A case for Steam Traps

condition monitoring
Kannan Palanisamy
02 Oct 12

Decription of Asset
Our company has around 1000 steam traps.
Steam traps exist to discharge air and steam-

condensate while not permitting the escape of

live steam
Their goal is to purify the steam of excess air
and water (condensate) to :
Improve efficiency (Excess water or air in the system
prevents it from reaching operating temperature quickly
during start-up)
Protect system (Inadequate steam trapping can lead
to waterhammer, corrosion, leakage, and high
maintenance costs)
Provide maximum heat transfer (dry steam has
best heat transfer properties in equipment like a heat

Different types of Steam trap in the industry

Steam Trap Types

Thermodynamic

Mechanical

Thermostatic

Steam (flash) flow

operates valve to get
rid of steam
condensate

Use difference in
density between
steam and
condensate to
operate float to get
rid of steam
condensate

Sense temperature
change of condensate
to get rid of steam
condensate

Types of steam traps

used in my company
Our company has thermodynamic steam

traps and mechanical steam traps.

Linkage

Ball

Seat

Thermodynamic steam
trap

Mechanical float type

steam trap

Recent issues faced due

to steam traps
Recently we had several steam jacketed lines

failed due to corrosion issues as the jacket did

not sufficiently heat the sulphur di-oxide rich
gas on the inside pipe causing acid
condensation on the inside pipe and the
several jacketed spools buckled due to
corrosion.
The root cause of the spool failures were
attributed to steam traps that did not
discharge the steam condensate properly
leading to corrosion and failure of the inner
pipe due to acid condensation at low

Photographs of the
corroded jacketed spools

Failure modes of steam

traps
Blocked Traps - Upstream is completely build-

up with steam condensate.

Low Temperature Traps Unable to discharge
the steam condensate. Trap likely to get
blocked in the future.
Leaking Traps These traps cause monetary
loss by leaking steam.
Blowing Traps Blowing Traps are completely
damaged and is letting steam blow out.
Blocked and Low Temperature traps cause
process issues due to insufficient heating
whereas the leaking and blowing traps are
monetary loss to the company

Condition monitoring of
steam traps
Conventional methods
Operator observations
Condition monitoring techniques
Temperature monitoring
Ultrasonic monitoring
Continuous monitoring systems (conductivity
etc)

Operator observations
A LEAK!!!
Identifies leaking traps
and blowing traps in
open system.
Subjective

Temperature measurement (Infra red

monitoring)
Only indicates a blockage

Indicates blowing
traps and low
temperature traps
But cannot
quantify

Temperature based on
return line steam pressure

RETURN SYSTEM

Ultrasonic monitoring
ADJUST

Grades leaking
traps

RETURN SYSTEM

Typical average condition of traps without monitoring program

Typical failure mode distribution of steam

traps

INCORRECT
OPERATION
13.1%

LEAKING
18.7%

WORKING
CORRECTLY
62.6%

BLOCKED
5.6%

Case for monitoring of steam traps

Cost of Monitoring 1000 traps Annually by

operator observations, temperature and

ultrasonic monitoring
Operator cost 1000 x 5 minutes x $200/60 =

$16666
Temperature & Ultrasonic monitoring 1000 x
10 minutes x $200/60 = $33333
Our company already has the IR temperature
instrument and the ultrasonic instrument So
the cost of the instrument is not considered.
Total cost - $50000

Benefit/Cost
This steam trap monitoring program is
expected to save at least one incident like the
sulphur jacketed line failure per year and also
prevent the monetary loss of leaking/blowing
steam traps.
Cost of one incident like the sulphur jacketed
line failure - $ 100000
Cost of leaking/blowing on about 20% steam
traps (200 leaking traps per annum ) - $
50000 for a steam price of $ 8 per tonne.
Benefit cost ratio = ($150000/$50000) = 3

Benefit/Cost table for 1000 steam

traps
Degradati
on mode

Recommended
Monitoring
method

Blocked
traps

Trap Man
Monitoring

Low
Temp.
traps

Frequen
cy

Cost of
Condition
Monitorin
g

Impact
of
Failure

Cost of
Break
down

Beneft/Cost
Ratio

1y

$50000

$5000 $100000 3
0

Trap Man
Monitoring

1y

$50000

$5000 $100000 3
0

Blowing
Traps

Visual
Inspection &
Trap Man
Monitoring

1y

$50000

$5000 $100000 3
0

Leaking
Traps

Visual
Inspection &
Trap Man
Monitoring

1y

$50000

$5000 $100000 3
0