Many industries use steam for various manufacturing processes. Steam traps are often used in these industries for optimise the performance of steam generation and usage. Steam Solutions offers steam traps, which help customers to reduce operating expenses that have a positive impact on overall energy and manufacturing economics. In this interview, Kishor Jain, Partner, Steam Solutions LLP, explains the importance of optimise usage of generated steam and the company’s growth plans.

Could you brief us about Steam Solutions & its offerings?
Steam Solutions LLP is the exclusive & sole distributor in India for the patented Aristi Venturi Nozzle Steam Traps manufactured by ST Holdings, Japan. These steam traps have a durability of 30-40 years and are practically maintenance free with no moving parts and 2 internal strainers.

Steam Solutions LLP provides full range of pre- and post-sales services. With a range of 53 nozzles and trap sizes from 8 MM - 100 MM, we cover a full range of applications to discharge from 1 kg/hour to 60 tonnes/hour of condensate.

We put our knowledge to work by helping clients and stake holders in minimising energy losses through constantly failing conventional/mechanical steam traps, increase energy utilisation, maximise productivity and performance for the life of the trap. Steam Solutions customers also realise consistently lower operating expenses that have a positive impact on overall energy and manufacturing economics.

Which industries are you serving?
In the Far East, our traps are operating in leading Fortune 100 Manufacturing Companies viz tyres, chemicals, petroleum refinery, food processing, automotive industry, pulp & paper, glass, etc.

Today, Aristi Steam Traps are operating in Fortune 100 companies like Coca Cola, Mitsubishi, Toyota, LG, etc and across all manufacturing sectors like tyre, food, plastics, paper, chemicals, petroleum, pharma, etc. In India, the Aristi Traps are operating in textile, power, metal, chemical and API (active pharmaceutical ingredients) sectors.

In short, every industry that generates and uses steam in its processing/manufacturing is a potential client.

Why is it important to optimise usage of generated steam?
Steam is generated in industrial units by burning fossil fuels. This steam in turn is used to heat processes, to concentrate and distil liquids or is used directly as feedstock. All of the major industrial energy users devote significant proportions of their fossil fuel consumption to steam production. Since industrial systems are very diverse, but often have major steam systems in common, it makes a useful target for energy efficiency measures. An effective production and distribution system for the steam produced leads to optimisation of the manufacturing process at the least possible cost to the plant vis-à-vis an ineffective system that can prove very costly.

Industrial processes require that a constant amount of pressure and temperature be maintained. As steam passes through the system/pipelines, it condenses and it is important to remove this condensate as quickly as possible so that required temperature can be maintained. If condensate is allowed to stay in the system, it adversely affects temperature. Hence, it is important that this condensate is efficiently and immediately removed with the use of steam traps otherwise one has to generate more steam (which means burning extra fuel, extra make-up water, extra water treatment chemicals etc thus increasing the cost of generated steam).

What are the advantages (benefits) of Aristi Venturi Nozzle Steam Traps?
There are several advantages of using Venturi Nozzle Steam Traps compared to other conventional steam traps.

Our traps are made of SS 304 and, hence, they have a durability of 30-40 years. They have zero moving parts and therefore no wear & tear. Practically no live steam leakage and our traps do not generate flash steam which in TD Traps is lost mostly to the atmosphere and cannot be recovered. Our traps have 2X internal double walled strainers so practically no possibility of choking. In-line flushing through ball valve, which also contributes to ease of already low maintenance requirements.

Most importantly the design factor of our traps is 1:1 which means that to remove say 100 Kg/Hr of condensate, we select a suitable Nozzle that will remove 100 Kg/Hr ±10%. Hence, very limited possibility of live steam escaping.

In the conventional/mechanical traps (for example TD trap), when the trap opens first, there is flashing when hot condensate is discharged. This flash steam contains at least 10-15% energy (depending on temperature and pressure). If this is discharged to the atmosphere, it cannot be recovered. This is a loss.

In addition, you have operational losses with conventional/mechanical traps where the safety factor of trap orifice is 1:5 (in some cases 1:3). So, to remove 100 Kg/Hr of condensate the pre-selected orifice size is 5 times than required. Hence, when the TD/IB/FB trap opens, the extra capacity in the space fills up with condensate and live steam (which escapes into the environment and is a loss) which cannot be recovered.

Some manufacturing units use condensate recovery system that is closed or open to the atmosphere. The temperature of the returned feed is approximately 60 Deg C - but it has to be reheated to over 100 Deg C for conversion to steam which means burning extra fuel, make-up water, water treatment chemicals, etc. In addition, the increased capex to build up the infrastructure required to return the feed water to the boiler.

What do you bring to the table for your customers? How do they benefit from Steam Solutions?
We offer our customer savings with our steam traps which they are not achieving with conventional/mechanical TD/IB/FB steam traps (which have a maximum life of 3 years but can fail at any time and which give losses from day 1 after installation due to various factors).

We bring the best in category steam traps that are manufactured from SS 304 and have a very long-life span of 30 to 40 years. We assure saving of 10-20% when used in a combination of line and process traps. Average RoI of between 12 to 24 months or less depending on trap usage. In some cases, the RoI was 30 days.

Our traps are practically maintenance free; thus, offering hassle free working. A client has been using our traps for over 2 years without requiring any maintenance or spare parts.

Our traps are designed for every application and can remove from 1 Kg/Hr to 60 tonnes/Hr of condensate. We offer special HPT 4 Nozzle Trap for very high pressure of upto 120 Kg/Hr and temperature upto 600 Deg C.

Sustainability is gaining traction in the manufacturing industry. How is Steam Solutions helping its customers to meet their green goals?
Our Venturi Nozzle Steam Traps help clients to reduce their carbon foot print by reducing the volume of fuel they burn to convert water into steam. Hence, they meet their green goals and can also claim green credits.

Any new offerings in the pipeline? If yes, please elaborate.
Yes, we are in the process of introducing small size steam traps of 8 MM and 10 MM which will further benefit the industry. To the best of our knowledge, we are the only company providing these sizes.

What are your growth plans for the future?
We plan to enter into manufacturing the traps in India in collaboration with our Principles under the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes.