Back pressure within a steam system is cause by ALL of the following EXCEPT which one: 1.Back pressure from lift – every 2 feet of lift takes 1 psi 2.Back pressure from flow – pressure drop is caused by flow 3.Back pressure from equipment – check valves cause back pressure 4.Back pressure from bad traps – blowing through traps create a huge steam flow through the condensate line 5.Back pressure from water hammer – the hammer impact causes pressure within the system And the answer is… 5. Back pressure from water hammer. While water hammer is damaging, back pressure is caused by lift, flow, equipment and bad traps. When these are combined:

• Back pressure from lift plus
• Back pressure from flow plus
• Back pressure from equipment plus
• Back pressure from blowing though steam traps

Properly sized steam traps can eliminate back pressure. When the team at Campbell-Sevey determines trap sizing we consider the following factors:

• Modulated or constant steam pressure?
• What is the maximum condensate load?
• What is the differential pressure at the trap?

If you have questions about how to regulate and control back pressure from your steam system, contact the team at Campbell-Sevey.