Best Practice Guide

Food and Beverage Growers and Processors

Introduction

Planning an Energy Program

Funding and Approval

Commissioning

On-the-Farm Energy Use

Lighting

Building Envelope

Central HVAC System

Boilers

Steam

Energy Use Basics

Pipe Configurations

Proper Maintenance

Waste Heat Recovery

Combined Heat and Power

Compressed Air

Refrigeration

Motors

Demand Response

Distributed Generation

Water Use


Fetzer Vineyard

J Vineyards and Winery

Mission Foods

S. Martinelli and Company

Sara Lee

Vineyard 29


View the Glossary

Steam

Pipe Configurations

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If installing a new steam distribution system or if a major retrofit is underway, consider how pipe size and configuration affects system performance and energy savings.

Choose larger pipe diameters. Although the first-cost will be more expensive, larger pipe diameters (and low flow-rates) result in less pressure drop. Pressure drop results from friction caused by steam passing along pipes or over obstructions, which reduces energy available downstream. Larger pipes also reduce noise from the steam system.

In existing systems, energy savings can be made by minor adjustments. Remove steam lines, for example, that are no longer in use in order to reduce unnecessary pressure drop. Look for opportunities to capture and reuse condensate through return lines, as well as opportunities to reintroduce flash steam.


Resources

U.S. Department of Energy, Best Practices Steam program:

3E Plus - a software program to optimize the installed thickness of mechanical insulation. Helps the user determine fuel savings and emissions reductions under varying operating conditions.

Steam System Scoping Tool - a self-paced checklist for discovering steam improvement opportunities and serves as a scorecard for comparing profiles of one or more plants over time.

Steam Tip Sheets - a series of one-page reference sheets, each of which describes a specific steam improvement opportunity. Tip sheets provide a technical overview and a sample calculation of economic impacts.

Steaming Ahead - this newsletter and companion website give the steam community bi-monthly updates about program products and events.

Ensuring Energy Efficiency Through Effective Monitoring of Steam. Solartron Mobrey Ltd. Reproduced by Energy Solutions Center, Inc., Boiler Burner Consortium.

Yoder, Jesse L., Ph.D. Using Meters to Measure Steam Flow. Plant Engineering Magazine, April 1998. Reproduced by Flow Research, Inc.