Page 280 - Boiler plant and distribution system optimization manual
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Steam Traps 265
Table 14.1—Annual cost of steam loss from traps for mance better than that is difficult in the av-
100 psi steam at $5.00 per 1000 pounds. erage plant. Failed-trap percentages as high
as 50% in some plants showed up during the
early days of the energy crisis, and occasion-
ally we see such performance still.”
Power Magazine
April, 1980
“Experience indicates, that in plants without
planned steam trap maintenance, between
10% and 50% of the traps are malfunction-
ing at any given time—as a result of errors in
sizing, misapplication or inadequate mainte-
nance.”
facility may fail open at any time and the losses,
Plant Engineering
if it is not found and repaired quickly, can be very
March 5, 1981
large. Failure could occur at any time, even the
day after the last inspection. Figure 14.20 shows
“Most plants can save 10-20% of fuel cost
how flash steam and steam from failed steam
simply by having a formal, active steam trap
traps vents to the atmosphere.
program...For the first year, a return of $1
To determine how often traps will fail has
million in energy savings for each $300,000
so many variables, that any conclusion should
spent upgrading the system is the rule rather
be based on actual conditions at a specific facili-
than the exception.”
ty. Some generalizations have emerged over the
Chemical Engineering
years. There is very little information on this topic.
February 9, 1981
“Trap life should be 4-5 years average. For
a plant with 2000 traps this means 400-500
replacements every year.”
Power Magazine
April 1980
“The average disc trap should last six months
to a year...disc traps sometimes failed ‘with-
in days of installation’...”
Energy User news
Figure 14.20—Showing heat exchanger and steam
June 6, 1983
venting to atmosphere from condensate tank.
“Of 260,000 installed traps studied (in 40
Sampling of Published Comments on
industrial plants) the average performance
Steam Trap Performance
level was found to be only 58%. In a typical
A review leading authorities reveals that
plant with 2,000 traps, 840 were failed; 42%
trap failures range from 5% to 50% of the trap
needed corrective maintenance that plant
population at any given facility.
personnel were not providing... inefficien-
cies in the energy/management area were
“The failed trap percentage at any given time
costing the average industrial plant over
should be in the 5% to 10% range. Perfor-
