LEARNING STEAM FUNDAMENTALS

16 FUNDAMENTAL RULES OF GOOD PIPING PRACTICE

STEAM TRAP TESTING IS NOT ENOUGH

HOW DOES ON-SITE TRAINING WORK

DURATION OF TRAINING

BENEFITS OF ON-SITE STEAM TRAINING

WHO SHOULD ATTEND . . .

LEARNING STEAM FUNDAMENTALS

            Learning steam fundamentals is not rocket science!  But steam is tricky because it is biphase medium (simultaneously both vapor and liquid).  When it condenses from a vapor into a liquid, it reduces itself in volume by a factor of 100.  That is exactly why we need vacuum breakers.  When steam condenses, its greatly reduced volume induces a vacuum and vacuum breakers are needed to break that vacuum.  Steam and condensate piping is considerably more complicated than piping for single phase mediums, such as water (domestic, hot, chilled, etc.), fuel oil, process oils, and industrial gases.

But it is not that much more complicated!  Any maintenance person with average intelligence and a good attitude can easily grasp these fundamentals, especially when they are taught on-site at your facility in an easy to understand manner by Jack Ames, P.E., a hands-on professional engineer with over 40 years of field experience.

16 FUNDAMENTAL RULES OF GOOD PIPING PRACTICE

Learning and implementing the 16 fundamental rules of steam and condensate practice taught by Jack Ames, P.E., at your facility will save you time, money, and headaches.  The good news is that implementing the 16 fundamental piping rules typically requires relatively simple, cost-effective piping changes, which can be done in-house by your own properly trained maintenance mechanics.  With such steam piping problems corrected, you can rightfully expect many years of energy efficient, trouble-free, low-maintenance operation from both your steam equipment and your steam and condensate piping systems.  

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STEAM TRAP TESTING IS NOT ENOUGH

            Steam trap testing is extremely important since a significant percentage of your traps (I recently saw 35%) can be wastefully blowing or passing steam.  Identifying those traps that are blowing or that have failed closed is extremely important.  A single blowing steam trap can easily cost you $ 1000 a year in wasted steam! The various methods of steam trap testing plus their advantages and disadvantages are taught by Jack Ames.  All participants have a chance to test traps themselves in at least one of the practice sessions so they can learn this important skill.

But steam trap testing by itself is clearly not enough.  Don’t mislead yourself by thinking that because you have tested, repaired, or replaced your steam traps, everything is just fine with your steam system.  It’s probably not!  The knowledge conveyed and many other diagnostic skills taught on-site by Jack Ames will pay for themselves in the first few months after your training has been completed.

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HOW DOES ON-SITE TRAINING WORK

            Before any steam training begins, Jack Ames will personally visit your facility and survey a cross-section of your steam piping systems in various mechanical rooms or numerous buildings.  Based on survey findings combined with your input, he will customize his training to best meet your specific needs and solve your specific problems.  The fundamentals of steam theory are taught.  The 16 fundamental piping rules are taught, illustrated, and applied to your particular problems.  Everything is taught in a simple, clear, and understandable manner.

Training is divided into classroom (theory) sessions and field (practice) sessions.  Each classroom training session is typically limited to a maximum of one hour.  Steam fundamentals are stressed.  Many proven audio-visual aids are utilized.  Numerous handouts are available to participants.  Problems identified by Jack Ames’ survey and by participants are discussed and examined thoroughly.  Questions are strongly encouraged!

Each classroom session is followed immediately by a field training or practice session to crystallize the theory just taught in the classroom.  These field sessions are conducted on-site in your very own physical plant, boiler rooms, mechanical equipment rooms, or manufacturing areas.  They are taught wherever steam piping and steam equipment exist.  They are conducted in those very same areas where your maintenance personnel must work and in those same areas previously surveyed by Jack Ames.  They also last a maximum of one hour.

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DURATION OF TRAINING

            Most steam training courses are designed to run three consecutive days with a maximum of four hours of classroom and field training each morning.  After each four-hour morning session, Jack Ames will be available to discuss and visit problems brought to his attention by individual participants.  Group size is typically limited to a maximum of 8 trainees at a time.  If additional personnel need to be trained, additional classes can typically be scheduled the following week. On the other hand, no group is too small.

Tests can be included and certificates of successful completion can be provided.

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BENEFITS OF ON-SITE STEAM TRAINING

• Every single one of your mechanics can be trained because all training is conducted on-site at your facility!
• Costly individual tuitions, travel and overnight expenses associated with off-site training are eliminated.
• A safer working environment results due to the steam safety practices that are taught.
• Potentially deadly and always destructive water hammer can be eliminated.
• Problems only have to be fixed once because your mechanics learn to work smart.
• Hands-on troubleshooting skills are taught.
• More scheduled, regular time, routine maintenance.
• Less unscheduled costly overtime, and less break down maintenance occur.
• Dramatically extended equipment life (e.g., pressure regulating valves, steam coils, steam traps, condensate pumps, heat exchangers, insulation, etc.).
• Dramatic steam energy savings.
• Improved temperature control.
• Improved process efficiency.
• Every single session is taught by Jack Ames, P.E., not by a surrogate!

WHO SHOULD ATTEND . . .

• Maintenance Mechanics
• Pipe Fitters and Plumbers
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Directors of Maintenance
• Directors of Facilities
• Utility Engineers
• Plant Engineers
• Stationary Engineers
• Process Engineers
• Energy Conservation Engineers
• Design Engineers

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