. This solution is then pumped to the generator where the refrigerant is revaporized using a waste steam heat source. The refrigerant-depleted solution is then returned to the absorber via a throttling device. The two most common refrig­erant/absorbent mixtures used in absorption chillers are water/lithium bromide and ammonia/water.

To read more – see the link……

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deployment/pdfs/steam14_chillers.pdf

If you operate a boiler plant, you should be aware of three rules that will regulate facilities considered potential sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). On March 21, 2011, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) published the rules, collectively known as the Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology or “Boiler MACT” rules. For many boiler operators the rules will require a one-time assessment, boiler tune-ups every two years, and records and reports in various combinations depending on several factors, including whether you are an “area source” (small source <10 MM Btu/hr) or a “major source” (large source <10 MM Btu/hr).

Boiler assessments and tune-ups from Swagelok

Good news: After learning about Boiler MACT Rules, things get much easier. Just have Swagelok Energy Advisors schedule and complete your one-time boiler assessment, boiler tune-ups, and/or both. In fact, Swagelok Energy Advisors is one of the few resources that can have both completed for you. One source you know and trust.

SEA will conduct a Steam System Level I training class in Sacramento, CA, USA on September 13, 14 and 15.

The steam system training will cover all parts of a steam system.

More information:  www.swagelokenergy.com

Over 45% of all the fuel burned by U.S. manufacturers is consumed to raise steam. Steam is used to heat raw materials and treat semi-finished products. It is also a power source for equipment, as well as for building heat and electricity generation. Many manufacturing facilities can recapture energy through the installation of more efficient steam equipment and processes. The whole system must be considered to optimize energy and cost savings.

Read more:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/bestpractices/steam.html

Knowing the correct cost of steam is very important for many reasons, and all of them have to do with improving the company’s bottom line:

1. To properly evaluate the economics of proposed steam system efficiency improvement projects: if the calculated steam cost is not accurate, many feasible energy projects may be missed or rejected, while unfeasible projects may be approved for implementation
2. To serve as a basis for optimizing the steam generation system and minimizing costs
3. To provide a true cost for the production areas for accountability in energy consumption

Steam cost is the first benchmark of any steam system management program. Unfortunately, a high percentage of industrial plants do not have steam cost benchmarked. A loaded steam cost is the most important steam cost for any steam system management program.

http://www.swagelokenergy.com/download/Best%20Practices_No.31R.pdf

The Manufacturing Energy and Carbon Footprints provide a mapping of energy use and carbon emissions from energy supply to end use. The latest footprints are an enhancement from the previous version of Manufacturing Energy Footprints published by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Industrial Technologies Program (ITP).1Analysts and decision-makers utilize the manufacturing energy footprints to better understand the distribution of energy use in energy-intensive industries and the accompanying energy losses.  The footprints provide a benchmark from which to calculate the benefits of improving energy efficiency and for prioritizing opportunity analysis.  Greenhouse gas emissions have been added to the footprints in response to increased interest in the topic and recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations requiring reporting of emissions by many manufacturing facilities.  Improvements include the addition of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fuel consumption, an energy use breakdown by energy type, and an analytical model that allows for customized footprints by manufacturing sector or subsector.

Read the full report:

subsector.http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/pdfs/understanding_energy_footprints.pdf

Great article in Chemical Engineering Process on steam system efficiency.

http://chemeng-processing.blogspot.com/2009/04/energy-efficiency-in-steam-systems.html