Strategic Alignment Network wide Steam Trap Monitoring System

Transcription

1 Track 11, Session 2 Strategic Alignment Network wide Steam Trap Monitoring System James Zellander Energy Manager, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa VA August 16, 2017 Tampa Convention Center Tampa, Florida

2 Objectives Understand the purpose of steam trap monitoring in steam distribution Understand the benefits of a steam trap monitoring system Understand benefits of a service agreement with monitoring system in campus application

3 Overview of a properly operating Campus Steam System Condensate Steam Vapor 100 psig F Heat Exchanger PRV Trap 50.3 psig F Process Equipment Coil Trap Trap Trap Drying Equipment Trap Trap Vent

4 Unremoved condensate can cause destructive water hammer

5 Effects of Water Hammer A slug of water travels at 90 mph down the pipe and sounds like clanging metal when it hits and changes direction This slug of water hit can erode fittings by hammering away at metal surfaces over time. It can destroy anything that causes the slug to change direction Pipe fittings, valves, tees - even traps

6 Unremoved Air and Condensate from the Steam Causes: Carbonic Acid Steam pipes can corrode internally when plugged traps back up Subcooled Condensate + CO2 (CO 2 + H 2 O = H 2 CO 3 )

7 Strategies to enhance campus steam performance Condensate return analysis Look for 85 % condensate and 15% make up feed water Annual steam trap testing A typical VA hospital trap field is 400 traps The projected trap failure rate is 20% (5 year MTBF) A typical trap survey will take about a month With 2 weeks on site field testing + 2 weeks offsite analyzing Yielding prospective savings of $100,000 a year, depending on cost. Use steam trap monitors coupled with a Service Agreement Repair failed traps in 20 days This collapses the trap failure-to-fix time Where the energy savings occur

8 Condensate Recovery and opportunity Standard is 85% recovery So facilities at 50% CR have a 35% energy opportunity This is real cost and energy opportunity in steam Can be accomplished with insulation, trap monitors and service agreements New Technologies now permit steam monitoring With prospects of energy and money savings Can be web based to operate 24/7 Quick alarm notice upon trap failure Reduce time from failure to fix Service agreements for repair (recommended)

9 Armstrong Trap Monitoring System Let s look at the Armstrong SteamEye System This is the monitoring system used at VISN 7 For the steam trap monitoring program Tracks traps real-time Senses temp, sound and conductivity Alarms on trap failure Signal doesn t disrupt RF Shows when, where and how trap failed Talks to BAS and DCS systems

10 Transmitters for low, med and high pressure traps

11 Steam vault and tunnel solutions Install remote mount transmitter Labor only required to enter the tunnel to repair identified trap failures (no survey needed) Lowers maintenance costs and alleviates worker safety issues in manholes

12 Trap monitoring overview diagram

13 Typical Monitoring Project Payback Projected trap fail rate at federal facilities: 19% Average steam cost per 1,000 pounds: $12.50 Typical trap population at federal campus: 400 Representative potential savings: $125K Typical monitoring project cost: $500K Typical Trap Monitoring simple payback: 4 years

14 14 VISN-7 Steam Savings VISN-7 Steam Savings $600,000 $500,000 44% 95% 96% 79% $400,000 $300,000 US2 identifies issues. VA addresses some issues. US2 addresses issues & Installs Steam Monitors. Service Agreement $200,000 44% $100,000 $0 92% 11% $13/klb used to normalize data across years. Cost was actually higher in earlier years. Unmonitored Trap Loss ($) Monitored Trap Loss ($) Utility Systems Solutions, Inc VA Verified SDVOSB, SBA Certified 8(a)/SDB

15 VISN 7 System Project for $3.8M Covers 950 traps at Nine (9) VA sites 2010 Comprehensive VISN-wide trap survey 2013 Steam Trap Monitoring System installed 2014 to present FY Steam Service Agreement At $15.00 /1,000 lbs, reduction in annual lost steam costs Cost in 2010 $565,985 Cost in 2012 $319,202 Cost in 2014 $27,744 Cost in 2015 $15,253 Cost in 2016 $18,465 Dollar savings: averaging over $500,000 per year

16 Steam Trap Service Agreements Service agreements are ideal for VA given declining field steam expertise and manpower Monitoring remotely with Dual reporting from a central location Monthly site visits to fix trap failures System upgrades include: Trap surveys, Adding traps annually Software upgrades

17 Example of Reporting

18 Screenshots of monitoring system

19 Conclusion The steam trap monitoring system, service contract and trap installation has enabled facilities to reduce steam consumption considerably campus wide. Steam trap monitoring systems have become necessary given our man power and resource issues in maintenance shops.

20 Contact Information James Zellander, CEM Acting Network Energy Manager VA VISN 7 Southeast Region Birmingham VAMC , ext 5276 james.zellander@va.gov 20