- Steam Theory
- 1. Basics of Steam
- 2. Steam Heating
- 3. Basics of Steam Traps
- 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
- 6. Steam Trap Management
- 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
- 9. Steam Quality
- 10. Steam Distribution
- 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
- 14. Other Valves
Traps and Orifices Part 1
Contents:
The word ‘orifice’ literally means an opening. For TLV steam traps, the term orifice is used to refer to the opening or passage through the valve seat.
The diameter of an orifice is much smaller than the inner diameter of the connected piping. For example, the orifice diameters available for the J3X Free Float® steam trap are only approx. 2-3 mm [⅛ inch] or less. This is because the size of the orifice depends on the steam trap’s body size and the operating pressure differential, not the size of the connection port.
Why is the Diameter of an Orifice So Small?
While a Free Float® steam trap with a nominal connection size of 15mm [½ inch] is typically connected to piping with an inner diameter of 15mm [½ inch], the diameter of the orifice may only be around 2-3mm [⅛ inch] or less.
This is because although piping is generally sized for two-phase flow (condensate with steam vapor), the orifice only needs to be sized for the condensate volume. For example, with a pressure differential of 0.2 MPaG [30 psi] ], a 2-3mm [⅛ inch] orifice can discharge approximately 350 kg/h [770 lb/h] of condensate. This would be sufficiently large for condensate drainage based on the estimated steam consumption of small-scale equipment that has a 15mm [½ inch] diameter condensate outlet. Some traps have a slightly larger discharge capacity because condensate can also be discharged through their thermostatic air vent.
It follows, of course, that a larger size orifice would allow the trap to have a greater discharge capacity. However, for the trap to operate at the same pressure differential, this would require a proportionally larger float, which would in turn increase the size of the trap body.
Discharge Capacity and Nominal Connection Size
In the case of most mechanical type traps, it is the size of the orifice, not the size of the connection port, that determines the discharge capacity. There is no direct relationship between connection size and discharge capacity. Taking a look at the above data sheet (for J3X Free Float® steam trap), it can be seen that different connection piping sizes (i.e. 15 mm, 20 mm, and 25 mm) all have the same discharge capacity for a given orifice size.
As mentioned earlier, a larger size orifice could allow a trap to have a greater discharge capacity. However, this would require a proportionally larger size float for the same pressure differential, which increases the size of the trap body. In short, this means that in order to design a trap with sufficient capacity, the appropriate orifice size and float diameter must be determined.
Valve opening and closing forces play a role in determining the size of the orifice and float. For a more detailed explanation of this, see Traps and Orifices Part 2.
Steam Trap Selection: Safety Factor and Life Cycle Cost | Traps and Orifices Part 2 |