Steam Trap
A steam trap is an automatic valve that drains condensate and non-condensable gases from a steam system while holding back live steam. Failed traps waste fuel (failed open) or waterlog equipment (failed closed), making trap condition a significant efficiency and reliability issue.
Steam traps keep steam systems efficient by removing condensate that would otherwise reduce heat transfer and cause water hammer, without letting expensive live steam escape. Because they are numerous and fail silently, a large population commonly runs with a meaningful fraction defective — which is why trap surveys and monitoring pay back.
Related terms
Energy Management System (EnMS / EMS) · Condition Monitoring
Related guides
Steam trap management
Failed steam traps quietly waste fuel and damage equipment. How to survey, prioritise and monitor a trap population effectively.
How to improve boiler efficiency
The practical levers that move boiler efficiency — combustion, blowdown, feedwater, flue-gas heat and standing losses — and how to find them.
Where this applies
Adopting condensate recovery · Establishing a steam-trap survey programme · Reducing and cascading steam pressure · Recovering flash steam from condensate · Managing the condensate hot well · Steam vs Hot-Water Heating