The Challenge - Applications at a Glance
Forced Heat Applications

 

When A.K. Velan looked at forced heat applications, he realized that those applications had different requirements than drip leg and tracing applications.  Steam traps on heat transfer applications had to:

  1. Handle a large startup loads.
  2. Handle varying flow conditions.
  3. Discharge large quantities of air.
  4. Get rid of condensate at steam temperature.

 

The available steam traps in the marketplace at that time did a very good job of discharging condensate at steam temperature.  A.K. Velan saw the need for a mechanical steam trap, but realized that under low flow conditions, a thermostatic steam trap would still give great advantage to a steam trap’s longevity.  Therefore, Velan reasoned, what advantage was for the market if he created a thermostatic steam trap that acted like a mechanical steam trap if the flow forced the trap to behave that way.

  1. Steam traps that constantly modulate condensate at all times will create a pressure drop in the forced heat application and precipitate better condensate drainage.
  2. Steam traps that modulate versus blast on – blast off will last longer.
  3. Steam traps that discharge condensate a few degrees below saturated steam temperature will help lower condensate return pressures, thus putting less stress on the other steam traps and the condensate pumps.

Steam traps that can open mechanically and override the thermostatic bimetallic element, can be manufactured with only one orifice.  Therefore, the trap can only fail in the open position.  The steam trap WILL NOT FREEZE, if placed in a climate below 32 deg F.