Improvement of Steam Distribution System Using Modified Steam Trap in a Furniture Decorative Laminate Industry

In a furniture decorative laminate industry, boiler is an important component to produce steam for machinery operation. Thus, improving efficiency of boiler becomes crucial step to reduce the operational cost and to increase the productivity. In this study, we investigated the replacement of steam trap in a boiler system using orificebased steam trap. Based on the real operational data, we found that the modified steam traps installed in an impregnation machine line could increase the boiler efficiency and decrease the fuel consumption by 7.1%, reduce the treated water by 5.5%, and decrease the condensate water volume by 1.9%. These phenomena occurred because there are no steam losses thus the boiler will work efficiently leading to the reduction in the use of fuel and treated water. The cost calculation concluded that the replacement of steam traps contributes to 2 months pay back period, Net Present Value (NPV) of USD 57,457, and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 562%.