Steam System Basics

Course Outline

This course describes the many uses of steam in industry. Covered topics include process heating, pressure control, mechanical drive, component separation and water resources for many process reactions. Performance advantages that make steam an attractive means of delivering energy include low toxicity, ease of transportability, high efficiency, high heat capacity and low cost relative to other alternatives.

This course includes a multiple choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this two hour course, the student will learn the following regarding the operation of steam systems:

• Reasons for steam's inherent usefulness and flexibility;
• Operation and relative merits of different types of boilers;
• Components of a boiler and their impact on boiler performance and efficiency;
• Components of a steam distribution system, including piping, valves, separators, accumulators and traps;
• Different end users of steam in industry and their processes; and
• Components and advantages of condensate recovery systems.
  
  

Intended Audience

This course will be useful to engineers with little or no understanding of steam systems. Engineers who work in specific areas of, or related to steam systems, can expand their knowledge while perhaps refreshing once learned, but now forgotten topics. No prerequisites are required of the student but a rudimentary familiarity with basic industrial processes and thermodynamics may be helpful.

Course Content

The entirety of this course content is taken from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) publication entitled Improving Steam System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry. The publication was developed by the DOE Office of Industrial Technologies. Development, compiling, reviewing, and publication assistance was provided by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Resource Dynamics Corporation, The Alliance to Save Energy, the Council of Industrial Boiler Operators, the National Insulation Association, and the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association.

This publication describes basic steam system components, outlines opportunities for energy and performance improvements, and discusses the benefits of a systems approach in identifying and implementing improvement opportunities.

For this course, you are required to study Section 1 of the above publication. You may find it helpful to review Appendix A as well.

Section 1 - Steam System Basics
Appendix A - Glossary of Terms

The link to the publication is Improving Steam System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry.

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study.

Additional Resources

Section 3 of the above publication provides a directory of associations and other organizations involved in the steam system marketplace. This section also provides a directory of contacts, and a listing of available resources and tools, such as publications, software, training courses, and videos.

Section 3 - Programs, Contacts, and Resources

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

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DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.

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