What happens if my steam pressure exceeds the steam traps rated pressure?
A. The trap can fail shut because the rated pressure is the ability of the float or bucket to pull the pin away from the seat. For example, if the trap’s rated seat pressure is 15 psig (1 bar) and the system is operating at 75 psi (5.2 bar), the trap will close and remain closed until the pressure drops to near 15 psi (1 bar). Using a higher rated trap will eliminate this problem since they have smaller diameter seat openings than low pressure seats. As long as the high pressure trap’s rated capacity is sufficient for the system load, it will work fine. Q.
