Typical losses through Mechanical traps

Mechanical traps open when condensate is present and close to prevent steam escaping. The mechanical mechanism is activated by various methods, such as internal floats, buckets, bimetallic bellows or discs. On continuous applications, mechanical traps open and close several times a minute, which results in wear and leakage.

How the Venturi Orifice trap works

A plate or simple orifice trap has a limited operating range on varying loads. It will work if the loads are relatively constant e.g. distribution systems.

The Venturi Orifice trap works by combing venturi technology with the orifice. The capacity of the Venturi Orifice trap is related to the size of the orifice and also to the backpressure generated inside the venturi.

It is a combination of these two factors that gives the venturi orifice trap its overall capacity. As the condensate passes through the orifice there is a pressure loss. On the upstream side of the orifice (the heat exchanger or steam line side) the condensate has the same pressure and temperature as the steam and therefore contains a lot of energy.

As it drops pressure across the orifice, the temperature and pressure of the condensate reduces, resulting in it containing less energy.

However, energy cannot disappear. So the difference in energy between the high pressure/temperature upstream side and the low pressure/temperature downstream side (i.e. the condensate return system) is converted into steam.

The higher the pressure difference across a trap (and it is the same for all traps) the more condensate has to be converted into ‘flash’ steam.

Venturi Orifice technology uses this flash steam to create a backpressure inside the venturi. As the condensate is forced through the orifice of the steam trap by the upstream pressure, the resultant pressure drop generates flash steam.

This flash steam is 1000 times the volume of the condensate, so the sudden expansion results in the condensate being accelerated in the venturi part of the trap.

This sudden acceleration creates an opposite and equal force or backpressure inside the venturi, which acts to restrict the flow of condensate through the orifice.

Because the amount of flash steam changes, depending upon the operating conditions, the resultant backpressure also changes. This then becomes a self-regulating flow of condensate through the trap that gives variable capacity characteristics.

Advantages

• Reduce boiler fuel costs
• Save steam, water and water treatment chemicals
• Have no moving parts to maintain
• Are constructed completely from stainless steel
• Require no spare parts, testing or monitoring equipment
• Are guaranteed for 10 years
• Are not consumables and are designed to be durable

ADVANTAGES & Benefits

• No moving parts
• Complete stainless steel construction with no internal corrosion
• No spare parts required
• Permanently eliminate the need for steam trap surveys
• Savings on labor for repairing steam traps
• No more steam leakage
• Handles varying and constant loads
• Easily handles and resolves water hammer problems
• No Maintenance
• Automatic air venting at start-up
• Operates on “constant discharge” principle
• Perfect operation in vertical or horizontal installation

Environmentally Friendly

• Reduced CO2 emissions. CO2 emissions are reduced through reducing steam wastage through failed traps
• Save Water
• Save water treatment chemicals
• Save boiler fuel (gas, oil, coal or electricity) by up to 30%

Improved Efficiencies

• Due to the traps unique DSV™ venturi orifice design there is TRUE continuous condensate discharge without any open/close cycles rather than intermittent discharge like traditional mechanical type steam traps such as ball float or inverted bucket traps.
• Upstream control valves have a more linear steam supply to the process equipment rather than the traditional continuous peak and trough supply.
• A thinner film of condensate is accumulated on the heating surface of the process equipment allowing improved heat transfer.
• Through permanently eliminating failed steam traps passing live steam into the condensate return system and pressurizing this system, a more balanced downstream pressure is achieved allowing faster condensate discharge and improved heat transfer.
• Minimal thermal energy loss due to the Delta DSV™ Steam Traps compact design

Applications

• Main line drainage
• Steam headers
• Heat exchangers
• Steam coils
• Trace heating
• Steam cylinders
• Drying cans
• Control valve applications
• Tank Heating
• Humidifiers
• Cooking pots
• Sterilization equipment
• Batch process applications

Target Industries

• Oil & Gas Refineries
• Petrochemical Plants
• Chemical Plants
• Power Generations
• Pharmaceutical Industries
• Food and beverage
• Dairy Industries
• Pulp and paper
• Packaging
• Corrugated plants
• Timber
• Textile
• Dry Cleaning
• Laundry