A steam trap is the piece of equipment used to discharge gases with minimum loss or consumption of live steam. The majority of the steam traps are just like automated valves. They open or close automatically. A steam trap has three main functions that are to discharge condensate immediately when formed, consuming negligible steam and discharging air and other gases that are non-condensable.

The simplest structure of a steam trap is a disc with a little hole which has been drilled through the lowest position of the device. The steam condensate settles at the bottom and live steam being 1200 times greater in dimensions than the hot liquid, steam is effectively blocked and the condensate removed.

An automatic steam trap opens only when condensate is supposed to be eradicated and closes when only steam is present. Steam traps work most effectively when the size is specified for a particular application. If exact specification is not possible, it