Steam traps are different from other types of steam valves. As an automatic valve, steam traps frequently operate and switch. After a certain period of use, there are often problems such as increased leakage, decreased sealing, and delayed response.

The service life of steam traps is determined first and correctly. Watt's energy-saving experience shows that inappropriate types and calibers can affect the actual performance and life of the trap. Secondly, the material of the steam trap, especially the material selection and heat treatment process of the valve seat, is also very important.

In the process of use, changes in the working conditions and the timely maintenance and maintenance of the steam trap have a great influence on the service life of the steam trap. Even with traps of the same quality, lifetime performance in different processes and applications is often not uniform.

A trap failure is often unpredictable. Early failures often begin with an increase in leakage, which is almost impossible to find in time. Therefore, preventive maintenance testing of the trap is the mainstay. In some European and American factories, traps are detected online, but due to the instability of the test objects (flow, pressure, and flow rate), flash evaporation and back pressure, the actual results are not ideal.

Watt Energy believes that the trap management is very important. The planned management of the trap valve includes data statistics and files of the trap, regular and irregular inspections, regular maintenance, replacement and replacement of important parts, replacement of the trap filter, and cleaning of the valve core. , critical steam trap wear evaluation, etc.

The trap management is an important part of the enterprise energy management and must be established and implemented in a timely manner.

The life of steam traps is not the same due to the different characteristics of steam equipment, operating conditions, steam pressure, condensate volume, the number of steam traps used, the degree of maintenance technicians, and the degree of seriousness of maintenance operations. However, the biggest factor in shortening the life of the trap is the handling of impurities and impure substances in the initial period after the new installation of piping.

If pipelines and traps are not properly treated with impurities such as slag and impurities, they will have a significant adverse effect on steam traps. It is very important to clean the pipes of new construction and installation, and regularly clean the filters to remove the scale and impurities generated during the initial operation.

Based on past practical experience, we believe that during the first month after putting into operation, it should be cleared once a week; between one month and three months after it is put into operation, it should be cleared once a month, and once every six months thereafter. .

In normal use, in order to prolong the service life of steam traps, early detection (foreseeing) and early resolution (overhaul) are required when an abnormal operation occurs. This is the periodic maintenance during operation.

Increases in the number of regular maintenance and steam losses are positively related to your relationship. For example, changing the inspection and maintenance of a steam trap from two times per year to a two-year inspection is very effective. The effect of changing from three times a year to four times a year has not changed much. Therefore, the period of regular steam trap regular maintenance can be determined twice a year, that is, once every six months or so.

In order to perform maintenance work, people want to know in advance when it is necessary to replace the new steam trap, or when repairs (replacement of parts) of major components are required. The cycle of parts replacement is from the point of view of preventive maintenance. It is better to replace the new valve or replace the main parts during the wear before the trap enters the service life. However, the service life of the trap is affected by various factors, making it difficult to predict the time of its service life.

For this method of predicting the life expectancy arrival time, Hangzhou Watt hopes to adopt the “statistical management method”, that is, the statistics of the failure rate of steam traps used for a period of time, and use these data as a basis for calculations. Such statistical management The law should be based on professional books or the manufacturer's instructions.

For initial failures, failures due to structural defects in the trap itself are quickly exposed. The problems that occurred during the initial failure were almost always due to operational and operational reasons such as incomplete impurities during initial operation and incomplete cleaning of impure substances.

For accidental failures, the failure is caused entirely by accidental causes. During this period, the failure rate was very low, and it is usually considered that this period is the effective life period. From the perspective of common sense, we can think of the length of this period and the size of the failure rate. It is closely related to the quality of steam traps and the advantages and disadvantages of operation and management.

The experience of Hangzhou Watt Energy Conservation Engineering Co., Ltd. shows that after a certain period of accidental failure, the steam trap will wear out, corrode, and crack, and the failure rate will start to increase dramatically. This period is called the wear period. Wear failure occurs, it is best to replace the new trap. When the maintenance cost (parts price and manpower, material resources, construction costs, etc. required for repair) exceeds 30% of the unit price of the steam trap, it is better to replace the new trap. This can be implemented as a standard.

In order to predict when the steam trap enters the wear period in which it is necessary to replace the main components, to achieve a successful maintenance, it is necessary to carry out organization and management, and record the operating conditions of each trap (operation time and maintenance status, maintenance status). On the maintenance record sheet, statistical calculations are made on the life, fault conditions and maintenance costs to predict and master the replacement cycle.

In order to rationalize the maintenance management of steam traps, Hangzhou Watt Energy Management assists customers in setting up management organizations within the company. It is necessary to establish steam trap type management accounts, steam trap single management accounts, and steam trap maintenance records. Form a complete management system.