Monetary loss due to blowing traps in the system can have a dramatic effect on the bottom line. The chart below is based a steam cost of $ 8.00/1,000 lbs. of steam produced.
| Orifice Size | 5 PSI | 15 PSI | 30 PSI | 50 PSI | 75 PSI | 100 PSI | 125 PSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .03 | 130.66 | 197.74 | 296.62 | 431.32 | 594.56 | 62.44 | 928.33 |
| .125 | 520.24 | 790.98 | 1,186.46 | 1725.27 | 2,378.23 | 3,049.77 | 3,713.34 |
| .25 | 2,080.96 | 4,745.85 | 3,163.90 | 6,901.13 | 9,512.94 | 12,199.07 | 14,855.30 |
To compute steam loss through an orifice:
24.24 x PSIA x (diameter of orifice in inches)
To convert psi to PSIA: add 14.7. Therefore, 100 PSI steam is 114.7 PSIA (absolute)
Example: Compute steam loss through a 1/8″ orifice at 100 PSI steam?
24.24 x 114.7 x (.125 x .125) = 43.44
To estimate total cost of system-wide loss: Multiply the steam loss by hours of operation, steam cost (usually between $4.00 and $14.00 per 1,000 lbs.) and by the number of faulty traps.