How do you diagnose a bad steam trap?

Several methods are used to test the operating condition of a steam trap to determine if it is working properly, including visual observation, measuring temperature, measuring sound/vibrations or ultrasound, and some combination of these methods.

How often should steam traps be tested?

Paffel reported that the best practice is to test steam traps every three months, until the failure rate is 3 percent or lower. Once that benchmark has been achieved, plant stakeholders should continue testing traps at least every six months.

What causes a steam trap to fail?

Dirt – by far the leading cause of failure resulting in either a leaking or plugged trap. Pressure surges (due to sudden steam valve openings, improper piping, or trap misapplications) resulting in water-hammer and subsequent damage to the internal steam trap components.

What is the lifespan of a steam trap?

3 years
Regularly scheduled maintenance should prolong or even extend the longevity of the steam trap and its parts. That said, keep in mind that a steam traps’ life expectancy is no longer than 3 years, and some steam systems have an annual steam trap failure rate of as high as 35%.

How often do steam traps fail?

Steam traps do the important task of removing this condensate as soon as it is formed. Steam trap failure results in improper removal of the condensate. Some steam systems have an annual steam trap failure rate of as high as 35%.

What happens when a steam trap fails open?

A Steam traps fails open When a steam trap fails open, it simply acts like an open valve and hence, a lot of steam would leak through it. As a result, the overall steam consumption of the plant will go up, reducing the efficiency of the operation.

How do you maintain a steam trap?

The general rule for steam trap preventive maintenance is the higher the pressure, the more frequent the test. For example, high-pressure traps with rates greater than 250 psig should be tested daily. However, low-pressure traps with rates below 30 psig can be checked monthly or even annually.

What type of steam trap is not desirable?

In most cases this is not desirable because condensate needs to be removed as soon as it is formed. Thermodynamic (TD) traps work on the difference in dynamic response to velocity changes in flow of compressible and incompressible fluids.

Which is the best automatic steam trap tester?

Armstrong’s SAGE UMT® eliminates human error and raises the quality of steam trap testing to a new level. Our state-of-the-art, automatic testing device makes it easy for any steam trap technician to survey your trap population quickly and accurately, on a regular basis.

What should the inlet temperature of a steam trap be?

Measuring the trap’s inlet condensate temperature is a first step in the process of testing for steam trap failure. Except in cases of intentional subcooling (such as certain low temperature tracing), the condensate temperature at the trap inlet should be near that of saturated steam. Temperature can be extremely useful when trying to determine if:

How long does it take a steam trap to work?

State Supply offers steam trap testing tools and steam trap testers monitor your steam system. Steam traps have an operational life ranging from four to eight years and often fail in the open position, allowing steam to escape its point-of-use.

How can you tell if a steam trap has failed?

Steam trap testers allow you to know if your steam traps have failed. Choose from ultrasonic listening, temperature sensing, and electronic stethoscope instruments.