Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

APM Steam to Offer Steam Trap Surveys to Colleges and Universities

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/21/24

American Plant Maintenance (APM Steam) recently announced the launch of steam trap survey services, which a news release reports can document the operational status of and provide repair recommendations for steam traps in a facility’s steam system. The survey can increase operational integrity, energy efficiency, and safety in a steam distribution system. The process creates a full inventory of steam traps, uncovers any issues that prevent the delivery of heat and removal of condensation, and can identify failing traps, according to the news release.

The surveys use ultrasound and temperature differentials to test and document the traps’ operational status. Evaluated elements include isolation valves, inlet strainers, strainer blowdown valves, outlet check valves, trap station bypasses, test valves, and sight glass flow indicators. It also evaluates safety features that allow technicians to perform maintenance without exposure to live steam flow.

The final data offers “a complete trap inventory and extensive system information in a detailed report outlining findings and recommendations, a synopsis of results, and a return-on-investment calculation that compares replacement costs with losses associated with failed traps. The report also includes trap application problems and specific recommendations for trap and trap station improvements,” according to the news release.

The survey also provides a return-on-investment calculation incorporating the cost of the survey, any necessary replacement steam traps, and the estimated cost of labor to install them. These costs are presented alongside the potential financial losses of traps found to be failing or leaking. Finally, it details trap application problems and any specific recommendations for trap and trap station improvements.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.