All steam lines need to have adequate condensate removal from the steam line on a continuous bases. No matter how well the steam line is insulated; the heat energy will be transferred from steam into the atmosphere, and the steam in the steam line will change state (latent energy is released); thus condensate will form in the steam line.

 The condensate volume will depend on the steam line insulation, steam pressure, and steam line length. The condensate will flow with the steam at the bottom of the steam line in a swaying motion (not a straight line); thus the steam line “drip pocket must be large” (drip pocket is the name of the branch line extending down).

www.swagelokenergy.com     Best Practices

Steam and condensate leaks cost industrial plants millions of dollars in lost energy, while increasing emissions, creating safety hazards, and lowering the reliability of plant operations.  Steam leaks result in the loss of both latent and sensible energy.

While plant personnel would be well advised to pay attention to all utility losses, greater attention should be paid to the costs and problems associated with losses related to steam. Steam leaks result in higher energy losses than comparable compressed air leaks, as shown in the following example:

Steam leak = $3,591.00

100 psig

1/8 in.

$10.00 per thousand lbs. of steam

Compressed air = $2,095.00

100 psig

1/8 in.

$0.05 per kWh

Leaks in the steam and condensate system can contribute to significant energy losses—as great as 19 percent of the overall energy consumption—in a plant’s operations. In fact, due to the high cost of these energy losses, the correction of steam and condensate leaks offers very lucrative paybacks. The greatest benefit of a proactive steam and condensate leakage correction program

is that most leaks can be corrected without expending capital.

Read the full SEA Best Practice

http://www.plantsupport.com/download/best-practices-24.pdf