A steam trap is an instrument utilized to eliminate water and non-condensable gases from steam lines. Steam traps serve three key responsibilities: maintaining a low level of steam consumption, getting rid of water as it forms, and eradicating air and non-condensable gases. Typical steam traps are simply valves that operate automatically, opening, closing, and regulating as necessary to ensure the three functions are performed without incident.

There are four different types of steam traps. They are mechanical, temperature, thermodynamic, and venturi. While each of these types operates on the basic foundation of an automatic valve, they are constructed differently from one another