Posted by Teodor on August 12, 2001 at 05:47:37:
I have to arrange for condensate removal from a long steam pipe, with 6 expansion loops, 15 ft elevation of the pipe, glass fiber insulated, exposed to the atmosphere and subjected to freezing. The big problem is that the condensate return pipe is at the same elevation as the steam pipe and the plant personnel require for automatic start-up (i.e. they do not want to open and close every individual drip leg valve during the start-up procedure), and all this combined with the need for good accessibility of the steam trap stations. The best decision, I think, is to drop down to the earth access level the trap stations, and to provide for steam tracing for the condensate lines. Do you have any further idea? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.