Regarding steam traps
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Hai Youhao: There is a reactor jacket at the company’s site, and steam is used for heating it; the condensed water from the steam is discharged through a trap. Since there is no tank available on site for storing this condensed water, we now want to connect a pipe from the outlet of the trap to a hot water tank that is 100 meters away. However, the hot water tank is 1.5 meters high, and the condensate pipes run along the ground. Is it possible to connect them to the upper part of the hot water tank? Thank you
It’s fine to climb 1.5 meters above the trap.
It mainly depends on the steam pressure; if the pressure is high, the condensate water can be drained.
For this discharge process over 100 meters with a lift of 1.5 meters, it is best that the steam pressure in the jacket surrounding the reactor be above 3 kilograms, and that this pressure remain relatively stable; only in this way can effective discharge occur. If the steam pressure fluctuates greatly and drops to 3 bar, water will not be able to be discharged from the reactor. This issue requires attention. In short, the pressure before the drain valve must be high enough, with the backpressure at the outlet ideally being above 3 bar.
Sure, but there are two requirements: 1. The steam pressure should preferably be greater than 3 kilograms, 2. Select a steam trap that is suitable for the backpressure conditions, such as a free-floating ball steam trap
The issue with liquid discharge is not serious. It is recommended to use a venturi-type steam trap, which can operate stably even under high back pressure and requires no replacement or maintenance.