Steam Trap Selection

How do we calculate?

Trap type selection and safety factors are the common ground of the selection guides published by international steam trap manufacturers. For mains and tracing drainage: thermodynamic trap and ×2; for temperature-controlled heat exchangers and air heaters: float & thermostatic trap and ×3 (above 2 bar g the capacity is read at half the maximum differential pressure; at 2 bar g and below ×2 at a very low differential pressure); presses and constant-pressure processes ×2, rotating cylinders ×3. The minimum factor for the trap type (float 1.5, bucket/disc/thermostatic 2) is also checked. Flash steam ratio = (h₁ − h₂) / r₂; h₁ and h₂ are the saturated liquid enthalpies at the two pressures, r₂ the latent heat at the lower pressure (steam tables).