Steam Theory 1. Basics of Steam What is Steam? Principal Applications for Steam Types of Steam Flash Steam How to Read a Steam Table 2. Steam Heating Heating with Steam Steam Heating Mechanism Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient What is Vacuum Steam? Tracing the Causes of Heat Maintenance Issues 3. Basics of Steam Traps What is a Steam Trap? The History of Steam Traps #1 The History of Steam Traps #2 How Mechanical Traps Work: A Look at their Mechanism and Merits How Disc Traps Work: A Look at their Mechanism and Merits How Bimetal-Type Thermostatic Steam Traps Work: A Look at their Mechanisms and Merits 4. Steam Trap Selection Steam Trap Selection: How Application Affects Selection Steam Trap Selection: Understanding Specifications Steam Trap Selection: Safety Factor and Life Cycle Cost Traps and Orifices Part 1 Traps and Orifices Part 2 Casting vs. Forging Applications of Different Types of Steam Traps Don't Get Steamed : Selecting Steam Trap Design Understanding Steam Traps Compare Two Fixed Orifice Venturi Products to a Variable Orifice Free Float Steam Trap 5. Steam Trap Problems Is My Trap Leaking Live Steam? Temperature Control Trap Precautions Trap Installation Orientation Trap Back Pressure Double Trapping Group Trapping Steam Locking Air Binding My Steam Trap Is Good - Why Doesn't It Work? 6. Steam Trap Management Introduction to Steam Trap Management Steam Trap Losses - what it costs you A Guide to Steam Trap Testing Implement a Sustainable Steam Trap Management Program Impact Plant Performance by Improving the Steam System 7. Water Hammer Water Hammer: What is it? Water Hammer: The Mechanism Water Hammer: Cause and Location Water Hammer: In Steam Distribution Lines Water Hammer: In Equipment Water Hammer: In Condensate Transport Piping Identifying Water Hammer Using a Thermal Camera Mitigation of Water Hammer in Vertical Flashing Condensate Transport Piping Stop Knocking Your Condensate Return Steam Trap Management: Do Something; Anything. Please! 8. Risk Mitigation Steam System Optimization and Risk Mitigation Risk Based Methodology for Industrial Steam Systems Why Bad Things Happen to Good Steam Equipment Beware of the Dangers of Cold Traps Steam System Winterization: How to Protect Your Plant 9. Steam Quality Wet Steam vs. Dry Steam: The Importance of the Steam Dryness Fraction Separators and their Role in the Steam System Clean & Pure Steam Temperature Problems Caused by Air Removing Air from Steam Equipment Air Vents for Steam Steam Quality Considerations 10. Steam Distribution Best Practices for Condensate Removal on Steam Lines Installation Tips for Steam Traps on Steam Mains Erosion in Steam and Condensate Piping Corrosion in Steam and Condensate Piping Allocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 1 11. Condensate Recovery Introduction to Condensate Recovery Returning Condensate and When to Use Condensate Pumps Condensate Recovery: Vented vs. Pressurized Systems Condensate Recovery Piping What is Stall? Methods of Preventing Stall Cavitation in Condensate Pumps Steam Heat Exchangers are Underworked and Over-Surfaced Allocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 2 Optimize Reboiler Performance via Effective Condensate Drainage Vent Away Condensate Pump Frustrations in a Flash 12. Energy Efficiency Tips to improve steam plant efficiency Advice on Winter Preparation for Steam Systems Insulating Traps Steam Compressors Why Save Energy? Management Strategies for Conserving Energy Recovering Steam Clouds and Waste Heat Waste Heat Recovery Boiler Energy Saving Tips Steam Line Energy Saving Tips Steam-Using Equipment Energy Saving Tips Preventing Steam Leaks Handle Steam More Intelligently Optimize the Entire Steam System Use Available Data to Lower System Cost 13. Compressed Air / Gas Removing Condensate from Compressed Air Preventing Clogging of Air Traps Air Compressor Energy Saving Tips Improving Compressed Air Quality and Countermeasures Against Leaks 14. Other Valves Types of Manual Valves Bypass Valves Check Valve Installation and Benefits Pressure Reducing Valves for Steam Steam Theory Learn about steam, steam traps, condensate recovery, and more with our steam theory tutorials 1. Basics of Steam What is Steam?Principal Applications for SteamTypes of SteamFlash SteamHow to Read a Steam Table 2. Steam Heating Heating with SteamSteam Heating MechanismOverall Heat Transfer CoefficientWhat is Vacuum Steam?Tracing the Causes of Heat Maintenance Issues 3. Basics of Steam Traps What is a Steam Trap?The History of Steam Traps #1The History of Steam Traps #2How Mechanical Traps Work: A Look at their Mechanism and Merits How Disc Traps Work: A Look at their Mechanism and MeritsHow Bimetal-Type Thermostatic Steam Traps Work: A Look at their Mechanisms and Merits 4. Steam Trap Selection Steam Trap Selection: How Application Affects SelectionSteam Trap Selection: Understanding SpecificationsSteam Trap Selection: Safety Factor and Life Cycle CostTraps and Orifices Part 1Traps and Orifices Part 2Casting vs. ForgingApplications of Different Types of Steam TrapsDon't Get Steamed : Selecting Steam Trap DesignUnderstanding Steam TrapsCompare Two Fixed Orifice Venturi Products to a