Inspect Steam Traps Using Airborne Scanning Mode

April 22, 2009

Not all steam traps are within arms reach to be contacted with ultrasonic stethoscopes. For safety and convenience reasons these traps are often overlooked during routine PM. To inspect these hard-to-reach traps it was suggested to try using a laser-sighted parabolic ultrasonic transducer.

A parabola gathers ultrasound waves from a distant and parallel source and concentrates them onto a focal point (ultrasonic sensor). The result is extreme, fine-tuned directionality, at greater distances. By pointing the laser on the upstream side, and then again on the downstream side of the condensate trap, inspectors could clearly hear if the trap was blowing through, plugged, closed, or cycling properly. Additionally, leaking secondary vents in F&T (Float and Thermostatic) type traps were easily identified using the same parabola.

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