Chapter 17 Book 1 Steam Traps

Question 1

Ball float steam trap

Answer 1

 this trap uses buoyancy also commonly features, a bellows controlled air vent, located near the top of the trap. If the steam surrounds the bellows bellows will expand and close the vent outlet but if air surrounds the bellows, which is steam, animals will contract and open the vent, allowing air to escape, these traps work well, regardless of load and its operation is not affected by changes in steam pressure. It will not become air lot upon start up as it will automatically discharge the air but its disadvantage is being vulnerable to damage from waterhammer and it is also beautiful for outdoor use as it will freeze.

Question 2

What are the types of steam traps?

Answer 2

Mechanical traps being the float trap in the inverted bucket trap the float trap commonly features, a bellows air vent with it

Thermostatic trip, which is either the corrugated bellows trap or the by metal steam trap

Question 3

Inverted bucket trap

Answer 3

When the trap is full of condensation, the bucket will be low and the vent will be open as the bucket fills with steam the bucket rises and closes the trap until condensate displaces the steam there’s also a air vent to allow air to gather at the top of the trap and vent out the upper part of the trap

Question 4

Thermostatic traps

Answer 4

The corrugated bellows trap commonly used on radiating systems and is also called a radiator trap, must remove condensate as fast as it is formed. The Bellows contains a volatile fluid, which will boil from the heat in the steam that surrounds the bellows when the trap is full of condensate the bellows is cool enough to contract and open the valve, but as the trap fills with steam, the volatile liquid boils and expands the bellows, which closes the vent

Thermostatic by metal steam trap as steam passes through the trap it heats the by metal strip, which causes it to bend and seal the vent as condensate flows into the trap, the strip cools, and straightens out, which lifts the valve off its seat 

Both of these valves should only let condensate through and not steam

Question 5

Trap installation

Answer 5

Before installing a trap blow through new steam lines to clear all foreign m matcher install the trap below the lowest point in the system, and the line leading to the trap should be pitched downward for a good draining. The pipe before the trap is also known as the cooling leg always have a strainer just a head of the trap to prevent entry of foreign matter isolation valves on either side of the trap should be installed for inspection and cleaning and the trap should have unions installed on the inlet and outlet connections. There is usually a bypass line around the trap in case the trap fails so condensate can still be removed.

Question 6

Strainers

Answer 6

Should always be installed before a steam trap. Steam traps may have them built in. The strainer will have a removable plug or blowdown valve on the bottom to remove any accumulated debris is the strainer screen. This bottom plug or blow down can also be used to test for condensate or steam when troubleshooting