Part 3. Piping Design | Chapter 4.

Steam Piping

The radiation load builds up as the warm – up load Given:

drops off under normal operating conditions. The peak Steam main – 10 in. diam steel pipe, 50 ft long
occurs at the mid – point of the warm – up cycle. Steam pressure – 5 psig ( 227 F )
Therefore, one – half of the radiation load Is added to Room temperature – 70 F db ( steam main in space )
warm – up load to determine the amount of condensate Warm – up time – 15 minutes
that the trap handles. Steam trap to drip main into vacuum return line
(2 in. vacuum gage design)
Pressure Differential Find:
The pressure differential across the trap is determined 1. Warm – up load.
at design conditions. If a vacuum exists on the discharge 2. Radiation load.
side of the trap, the vacuum is added to the inlet side 3. Total condensate load.
pressure to determine the differential. 4. Specifications for steam trap at end of supply main.
Safety Factor Solution:
Good design practice dictates the use of safety 1. The warm – up load is determined from the following
factors in steam trap selection. Safety factors from 2 to 1 to equation:
as high as 8 to 1 may be required, and for the following
reasons: C1 = W x (tfh–l xti)Tx .114
1. The steam pressure at the trap inlet or the back
pressure at the trap discharge the steam trap Where: W = 40.48 lb / ft x 50 ft ( Table 2 )
capacity. tf = 227 F
2. If the trap is sized for normal operating load, ti = 70 F
condensate may back up into the steam lines or hl = 960 Btu/ lb ( from steam tables)
apparatus during start – up or warm – up T = .25 hr
operation. C1 = 2024 x ( 227 – 70 ) x .114
3. It the steam trap is selected to discharge a full 960 x .25
and continuous steam of water, the air could not = 150 lb / hr of condensate
vented from the steam. 2. The radiation load is calculated by using the following
equation: L x K x (tf – ti)
C2 =
The following guide is used to determine the safety hl
factor: Where: L = 50 ft
K = 6.41 Btu / (hr) (linear foot)
( deg F diff between pipe and air)
from Table 54 , Part I
tf = 227 F
ti = 70 F
hI = 960 Btu / lb ( from steam tables)
C2 = 50 x 6.41 x (227 – 70)
960
= 52 lb / hr of condensate
When the steam trap is to be used in a high pressure 3. The total condensate load for steam trap selection is
system, determine whether or not the system is to operate equal to the warm – up load plus one half the radiation
under low pressure conditions at certain intervals such as load.
night time or weekends. If this condition is likely to occur, Total condensate load = C1 + ( 1/2 x C2)
then an additional safety factor should be considered to = 150+(1/2 x 52)
account for the lower pressure drop available during night = 176 lb / hr
time operation. 4. Steam trap selection is dependent on three factors:
Example 5 illustrates the three concepts mentioned condensate handled, safety factor applied to total
previously in trap selection – condensate handled, condensate load, and pressure differential across the
pressure differential and safety factor. steam trap. The safety factor for a steam trap at the end
of the main is 3 to 1 from the table on this page.
Example 5 – Steam Trap Selection for Dripping Supply Main to Applying the 3 to 1 safety factor to the total condensate
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