Use float controlled steam trap over inverted bucket steam trap

Float controlled steam trap and inverted bucket steam trap are two kinds of stream traps, they are widely used in pipeline system, but today we recommend it is better to use float controlled steam trap than inverted steam trap:

A. FLOAT TRAP:     The float controlled steam trap can discharge the condensate as soon and as rapidly as it forms.  

    BUCKET TRAP: The inverted bucket steam traps have intermittent discharge characteristics. This means that there will be hold-up of  condensate in the steam space till the next cycle of operation  of the inverted bucket steam trap, thereby reducing the effective heat transfer area. This will cause lengthening in the process time, which will cause the operator to open up the bypass to drain out the logged condensate.

 

B. During every cycle of operation the inverted bucket steam trap loses a bucket full of steam.  Hence there is continuous steam / energy loss during operation. This would mean a higher specific steam consumption for achieving the same process output as compared to a float controlled steam trap. This would mean that a float controlled steam trap will pay back for itself in a short period of time.

 

C. FLOAT TRAP:   The float controlled steam trap incorporates an immersion tube that ensures a water seal to avoid leakage of live steam. So, even at part load conditions, the immersion tube acts as a static liquid column preventing the loss of live steam through the float controlled steam trap. 

    BUCKET TRAP: The inverted bucket steam trap needs to maintain a water seal to avoid leakage of live steam. At part load conditions, the condensate load on the trap drops and the hot steam may come in contact with this water seal causing it to evaporate because of quick heat transfer. This would lead to disruption of the water seal, thereby causing loss of live steam through the inverted bucket steam trap. 

 

D. BUCKET TRAP: The inverted bucket steam trap cannot adjust the discharge to meet the varying load conditions of the process equipment. 

     FLOAT TRAP:     RIFOX float controlled steam trap adjusts the opening of the rotary slide valve to meet the varying load conditions of the process equipment. 

 

E. BUCKET TRAP: Bleed hole in  the inverted  bucket  steam trap  has  a  very limited air venting capacity. The head available for air discharge is also very less. 

     FLOAT TRAP:     The float controlled steam trap is provided with a built-in thermostatic air vent that ensures effective removal of air / incondensable gases from the steam.

 

F. BUCKET TRAP:  The inverted bucket steam trap cannot respond to a very high start-up condition. 

    FLOAT TRAP:      The thermostatic air vent of the float controlled steam trap offers the added benefit of significantly increasing the condensate discharge capacity on cold start-up.

 

G. BUCKET TRAP: The inverted bucket steam trap has a limited capability to overcome the trap binding by steam locking. 

     FLOAT TRAP:     The float controlled steam trap has a ventilation nozzle that acts as a steam lock release to overcome the trap binding by steam locking.

 

H. BUCKET TRAP:  The inverted bucket steam trap cannot operate at very low differential pressures. These traps operate at a minimum differential pressure of 0.5 bar (g). 

     FLOAT TRAP:      RIFOX float controlled steam trap can operate at a very low differential pressure of 0.01 bar (g), thereby making it an ideal steam trap for applications where there is a possibility of back pressure due to site conditions.