Steam Trap Inspection Basics Using Ultrasound

High energy prices and global competition dictate a need to reduce energy waste and improve system efficiencies whenever possible. Steam, aside from being one of the costliest utilities in plants, is an essential component to product quality in many processing industries.

Testing Steam Traps with Ultrasound

When the inspector is at the steam trap, before testing with ultrasound, it is recommended to take temperature readings with a simple spot radiometer first. Not only will the temperature let the inspector know if steam is coming to the trap or not, but the temperature can also be used to estimate the steam pressure. If the temperature of the steam trap is cold, the inspector should check to make sure that the valves are open or if the trap has been taken out of service. If the steam trap temperature is warm/hot, then the inspector can note the inlet and outlet temperatures and proceed to test with ultrasound.
When it comes to actually testing the steam traps with ultrasound, the most important item that the inspector will need to know is what type of trap is being inspected. This will determine what the steam trap should sound like once contact has been made between the steam trap and the ultrasound instrument.

Reporting the Results

Now that the inspector has gathered all of the information for the condition of the steam traps that were inspected, it is important to document the findings. Not only should the operating condition of the steam trap such as failed, leaking, or ok be reported, but also the money lost from the failed or leaking steam traps. In order to generate the Steam Loss Report in the Ultratrend DMS software from UE Systems, the inspector will need to know the following information for each steam trap: Type of Trap, Orifice Size, Inlet Temperature, Outlet Temperature, Operating Condition, and the cost of generating steam.