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Ultra-high-profit, energy-saving high-tech solution – Throttle-orifice steam trap

2019-02-20View Original

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Is this product in use? How effective is it? I. Technical Background: At present, almost all power and heating systems rely on the use of steam. In a steam system, when steam is cooled by external temperatures and returns to its original liquid state, it is called condensed water. The main purpose of installing a steam trap is to drain condensate, but sometimes some steam leaks out as well. Currently, in China, various industries such as petrochemicals, power generation, food manufacturing, heating, and other manufacturing sectors are facing steam leakage problems. The leakage rate accounts for 8% to 25% of the total steam produced, and it is estimated that these losses result in an economic impact equivalent to about 1% of China’s GDP (which is equivalent to 460 million tons of standard coal). The main purpose of this project is to provide orifice-type steam traps (the appearance of the product is shown in the figure below) through the EPC (Energy Performance Contracting) approach, in order to prevent steam leakage and achieve significant energy and waste reduction effects. II. Technical Overview: Throttle-orifice type steam traps continuously discharge the condensate accumulated in steam pipes, achieving significant energy savings and reduced water discharge; as a result, they have become dominant in industries such as petrochemicals, power generation, and food manufacturing around the world. ① Since a traditional start valve structure is not used → steam leakage is prevented and no maintenance is required ; ② Simple internal structure with potential for miniaturization → no maintenance required, space-saving ; ③ Use continuous rather than intermittent drainage of condensate water → stable thermal efficiency. The use of orifice-type steam traps can improve product quality and production speed, thereby yielding significant economic benefits. (1) Main working principle: The orifice-type steam trap does not rely on a starting valve; it uses only a fixed orifice to create a water seal from the condensate water generated in the pipeline. This orifice is less susceptible to degradation, thereby minimizing steam leakage. Traditional pilot-operated steam traps include mechanical levers, and float-type and disc-type steam traps inevitably experience steam leakage due to the wear and deformation of the pilot valve over time. According to statistical data, the average steam leakage rate within 5 years is 14% (ranging from 4% to 25%). Currently, our company is handling the application for relevant patents in China, and its features are shown in the figure below. (II) The basic structure of the orifice-type steam trap is shown in the figure below. (III) Simple structure and space-saving: Throttle-hole type steam traps rely solely on throttle holes for drainage, resulting in a fairly simple internal structure ; Lightweight, with a small connection diameter. (IV) Construction examples (V) Project framework ① China supports and encourages energy service companies to provide energy-saving services through the contract energy management mechanism; the relevant standards include GB/T24915-2010 \"Technical Specifications for Contract Energy Management\", as well as the Notice No. 25 issued by the State Council regarding measures to accelerate the adoption of contract energy management and promote the development of the energy service industry. ② Under the EPC (ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT) agreements established with each client – namely corporate entities that wish to achieve energy savings – the energy-saving service companies acting as our agents set up and operate the relevant devices, enabling the clients to achieve significant energy savings without having to incur additional investment costs through equipment upgrades. ③ The sources of our main revenue can be divided into two categories: the first is the fees paid by customers as compensation for the savings they achieve through energy-saving measures, such as reducing gas leaks (usually shared 50:50 between the enterprise and the supplier); the second category consists of the revenues generated from carbon emission rights traded in the domestic carbon market under the CCER program. ④ The energy-saving service company responsible for implementing this EPC project can cooperate directly with us, using its own capital or funds raised from the market to invest in the necessary equipment, and then provide direct contract energy management services to the enterprise in order to recover its investment. (VI) Estimation of implementation effects in the fields of petroleum refining and beer manufacturing III. Cooperation procedures STEP 1: Overview investigation of the existing steam system Conduct an investigation based on steam condensate data to understand the steam usage status (total steam consumption, pressure, etc.), as well as the layout of steam traps, etc. STEP 2: On-site investigation – Professional engineering technicians measure the existing equipment, and through scientific analysis, visualize and quantify the steam leakage situation. ① Thermal imaging is used to determine the temperature difference before and after the trap (the method of using thermal imaging for this purpose is shown in the figure below). The operating conditions of the trap are as follows: Steam pressure: 1.20 MpaG; Temperature at the inlet of the trap: 185.2°C; Temperature at the outlet of the trap: 161.1°C. Since only condensate should be discharged from the outlet of the trap, its temperature should drop below 100°C; however, severe steam leakage causes the outlet temperature to rise to 161.1°C. ② Actually extract the condensate and analyze the proportion of steam leakage contained in its heat (based on the methods specified by ISO). STEP 3: Develop an energy-saving and emission-reduction plan, proposing the optimal orifice system. STEP 4: Sign a cooperation agreement. Technical advantages: This technology offers the following advantages: it can significantly prevent steam leakage, thereby achieving notable energy savings and reduced emissions ; It only uses a throttle hole for drainage; its internal structure is quite simple, it is lightweight, and the connection diameter is small ; No maintenance required, space-saving ; The thermal efficiency is stable. Effect indicators: At present, this technology has entered the pilot production stage and is already in use; the performance indicators for its application are as follows: The steam leakage rate of the disc-type hydrophobic valve, after 4 years, ranges from 10% to 38% ; Steam savings: 55,000 t/year ; Steam cost savings: 10.45 million yuan/year (the company’s purchase price for steam is 190 yuan per ton) ; Improvement rate: 27%. Detailed description of project cases and their outcomes: (1) In China, we have installed these orifice-type steam traps in approximately 10 facilities, including pharmaceutical companies and chemical manufacturers in Jiangsu Province, as part of EPC contract energy management projects, achieving significant benefits. A chemical manufacturing company in Jiangsu Province, by installing this device, not only achieved a significant reduction in steam leaks but also saw shortened production cycles and improved product quality. ● Steam savings → 55,000 t/year. ● Savings on steam costs → 10.45 million yuan per year (the company’s purchase price for steam is 190 yuan per ton). ● Improvement rate → 27% This is by no means a small figure for a company! (2) In Japan and other **, over 2,000 companies have already adopted a total of more than 65,000 units. Oji Paper, Japan’s largest paper manufacturer, reported the effects of introducing orifice control as a **recognized \"energy utilization rationalization project\"; by switching to disc-type controls, energy savings equivalent to 1617 KL of crude oil were achieved. The report shows that the steam leakage rate of disc-type steam traps reaches 10%–38% after 4 years (※). (3) Comparison table of the deterioration of steam traps over time. Application areas: This technology can be used in industries such as petrochemicals, power generation, and food manufacturing.
Reply #22019-03-01
This is the orifice-type steam trap, which has long been phased out. It is still in use abroad, but hardly anywhere in China. If the discharge orifice of this type of trap is too small, it will lead to the accumulation of condensate; if it is too large, steam leakage will occur. Its application conditions are quite limited – it basically cannot be used in situations where there are fluctuations in the amount of condensate discharged, such as in cases where equipment discharges water intermittently. Additionally, it is normal for disk-type steam traps to have steam leaks. Disk-type traps are primarily valued for their low cost and intermittent drainage; energy savings are not their main advantage. If energy efficiency is a concern, thermodynamic diaphragm or bimetallic traps should be used, as they offer better energy-saving effects and a wider range of applications. Those who are not familiar with the structure and working principle of steam traps can watch the video I posted earlier on the working principle of steam traps: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-2223332-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum)

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