Variable Orifice Free Float Steam Trap 5. Steam Trap Problems Is My Trap Leaking Live Steam?Temperature Control Trap PrecautionsTrap Installation OrientationTrap Back PressureDouble TrappingGroup TrappingSteam LockingAir BindingMy Steam Trap Is Good - Why Doesn't It Work? 6. Steam Trap Management Introduction to Steam Trap ManagementSteam Trap Losses - what it costs youA Guide to Steam Trap TestingImplement a Sustainable Steam Trap Management ProgramImpact Plant Performance by Improving the Steam System 7. Water Hammer Water Hammer: What is it?Water Hammer: The MechanismWater Hammer: Cause and LocationWater Hammer: In Steam Distribution LinesWater Hammer: In EquipmentWater Hammer: In Condensate Transport PipingIdentifying Water Hammer Using a Thermal CameraMitigation of Water Hammer in Vertical Flashing Condensate Transport PipingStop Knocking Your Condensate ReturnSteam Trap Management: Do Something; Anything. Please! 8. Risk Mitigation Steam System Optimization and Risk MitigationRisk Based Methodology for Industrial Steam SystemsWhy Bad Things Happen to Good Steam EquipmentBeware of the Dangers of Cold TrapsSteam System Winterization: How to Protect Your Plant 9. Steam Quality Wet Steam vs. Dry Steam: The Importance of the Steam Dryness FractionSeparators and their Role in the Steam System Clean & Pure SteamTemperature Problems Caused by AirRemoving Air from Steam EquipmentAir Vents for SteamSteam Quality Considerations 10. Steam Distribution Best Practices for Condensate Removal on Steam LinesInstallation Tips for Steam Traps on Steam MainsErosion in Steam and Condensate PipingCorrosion in Steam and Condensate PipingAllocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 1 11. Condensate Recovery Introduction to Condensate RecoveryReturning Condensate and When to Use Condensate PumpsCondensate Recovery: Vented vs. Pressurized SystemsCondensate Recovery PipingWhat is Stall?Methods of Preventing StallCavitation in Condensate PumpsSteam Heat Exchangers are Underworked and Over-SurfacedAllocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 2Optimize Reboiler Performance via Effective Condensate DrainageVent Away Condensate Pump Frustrations in a Flash 12. Energy Efficiency Tips to improve steam plant efficiencyAdvice on Winter Preparation for Steam SystemsInsulating TrapsSteam Compressors Why Save Energy?Management Strategies for Conserving EnergyRecovering Steam Clouds and Waste HeatWaste Heat RecoveryBoiler Energy Saving TipsSteam Line Energy Saving TipsSteam-Using Equipment Energy Saving TipsPreventing Steam LeaksHandle Steam More IntelligentlyOptimize the Entire Steam SystemUse Available Data to Lower System Cost 13. Compressed Air / Gas Removing Condensate from Compressed AirPreventing Clogging of Air TrapsAir Compressor Energy Saving TipsImproving Compressed Air Quality and Countermeasures Against Leaks 14. Other Valves Types of Manual ValvesBypass ValvesCheck Valve Installation and BenefitsPressure Reducing Valves for Steam We will continue to add to this section over the coming months. Please sign up for the email magazine so we can inform you when new articles are available. Sign up for the Email Magazine Published Articles Category Article Date Publication Condensate Recovery Vent Away Condensate Pump Frustrations in a Flash 2022/05 CHE Steam Heating Tracing the Causes of Heat Maintenance Issues 2019/12 CEP, AIChE Steam Trap Selection Don't Get Steamed : Selecting Steam Trap Design 2003/04 CHE Steam Trap Selection Understanding Steam Traps 2011/02 CEP, AIChE Steam Trap Selection Compare Two Fixed Orifice Venturi Products to a Variable Orifice Free Float Steam Trap 2019/11 N/A Steam Trap Problems My Steam Trap Is Good - Why Doesn't It Work? 2015/04 CEP, AIChE Steam Trap Management Implement a Sustainable Steam Trap Management Program 2014/01 CEP, AIChE Steam Trap Management Impact Plant Performance by Improving the Steam System 2021/12 Hydrocarbon Processing Water Hammer Stop Knocking Your Condensate Return 2016/11 CEP, AIChE Water Hammer Steam Trap Management: Do Something; Anything. Please! 2017/10 CEP, AIChE Risk Mitigation Beware of the Dangers of Cold Traps 2013/03 CEP, AIChE Risk Mitigation Why Bad Things Happen to Good Steam Equipment 2015/03 CHE Risk Mitigation Risk Based Methodology for Industrial Steam Systems 2017/06 Inspectioneering Journal Risk Mitigation Steam System Optimization and Risk Mitigation 2018/05 Hydrocarbon Processing Steam Distribution Allocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 1 2019/01 Hydrocarbon Processing Steam Quality Steam Quality Considerations 2020/05 CHE Condensate Recovery Steam Heat Exchangers are Underworked and Over-Surfaced 2004/11 CHE Condensate Recovery Allocate New Plant Focus to Steam System Design—Part 2 2019/02 Hydrocarbon Processing Condensate Recovery Optimize Reboiler Performance via Effective Condensate Drainage 2021/07 CEP, AIChE Energy Efficiency Handle Steam More Intelligently 2006/11 CHE Energy Efficiency Ask the Experts: Optimize the Entire Steam System 2008/06 CEP, AIChE Energy Efficiency Use Available Data to Lower System Cost 2011/05 IETC 2011 Compressed Air / Gas Improving Compressed Air Quality and Countermeasures Against Leaks 2014/03 ECCJ