Well designed steam systems produce clean dry steam for delivery at high pressure - the best quality steam at the lowest cost. Lower pressure steam is usually needed at the point of use. Effective control demands an automatic valve that can reduce steam pressure accurately, reliably and at a cost to suit the application. Self-acting valves (can operate without the need of external power). Pneumatic signal and actuator operated valves.
A well designed steam system will produce clean dry steam in the boiler house ready for delivery at high pressure
through the distribution network. This maximises the potential to generate and supply saturated steam of the best
quality at the lowest overall cost.
The majority of applications however require a reduction in pressure at the point of use, the benefits of this include:
• A reduction in the capital cost of equipment.
• Operating plant costs will decrease by reducing flash steam.
• Saturated steam pressure is directly related to temperature. Controlling the pressure will therefore automatically control
the temperature avoiding the need for additional temperature control equipment.
• The flexibility to reduce to various lower pressures through the plant to suit each particular application.
However there are some applications that have a need to sense and control upstream of the valve to maintain
or disperse excess pressure in the distribution pipeline in order to safeguard the equipment using it -
this requires a pressure surplussing / maintaining valve.
Two main groups of pressure control valve are available for either pressure reduction or surplussing applications:
• Self-acting requiring no external power or input.