Steam traps Valves are the most important link between the steam and condensate system. Malfunctioning steam traps can waste tremendous amounts of money. Here is an example: A single inverted bucket steam trap (with a one-eighth-inch orifice) blowing-thru in a 150 psi, where the steam cost is $11.00 per 1,000 lbs. of steam produced, will waste 62.49 lbs. of steam per hour and cost approximately $6,022 in fuel losses per year.


Steam Traps  Valves Defined

For those who are not familiar with the steam trap, it is an automatic valve that, when operating properly, opens to purge a steam system of condensate and closes with the presence of steam.

There are three types of steam traps:

    Density operated, which includes the inverted-bucket (IB) and the float and thermostatic (FT) types
    Thermostatic (TH), specifically, the balance-pressure thermostatic (BPT) type
    Thermodynamic (TD), either the disc or impulse type


Trap Characteristics

Float and thermostatic traps consist of a ball float and a thermostatic bellows element. As condensate flows through the body, the float rises or falls, opening the valve according to the flow rate. The thermostatic element discharges air from the steam lines. They are good in heavy and light loads and on high and low pressure, but are not recommended where water-hammer is a possibility.

When these traps fail, they usually fail closed. However, the ball float may become damaged and sink down, failing in the open position. The thermostatic element may also fail and cause a fail-open condition.

Thermostatic traps have, as the main operating element, a metallic corrugated bellows that is filled with an alcohol mixture that has a boiling point lower than that of water. The bellows will contract when in contact with condensate and expand when steam is present. Should a heavy condensate load occur, such as in start-up, the bellows will remain in a contracted state, allowing condensate to flow continuously. As steam builds up, the bellows will close. Therefore, there will be moments when this trap will act as a