One of the most critical automatic safety devices in a steam system is the safety valve. The safety valve provides a protective measure for lives, equipment, and property from potentially dangerous levels of temperature and forces caused by excessive steam pressure in a system.

Safety valves are a requirement by code and insurance requirements.

Installation

· The steam system must be clean and free of any dirt or sediment before commissioning the steam system with a safety valve.

· The safety valve must be mounted vertically with the valve’s spindle in an upright vertical position.

· The inlet steam piping to the safety valve must be equal to or larger than the safety valve inlet connection.

Read the full Best Practices at:

http://www.plantsupport.com/download/no17.pdf

There is only one time to correct water hammer – IMMEDIATELY Water Hammer Is Never Normal; It Is Abnormal

Water hammer is not only a system issue; it is primarily a safety issue. Understanding the nature and severity of water hammer in a steam and condensate system, will allow facilities to avoid its destructive forces. A greater understanding should also help with the introduction of preventative measures into system designs, steam system startups, maintenance and installations. This will additionally help provide maximum safety for personnel, reduce maintenance cost, and reduced system downtime.

Water hammer; in its most severe form, can injure or even cause fatalities to plant personnel. Unfortunately, steam systems are experiencing some type of water hammer. Many mistakenly believe that water hammer is unavoidable, and a natural part of steam and condensate systems. This is entirely false. If the system is properly designed and correctly operated, water hammer in any form will not occur. It is possible to have high pressure steam systems operating without water hammer and a long operational life from the steam components.

http://www.swagelokenergy.com/download/PSE_BP_11.pdf