Trap nets savings

Corus's Trostre Steel Works in Llanelli has installed Thermal Energy International's GEM Venturi orifice steam traps as part of a continuous improvement programme into energy conservation and CO2 reduction.

TEI was asked to survey the continuous annealing process line and V Stand Mill and found that of the 12 steam traps surveyed 25% had failed closed and 17% had failed open. This was increasing energy and creating additional CO2 emissions.

Now, 18 GEM Venturi orifice steam traps have replaced mechanical steam traps on the process line. Based on nominal consumption rates of 600t of steam a week, the traps are providing around 5% energy savings which equates to £0.5K a week based on a gas tariff of £4.4/GJ and condensate waste treatment costs.

Payback on the GEM steam traps is expected in about 30 weeks.

The traps use the venturi orifice design to drain condensate from the system without losing steam.