Should a bypass be installed for the steam trap piping?
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Should a bypass be installed for the steam trap piping? I see that the design institute has installed a bypass; the purpose is likely to facilitate replacement during the maintenance of the steam trap. Is this design feasible?
It’s certainly possible. There are no mandatory requirements for bypass design; it depends on how well your process can handle failures. Many auxiliary line designs are added as a result of HAZOP analysis
When the check valve is clogged, the bypass valve can be slightly opened to release water and ensure production continues
In this way, steam also enters the condensate system. Will that work?
Slightly open the bypass valve to allow the condensate to flow out; do not leave it in the system as this will affect the heat exchange efficiency
The design from the design institute is feasible.
It mainly flows into the steam system – won’t that cause water hammer?
Especially in the fine chemical industry, where many batch processes are used, the condensate water is drained through a bypass valve before steam is introduced
It is feasible to install a bypass in the drain remover’s piping, but depending on the piping layout, the location where the drain remover is installed also varies...
The jacket of the reactor is used for heat exchange; steam or hot water is used for heating, while chilled brine, low-temperature water, or cooling water is used for cooling. If you have previously cooled the reactor with cooling water and then need to heat it with steam, with a large amount of water inside the jacket, you must open the bypass valve and introduce steam to drive the water out of the jacket. When heating with steam, there is a lot of condensed water in the steam pipes, and it is necessary to open a bypass valve to drain this water; using a steam trap to do this would be very slow. Turn on the bypass for one or two minutes to drain all the water; the steam trap also helps with drainage, but it may not be possible to drain everything in half an hour. If the steam trap fails, the bypass valve can be slightly opened to allow water to pass through; of course, some steam will also pass through as well, which is just a waste of steam. Our operators prefer to use this method as it heats up quickly. Thermostatic valves are prone to failure, as the pipes are made of carbon steel. If the jacket is connected to both hot and cold water, as well as cooling water, a lot of dirt will accumulate in the pipes, which can easily cause the thermostatic valve to stop functioning. It’s filled with water, and it’s not hydrophobic; either the steam trap keeps releasing water, thereby expelling steam as well.
It’s much more convenient when there’s a bypass for maintenance