GEM steam traps reduce energy use at hospital

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust has reduced its energy consumption by GBP53,000 per annum following the installation of GEM venturi orifice steam traps.

A total of 147 GEM steam traps from Thermal Energy International have been installed throughout the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) site in Stanmore, providing the hospital with a seven-month payback in gas savings alone.

Steam is used by the RNOH for a range of services including the various plant rooms' heating and hot water heat exchangers, space heating, AHU batteries and humidification.

Prior to the installation of the GEM steam traps, the hospital found that each year an average of 31 per cent of its steam traps were failing to open, thereby wasting expensive steam, or jamming shut, risking water hammer and system failure.

GEM arranged for the installation of the steam traps during the summer, with installation being carried out without disruption to site steam services.

Not only has the hospital achieved savings in gas, it has also reduced costs on replacement steam traps and maintenance.

The RNOH also felt that water treatment was another important part of the overall efficiency of the steam system.

It therefore decided to take out an ongoing water treatment maintenance agreement with GEMchem, a subsidiary of GEM .

The water treatment consists of an environmentally friendly and highly efficient filming amine chemical for the site steam system together with regular monitoring carried out by GEMchem's regional engineer.

Instead of utilising a valve mechanism to close off steam for maximum energy and water conservation, the GEM steam traps use the venturi orifice design to effectively drain condensate from the steam system.

As the GEM steam traps have no moving parts to wedge open or fail, they provide reliability and require only minimal maintenance, needing no spares, testing or monitoring equipment.

Available in a range of sizes for a full cross-section of applications, the hardwearing GEM steam traps are manufactured from corrosion-resistant stainless steel and are guaranteed for 10 years, obviating the need for repair or replacement.

The GEM steam traps provide fast payback from reduced energy costs and increased equipment reliability due to a reduction in damaging condensate in steam systems.

In addition, they improve product processing by enhancing the quality of steam and also reducing equipment repairs, downtime and replacement costs.

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