Did you know that there is no direct relationship between a steam trap's connection size and discharge capacity? In the case of most mechanical traps, it is the size of the orifice, not the size of the connection port, that determines the discharge capacity.     

A trap’s "orifice" refers to its valve seat opening, which is much smaller than the connected piping’s inner diameter. For example, while TLV’s Free Float® steam trap with a nominal connection size of 15 mm [½ inch] is typically connected to piping with an inner diameter of that same size, the diameter of the orifice may only be around 2-3 mm [⅛ inch] or less.     

Despite its tiny size, the orifice plays a critical role in determining the trade-off between the trap’s discharge capacity and maximum operating pressure. Read on to learn more about this trade-off, the two forces at work inside your steam trap, and orifice number selection:

Reduce Start-up Time  
with TLV’s Free Float®

In addition to offering compact size, continuous discharge of condensate, and large discharge capacities, JX series steam traps are equipped with an X-element for powerful automatic air venting.

While piping is typically sized for two-phase flow (condensate and steam vapor), a trap's orifice only needs to be sized for the condensate volume. As a result, even relatively large amounts of condensate can be efficiently discharged through a surprisingly small orifice.