Eliminating Recurring Mechanical Steam Trap Failures in Lumber Drying Kilns

Verified Reliability Across Variable Kiln Loads

Steam heated kilns are a significant part of the mill’s production process, with condensate loads changing across the drying cycle as steam demand varies. The existing inverted bucket traps were typically failing within 4 to 8 months of operation, resulting in frequent replacement and quarterly maintenance. The mill therefore needed a practical solution that could provide consistent condensate removal under changing kiln loads.

GEM™ steam traps are sized for the specific application duty, with the multistage venturi throat controlling condensate discharge as kiln loads change without backing up condensate or passing live steam. Its single piece stainless steel construction contains no moving parts to wear, stick or fail. This supports long term reliability, backed by a 10-year performance guarantee on saturated steam.

The customer conducted a six-month evaluation of GEM™ steam traps on one of its kilns, comparing their performance against the existing inverted bucket traps.

The Project Engineer confirmed:

Our findings indicate that the GEM Steam Traps exhibited continuous condensate discharge across varying operational loads. This behaviour confirmed that the flashing condensate in the variable throat generated sufficient back pressure to establish a seal of condensate before the orifice. Additionally, thermal imaging assessments indicated a satisfactory temperature drop, validating the operation the GEM traps.

At the end of the evaluation, the test traps were removed to assess their physical condition. The customer went on to confirm:

Upon decommissioning the test traps, we observed no discernible deterioration in either throat or orifice condition.

Following these positive results, the mill proceeded with a phased replacement of its inverted bucket traps. By reducing recurrent steam trap failures, the transition to GEM™ is expected to lower maintenance requirements and reduce the risk of trap related disruption to kiln performance and production.

For other sites experiencing similar mechanical trap failure cycles, the project provides a strong proof point for improving steam trap reliability across variable process loads.